***Dweight's POV***
I opened the Pack link the second the other wolves ran into the clearing.
‘What is the meaning of this Dweight?’ Giovanni, my father’s oldest friend snarled and I felt my whole body bristle at his tone.
This black wolf with blue eyes was the Alpha of my neighbouring Pack, the best tracker in the state and even though he was an Alpha for about three times as long as I was one, I still felt insulted that he treated me like I was beneath him. I had to remind myself that he was an ally and I needed his help.
‘We have a situation here Van.’ I grumbled hoping he’d see that I wasn’t in the mood for shit.
‘Your Beta tells me one of your femmes has been taken.’ He started pacing back and forth, with three large wolves behind him watching me with blank expressions.
‘I wouldn’t call you if I didn’t need your help.’ I growled and I could clearly see the shock on his face as he stopped pacing.
‘Is it that bad boy? Who has any cause to cross you of all Alphas?’ He grumbled more to himself than to me.
‘Do they have a death wish?’ Liam snorted and I gave him a sour look. This was no time for jokes.
‘You might know this one. His name is Daniel of the Greystone Pack.’ The four wolves snarled in unison
‘The wolf that beats his mate?’ Giovanni snarled baring his teeth
‘She’s not his mate.’ I snarled back feeling all of the fur on my neck stand on end and then realized what I just said.
‘I uh…I…’ Giovanni frowned and started circling me to the left and then the right, Liam took a step to me left ready for any danger that this older wolf might pose but I ignored him. I knew what he was doing and I didn’t like the way he was looking at me; surprise and pity.
‘She’s your mate?’ Van finally whispered and I knew he wasn’t using the open link but a personal link instead. I gave him a slight nod and pursed my lips.
‘This changes things.’
‘This changes nothing.’ I growled
‘You need to tell us what happened so I can determine whether or not to get involved.’ I growled and he growled back.
‘I saved your daughter’s life.’ I barked at him and he instantly backed down.
‘She wouldn’t bear your grandchild right now if I hadn’t ripped out the throat of that wolf.’ Giovanni seemed to think something through when he glanced at one of his wolves and nodded before looking back at me.
‘Tell me.’ He sat down and waited so I relayed everything that has happened, leaving nothing out. When I was done he seemed to shake himself.
‘I take it you want Daniel alive.’ I nodded
‘Why do you need me?’
‘I need you to track Bonny. Wherever she is, Daniel is sure to be.’
‘Why haven’t you removed his mark?’ I looked at Liam and he shook his head.
‘I was going to call a friend of mine that knows how today.’ He explained to Giovanni who in turn nodded.
‘It’s rather simple. Dip a cloth in liquid aconite and place it on the mark. It will hurt like a bitch but when the marking is burnt it will heal the skin to the state it was before the bite.’
‘Aconite?’ I cocked my head to the side
‘Wolf’s bane.’ A female wolf piped in and my eyes widened.
‘You want me to burn my mate with wolf’s bane?’ Giovanni scowled
‘It’s painful but it’s the only thing that works.’ Now it was my turn to pace. Every time I tried to picture hurting Kelly that way, I shuddered and tried to redirect my thoughts elsewhere.
‘If I were you, I’d remove the mark before we go hunting for Daniel.’ I stopped pacing and looked at Liam who shrugged.
‘Accidents happen.’ The female wolf chimed in again and I snarled at her.
‘What Jules means is that if he attacks us, we will be less likely to try and restrain him and if I know Daniel, then he won’t go quietly.’
‘I can’t…’ My face distorted with pain
‘I know you don’t want to hurt her but it’s the only way we can assure her safety when we go after Daniel.’ I looked to the right at nothing in particular and after a long moment of inner turmoil, I looked back at Giovanni and nodded.
‘Let’s go.’ I barked at Liam and we agreed to meet Giovanni back here in an hour.
This was going to be impossible.
