Chapter 6

***~ In the faraway land of the unknown ~***


**Unknown POV**

Picking up a little child's toy, a tiny little doll, from the ground, I took a look at it when I heard my second-in-command say, “We gathered them all, my lord.”
I turned around to look at the little crowd of people, shifters to be precise. They stared at us all, some were scared, and some were still trying to fight their way out of the stronghold of my warriors.
“Are you sure these are all of them?” I asked as I moved closer to the crowd, he followed me, and we walked side by side.
“Yes, my lord. There is no one left,” he answered quickly.
"Fine," I said, moving forward as he started to follow, but he stopped the moment I raised my hand, motioning for him to stay put.
I walked in front of a row of shifters, some had lowered their heads in respect while others were throwing me angry glances. I passed by a few males, not caring about them. They weren't the ones I needed.
As I came closer to a female that was looking down, I grabbed her chin and made her look me in the eyes.
Disappointment flooded inside of me. She was not the one.
I carried on walking, doing the same with each one of the females who were lined up for my inspection. I continued until there were no more left.
She wasn’t here.
Anger rose inside of me as I turned away from the crowd and walked towards my second-in-command, his face emotionless.
“What do you want from us?” A male voice sounded from the crowd, his voice filled with venom. A warrior that was holding him slapped him in the face. He was about to hit him again but I turned around and raised my hand, stopping him in place.
Walking towards the disobedient male, I looked at him. The defiance evaporated from his stance when he saw my cold, dangerous gaze. I watched as his eyes filled with fear. Good… he should fear me.
"Is this your whole pack or is there someone missing?" I asked darkly.
“Why?” he asked me, trying to sound fearless, puffing out his chest a little. I chuckled, however, the sound anything but nice. He swallowed hard as he watched me, not knowing if he should obey and answer me or stand his own ground.
“You are not in a position to ask questions. Cooperate and you will live, but if you choose not to…” I trailed off and looked over his whole pack, cocking my head to the side.
My warriors walked closer to me, ready for me to give out an order while the man looked around wide-eyed before locking his eyes with mine once more.
“N–no, please.” The panic was clear in his voice, making me chuckle at the smell of his fear.
“Tell me. Is there someone from your pack missing or is this everybody?” I asked again, this time narrowing my eyes at him.
“A few of our members went to our family pack,” he said as he swallowed nervously, eyes watching my warriors in panic.
“What is the name of that pack?” I questioned as my heart started to beat a little faster, hope filling my veins.
“P–please don’t hurt my pack,” he pleaded with me.
I looked at him, casting my eyes around his members again before noticing a little girl who was holding on tightly to her mother.
I squeezed the little doll in my fist as I watched her throw scared glances my way. Her eyes landed on the doll in my hand, making me look down at it, thinking about my options.
I looked back at the male. “Answer me and you all will be spared, but lie to me and there will be no mercy for anyone.”
He nodded, swallowing nervously before he answered, "Windswillow pack.”
I looked deeply into his eyes, searching for traces of a lie, but as I saw none, I walked away from the male and towards the little girl.
She hid her head behind her mother’s legs, while her mother held her close, and wrapped both arms around her.
“P-please…” Her mother looked at me with wide, scared eyes.
A male that I assumed to be her mate tried to get free from my warrior's grip, but I looked over at the mother and told her, "I will not hurt her." I crouched down and looked over at the little girl. “Is this yours?” I asked her. She peeked at me, looking at the doll in my hand that was now extended towards her. I tried again as I spoke gently, “Is this your doll?”
She nodded her head and kept looking at me then at her doll. Back and forth, her little eyes shifted.
I leaned closer, offering her her doll, and she slowly removed one of her hands from her mother to take the doll.
She offered me a shy smile and I smiled back at her. Raising up to my full height I looked over my warriors and said, “Let them be.”
I started to walk back towards my second-in-command when the child’s mother called to me, “Thank you!”
I stopped and turned around to find the girl and her mother watching me while a male held them protectively in his arms. I nodded my head at them before I continued on, walking towards my second-in-command.
"My lord, what are your orders?" he asked me as we stood and watched the pack members that were moments ago held captive by us, now gathering and comforting one another.
“Now we go find the Windswillow pack.
***
**Nerissa**

