In Love Through War - Book 3

Part 31

***

"What? NO! Where am I? Al'Aeen!"

"Jena? Bad dream?" Alastair asks as he enters her tent unceremoniously.

"No, I..."

"Hold on a second, you will want to hear this. Hannah contacted me a few minutes ago. She and her group found a camp" – Jena's eyes widen, a question on her lips – "and apparently it's a bloodbath. Eleven warhogs and a wolf found dead on the scene, all showing signs of severe and obviously fatal injuries, while some of them display mauling, gashes and an almost unfathomable degree of bodily damage, even dismemberment. Hannah said she has never seen anything like it."

"By the Moons! Al'Aeen!"

"Unconscious and unresponsive."

"But alive?"

"His basic vitals are ok, no immediate danger. He sustained medium level damage to his body."

"And E! What about E? Is the baby safe?"

"Yes. That is the one piece of good news she gave me. Hannah estimates E is in a state of shock because she seems unphased by everything around her."

"What do you mean?"

"Hannah tried to ask her what happened to her father and she just said 'sleepy time' and then, well, Hannah was reluctant to show the child the bodies of the warhogs and ask what happened."

"That's fine. Not like you can reason with a baby less than two years old."

"Jena? Maybe you should sit down for this."

"What? What is it?"

"They found... I mean the wolf's body... it was Lindator... I know this must come as a shock but I'm sure I can investigate and..."

"No need. I know what happened. At least I know about Lindator."

"So... how do you... I mean, care to tell me?"

"I'll tell everyone later. So anything else? How did the warhogs die? Did someone help Al'Aeen and E?"

"We don't know, and I already asked Hannah if the injuries on the warhogs were done by you mate" – Jena's heart constricts briefly at the word – "in his animal form, and... well, you know she was there when Al'Aeen demonstrated his animal form along with what he can do in that mock fight with his team members?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Hannah said that more than half the injuries on the warhogs can't possibly be matched with Al'Aeens animal form..."

"Maybe..."

"Or his human form. Which leads to the conclusion that someone else was there. Actually, our healer used something else, not someone else."

"Sandra then," she says barely whispering.

But why would she help when she's the one that probably got us in that mess in the first place?

"Can you really assume to know her reasons, Jena? You know you can't really say she is bad like you can't say she is good. If it gets a deal done, she'll do it, either good or bad."

"You're right, Lana, still..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, Alastair. Anyway, what did Conall say?"

"Conall? Nothing, why?"

"Wasn't he with Hannah? I specifically told him to..."

"I don't know about that, but I haven't seen him. I could go luck if you want..."

"Later. What about Hannah? What is she doing?"

"On her way back from what I understood. They're having a hard time because apparently Al'Aeen is very heavy and they only took a stretcher with them."

"Get a war party ready and a hand-drawn cart and go help them."

"Understood. You should also take a few minutes and clean yourself; you've got blood all over you. You know you shouldn't go to bed right after a sparring session. Gets the sheets all messy," he says with a smile as he exits the Alpha's tent.

It's not my blood. It's warhog blood. Because I was there! I was there and I couldn't even help! Damn it! Damn you, you stupid witch! If anything happens to my mate I'll hunt you to the ends of Calla!