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The Alpha King shifted into his male form with the female in his arms as he got closer to the bloody-looking leopard Alpha, "I am glad you are alright, Degar."

"Thank you, Alpha King. My solid guess is that they came for the female. The bullets are normal without a tinge of silver. They did not know that we will be there."

"That is my guess too, Degar. But those hunters they sent are too many for just one simple female. I think they expected at least one of us to come for the girl too because of the ring." He stated, staring down at the girl in question.

She is still sleeping so peacefully. Black long lashes protected her eyes in sleep, her pale-white beautiful features relaxed in sleep, her breaths coming steadily.

Degar nodded curtly, "Yes, you are right. They started shooting when they suspected we will be in there. If not, they would have just kidnapped her for questioning of how she came in possession of the ring and torture her badly to give useful information about the owner of the ring. Then, she would have become another experiment."

The wolf snarled and bared his teeth in rage inside him just at the thought of his mate being used as those experiments.

The man shoved down the instincts and started past Degar, "We need to get home first, then we can make plans of what next to do. It is obvious that the Wolfhunters have my ring."

"I just hope they weren't able to trail to our boarders." Wolfhunters are only able to hunt them once they step out of their lands into anywhere in the world, but they do not know how to find their lands, which is a good thing because that means their people inside Naturiah are safe.

"When I am the diverter?" Was all he asked calmly as he kept walking.

The leopard Alpha's worries disappeared like the wind. Of course it's not possible, when Wolfariane is the diverter. Their Alpha King is not only a god in battle but also in creating diversions and misleading the enemies.

"You took a hit." Degar's eyes caught on the blood that laced his shoulder blades.

"It's just one. It's already healing because of the run. Nothing a good sleep or a good sex won't heal completely." He replied simply.

A changeling's body heals faster and quicker than humans, once their body is 'well-fed'. They don't require treatments unless it is a very fatal injury, then they result to the healers and 'doctors' of Naturiah.

As they walked through the boarders, they passed so many landmarks, landmines and booby traps that surrounded their borders.

They can smell all the Changelings on morning duty to protect the boarder; they were all in their positions hidden from human eyes just in case of an attack anytime.

The boarders are heavily guarded and protected because it leads to the very heart of them.

Long minutes later, they passed the boarders and entered a clearing. Then, they shifted back to animal forms in order to be faster in getting to their homes. Wolfariane took the wolf form.

In the darkness of the early morning, the stars twinkling and the halfmoon still bright in the sky, two huge figures were seen running through the woods in power and agility, a small pale-skinned woman sleeping safely and protected in the back of the huge wolf.

They were well into the wild forest when Ismena stirred awake...

CHAPTER 17. WELCOME TO NATURIAH.

Wolfariane felt the exact moment the lightweight on his back stirred from her sleep. So, he switched back to half-shifter because he knows she is not ready to face his full-shifted form as the werewolf or the mountain lion.

Her bed is moving. Why is her bed moving? Ismena's brows furrowed as she stirred on her...bed?

Her eyes opened, landing on trees...so many trees. She is in a forest. What is she doing in a forest on someone's back?

Then, the memories rushed through her head; pawning a ring... Wolfariane on her doorstep... His lips devouring hers... His announcement that he'll hold her captive until his ring is found... Being attacked...

Being attacked!?

She raised her head from his back and surveyed her surrounding. The dawn chorus of melodic birdsong filled the air. It's early morning, she decided, seeing the way the night's darkness hasn't cleared completely.

It's obvious they aren't at their destination yet, but at least they must be close because he is no longer running. "Where are we...?" Her voice was drowsy.

"In Naturiah." He stopped, and waited for her to straighten down from his back. After she regained her footing, he allowed the wolf to recede completely, shifting back to his male form entirely.

He began walking forward again, "We are about to enter the very heart of Naturiah."

Ismena's eyes found the driver—no, he isn't a driver, according to Wolfariane. He is a leopard Alpha. "Good morning to you." She said to him.