"Ryan?" Jasmine cooed. Tears were tripling down her face. "R-Ryan"
Ryan smiled. "I-it's good to see your face again"
She smiled at him as tears flew down her face freely. She sat down and held his hand. "I-it's good to see you too. I was worried sick. I thought you were never going to open your eyes"
Ryan smiled. "Can I ever leave you alone"
She placed her hand over his face and bend out a bit. Her lips touched his lips and he froze. He had not expected that from her and she had not expected that from herself either. They both forgot about their environment and got lost in kissing each other. Their lips fight for dominance as they try to kill their desire for each other. There was a thud sound that brought them back to reality. Jasmine turned to see Kelvin staring at them. Ryan was caught by surprise too. Surprise by Jasmine's kisses and Kelvin's unexpected presence.
Kelvin picked up the tray that had fallen from his hand.
"So sorry" he muttered and walked out of the tent.
Jasmine ran after him. "Kelvin!" she called but he did not answer. "Kelvin!". She ran so fast and finally caught up with him. "K-Kelvin, have been calling your name" she stuttered slightly. "I-it's not what you think"
Kelvin smiled. "What am I thinking?" he asked. "What did you do?"
"I-i... T-the kiss. It really, is not what you think"
Kelvin smiled. "I am not bothered about that. I already rejected you" he said and walked away.
Though he had a smile on, she could tell he is very angry. She groaned slightly. Why did she kiss Ryan?
**
It's been a week since Ryan was brought back and he had been recuperating faster than expected. He can now walk a distance on his own but had tried as much as he can to avoid Jasmine. After the kiss, his heart raced and he also felt bad Kelvin caught them in the act. He tried to explain to him that the kiss meant nothing though that was a lie. The kiss meant a lot to him, he had never stopped thinking about her. Any time he sees her, he always felt awkward. Jasmine must have felt that way too because she also tried to avoid him too, as much as she can. She has also tried to speak to Kelvin who insisted nothing was wrong. this made her feel very bad. None of them has spoken to anyone about it. Aside from the awkwardness between the three, everything has been fine among the rest of the people as they journey to find the mysterious cave.
There had been a meeting after Ryan's attack and they were all bent on finding who was responsible for the attack. While finding the one who had attacked Ryan, they found out that there is a pack called the Ice pack that is responsible for sending other packs and realms to get the book. They planned out an attack on the smaller packs. That will help reduce the power of the Ice pack. In less than three days, they captured ten packs from the northern hemisphere and fifteen packs from the southern hemisphere who had refused to tell them who the Alpha of the Ice park is. Though they knew the location of the Ice pack, they could not attack them because they were always heavily armed. Most of the warriors were warriors from other packs. When they found out the location of the fire packs the second in command of the Ice pack, they decide it was best to launch their attack through them. They had sent a letter to Ice to confuse them but got prepared and marched to the Fire pack.
They marched to the gate of the Fire pack. The Fire pack was taken by surprise cause they had only about fifty men in waiting. Most of their men had gone to the Ice pack because of the letter they received. Those fifty men available took their swords along aside the Alpha and his Beta and got ready to fight. Jabal offered a negotiation with them. All he needed is for them to tell him who the Ice pack Alpha is but they unleashed their swords first, and attacked one of them, so they had no option but to fight back.
"Attack!!!" Jabal had ordered and his people rushed towards them.
When the fight began, the Alpha of the Fire pack sent words to the Ice pack for help but none came. He had sent messages to other neighbor packs but had received a message that the Ice pack had all their warriors and they can do nothing to help. The Alpha was disappointed. The fight lasted for an hour with the Alpha getting stabbed while trying to save his Beta's wife. He had lost his friend, the Beta, and also his wife. Somehow, Jasmine and the rest knew all their weak points. They knew all their hiding places too. The Fire Alpha could tell it was a preplanned action that had been aided by someone from the pack. Someone who knew a lot about them. Someone from the pack had betrayed them. When they were leaving they took all the pack members, especially the women and children. Jabal could not take the Alpha knowing he was going to die soon.
The Alpha's trusted guard whom he had sent to take his daughter to his brother's packhouse returned just after everything ended.
"A-Alpha" he cooed rushing towards his master. "What happened here? You are hurt"
"W-we have been betrayed," the Alpba said, coughing out blood. "A member of this pack has betrayed us"
The Alpha was able to explain little of the thing that had happened to his guard.
