Strings of Fate

43- New Gift

Jihun was agitated. It didn't affect his mates at all, but the other wolf was nervously, borderline petrified. He was starting to regret his decision to help them. He had already been asked to place dead birds around the village border and what they had done to the birds was disturbing. It made him realize that there was not much keeping himself from the same fate if he did not make himself useful.

"They should be found soon," He said quietly. When the four alphas approached him with a cage of birds and told him to kill them, he had been disgusted. That wasn't something he had signed up for. But they had been determined that he should prove his commitment, so he had killed seven birds. He had a feeling that it was going to be awhile before he could look at himself in the mirror again without some measure of self-loathing.

Once the birds were attached to spikes, he had followed behind the last Guard round at some distance to place the birds around the border to be found by the next Guard round due to start in the next half hour. Jihun checked his phone for the millionth time.

"We're not moving fast enough!" He snarled, "You need to bring her to us now!" The four mates were staring daggers at him and he bowed his head hurriedly.

"She rarely leaves the pack house and if she does, she is never alone, she always has at least two wolves with her, I can't–" Jihun's threatening growl cut him off and he cowered away from the oppressive alpha's influence. He had never met an alpha who so blatantly used his influence. Most alphas were subtle, but it often felt like the alpha had a hand at the back of his throat and was shoving his face into shallow, dark water.

"Jihun," One of the mates interjected calmly. He couldn't remember the name of this one, the one who had first approached him in the market, Uri maybe? "We're almost there, Jihun. You heard our friend here." They all were looking at him now with narrow, impassive black holes. The wolf's lips quirked into a sneer.

"We only want the casualties to be one sided, right?" No one answered his question, "Our friend here is working on the old Head Alpha, we're adding pressure to Namjoon, we'll have her in no time Jihun."

'Our friend', the phrase made him shiver in disgust and he had a feeling they knew that. He really didn't want to be here helping these wolves, but he had to. His mate's life depended on it.

"We better get her soon, or your life won't be worth shit to me!" Jihun spat in his direction before turning to his mate, "At this rate he's going to be dead by the time we get home!"

Then the alpha turned and plunged into the darkness of the night, letting the shadows embrace him as an old friend. One by one the other alphas slinked after him until only Uri was left.

"Jihun's a little touchy, there's a lot at stake," Uri's voice was conversational, almost friendly, but there was an edge to his words. Uri walked closer, You bring me back Y/N alive, I'll make sure you'll walk away from this.

Had Uri just used the link with him even though they didn't share a bond? "How did–did you do that?" He stuttered.

Uri suddenly seemed like a looming shadow, dark wings extending into the night and pressing in around to trap him. He felt the hairs on his arms stand up, as if the shadows were physical entities playing with his skin. It felt invasive and the sliver of fear he had been harboring all night branched off and took root in his heart, gripping it hard.

He stumbled to get away from the oppressive aura of this man. The whites of the alpha's eyes seemed to be consumed by the shadow that accompanied him, leaving his eyes dark and devoid of all light

I need her back. I'm sure you can relate, being away from your mate is... painful. The alpha's influence pricked like needles across his skin and he cried out at the pain. He fell to his knees in a form of submission, hoping it would make him stop. His heart was racing unnaturally, his breathing heavy and shallow. He stared up at the alpha in horror. He had never felt an alpha's influence so strongly overpowering.