chapter 28. GRAY: THE COLOR OF THE DARKEST HOUR.

Four Weeks Later

"Are you sure you don't want to have breakfast? If you lose the tiniest bit of weight before the Alpha King comes back, I will be in so much trouble, Rahinna. Please, have breakfast." Mirian said in concern.

Ismena swallowed down another wave of nausea before she gave the older woman a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Mirian. I just don't feel like having breakfast."

"You've not felt like having breakfast for some time now." The older woman muttered.

"Some days are like that, Mirian. It's probably because I didn't get enough sleep last night, and I'm feeling dizzy now. Once I sleep, I'll be so much better."

Mirian hesitated, "I know you're missing the Alpha King, but he will be back soon. Stop losing sleep over it, Rahinna. I'm sure the Alpha King will not like it when he finds out."

Ismena didn't say anything to that. She indeed misses Wolfaraine so much, but she wasn't sure Mirian understood just how much she was craving for him. She misses him to the depth of her soul.

Three days have turned to four weeks since he left the Tower. She'd overslept after their night together, and by the time she woke up, he was gone. The leopard clan's fiesta took a week to be done. She'd been excited when he finally called her and told her that he was coming home the next day. Unfortunately, that night, three children were murdered in the leopard clan.

It was devastating news. As Alpha King, he had to stay, so he hadn't returned. Yesterday made it a month since he left the Tower. She gets to hear from him on the phone occasionally, but it's never the same. She wanted to see him.

To make matters worse, her cell phone fell into the water last night and stopped working, now she won't even hear his voice anymore.

His Alphas take turns keeping her safe whenever she needs to go out of the Tower. For almost a week now, she hasn't gone out because she was always too tired. Or sleepy. Or nauseous. So, she saw less of the Alphas.

"Do you need anything else?"

Mirian's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "No, I'm okay, Mirian. Thank you so much."

The older woman pursed her lips, "Try and get some sleep. I'm sure you will feel much better when you wake."

"I will do that."

And that was exactly what she did after Mirian left her bedroom. Her mind was on Wolfaraine as she drifted off.

God, she misses him so much.

"Degar will join us soon," Wolfaraine said to Alphose. They just finished hunting. Now, they are currently on their way back to Degar's home. While they waited for the Leopard Alpha, they took the opportunity to enjoy walking through the forest, surrounded by nature.

"I heard that Aninia's sickness resurfaced again." Alphose's voice was tinged with sadness. He referred to the mother of one of the children that were killed.

A muscle twitched in his jaw, Wolfaraine looked away, "She will be fine." He stated, crisply.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Alphose responded, apologetically.

Wolfaraine inhaled deeply, "It's not your fault, Alphose. I apologize for snapping at you. It's just..."

"I understand, Wolfaraine." And he did. It has been emotionally draining since the murder happened. That cold, methodical murderer left absolutely no scent at all which indicated that it was done by their serial killer and not by Wild Ones.

Wolfaraine has remained in the leopard clan since it happened, even when the other Alphas got a break from the horrible incident by going back to their own clans occasionally, the Alpha King remained. One of the reasons the people love their King is because of how much he cares for his people.

Alphose looked at his friend. He looks physically tired. He would bet that he was emotionally tired too. It has been a difficult few weeks.

"You miss her, don't you?" He asked.

Wolfaraine did not bother to feign ignorance. "Yes. I miss her every day."

"Fortunately, we are done here for now. By this time tomorrow, you are back in the Tower, Alpha King."

I can't wait, Wolfaraine thought. He missed Ismena. Badly.

Time drifted away slowly after that, as they walked in silence.

"When are you planning to tell Josiah about Kassandra?" Wolfaraine asked, breaking the silence.

Alphose stiffened beside him. He pursed his lips, a muscle ticked on his forehead.

"Stop postponing it already, Alphose. The more you do that, the more it will hurt. If she was your mate, she would have taken on your scent by now. You know what I do. I know you do. Put yourself out of your misery and allow that girl to reunite with her mate."

Alphose swallowed tightly. "It's not going to hurt any less."

"It's not. But your healing process will begin then. For now, you are just drawing out the pain." Wolfaraine turned to him, "Your own mate will come. I am sorry this happened to you."

The cougar Alpha averted his eyes, "How sure are we that Josiah will come back to Naturiah because of this? Because of her? He has been away for the past ten years, dammit."

"You will never know until you tell him. He deserves to know. He deserves to make that choice himself."

