CHAPTER 48

JULIAN'S POV.
The moment I was away from the cave and the fairy and I stepped into the blinding light of the day, my wolf began to thunder in my head. I understood that he was worried about our mates just as I was worried about her too and all my efforts to calm him down proved abortive. It was as if my wolf could sense that our mate was in danger and we needed to hurry over.
When my wolf felt like I was wasting time hurrying to get to her, he tried to dominate me completely and take charge of the operation. It took me a great while before I could take the control back from him since I knew that I couldn't afford to shift where humans were. Even though I couldn't comprehend why my wolf kept rushing me, I knew that delay was going to result in catastrophe.
Hurry up. My wolf said to me.
I'm trying to. I told him.
Well, hurry some more. He told me again.
I just need to get Holden and the rest of the fighters in the pack so that we can all save her at once. I told him.
No time for that. He insisted.
I stopped in my tracks immediately. No time for that? What does that even mean?
Why did you say that there is no time? I asked him.
I could just sense her wolf feeling restless. He answered me.
I had been on my way to the pack to ask for help but I changed my route immediately I heard those words from my wolf. If her wolf was getting restless, it had to mean that she was going through some worse time that would be unexplainable to even her torturer.
Let me be free. My wolf pleaded, his voice full of anguish like he shared in her torture.
I can't. I told him.
Why not?! He screamed at me.
Because there are people around. I explained to him.
Much as I would like to get to my mate as fast as I could and I wouldn't mind even the speed of lightning to accomplish that, I wasn't about to let my wolf out on unsuspecting humans. They would die of freight and shock at seeing a wolf among them and worse of it all was the fact that they could capture his wolf and never let it go again. Then the situation would never be salvaged. Forget about saving his mate, he would never be able to save himself.
Go into the forest. I know how to get to your brother without passing through where people are. My wolf answered me.
Can you? Are you sure about it? I asked him, my hope rising.
Yes! Now, hurry up!! My wolf said to me in a hurried tone.
I rushed into the forest my wolf had directed me into. When I looked around and I saw that there was no one spying on me from any angle, I stripped myself naked and tied the clothes around me. I knew that if I didn't do that and I shifted into my wolf form, the clothes would be shredded into pieces and I would have nothing to wear when I returned to my human form.
I felt my bones contracting only a few seconds later and I endured the pain that came with it. The thing I love most about my wolf was his ability to shift even on days when there wasn't any full moon. Unlike ninety percent of the other werewolves that existed in the world, I was a part of the few ten percent that didn't need the power of the full moon to shift.
The only disadvantage people like us had with shifting on moonless days was the pain we felt in forcing ourselves to shift. If we looked at it rationally though, it was such a little price to pay for the extreme power we would have above those who didn't possess the same ability as us.
When the shifting was over, my wolf let out a loud howl and I winced.
Behave. I warned him.
Rather than reply to me or even act like he heard what I said, he stomped his foot and made a wild run through the forest, not caring if anyone saw us. Each time I tried to calm him down, he would remind me that Olivia's wolf was getting much more aggressive and worried. After we had the conversation three times in a row, I stopped complaining and simply let the wolf instinct take over.
Approximately thirty minutes later, we were in the forest which was close to Alpha Leo's packhouse. True to my wolf's promise, I didn't see anyone cross our path until we got to the point where we were. While my wolf thought that we should charge into the midst of the security around my brother's packhouse, I was strongly against the idea and I preferred just sneaking into the house. Once I was in, I would get Olivia and we would sneak out again.
I let my bones contract again and this time, instead of having my bodies decorated by furs, the human skin was back in place and I stood up. I looked down and grimaced as I saw that I was completely naked. Without wasting much time, I dressed up and took a deep breath. I made a silent prayer to the moon goddess for my mission to be a success before I dashed out of the forest into the camp of the army.
"Stop right there." One of the men stationed to guard the place said to me.
My wolf began to pant around in my head desperate for another release but I wasn't ready to listen to any of it. This was a matter that regarded being treated with utmost care and as long as there was no threat to my life, there was no way I would battle with Leo's men.
"Who are you?" The man asked me.
Judging by the authoritative tone the man used, I could tell that he was a man of high authority or rank. The way the other men around him mellowed also confirmed the identity of the man that has spoken.
