The Lost Wolf (boyxboy)

Chapter 24

Caleb

After explaining vaguely what was happening with Kayden to Addy and Gavin, then waiting for Addy to wake up after she fainted, Kieran and I had Addy and Gavin ride on our backs. We took them back to the pack house where we would leave them with the children and mothers.

I followed Kieran to the entrance to the pack's safe room that was just outside pack territory. Initially, it was for escape but now it will serve greatly for getting Addy and Gavin in safely.

Kieran skidded to a stop and I jogged up behind him. He pulled open a hatch in the ground with his teeth and led me inside. We ran through and soon enough we came upon a room filled with children and women.

After I let Addy off, I shifted back. Kieran shifted back as well after letting Gavin off.

"These are Kayden's adopted parents. They know about us so treat them with kindness. Caleb," Kieran turned to me and motioned me over to him. "I want you to stay here. Protect these people. Make sure that they are safe." He told me once I was close enough to him.

"What? No! I have to help! I can't just sit here and wait. Kieran, please. I need to do this." I begged. Why wasn't he understanding? I needed to go! I needed to redeem myself. To the alphas, to their pack. To Kieran. I needed to prove to them that I would fight for them, not against them.

"You're staying here, Caleb. End of discussion." He says before turning his back on my and walking out the steel door.

I follow behind him and hold the door open, watching him shift and run to battle with teary eyes.

I zoned out, staring at the spot where Kieran shifted. That is, until the little blonde kid darted past me.

"Hey!" I yell, closing the door and chasing after him. I tried to catch up with him but the little bitch was fast. "Kid, stop!" I yelled after him, but he just flew into the woods.

"Daddy!" The kid yelled.

Oh god, the kid was looking for his father.

"Kid!" I yelled as we got to where the fighting was.

He dodged past all of the wolves fighting each other safely until a rogue jumped in front of him suddenly. The kid skidded to a stop as the feral rogue stalked toward him, snarling. The kid stumbled back, tripping over a tree root and falling.

I pushed myself as hard as I could to get to him. As I leaped over the kid, I shifted and took down the rogue. After rolling around on the ground for a while, both of us trying to get the upper hand, the other wolf made a fatal mistake. He exposed his neck to me for a split second and I attacked. I clamped my jaw down on his throat as hard as I could until I heard a snap as his neck broke.

I flung his body away and looked back to see the kids looking at me, paralyzed in fear.

I quickly wiped the blood off my maw on the grass and slowly walked over to him. He whimpered when I got close but I just plopped down next to him, to show him I wasn't a threat.

He looked at me warily before slowly lifting his hand and petting my neck. I whimpered softly and he giggled, petting me a little more.

A howl pierced the air and made me realize where we were. I looked in the direction I heard the howl and seconds later heard a heart wrenching scream that could only have belonged to Kayden.

"PAXTON!!" Kayden screamed out.

"Daddy!" The kid whimpered out after hearing Kayden. It was then that I realized that this was Connor, the kid Kayden had told me Paxton was looking after.

Our eyes locked and I jerked my head from him to my back, hoping he got the message. Luckily he did and he nodded before climbing on my back.

I ran with Connor on my back, looking to see most of the fighting had stopped and everyone was facing the way the howl had come from.

I ran in that directing until I came to a stop around the edge of a small clearing where a ring of wolves both rogues and Ravenswood pack members skirted around the edge, watching the scene unfolding in front of them.

Off to the right was a wolf that could only be Paxton laying bloody and unmoving. Kayden was dropped over his body in human form, his sobs ringing through the air. My father was standing in human form on the opposite side of the clearing, smiling sadistically at the heart breaking scene.

"Daddy," Connor whispered before hopping off of my back and running to Paxton before I could stop him.

Behind me I heard paws racing for us and I turned to see Kieran's distinct wolf. The second he saw the scene he froze before stumbling back in shock. He whimpered and whined as he stared at the ground with a hollow stare.

I could feel the pain and regret coming off of him in waves and I knew this was probably the worst possible thing for him, losing his best friend, his brother. I slowly walked over to his panting form before laying down beside him so he knew I was there for him. After a couple of seconds, he collapsed and buried his muzzle into my side, whimpering and whining painfully.

I looked up at Kayden again to see he was mumbling incoherent words to Paxton. Suddenly a purple wavelike aura exploded from him and traveled in every direction.

When it hit me I felt a rush of the purest, deepest love. For once in my life, I felt truly and deeply loved.

I sucked in a surprised breath as I stared at Kayden. He pushed himself into a standing position before facings father. He let out the lowest, scariest growl I had ever heard and stalked towards my father.