"None of our pack members would have betrayed you. Don't you think the Ice pack did" his guard said. "Your pack has been betrayed from the start"
The Alpha groaned. His guard was right. They had been betrayed from the start but he was too blind by his loyalty to the Ice pack to notice it. He should have told his people about it but he was too blind trying to keep everyone safe by keeping it away from them that he had sold his people to the enemies. He was bleeding so badly but he knew he needed to send a message across to his brother. He needed to keep his only daughter safe. His trusted guard persuaded him to let him take him out of the pack territory and get him treated but he refused. "G-get me a pen and paper. I need to send a message to my brother"
"I will get you the paper and pen but you need to get treated first"
"J-just get me the paper"
The guard went in search of a pen and a book and then returned some minutes later. He handed it over to his master, who inscribed some words down. He gave it to the guard. "G-go find my brother. T-tell him what had happened. T-tell him to keep my daughter safe. Tell him not to trust the Ice pack. S-she should not do anything nasty. W-when you think it's right, give this to her and help her. G-give her all the help she needs. A-and please, you have to keep her safe. P-p-promise me she will be safe"
"I-i promise"
"N-now go. Tell my daughter she can not trust the Ice pack Alpha. She must not" The guard after waving reluctantly, left the territory for his alpha's brother's pack to convey the message he was sent with. He knew his alpha would not survive it. He had lost too much blood. He had lost so much blood trying to save the beta's wife and also to keep the way clear for him. Giving his pack a last look, he headed for his destination
**
Ryan had recovered completely now but there is still an awkwardness between Jasmine and him. There had also been a rumor that Jasmine was his mate and that Kelvin had taken someone else's mate. No one knew who has started the rumor and this made Ryan more worried. His relationship with Kelvin deteriorated after he kissed Jasmine and he still trying to make amends for that. Jabal called Ryan to speak to him and asked him what he thought about the rumor and how they can stop it.
Ryan showed his concern on the matter. He is been worried Kelvin will get the wrong idea about the matter.
"Tell me what is going on?" Jabal said. "Have you tried to find the root of the rumor?"
"I haven't tried finding out who started the rumor. Recently, I found out about it"
"What do you plan to do excessively?"
"I will find the source of the rumor and end it. I have to"
"Do you need help? I am worried about Jasmine. You know she is yet to come back with Kelvin. I want them to get back. This rumor might hinder it"
Ryan nodded. He knows that too and he doesn't want that to happen. "I will try my best to end the rumor. I promise"
"Any news about your mate yet?"
"No. No news yet"
"No one you felt the mate bind with?"
Ryan shrugged. He had only felt it once and that was with Jasmine. He had thought she was his mate but she ended up not being. He wasn't ready to tell Jabal that as he doesn't want to cause further confusion.
"None I can remember" he lied
Jabal spoke to him about random things and after a while, he left and returned to his tent. On his way, he bumped into someone running. He suddenly began to feel a tingling feeling. His wolf was happy and it was like it might jump out of his body soon. That was the feeling of the mate bond. He wondered who this person is to have made him feel this way.
"Are you ok?" he asked when she whined a little.
He heard her gasp and before he could a word, she ran off. As he watch her run away, he wondered why her scent felt very familiar. He wondered if he should go after her or not but decided it was best not to. Ryan returned to his tent to find a way of ending the rumor. He met with Jamal who promised to help. By evening, they had gotten the witch who started the rumor.
"It is not a rumor" the width insisted. "It is a prophecy"
Ryan furrowed his brows. "What prophecy?"
"That your mate is Jasmine" the witch answered and Ryan batted his lashes. Could Jasmine be his mate like the witch said? He thought. They had been together for a while and he had never felt the mate bond except for once. That time he had thought Jasmine was his mate but when Kelvin showed up, he knew she wasn't
"That can't be" he muttered. "Jasmine is not my mate"
"Have you not felt the mate bond of a recent?"
He furrowed his brows. He did feel the mate bond with someone but not with Jasmine.
"Did you?" Jamal asked and he nodded.
"I did but that wasn't Jasmine. It was someone I was familiar with. I bumped into her on my way back to the tent"
"Did you see het face?" Jamal asked.
"No? She ran off when she heard my voice"
"You should go and confirm. You will find out I am not lying"
Ryan stared at Jamal and he nodded. "You should"
Ryan left his tent and headed to Jasmine's tent. He met her coming out of her tent. When she saw him, she ran away. He ran after her wondering why she did. He soon caught up with her.
"Why are you running away," he asked.
He could feel his heart beating fast again. His wolf was jumping too. He was feeling the mate bond again just like the witch had said. He held her hand and made her face him. They both got lost staring at each other and Ryan could bet he saw sparkles in her eyes.
He blinked. Jasmine is his mate. She is. Someone cleared her throat, jolting them back to reality. It was Ariana.
"What is going on here?" she asked. "Is anything the matter"
"N-nothing" Jasmine muttered and ran away.
"Jasmine?" Ariana called. "Is anything the matter?"
"I-i think Jasmine is my mate," Ryan said and Ariana gasped.
Can Ryan be saying the truth?
