Maximus had arranged a cabin in the woods nearby. It is his own and 7 of them stayed cramped in the
small cabin. Another 8 have their own house here, in the island itself. They left their family years ago to
accompany Ozrain, his loyal followers, so to say. 7 of them were all scattered around living hall. It is
small, it is made out of wood, but cozy enough to be called home. Selena was standing in between
Zaden's legs, attending to his wounds while he sat on a chair, his thumb carelessly stroking her waist.
His eye never left Selena. She carefully wiped the cuts on his face and applied some analgesic cream
on it, not that he requires them and he spare no time in informing her that till she was done.
“You know, it would heal by itself in no time” he said low, earning a scowl from Selena. She pressed
hard the cut on his cheeks with her index finger, making him hiss
“It still hurts, doesn't it?” oh ya, she is angry, both at Zaden and Ozrain. She turned her head to look at
Ozrain and he immediately dropped his head, pretending to play with his phone
“And I belief you are discussing world peace with Hitler now, via that phone, am I right?” Ozrain silently
slipped his phone on a table next to him and kept his eye sight on the floor.
“Look at you two!!! Rushing into action, driven by emotions. Please, use your brain before you go
budding head with Epsilon!!!” she is now in the middle of the room, which is just a few feets away from
others, exhaling in disappointment. She rubbed her forehead with the fingers, thinking what they can do
to fix this situation. Then suddenly, snapped up her head, scowling at everyone
“Well??? Anyone has any idea to chip in?” everyone was looking at Zaden, hoping for a breakthrough.
“What???Why are you looking at me like that for? If she didn't interfere, I would have finished him
earlier itself” he exclaimed
“Oh really??? He picked up a broken statue and hit your head. Where were your eyes, alpha?”
defeated, Zaden shrunk back into his chair. Selena was really worried and her forehead creased and
eyes started glistening. She crashed on a wooden chair, opposite Ozrain. She didn't make a sound
after that. Ozrain felt guilty, he had to calm her down
“Look, my angel. Zaden here is much more capable to defeat Epsilon. I know that, I had heard about
him in other packs that I have visited.” Ozrain cocked his eyebrow at Zaden and he dropped his head in
embarrassment.
“And he has a valid reason to fight, you!!! I understand how much he loves you, I had seen it in his
eyes. You can't stand even me, interacting close to her, do you?” his question is for Zaden and he
stooped even lower than before, being caught of guard. Selena noticed that Ozrain knows something
that she doesn't. She rolled her tongue against her inner cheeks before returning to the current issue
“But he is not focused. Maybe, locking me up in Epsilon's dungeon would do better job...” now
everyone stirred uncomfortably at her mumbling words. Zaden, who is now slightly troubled, stood up
quickly, pulled her off her chair.
“Nobody is going to touch you, you hear me? And yes, you are right. I didn't focus on what was in front
of me, I was tired and tomorrow would do better, I promise” her neck is now in his palms, thumbs
propping her chin up. Her eye is still filled with worries but she pushed herself to nod at Zaden's
statement.
“Ok, you need to shift and I need a bath. Wait here for me, ok” he kissed her forehead gently before
leaving her for a bath. She craned her neck, making sure he is out of the sight before crossing her legs,
and diverted her attention to Ozrain.
“What did he do?” she asked with suspicious scowl. Ozrain swallowed hard before looking back at the
leader's pack. They shook head indicating ‘no’. Ozrain sighed out
“Zaden is a well-respected alpha in every pack that I have visited. I have heard about him but this is the
first time I'm seeing him. Contrary to what I have heard, he kneeled down for a girl the very first time I
meet him” Ozrain scoffed
“He single handedly pulled his pack out of darkness, gave them hope that nothing spiteful is going to
happen to them. He protected them, yes, just like all the other alpha's before him. But he also brought
them out of the mountains, gave them the option to have education and make an earning outside of
Mountain Manuka, when no other alpha even attempted that. They lived a basic life before him, limited
food, annual clothing and wooden huts. Now they have changed drastically. Still, the pack is always
prepared to fight, with their 3 tier village system. Oddly enough, instead on focusing on saving
youngsters, he choose to save the elders. Experience speaks louder than words” Ozrain chuckled
“But one vent, put him on the map. He went hunting, with his leader's pack” he looked at Makeala and
others.
