Marcus's POV

I was still drowning in my despair when an attack happened.

The rogues were almost past the border and they were putting up quite a fight.

When I got there, there was an already blood made scene waiting.

Many of theirs had been injured but they were still at it, biting and killing in all might.
Shifting, I ran to the fight, smacking the weaker ones with my paws. I was aiming for the brownish wolf. He was the biggest and was taking out quite a number of our men.

He was on a fight as I approached him and with that added advantage, I clawed at his side with force. His focus quickly lapped with mine as he ran to attack me.
Jumping high, he rammed his head in my sides sending me flying away.
But, tonight, Adam was very rough, quite because he'd been warning me about an unusual scent and majorly, our mate...
He took full control.
Our sights got red and my added anger melted our raging strength to a perfectly harmonizing induration.

When I fell, I dashed up and charged at him, evasion and swift dodges filling my actions.
He ran to my side and pawed me away with intensity, but I caught his paw in my mouth, my teeth digging harsh into his bones and flesh.
He raised his other paw, it's aim at my neck when I kicked him hard in his gut, his grunts breaking out like harsh breaths of air.
I pulled my self up and picked him with my mouth again, this time on his hind legs, throwing him into a tree..

With fury he ran, limping quickly, his obduracy ineluctable to be his defeat.
Raised his claw once again, Adam and I dodged, leaping to the left, and hitting him with my legs once more, adding more sclerotisity to the force.

He went flying into the tree and I pounced on him.
He tried to prance back up, hitting me with his paws as he was down and I was on top of him but I pushed down with more force and bit down on his neck, tearing off it's latches away from the body.

When I was shifted back, I looked around, all the rogues were dead and sadly a few of ours too.
I met my father's gaze and he stared back at me, with a nod and turned back to the beta, berating on the mishaps of the warriors lacking and ordering him to organize and clear up the mess.

"Willow, I want you to organize the training of our guards.
From what I've seen today, there needs to be some improvement.
I shan't always have to correct you shall I?....
Unless you'd want me to make a more permanent correction, I suggest you use this last chance as wisely.....
I don't do repetitions."

"Yes, Alpha!"

"Good, the rogues cannot pass our borders or defenses."

"Yes Alpha, I'll take my leave now. "

When he finished speaking to the beta, he came towards me, patted my shoulders and smiled a little.
The common farce...

"Marcus, I'm very proud of you, to be able to take down that wolf. He was the leader of the rogues, their own Alpha and you took care of him.
But, that should not have cost you as much time should it?
He was still just a rogue...."

"Of course, I will start on more rigorous training. I was at a very disadvantaged spot right there.
It shall not happen again. "

"Indeed. You are the future Alpha, you cannot show any form of weakness or empathy to the enemies, you know that!!.
I want you to lead the scouts this time, so you can cover more ground. These rogues attacks are becoming very frequent and more severe, and these events shall not be accommodated in my pack."

"Okay Father."
He stared at me and nodded his head, sorrow and pain slightly evident in his expression.
But I knew, it was all just a facade.
Like he'd said, no empathy....

"Very well then, I'll organize the funerals of our lost men, we lost some very good ones."

I nodded and he left.

**********

During the scouts, we broke into three groups to cover more grounds. We passed a lane of broken twigs and branches.

While progressing there, we came upon a gross algaecide mud pool.
It's stench permeated the air leaving a pungent atmosphere for almost ten feet.
However, present on the grass shore, a syringe laid.

I took a sniff and backed away immediately. The familiar scent was just too strong to forget, just like the one I'd taken before.
That was liquid silver.

But, why would liquid silver be out in the open considering it's level of danger to us werewolves?.

I turned around to search other areas, and ran in the opposite direction leaving behind my teammates. A sudden feeling of pain fluttered in my chest, banging through like a force of ten leads. 
Somehow, I happened
to be end up at the foot of the bordering mountains at the west route.

There was a hole behind the rocks and of course curiosity won it's bet, I leaned down to peak through.
I heard a whirling sound and reached inside, stretching my hand beyond it's point.
I tugged at a sharp point and pulled.

The object was pretty big and took me some time to bring in sight thanks to the hole.

I got up and pushed the exit stone with all my might and strength, groaning through the process and it moved just enough to let a single wolf pass through.
Yes, it was truly that big!.

I shifted to passed through and entered the cave, my nudity the last thing on my mind at current.
Taking a good look at the object.
It was like a machine with a tank side and a big fan blowing out air.
Inside the tank was some runebloom oil.
A scent cleaner, the strongest of all kinds.
It worked as good as it's name predeemed, washing of the scent completely, immediately it was applied.
It was thoroughly scented itself, like a rich bouquet of lilies.

I turned to the side of the machine and flicked a switch, the machine was off.

It took some time before I could take a smell of the air and was hit by the number of scents that filled my nose.

Wolves!!

I took turns following the scents and found an opening.
I passed through to meet a bunch of tents and wolves, lots and lots of wolves!. Almost about a few numbers big enough to outnumber our pack.
Almost!!

I saw fire, one of the tents caught on fire, the dancing flames in the late noon sky,  and the wolves scampering about to put it out.

A male came out of the tents carrying a girl over his shoulder on his left.
It only took me a glance and immediately I knew.

My mate!!.

This was where she had been all these while?.
Seeing her with another male, although unconscious, I barred my teeth and growled.

And with this, I came to realize, I was truly and fully caught by the bond.
I wanted to shred that wolf to pieces. But I knew that if I went down there, I could be pledging my very own death vows by none but the enemies.

I dragged us away, reluctant at the presence of my mate's distant scent, before my scent got their attention, and went back to the machine.
I put it on and left to my pack.
The fury in me raving me and I ran and ran.

My mate....

When I got home, I told father.
"Father..."
I greeted him.

"Marcus, where were you?!.
I assigned you to watch over the scouts so they do their jobs well. What's this I'm hearing about you leaving your scout members?!!"
He growled at me.

"Father, I found a secret base of the rogues."
I spoke audibly and strong.
His Alpha pull working away at me but my fury repressing.

Immediately he stopped growling and softened up.
He turned to his seat and sat, I continued.

"Up west route of the borders Mountains. A hidden cave is the pathway."

"I see..."
His unwavering burning stare met directly with my anger filled eyes.
"I'll dispatch a group to check it out."
He spoke.

"They have scent cleaners that masks their scents off.
It wouldn't be easily spotted. I want to lead the attacking team."

"Okay, you'll leave in a week."

"Tomorrow is fine.
Ohh and father, they are very large in numbers, almost the number of our pack. We best be very prepared."

"I'll leave you to that, don't disappoint me son."

"I won't fail!." I turned to leave, went to my room and locked it.

My thoughts went back to her.
I sighed and fell to the bed.
Mate......my mate.
Ohh she's still as beautiful as ever.....I'll never let any other get her....

She's mine..