"Are you dead?" The man asked me and poked the tip of his sword at my chest twice.
Before I could control my wolf, he took control of my emotions and I took the sword from his hand. Before the other men with him could react, I smacked the hilt of the sword on the man's head. The man let out an antagonized yelp and my wolf howled at the satisfaction he felt from the cry.
"Don't you all know me?" I asked in an attempt to salvage the situation.
Just kill them all. My wolf yelled in my head.
"Who the hell are you?" The man I had hit in the head shouted at me and promptly winced at the effect the shouting had on his already swollen head.
"I'm Alpha Leo's brother. Do you all dare to deny not knowing me? Or would any of you dare to deny me access to my brother?" I asked them all, looking from one man to another.
"Alpha Julian!" One of the men shouted in recognition.
I sighed in relief and I smacked at my wolf.
See? I told you that a diplomatic approach would work, didn't I? I asked my wolf.
Whatever. Just ask them about where she is. He commanded.
"Where's my brother?" I asked the men.
"He's busy with some important things, Alpha Julian." The one who seemed like the leader said.
He's busy with some important things? I could already guess what the important thing he was busy with was. Dealing with my woman, isn't he? My wolf sneered and I nearly slapped one of the men close to me.
"But Alpha Julian, why would you arrive through this forest? Why didn't you take the normal route?" The leader asked in a very suspicious tone.
I cursed inwardly as I could see the way the men were already thinking. I began to think about what the most reasonable excuse could give to the men was. How would I be able to explain how and why I had appeared from the bush?
"Do I have to explain to you why I did what I had to do?" I asked the man. I fixed a murderous gaze at him in hope that the man would fear me and would turn away from me immediately.
"I'm sorry about the question asked, Alpha Julian. I didn't mean to question your actions." The man apologized and he bowed his head slightly to show his remorsefulness.
I let out a heavy sigh and relaxed a little.
"Take me to my brother now!" I commanded their leader.
"Yes, Alpha Julian. Please follow me." The man said to me respectfully.
He instructed one of his men to take charge while he led me to their Alpha. He also commanded the rest of the men to keep guard of the area and they should make sure that not even a fly passed through the forest without their scrutiny.
"Let's go please." The man told me.
"Lead the way," I instructed him.
While he went on his way, I followed after him. As we kept walking, the only thing I kept thinking about was how to stop the man before we got to my brother. All I truly wanted to do was ask him if he knew where my brother kept the woman he came home with but I knew that I couldn't afford to blow my cover-up. The only reason the men had accorded me the respect I got from them was because of the brotherhood between their Alpha and me.
Should I just threaten him with my wolf or should I just snap the man's head and escape? Then, I could go in search of my mate by following the guide of my wolf. I was just about to follow my latter decision when another man approached the man that had been leading me to where my brother was. The man whispered in the ears of the man I had thought was the leader and when I saw the man awkwardly looking at me, I knew that my cover had been blown.
Duck! Now!! My wolf shouted in my head.
I tried to follow the instructions to duck but my reaction was not fast enough. I screamed in agony at the pain I felt when the sword suddenly pierced my side. I held the sword by the edge to prevent the man from pushing the knife any further. The man pushed the sword in any way and the sword cut through my palm along its way.
My wolf let out an instant howl and before I could stop him, he took control of my body. Bone cracked and clothes tore into tiny different pieces. The rate at which my wolf shifted was the fastest I had ever recorded and that gave me the element of advantage I needed to take to deal with the men.
My wolf grabbed the man I had thought was the leader and before any sound could get out of his mouth, my wolf held him down by the neck and dug his teeth into his neck region. Blood began to flow like a river from the neck of the man my wolf had just killed.
"Help! Somebody!! Please, help me!!!" The other man that had blown my cover screamed at the top of his lungs while he kept running away.
My wolf ran after him and took hold of him in no time. I slapped my paw across his face and the man lost his voice and strength instantly. When I saw that he would not be moving anytime soon, I shifted into my human form again, completely naked in all my glorious form.
"Where is my mate?" I asked the man in a deadly voice.
"Alpha Julian. I am so glad you could join us."
I heard a woman say in a sing-song voice and I looked up, only to see the witch looking at me with all the evil of the world.