“They hunted down all the rogues in their district, piles them up in dungeon at Elderly Village. Tied them
up in silver chain” Selena's eye widened and her back straightened
“How many were there?” Ozrain asked Orion and he replied “38” in a low manner
“Aaa...38, impressive!!!” Ozrain nodded
“What happened to them?” Selena is getting curious.
“They are all dead. Not before Zaden tortured them with silver knifes and silver spine embedded whips,
wolfsbane on drip dose and much more” he paused
“What is wolfsbane?” Selena asked to Makeala. A deep crease never faded down from her forehead.
“It's a juice from a purple flower, very poisonous to werewolf, it could kill us. Every drop slides down
throat unnoticed but when they hit stomach, they will burn your mucous layer, forming cavity for the
stomach content to spill into a person's body. Eventually, mixing with your blood and you know the rest”
she dropped her head down in guilt. Selena opened her mouth slightly with both her eyebrows cocked
up. She forgot to breath
“And when administered intravenously little by little...well...use your own imagination” Xavier added.
Selena is really terrified right now. This group of people that look so friendly and caring to her has done
something so sadistic to 38 rogues
“Then, when the rogues were weak enough to not recover their previous wound, they dragged them all
into open space, layered woods around them and set them on fire” Selena's back has now hit chair and
her eye and mouth is even wider,to its fullest.
“All because of one rogue...we didn't know who it was but he shot...he shot my mate” Orion said with
his eye on the floor
“I was inefficient, it has already been 20 minutes after she got shot. She was holding onto her last
breath, so that she could give me one last good bye kiss... she left me...just like that...alone” Orion
continued with tears welled up in his eye. Now, Selena understood, it happened after his mate, Sheila
had died. She stood up slowly, still with a frowned and terrified eye, she walked up to him. He was
sitting on another wooden chair across the room. His elbows are on his knee and his head is tilted way
down, not showing others his face and emotion. Selena moved closer and closer, and his clutched
hands split open to make way for her. She slide her fingers to the back of Orion's hair and pulled him
gently closer to her stomach, breaking down a wall that he had built around him, called the ego. Orion
hugged Selena by her waist and let out a painful cry, muffled to her body.
“She left me, Selena...the woman I loved so dearly...the one that gave me her virginity...the one that
supported me in every slip...who shared all my joy...she is gone, right on my lap and in front of my
eye...I saw her eyes losing its life, turning to frozen ice. And she took my baby with her...she left me
orphan Selena...” Selena felt a choke in her throat.She squeeze shut her eye, letting down a drop of
tears from her left eye. One of her palms has find its way to cover her mouth, not revealing her crushed
state right now. She didn't try to calm him down or absorb his pain. It's time to let it all out. He lost his
love and finally learned to love another woman, only to be rejected again. It must have been way
harder than what Selena could imagine. Did she do something to seduce him? Is it her fault that he fell
for her? Would he had been better if she didn't show up? The train thought is wrecking mess within
Selena as tears started rolling more and more down her cheeks. A warm arm snaked in front of her,
shoulder to shoulder. There is no need to look, Zaden's scent and warmth is well embedded in her
heart. He gave a deep kiss on the back of her head. Another hand came forth to wipe her tears. Ozrain
is standing behind him. She is born with the ability to calm others around her but when she needs a
dose for herself, Zaden is the answer. Her head leaned onto his chest. Zaden hunted and killed all the
rogues in Mountain Manuka district for his beta, instead of letting him face his loss by himself. It doesn't
sound so wrong now. She wipes away any stray tears and soon Orion's cry also stifled. Strangely
enough, he pressed his head deeper against Selena.
“Wait...” Orion said low, puzzling Selena and Zaden
“Wait...that's the baby!!!” Orion exclaimed and Makeala, Xavier and Sitka rushed to him, kneeling down
in front of Selena.
“Its really him...You really have a baby in there!!!” Orion's tears had drastically changed to happiness.
“I told you” Selena looked over her shoulder, wiggling her eyebrow at Zaden because Orion also thinks
it's a boy.
“Move” Makeala pushed him away and placed her ears on Selena stomach. Selena couldn't help but
laugh at their behavior. Their alpha's baby, their childhood friend's baby, what a wonderful gift...Selena
gently hold on to Zaden's arms as he looked down over Selena's shoulder at his pack taking turn,
listening to the baby's heartbeat.
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