"What are you saying? Jasmine can't be your mate. I understand that you still love her and your mate has not shown up yet but that should not make you say that"
"You have to believe me. Jasmine is my mate"
Ariana stared at Ryan. He doesn't seem to be lying. But how can Jasmine be Ryan's mate when she is Kelvin's mate? She thought. Could Ryan have read it wrong or they are the ones who did not get it right? She sighed. This is becoming complicated.
Jasmine waited until Ryan and Ariana had left before heading back to her tent. She has run away when she first felt the bond because she thought it wasn't real. But feeling the bond again for the second time made her wonder if Ryan was her mate. She headed to Jabal to let him know what was going on. At this point, he is the only one she can speak to.
Jabal stared at her in surprise, after she told him everything. Not only was
"W-what are you saying?" he stuttered. "That Ryan could be your mate?"
Jasmine nodded. "I-i felt the mate bond with him"
Jabal batted his lashes. "Is that even possible? Is Kelvin not supposed to be your mate?"
"I am as surprised as you are too. I don't want to believe he is. What happens to Kelvin? Was I supposed to have two mates?"
"Does Ryan know about this?"
She nodded. "He does"
Jabal sighed. "What are you going to do?"
"I must find out first how Kelvin became my mate"
He nodded. "I will help you. But I think you should speak to Ryan about it"
She agreed that what Jabal said is the truth. She went to meet Ryan and they spoke about it. They agreed to keep it a secret until they find out if the mate bond is real and where it went wrong.
**
Seeing how easily they were able to defeat the Fire pack and others, and even the Moon packs they were hopeful, they will get the Ice pack soon. And although the alphas of the packs they caught were not ready to cooperate with them yet, they still would not give up on getting the Ice pack. They knew getting the Ice pack will make the rest of the pack succumb to them. These packs are the loyal ones who despite knowing that the Ice pack Alpha has been using them to get the book for himself, had not gone against him. They are packs from the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere, which are the best in all packs. They could tell he must have something he had been using against them or is involved in black magic. To get tbe Ice pack, they knew they needed to find out what he is using against the rest of the packs. Getting the Ice pack is the end of the war.
"Are we going to kill them after we get the Ice pack?" Jasmine asked.
"We can't end the life of so many people" Ariana answered.
"Then what will we do with them?" Jamal asked.
"If they can pledge their loyalty to us, they will live," Jabal said.
"And you think they will?" Jasmine asked.
"That will be difficult to say," Ryan said. "We must be sure they will pledge their loyalty to us"
Being the new Alpha of not just the new pack, but also all the group formed, he must make a decision that will help every member not just his members alone. Jabal sighed.
"Ryan is right. We must make them pledge their loyalty to us and the only way to do that is to find the weakness the Ice pack Alpha is using against the other packs"
They returned to their pack tents, leaving Jamal and his men as guards with them. Jabal trusted him to do a good job, being his right-hand man. He is also strong enough to withstand anything. Pearl was there to help him too. Surprisingly, she is good at using her sword.
Jabal's plan was to the elders of the packs they had taken and tried to talk them into telling him who the Ice pack alpha is. He was going to assure them ot their safety but whosoever remains loyal to the Ice pack Alpha, action will be taken on them he will let the other leaders take action on them.
He had spoken to the rest about it and they had agreed that whosoever catches the Ice pack Alpha and his men, can kill them on spot. They had given the go-ahead to kill him when they lay hands on him, so he won't be spared.
But speaking with the elders of the packs they caught was futile. Most of them remained silent. Even after he told them the Ice pack Alpha was using them. They knew he was and still decided to remain loyal. He had wondered what sort of loyalty that is. He spoke to the rest about it
"Do you think he has a strong thing against them? I can't understand their loyalty to him" Jabal said.
He was beginning to worry that they might take a longer time to get the book to the cave and that the Ice pack Alpha will become stronger. Every one of them was worried too. Worried that they are taking longer time.
"I have an idea," Jasmine said and everyone stared at her, ready to listen to what she had to say.
"What is your idea?" Ariana asked.
"Since it is difficult to make them pledge their loyalty to us, how about we force them to?". Everyone stared at her wondering what she meant by that. She sighed and tried to explain further. "We do not have time. We just have to do what we have to do"
"What do you suggest?"
"Ariana will join me and we will use our powers on them," Jasmine said.
"Won't that be too extreme?" Kelvin asked. "It can kill them"
"We do not have plans to kill them"
"Then what do you plan to do? Don't you think forcing them to speak in that manner is callous"
Jasmine stared at him. Why is he suddenly getting worked up? Why? Why is he concerned about them using their powers on the Alphas
She sighed. "Do you have another way? Fast enough to make them talk"
Kelvin shrugged. "I will think about one"