Survivor

Chapter 16

Pov Dan:

"It's true. The humans took him, and I'm here to find a way to rescue him.", I explained to Julian. He ran a hand through his hair in disbelief. "Oh man, that's really bad. I'm sorry, I didn't know that happened."
"It's okay."
"Those humans are truly cruel. If you want, I might be able to help." I looked up at the elder hopefully. Julian's offer made me incredibly happy. "Would you really do that?", I asked incredulously. Julian nodded and said, "Your pack, and thus Xaver, is a crucial part of the island's structure. If it falls apart, we're all doomed." I couldn't help but smile. Finally, there was hope of finding a way to bring Xaver back. "Thank you, that would mean so much to me.", I said, almost crying. Julian chuckled lightly. "Why so emotional?" I noticed a tear running down my cheek and wiped it away. "I'm sorry." The alpha waved off my apology. "I have someone in my pack who's been studying the human language recently and can even speak a bit of it now. Maybe that could help you." I nodded hastily. Having someone who could speak the human language would definitely make things easier. "That would be incredibly useful!" Julian whistled briefly, and I looked expectantly to the side. A person with dark hair and dark green eyes appeared, and unfortunately, I knew this person all too well. "Maybe you remember Max; you haven't seen each other for a while.", Julian said cheerfully. Max and I eyed each other warily. We never really got along well when I was still in the pack. Max never liked me much. He always tried to turn everything into a competition to show he was better than me, just because I was friends with the alpha's son. Why did he have to be our savior? "Hello Dan. Long time no see. How are you?", Max asked sarcastically. I forced a smile. "Excellent, Max." I emphasized his name, causing him to clench his teeth. Julian noticed the tension between us. He clapped his hands to get our attention. "Max, you'll be assisting Dan for a while. Treat him with respect. He's no longer just anyone but a member of Xaver's pack. We can't afford any conflict with him." Max looked down, offended, but didn't argue. In the pack, he always had the most respect for our alpha and always respected his decisions. "And why should I assist him?", Max asked, annoyed. "Xaver was kidnapped by the humans, and Dan needs your help to rescue him. You're the only one among us who understands even a bit of the human language." Max clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Fine.", he finally agreed reluctantly. "Then that's settled.", Julian said happily. Shortly after, we heard Alpha Mario calling everyone together. He was one of the most respected alphas on the island, second only to Xaver, and he certainly made that clear. Mario was known as a just and honest alpha who always tried to resolve things peacefully, but he could also be quite fierce.
He explained to us the situation, how we should proceed, and that we should avoid any conflicts between the packs while the humans were on the island. Everyone was affected by the sudden invasion and had faced setbacks. Each alpha agreed to Mario's proposals and agreed on a truce for an indefinite period.
After the meeting, I said goodbye to Julian and thanked him again for everything. His sudden change of heart was surprising but very beneficial for me, and I was glad not to be at odds with him anymore. Max came with me to the others. Ideally, we could start working on a plan to free Xaver today. Just before we left, Julian stopped me again. I looked at him, confused. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Rescue your fiancé." I blushed deeply and looked at Julian, stunned. "H-How-", I began, but couldn't finish my question. Julian laughed and pointed to the ring on my finger. "Nothing escapes a true alpha." I smiled, embarrassed, and the alpha smiled back.
The whole time, Max and I didn't exchange a word until we arrived at the camp. Mia and Jack were already waiting for me. "Dan! How was it?", Mia asked excitedly. "Did you find out anything helpful?", Jack added. I scratched my head awkwardly and said, "Well, sort of-"
"Who is that?", Jack asked, pointing to Max, who stood behind me. "That's what I was about to say. This is Max. He's a member of my old pack and will help us with the Xaver situation." Max stepped out from behind me and introduced himself. "Hello."
"Hello.", Mia and Jack replied simultaneously. "But why is someone from your old pack helping us?", Jack asked, confused. I replied, "I talked to Julian. We buried our differences and started anew. When I told him about Xaver, he offered Max's help. He understands a bit of the human language."
"So, you can understand what the humans are saying?", Mia asked, intrigued. Max blushed slightly and replied, "A bit, yes."
"How cool, that will definitely be useful."
"N-No problem." I had a sneaking suspicion that Max wasn't entirely indifferent to Mia. But that shouldn't bother me; it could only be advantageous. We talked briefly and then began to work on a plan. Finally, I had confidence that I could see my partner again. Hopefully, he was okay.