Chapter 13

Duncan and Adira were out for a run, her wolf Artemis was beautiful and fast, and Apollo was utterly smitten. They played, hunted, and ran races with each other. They even took a nap together under the bows of a pine tree. Duncan thought back to when they woke up this morning.
Another kiss, this one was a lot hotter than the other two; Duncan could sense her need building up inside her; it would be just a matter of a little bit more time.
They were heading back to their cabin when both wolves sensed they were being watched.
Duncan’s mind linked Marco his location and what was going on. Then Duncan mind linked Artemis telling her to pretend to be normal. When he said run, she was to run to their cabin. There were protection barriers in the cabin that would keep her safe.
Marco was the master of stealth; his mind linked Duncan to tell him he was staring at a sniper, using his scope to watch them. He was also downwind from him; he smelled like one of those Rising Moon bastards.
The last thing that Duncan heard was a loud snarl and choking sounds coming from the trees ahead. Duncan took off to the sounds and the smell of blood.
Duncan managed to get there in time before Marco killed him. "We need some questions answered, so we keep this one alive for now."
Alpha, we already have one in custody; I was on my way to find you when you mind linked me. This piece of shit was aiming his rifle at Adira.
"Oh, well, it looks like your luck has run out then." The spy got a look of total horror on his face as the Alpha reached down and tore his head clean off.
Marco sniffed the air, "Duncan, do you smell something off about these guys?" Duncan sniffed the air, "yes, it is there, faint, but it is there." Then it dawned on Duncan, "this guy was a shifter; he was born with a wolf, but there was no wolf present in him now."
"Duncan, I don't like this for you to lose your wolf. You must do something so horrible that your wolf leaves you or dies. What kind of fucked up shit are they into in that pack? "
"I don't know, Marco, we will find out, though; whatever is going on there, it has to be stopped."
Duncan turned around; he sensed something coming at them from the opposite direction. He recognized the scent and calmed back down.
"Perhaps I can be of some assistance in the information department."
As Jack Dawson walked out of the shadows.
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Eric and Joann returned home without their daughter Lily. Their house looked like a bomb had gone off; both knew who to thank for this mess. Eric went to his hidden wall safe; with a sigh of relief, all the money and account books were there.
"Eric, we can't stay here; we have to pack what we can and go as far away as we can. We can always go to High Garden and seek an audience with the prince; he could protect us from that insane mess you call a brother."
Eric looked a Joann for a bit, thinking that once they got the help they needed, he would make sure his mate came up missing. She was grinding his nerves to a pulp; whatever he saw in her was gone.
It probably had something to do with the night his wolf left him. Since then, he'd lost his ability to give a shit. He felt no attraction to her; his need to kill was stronger, too, since he had lost his wolf.
"Yes, let’s get our stuff and go to High Garden; we will find a small place there to live while we wait for the prince to grant us an audience."
Joann was sick of her husband. He was a fantastic mate, till that fateful night when she was about to give birth to Lily, that he brought in another child. Right there in the birthing room. He wanted her to raise his bastard; he asked her this as she screamed in pain. Now he doesn't even feel like her mate; it was like something died in him.
It doesn’t matter, though. As soon as they are in High Garden, she goes straight to the Prince to request her own audience. She was also going to visit one of the local herbalists to get poison to put her husband out of his misery and hers.
They packed everything they would need, plus a few things they could sell at a pawnshop for more money. They hurried to their car and were gone before anyone was the wiser.
They might have changed their plans if they knew that the Alpha had a spy watching them. As soon as they were in the distance, the Alpha's spy came out of the shadows, already reporting what he had seen.
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Adira stood behind Duncan; she was unsure who had just joined them; he was huge. At least 6'8 and all muscle, he had a deep voice. He kept looking at her, but she kept hiding behind Duncan.
Duncan knew that Adira was learning to trust people, that meeting a giant like Jack was intimidating for her.
He reached around behind him and grabbed her hand; he pulled her out in front of him, wrapping his arms around her like a shield.
"Adira, this is a good friend of mine, Jack Dawson. He is a Werebear. He’s big and intimidating, but don't let that fool you, though; he is a sweet fuzzy teddy bear on the inside."
Jack gave Duncan a look that said he would get even later. Duncan laughed.
"Hello there, Adira; I am Jack Dawson, Leader of the Stone Mountain Clan of Werebears. We will also accept the term Pack. If you ever need to slap this idiot around some, just let me know. I will come over and fix his attitude up really nice for you." Then he gave a courtly bow, which made Duncan roll his eyes.
This did seem to make Adira a bit more comfortable as she relaxed in Duncan's arms. Jack was staring at Adira; Duncan let out a warning growl. Jack put both of his hands in the air and backed away. "I am sorry about that; it’s just that she is a twin, and her twin looks nothing like her."
Adira stiffened up again but asked, "You have met my sister, Lily?" "Yes, she is at my Clan house until I decide what to do with her. She came to us with all kinds of information. That is why I am here; you’re going want to know what I must tell you and show you.
He held up what looked like a backpack; it was then that Adira let out a slight hiss. "That backpack belongs to Lily; she never goes anywhere without it, not even in the house."
Once I show you what is in here, you will know why she never went anywhere without it.
Duncan gestured for Jack and Marco to follow them back to the magical house; it was the perfect place for privacy. He had a feeling what he was about to find out was going to take him beyond killing mad. Duncan also hoped that it wouldn't hurt Adira anymore, she is strong, but still, you can only take so many punches.
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Lily woke up in a strange room; she looked around. It was a nice size room and was a little spartan, though. Then, she realized that she was wearing an oversized shirt that smelled pretty good, oddly.
She got off the bed and explored the room; there was a huge bathroom. I had a shower, tub, and everything else you could want in a bathroom. She looked in the empty closet and drawers but didn't find any of her things.
She went to open the door to go out, but it was locked. She could break it down if it were a standard door, but the damn thing look liked it came out of an old prison movie.
"Hello?! Anyone?"
She sat there on the edge of her bed for what seemed forever, till the door opened and a colossal biker guy came in carrying a food tray. Another brought in her bag that had her clothes in it. She tried to talk to them, but they just acted like she wasn't there.
She sat back down and looked over the food: bacon, eggs, toast with jam, and orange slices. On the side was a cup of coffee and a glass of chocolate milk. She thought that it was a little odd, chocolate milk. She was starving, so she began eating the food. It tasted like heaven.
She lay down on the bed feeling tired when she'd eaten everything and even drank the chocolate milk. As she was drifting off, she yelled to her wolf, Zinnia…They drugged us!" As she was almost out, she said three words..."Damn chocolate milk