The doctor walked inside, smiling at us, but all I could feel was the deafeningly loud sound of my racing heart. I couldn’t believe I let such a thing happen, I was even more ashamed and mad at myself for responding to his kiss. I don’t care if we were mates, he was holding me captive as a mere servant, and I could never forget what he and his pack had done to my home.
“What can I do for you, Alpha?” the doctor asked, looking over at me with a friendly smile and then back at Alexander.
His features were back to their usual state, an emotionless mask. He glanced over at me before he answered the doctor. “She was clumsy and managed to cut her finger.”
I turned my head his way when he said that to her, my eyes narrowing on him; his words made me angry.
The doctor approached me. “Can I take a look?”
I held my hands together, looking at the doctor before saying, “It is just a scratch, and it will heal soon.”
The doctor said, “No harm in taking a look even if it is just a mere scratch.”
I shook my head, about to deny her, but Alexander let out an annoyed growl as he narrowed his eyes at me and spoke in a warning tone that left no room for argument. “Give Dr. Reed your hand willingly so she can take a look or I will be forced to make you. Now!”
I snorted at him, but as I didn’t want him to touch me again, I gave my hand to Dr. Reed, throwing daggers with my eyes at Alexander.
He noticed my glare which seemed to amuse him if the slight smirk that barely showed on his lips was anything to go by.
That asshole. He was so annoying and seeing the pleasure he took from my annoyance at his actions irked me even more. I couldn’t let him affect me. Not now. Not ever!
Dr. Reed cleaned my hand before she walked to her cabinet and took out some bottles and cotton then walked back towards me.
She opened one of the bottles and poured the liquid onto a cotton ball. Before she applied it to my wound she looked up at me and said, “This might sting a little.”
With an apologetic look, she pressed the cotton to my wound and cleaned it as fast as she could.
I felt it slightly as it burned my finger but as I didn’t want to show it hurt or stung, or anything that might give Alexander the pleasure, I held my face emotionless with my head held high. Alexander raised his eyebrow as he watched me in silence, but I refused to look at him. It was enough that I could still see him from the corner of my eye.
A knock at the door caused Dr. Reed to stop what she was doing so she could see who it was.
A moment later, she turned towards Alexander. “Alpha, Beta Ryder is asking for you.”
Alexander nodded and Dr. Reed let his Beta, Ryder, inside. She walked back towards me and continued to treat my wound.
“Alpha, there is new information on the…” he stopped as he cast his eyes towards me for a second, making me narrow my eyes at him, wondering what he was trying to say.
“Continue on, Ryder,” Alexander commanded.
Ryder nodded his head as he continued. “We have new information about the pack we were following and it is confirmed that they are the same kind as her.”
My eyes widened with fear at that; I held my breath, wanting to hear what Alex would say. Alexander looked over my way for a second, not letting me see what was going through his mind before he turned to Ryder and said, “Let’s go.” Before I could say anything, they left the room, leaving me alone with Dr. Reed.
Gloomy thoughts and memories of the night when the fire destroyed my home flooded my mind. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to take in deep breaths.
Dr. Reed finished cleaning my wound and put on a bandage over it then rested her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry.” Hearing her speak sincerely to me made me open my eyes and look at her. “Alpha might look cold, but something tells me that you are exactly what he needs to open up his heart,” Dr. Reed told me, and I stared at her confused and surprised. “Why would you think like that?” I asked her. “I am just a mere servant, a prisoner.”
Her hand gently squeezed my shoulder as she whispered to me, “You might be that now, but I can see the difference in him when you are around. You affect him. He is just fighting it, and he won’t be able to fight against it for too much longer.” Then she winked at me knowingly.