33. Soulmates

Iosif discreetly sniffed the very faint smell of wolves. Its existence in the air was so light that any other supernatural couldn't even get the whiff, but after spending more than hundred years he was bound to get skilled in recognizing the faintest of scents. Right then he knew that they were being followed and a one more sniff made him conspire that the wolves belonged to the pack that they had just left.

Iosif took no offense on being tailed by werewolves as long as they kept their distance. Iosif himself believed that it would be foolish of that young Alpha to put his trust in complete strangers who weren't even supposed to exist.

Kyle whistled freely as he whiplashed past his mate, unaware of the wolves and Iosif kept it that way. Kyle would only want to taunt those weres as a revenge for sneaking up on them and would fail eventually because these furry beings were skilled.

The last thing he wanted was wasting more time.

Iosif sympathised with the Marshville's Alpha for losing his mate like that and also admired him for keeping a leveled mind even in these overwhelming circumstances. Any other wolf would have surely crumbled down if someone had nabbed away their partner like that.

Werewolves were extremely feral when it came to their mates, but the Alpha didn't lose himself to his natural instincts which was commendable. However, Eden couldn't disguise from the experienced knight his pain-stricken face and the way the relief flooded through it for a fleeting moment when Iosif had assured him that Odis never harmed innocents like Marley.

The white-haired knight didn't know why Odis abducted a wolf's mate and moreover an Alpha's, but he hoped for his old friend's sake that he hadn't harmed the girl or else no one could save him from the Alpha's wrath.

It was fascinating how much control the mates had over these supernatural creatures.

*Soulmates.*

Iosif never understood the notion of soulmates. The existence of someone who bears the other half of your soul was simply pointless... and yet it was there.

He had spent more than a century wandering around the small planet, learning new cultures, studying different human behaviours, seeking places that yet were undiscovered by humans but never once he felt lonesome, in fact, he took great pleasure in being a solitary. He had been happy as he was bound to no one, except his father and brother who themselves enjoyed their solitude.

But then came Kyle and shattered all those illusions of contentment.

A human male with a mop of light brown hair, gleaming hazel eyes and a thirst for unnecessary dangers was enough to turn all those merry hundred years of his bachelorship colourless. The longing he had felt for Kyle from the one look made him both fear and awestruck with the mate theory.

Mating in the supernatural world had always been held in high regards, and Iosif understood the reason from the moment Kyle came into his bland life.

"We are just walking around lamely?" Kyle groaned, jumping from one branch to the other. "I see still no sign of Odis. I'm getting bored."

Iosif, who was on the ground walking regally, looked up admiring the simple movement of his mate. The way his brown hair fell to his chiselled face and caressed his marbled skin was enthralling. Kyle could have remained human and would still have the same effect on Iosif.

Turning a human into a knight was a long agonizing process. All Iosif had to do was bite but it was Kyle who had to go through the pain. The images of his mate writhing in pain and begging him to stop it still haunted Iosif. There was a part of Iosif that would never forgive himself for putting his mate into that pain even though Kyle laughed it off as a funny memory. Iosif never knew that pain as he was a knight by birth and the fact only rose his guilt.

Mating with knights was not easy.

"No one asked you to join. It is not one of your journeys to discover oneself," Iosif answered. "Go seek enjoyment at home, where you're always free to go."

"You're such a meany. Do you really think I'm going to leave your stuck up ass alone? Who knows what might scare my little Snow?" Kyle chuckled and jumped down to walk beside Iosif, whereas the latter narrowed his eyes at a ridiculous pet name which for some unfathomable reason made his heart flutter.

Had it been anyone else to speak to Iosif like that, they might've been lying beaten to the pulp in the middle of the forest... only because killing them would be too drastic.

"A little spanking might do you some good and make that arrogant scowl drop from your face," Kyle joked, ruffling the shorter male's white hair but his laughter soon turned into definitely non-feminine shriek when Iosif grabbed his wrist and smashed it between his fingers, emitting the sounds of cracking bones.

"You really are mean. Treating your other half like that," Kyle chided rubbing his sore wrist that was already healing.

*The other half.*

Iosif used to snort at the idea of other half but now Kyle's words never seemed truer. He was his other half even though most of the time he managed to push Iosif to extremes.

Kyle might have his shortcomings (which Iosif thought of as beautiful yet annoying flaws) but at least he wasn't evil.

Getting a right mate was like a lucky draw which Iosif had won but unfortunately his brother, Dimitri, had lost.

The grinning face of Dimitri when he had stormed into the quarters and announced that he had finally found his mate was afresh in Iosif's memory. His brother had been so happy and already smitten with the said she-wolf. Two years had passed since then...

Little had they known then that it was going to be the same she-wolf who would drive Dimitri to his demise.

Mates were a fickle thing, they could either make you or ruin you to madness.

Iosif turned to look up at Kyle who once again was jumping from one branch to the other like an insane baboon. Iosif shook his head. *Who even came up with this mate shit?*

******

For last three nights, Marley had kept herself sane in the dark room by reminiscing about past memories of her hometown, her mother and father, her friends Kiara, Rachel and Sanjay... and her Eden. They provided her with hope, no matter how small it was. She needed it to not lose herself in madness and despair.

Marley glanced out of the window and her eyes were met with the same two lycans who had been making sure that she didn't escape ever since she was thrown here. At first, they were the most intimidating creatures for her but now that fear was gone.

Maybe, she was being foolish for not being afraid. The fact that Odis, their leader, was terrified of someone and was going to use her to kill that creature filled her with some courage... or she was just tired of being scared.

Marley loathed Odis for giving her no choice and making her his pawn to take down some vampire king. Then there was Jared who reluctantly agreed with Odis. He went on about how dangerous this Dimitri was for everyone; humans, werewolves, lycans and even knights themselves.

Theo was Dimitri's firsthand victim who had lost his loved ones to the vampire's army. Marley didn't expect the human boy to side with her and even if he did, what difference would it make?

It was all just unfair to her. As lazy as the excuse sounded, Marley never asked for it.

Her eyes once again navigated through the forest and as always there was no opening for her to run. With a defeated sigh, she walked away from the window and plopped down on the uncomfortable piece of wood that was meant to be a bed.

Her mind like always drifted to Eden, wondering if he still would be looking for her. *Of course, he would.*

She missed her mate and wanted nothing more than to be with him and listen to his unnecessary lewd remarks. She missed home and back everyone there.

Her mind was reeled back to reality when she heard multiple growls. These sounds weren't ordinary growls but much more loud and shrill, some of them even sounded pained. Marley jumped out of the bed and cautiously started making her way back to window. Before she could reach it, the door of her room burst opened scaring the wits out of her.

"Marley!" Theo called out, panting heavily at the doorstep. "Stay away from the window."

"What's happening?" She was confused.

"We're under attack." Theo grabbed her wrist and started pulling both of them out of the room.

Marley picked up her speed beside Theo as they ran through the hallways. She watched lycans running to the other side, their eyes gleaming red. They were about to shift. Some of them were already in their beastly form growling viciously. She realised that they were going out into the woods.

*Was it her pack?* She wondered and stopped abruptly, halting Theo too.

"By who?" She demanded and her stance made it clear that she won't move until Theo answered.

"Who do you think?" Theo hissed. "Those bloodsuckers!" He again started running to the opposite side, pulling her along with him.

Marley still shell-shocked followed without any resistance. *When will it end?!*

********