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RENALL

M y fangs tear into a leg of meat. Tendons snap off the bone. There’s no greater feeling than fresh meat shredding in your mouth. It’s one of the things I miss most about leaving the cave. For now, this will have to do.

The first table on the cave floor is filled with the sound of wolves tearing into their dinner. Cana, one of the twins, looks up her mouth twisted in disgust. “Eight years and I will never get used to this pure animalistic display.”

Faelan, her twin mate wraps his arm around her still slick with meat juice, and slaps a wet sticky kiss on her cheek.

“Ew,” she playfully fights him off of her as he tries to land another sloppy kiss. The amusement in both their eyes is apparent.

That’s what I want, playful, pure love. Something I’ve yet to experience in all my long lives.

Nia, Cana’s twin, turns to her mate Foelan and shakes her head. Amazing two sets of twins became mates to each other. Fates have a weird sense of serendipity.

“I don’t even notice it anymore,” Nia says before biting into an apple. She’s the more laid-back of the group. I’ve come to like their camaraderie. Even though I sometimes feel left out of their coupling, they never make me feel like I’m out of place. Unlike the rest of the clan.

“How do you not notice they grunt and shred a piece of meat to shreds like a wild beast?”

“They are wolves, what do you expect? Knife and fork, elbows off the table?”

“It would be nice.” Cana shrugs and then laughs.

“You weren’t complaining about my messy eating last night.” Faelan teases.

Cana gasps playfully slapping his chest and hushing him. Nia and Foelan roll their eyes. Foelan’s always been the quiet type, in all my years I’ve never heard him say more than a few choice words. When he does, they’re usually aimed at his brother.

“So Renall, what’s this meeting all about anyway?” Nia tries to change the subject as Faelan and Cana resume kissing.

“No idea.” It’s true. Zev and Lupe have been more restrained than usual. I used to eat with them in the meeting hall, but these past few weeks have been different. Strange even. I’ve resorted to sitting in the main cave with everyone else. I have few friends here, but the two twins have always been the welcoming sort.

As if mentioning them summoned them, Zev and Lupe come walking out from the corridor that leads to the Queen and Alpha quarters. Their eyes are serious. The cave silences as they take the dais. Zev stands tall, his beard has grown thicker since the last time I saw him. It makes him look older and more intimidating than usual. He avoids the Queen’s throne and sits on the Alpha chair. Lupe sits on the arm of his chair beside him. It’s not her place, but no one has ever dared to mention it.

Zev opens his mouth to speak, but I can’t hear anything my ears are ringing.

I shake my head aggressively trying to shake the feeling. A blinding pain makes me fall off my stump to my knees grasping for my chest. I feel people surround me, but I can’t hear or think, the pain is shredding through me. I know what this is. A bond snapping into place.

It’s more powerful than I’ve ever felt before.

When the pain starts to subside, my eyes start to register the faces hovering above me. The ringing in my ears fades to concerned questioning.

Zev pushes through the crowd, and he growls, “Renall, are you okay?”

I sit up rubbing my chest.

“Yes …” I feel tears brimming my eyes, “It’s a … bond.”

“A bond?” He sounds surprised. Several people gasp. Zev glances quickly at Lupe. “To who?” he carefully asks.

“I …” I close my eyes searching down the bond for my new mate. That’s when I’m greeted with even more pain, despair, guilt, sorrow so thick it wraps around me. I haven’t felt a bond in years and the feelings of another are so strong they make me leap to my feet. “She’s not here, she’s out there and hurt–I need to go.”

“No!” Lupe yells then lowers her tone. “You can’t leave.”

Zev nods. “We need you here Renall to protect the cave. It’s not safe out there.”

“But I have a mate now–I’m free to leave.”

Zev shakes his head. “I can’t allow that.”

“What are you talking about? She’s in trouble I must go. She’s hurting.”

“Sorry Renall, I can’t let you leave.”

I’m already rising to my feet, “Try to stop me.” I growl running past the lines of tables.

I’m about to reach the stairs when a booming voice calls. “Renall, I command you not to leave this cave to find your mate.”

His Alpha voice. He ordered me not to leave, my feet slow and then stop before the steps. I turn my eyes narrowing on Zev in the center of the aisle. Lupe whispers in his ear.

They both look at me. Eyes serious, cold.

“Sorry.” Zev shrugs but his voice is anything but. I feel the rest of the cave’s weighted stares waiting for me to freak out, go Warrior Clan on my oldest friend. I won’t do that. It would only undermine the harmony of the cave. No, it’s not the time.

But my mate’s hurting and I can’t get to her. I will never forgive him for this.

That night is the worst. There’s nothing to distract from the pain seeping in through the bond. Guilt wraps around my heart and squeezes. An overwhelming sense of hurt echoes through me bringing me to my knees.

My mate is hurt.

I did not wait all these years for her to ignore her.

I’m on my feet before I realize it. The bond leading my footsteps blindly out the door. The cave is dark and silent as I slip along the ledge and down the stairs.

A growl echoes to me, “You’re leaving anyway?”

I turn to face Leland standing in the shadows his scarred side the only thing visible.

“I have to. She needs me.”

“You don’t deserve her.” He snarls. Leland holds no love for me. He still blames me for Cora’s death even though we both know they planned it together.

“I know.” I turn and rush down the steps.

“This is going to end you.” He calls after me, a smile on his face.

“We’ll see, Leland.” I disappear into the corridor.

I’m through the corridor and standing before the waterfall when I realize I didn’t hit any resistance from the Alpha order. I don’t care, I’ll face the consequences when I return. Right now, my mate needs me and nothing will keep her from me.

I leap into the waterfall deciding to choose my mate over my Alpha.

After all, Alphas can be replaced.