When I Find You (Completed) (Not Edited)

Chapter 26

A week past with no problem. The pack had managed to gain support from other packs, after some negotiating and ensuring them that this benefitted their pack as well as others. The packs have managed to train together thoroughly, preparing themselves for what was about to come.

And did they come.

It was a nice Saturday afternoon. Outside, children frolicked and women gossiped. The women knew of the impending horror, and were noticeably tense as they watched over their young while conversing.

Like any other day, those that wanted to fight for their packs were outside sparring or inside training in other ways. She very distinctly remembered what was going on. She was wincing at a bad joke that Finn had told her. Fake laughter filled the air from his mate.

Then a scared scream from one of the children rose and everyone was in action. Warriors shifted in unison as they raced for the doors. Adriane did as well. Soon Nathaniel was stuck to her side. He wanted to make sure no harm came to her as they fought against the people who raised him. His wolf still growled at the thought of what happened to his family.

When their wolves reached outside the door, they weren't the slightest bit surprised to find wolves darting out of the foliage cover, snapping their jaws towards the children and women running away. Adriane growled, lunging to a wolf that was too close to a child.

Her wolf howled in victory as the rogue was too distracted by terrorizing the child to realize Adriane was approaching it. A sickening crunch vibrated through her teeth and warm, metallic tasting blood filled her mouth and throat. She shook the wolf for good measures before dropping the body to the ground and launching at her next opponent. A woman whisked away the child, giving the pack fighters an appreciative look.

The neighboring packs joined in on the fight, alerted of the attack. More wolves from their side poured in, meeting equally with the hunters and broken rogues alike.

As Adriane pounced from one enemy to the next, she kept her eye on Nathaniel. He was slicing through the wolves cleanly, and Adriane found it surprising how adapted Nathaniel had gotten to his dark brown wolf over the course of a single week.

Adriane came face to face with a hunter now. He smiled twistedly at her, raising a crossbow he had. Firing a bolt, she dodged to the right. Lowering her body to the ground, she snarled viciously before lunging. Even through her concentration, she questioned as to why hunters used crossbows. They took so long to load and were risky if you missed the first time.

The hunter moved in time, causing her to get a hold of his shoulder instead. He cried out in pain, faltering in loading the bolt into the bow. Adriane swung her claws up, distorting his face as she dug them into his skin and dragged them down. He reared back, roaring in agony as he dropped his weapon to clutch his face. Blood poured around his fingers as he wept. Adriane detached herself from the wound she inflicted before going in for the kill.

The fighting seemed to continue on for hours. The packs seemed to have a bit of an upper hand, but both sides were losing heavy amounts.

Adriane had managed to dispatch another hunter, and she glanced over once more to her mate to see how he was fairing. His coat was bloody, but she couldn't tell if it was his or others. She was about to make her way back over to him, when a pained feeling tore through her chest. The pain was excruciating, but Adriane bit through it as she pushed her way to her mate.

The weaker wolves howled out in their agony while the stronger ones winced, but kept fighting. Adriane knew what this torturous feeling meant. Soon, the pain faded as the connection was reattached. The pack had just lost their Alpha. He was replaced by the previous Alpha just as quickly. Jake had just lost his life.

Wolves from other packs continued fighting vigorously, well aware of what their companions were suffering through. Adriane felt as the packs anger surged like a tsunami. Fighters attacked with renewed blood lust, tearing through their enemies twice as quickly. The enemy started falling back into the forest. They were still chased by the packs, and retreating figured fell as they were tackled and killed mercilessly. As much as Adriane didn't want to admit it, Jake's death allowed for the packs to gain more of a footing, stretching the gap between the sides.

Soon, only a few hunters and rogues remained, managing to escape the infuriated wolves. The rogues parted ways with the hunters, running off in different directions than those of the humans. Various pack members stopped in their path, raising the heads to howl their victory for the world to hear.

But, Adriane didn't celebrate at all. She took off running, trying to find the scent of Jake's. Nathaniel was hot on her heels, worried about what she might do.

Soon they made it to a blood stained clearing. Adriane shifted, jerking on clothing as she ran.

"Oh my god, Jake!" She screamed, racing to where his body laid. As she neared, she recognized her uncle's form crouching next to Jake. Her uncle glared up angrily at her, tears shining in his eyes and streaking down his face. Adriane clasped her hand over her mouth in horror as she sank to the ground on the other side of Jake.

"Jake?" She whisper. She went to go shake his shoulders, but her uncle slapped away her hands with a snarl.

"Don't. Touch him. This is your fault! You did this!" He yelled at her; his eyes flashing angrily. She looked up, tears streaming down her face as well. Both had droplet fall from their chin, and land on Jake. Her uncle hissed at her, baring his canines. Nathaniel came next to Adriane, growling a warning at the intruding male.

"Get away! You don't deserve to be a part of this pack anymore! You should have never been saved by Jake. I knew you were a cause to serious problems!" Her uncle John ranted. Spit flew from his mouth as he spoke his enraged words. Adriane was froze with horror. Both because of Jake being dead in front of her, and how her uncle spoke to her.

"Uncle John-" she started, but was interrupted.

"No! Don't you dare call me that. You're no relative of mine. Adriane Carmrich, I, Alpha John Carmrich, annex you from this pack. If you ever set foot on this territory again, you can sure as hell bet you will be hunted down and slaughtered." Adriane flinched, eyes watering. Nathaniel snarled at the Alpha, his arm wrapping tightly around her waist.

"Don't talk to my mate like that. She's done nothing wrong. None of this is her fault!" He shot back. He gently tugged Adriane back from her cousin's body and away from her uncle. The Alpha's eyes snapped up to his as he sent Nathaniel a scowl.

"And you! I will give you this time. You warned and prepared my pack for this attack. But don't take this as weakness. Your terms are the same as your mates. If you're seen on this territory again, you will be cut down." The broken man looked back down at his son. His hand moved from his chest to his cheek shakily.

"Now leave. Get out of here. I don't want to see either of your damned faces again." Adriane wanted to spend more time there. She wanted to weep and grieve over the loss of Jake. But, Nathaniel tugged her along, willing her to move on so they wouldn't be targeted by the warriors.

"Come on Adriane. We need to go." He whispered softly to her, tugging on her hand. She watched over her shoulder as her uncle sobbed over Jake's body until eventually the leaves covered her vision. Jake let go of her hand in time to shift. He moved forward a couple of paces. The light filtered down from the tree tops, illuminating the dark colored ground. The light continued on a few feet in a single direction. It was almost as if some larger than life being was willing her to take her next steps in life.

She shifted reluctantly, stepping slowly towards her mate. He nuzzled her scruff before taking off in the direction the lights led.

As she stepped over the territory of the pack, she felt her connection to its members shatter. She whimpered at the loss of those who occupied her link for the majority of her life. Nathaniel blew out a concerned noise through his nose as her stared at his mate. She shook out her fur, moving forward.

She wouldn't allow her past to haunt her thoughts at night. She would accept the fact that her family was now just Nathaniel. She wouldn't allow her uncle to bring her down with him.

She would be the Alpha she always wished to be.