Fangs and Roses

Chapter Forty-Two: Secret Maps

Alexander Lykos

*"This is as far as we can take you, Xander. My people can go no further until the battle begins."*

Some of Maxwell's wolves pawed at the ground in frustration of their limits, and my heart went out to them... they were so close and yet so far away from their homeland, unable to enter it, but also unable to move on to join their loved ones.

"You have already done more than I could have ever asked you for."

Maxwell extended his front paws and bowed, the rest doing the same.

*"Don't let Stephen take what is rightfully yours and Sapphire's again, Xander... once this land belongs to you both shall we truly be free."

I took a deep breath and nodded, letting it out slowly as they retreated back in to the forest.

"Stay calm, Xander, it will do us no good if you let the pressure get to you."

"I could not even save my own pack, Jared. Now the weight of liberating my 'first' family has been added on to my shoulders... I have to make I fulfill all the promises I made, or I don't deserve to be an Alpha."

Angel opened her mouth to retort before I hushed her by shoving a few vials of clear liquid in to her hands.

"Take these in sparing amounts... we are not sure how long we are going to be in Blackwater, and so cannot risk running out. Should we run out, I want all of you to run back into the clearing as fast as you can, most of the warriors here have the scent of Shadow Mountain wolves memorised. Don't do anything foolish by staying, even if it means leaving our own behind once more."

Amelia snarled at my words, her lips curling to bare her teeth.

"I don't like this anymore than you do, but they have a better chance of getting out of here alive if we are free and alive ourselves."

None of them said anything else as they took the vials, the mood sombre and I knew that they would do everything in their power to go against what I had just said because of how deep pack bonds go. There are some packs that could care less of what happens to their member as long as they get to keep their lives. Pack members like mine on the other hand, would rather die than to leave their own behind... a trait that I had always been proud of, but times like this forced me to go against everything I stood for.

I was about to ask Amelia to lead the way when she slammed her body into the three of us, forcing us behind thick bushes. Angel opened her mouth in protest before I slapped my hand against her mouth, putting a finger to my lips as the sound of footsteps drew closer.

"Do you actually think that the Alpha of Shadow Mountain would so dense to come into our territory?"

"Alpha Damien think so, and you know that we should not question his judgement... lest we end up as his *test subjects*."

A chill ran down my spine at his words... what was Damien doing in Blackwater?

"I am not that thick to do that in front of him or his minions... his threat was crystal clear, believe me, I will never get those images erased from my mind..."

We ducked down even further as one of the guards snarled, and bit our lips shut as chips of bark rained down on us from a branch that was thrown against the tree behind us.

"I understand using captives, but children, Gerad? The Verat Pack did many things, but children were never to be touched. I have heard the stories about Alpha Damien, but never believed he could do such things to them."

It was Angel's turn to slap her hand against my mouth as my lips started to curl back, her other hand pinching my arm to redirect my attention on to her. She released her hold on my arm and gripped my jaw to force me to look at her, she shook her head slowly, a gesture to remind me to stay calm.