"She deserves someone better." Alphose stated, anger and pain in his eyes, "Kassandra deserves someone who will love her very much even without the mating pheromones. Someone who will put her first in everything. Someone who can lay his life down to protect her without a blink. Someone who will never leave her just because he was having a hard time!" He snapped his mouth, knowing he'd revealed too much.

Silence descended between them.

"Just because your brother left you do not mean he will ever leave his mate, Alphose." Wolfaraine pointed out in a soft voice, his eyes holding pity as he watched Alphose, "Just because he acts like he has no feelings do not mean that he will not love his mate the way she deserves. I know you love her so much. But you have to let her go."

"I know, I do. I really know that. It's just... Just the thought of it is..." The cougar Alpha shook his head miserably, "It's just so hard."

"I know it is. That is why I've not interfered." Wolfaraine patted his friend's broad back in reassurance, "That is why I've turned a blind eye. But you have to tell your brother what's going on soon enough, and invite him over, so I don't have to do it. I don't want to do it."

"I know, I know. You are right." Alphose finally raised his head, and their eyes met, "I will send a message to him tonight. I will do it."

Wolfaraine nodded, "That is a good decision."

"Thank you for not telling Josiah about this all the while."

"I didn't because I know you were hurting. And you were still hoping. You needed time to accept the truth."

Alphose opened his mouth, but the sound of a stick breaking drew their attention toward the direction the sound came from. Leaves parted, and Degar showed up.

"I have news for you, Alpha King." The leopard Alpha said, his steps hurried. His eyes held an urgency that captivated Wolfaraine completely.

"It's about the Wild Psychopath," Degar announced as he walked closer to them.

"What is the news, Degar?" Wolfaraine questioned.

"My sources in the military all over the world confirmed that they haven't had access to the scentless leave. In fact most of them don't even know much about it apart from the fact that it's a plant. They don't know how it can be used as an effective camouflage that helps attack an enemy's camp undetected."

"They are humans, I'm not surprised. Compared to us, they know nothing about plants and herbs." Alphose enunciated, "But what has that got to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to that part." Degar said, "My source is an Admiral in the US Navy, and he told me that he'd only heard about it once. He told me that Five years ago, an excellent soldier in the Special Ops murdered fifteen of his men in cold blood, he was declared Wanted, but he disappeared. According to him, it was like the man never existed. During the investigation, they realized that the soldier used some kind of camouflage to disguise himself before attacking his own men. Some kind of plant."

Wolfaraine's head was working. "No matter the camouflage, it's gonna take a very strong changeling to skill fifteen human Army soldiers at the same time. So we are looking at an Alpha or a Beta. We have at least five Betas and two Alphas that returned home from Special Ops in the last five years. Did you get any more information from this Admiral?"

Degar shook his head, "Sadly, no. When they couldn't find the killer, they did damage control by clearing out all evidence and burying the case. I don't think a Beta can pull off killings like this. Maybe in the human world, but not here in Naturiah, flying under our noses for the past two years, going undetected. It must be an Alpha. That's my opinion."

Alphose froze, "Adanel came back five years ago."

"Werewolf Alpha and Head Sentinel, Adanel? Do you think it's him?" Degar referred to Alphose.

"Thinking about it, it seems much more likely to be him. The male barely talks. He was among the Wolves that were kidnapped eighteen years ago and experimented on. He was very strong to survive it, but I feel like there's something almost...feral in his eyes." Degar expressed calculatingly.

"Not to mention that his mate died. He has every reason to become a killer. He is the Wild Psychopath!" Alphose yelled, enraged, "Let's go get that motherfucker and torture him the changeling way until he tells the truth!"

Degar glanced at Wolfaraine, "What do you think, Alpha King? Should we go and capture him? He has to pay for everything he has done!"

Adanel. Everything in Wolfaraine denied that knowledge. It is not Adanel. It cannot be, he roared inwardly in denial.

They walked out of hell together, the both of them. He was the reason Adanel's mate was dead, yet the male forgave him.

Or did he really?

"Let's not waste time, Alpha King. Let's go and get-" Alphose cut off when he heard the sound of a stick snap. They all turned towards the sound.

Footsteps got closer and closer. The grass parted, and Adanel came into view, "There you are, Leopard Alpha. Your Head Sentinel has been looking for you-"

He didn't get to finish when Alphose and Degar rushed to him and punched him hard on both cheeks at the same time.

"What in heaven's...!?" Adanel fell, clutching his cheeks and looking confused.

Alphose and Degar pounced on him and began beating him with all the rage inside them.

"We know it was you, you asshole! We know!" Alphose roared, his claws slipping out.

Adanel made a half-shift to defend himself. He fought both Alphas, who attacked him for no good reason. The fight only took place for two minutes, but it was a bloody one.

"Enough." Wolfaraine did not raise his voice. They heard him anyway. All of them stilled, all bloodied up and in half-shifts.

"Go back to your male form. All of you." He ordered. It's the only way they can all have a reasonable, rational conversation.

The three Alphas shifted back to male form. Adanel's cheeks had swollen up, Alphose has a black eye, and two of Degar's teeth are on the ground. They stepped away from each other and looked at him.

"I do not think it's Adanel. It does not feel like it's him." He said.

"What did I do, Alpha King? What is going on?" Adanel asked confusion and anger in his eyes.

"We have reasons to believe that you are the Wild Psychopath! That's what is going on!" Alphose spat.

Adanel's reaction was sheer disbelief, "Is that some sort of a joke?"

Wolfaraine stilled. Another Alpha suddenly came to his mind. Surely, it can't be?

"Degar, pull out your cell phone, place a call to your source and ask him about the eyes." He ordered instantly.

"The what?" Degar asked.

"Eyes. There are only two Alphas that returned back to us in the last ten years. The answer will be gray eyes if it is who I think it is. Adanel has brown-almost black eyes. By the eyes, we will know. Call your source. Now."

Degar whipped out his phone immediately and placed the call. It went through on the second ring.

"I know this call is about that case. There is nothing else to say about that-" The Army

"Eyes. Do you remember his eyes, Admiral? You must have seen his pictures before they were all destroyed. Did you remember the color of his eyes?"

"His eyes... Of course, I remember the color of his eyes. It was the first thing I noticed when I stared at his picture. He has such uncanny gray eyes."

"Gray. He said gray." Alphose announced, hanging up the phone.

"Onaries. It's him! Find him, now!" Wolfaraine was already moving, his system filled with Adrenaline.

"The Elephant Alpha!? Dammit! He is probably still in Degar's home. He was there with the other Alphas when we came out," Alphose was saying to Wolfaraine, when Adanel cut in.

"Onaries!? He is no longer in the Leopard Clan. I saw him in the Heart of Naturiah when I was coming out here from my home." he told Wolfaraine, "He was going towards the direction of the Forest of Azx."

Wolfaraine stopped suddenly. The Forest of Azx? That is just several feet away from the Tower.His blood ran cold.

"The Tower...! I have to get back home! I have to check on Ismena!" As the roar was leaving his mouth, he was already taking the half-shift form of the Werewolf.

No one questioned him. Instead they half-shifted too and ran after him. The faster, the better.

It's gonna take hours to reach the Tower.

Mirian was right, Ismena thought. She did feel better after the nap.

She was in the backyard of the Tower watering the flowers. It's becoming one of her favorite pastimes-one of her new hobbies that keeps her occupied. The scent of flowers was refreshing. Relaxing.

"Remember you have a birthday party to prepare for." She muttered aloud, "So, you don't spend all your time out here."

A friend of Eline's is celebrating her birthday today. Eline had invited her and Sandra. They'll all meet in the evening to go together. Ismena couldn't wait. She missed hanging out with the duo. It's been a week since Eline had any time to spare, but she saw Sandra a lot.

Her poor best friend is going through some difficult times that made Ismena sad whenever she thinks about it. She can't imagine being in Sandra's position-loving Wolfaraine as much as she does, only to realize that he doesn't belong to her. A shudder worked through her body. Devastating.

She heard footsteps behind her, turned, and smiled at the newcomer. One of Wolfaraine's Alphas. There are many of them that she tends to forget their names and the changelings they are.

"Good day, Rahinna. How are you today?" He asked, a warm smile on his face.

"I'm good. I am here to pick you up, our very beautiful Rahinna. Today, you will set in motion a cause that will change the future." His gray eyes sparkled. He moved very close to her.

Before Ismena could process what he was saying, he stuck a needle to her arm.

"Ouch!" She gasped at the stinging pain, "Why would you do..." Her voice trailed off, and her eyes widened when she saw the injection he'd stuck in her arm.

"You..." Her eyes blurred. She fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

The moment Wolfaraine ran through those gates, he filled a coldness in his spine.

Something is wrong. Something has gone terribly wrong.

There was chaos in the environment. "What is going on? Someone tell me WHAT IS GOING ON!!" Wolfaraine thundered.

Divo, the Sentinel-in-charge, hurried towards him. For the first time, Wolfaraine saw fear in the eyes of the fearless warrior.

"She is missing, Alpha King." Divo announced, "The Rahinna, she is not here. We've been searching for over an hour, and she is missing."