Chapter 5

A guard turned around to look behind.He thought he had seen a person just right now.

"What's wrong?",asked another guard when he saw his colleague shift his gaze to the corner. The guard responded by shaking his head and he returned his attention back to the conversation and continued to listen to what was being.He could have sworn he saw something but he can't prove anything.

"Guys,let's head back, Reed would kill us if he knew we were not by the king s side", answered another guard after looking at the sun to check the time.

They broke thier encirclement and went towards the main entry of the palace. They had just patrolled the entire circumference , interrogating the guards stationed all across the perimeter if they had seen anything offish.The encirclement was to discuss their findings before reporting back to the main entrance.They reached the main entry and just a minute later, guards begun swapping.It was time to change the shifts.Ever since the wolf howl,the security was hightened to protect the king at all cost.They didn't need Reed to tell them that.

He had gone after the wolf howl and several soldiers followed him behind.As they arrived at the place, which was in a dense forest west of where the three bodies were found,the team divided to search for any wolves or traces in the area but no sigh was found whatsoever.No paw prints, no scratches and no dead bodies. Reed instructed that a surveillance team be set out in the place. At first they were all grouped in one place but all atleast a foot behind Reed. Reed held his ear and then he waved his outstretched fingers to the group behind.This motion was like he is trying to wave away a mosquito from his ear.Anyway the vigilantes climbed the trees like highly trained ninjas onto trees scattered all over the place so as to get more coverage.They stayed like this all night and not a single sound was produced.They scanned the entire areas whilst on trees and some archers were even ready to shoot.

At around midnight,Reed whistled to two soldiers and signaled with two fingers by pointing in the direction of the palace. They jumped from the trees strategically without disturbing a leaf from the branches.As soon as their feet both touched the ground,Reed gave them a nod and they nodded back in approval.With that the rushed in the direction to the palace.The way in which they moved was so quiet almost like they were hovering over the ground because not a single rustle was produced. Reed remained seated on a tree branch with one leg rested on the branch and the other leg s knee cushioning his elbow. Gosh how he envies them, they seem so carefree. How he wishes that he could be the one being sent back to the palace.Because even though he is here,his mind still lingers on Adrian. In the past Adrian would have followed him to the field but now Adrian just hid in the dark and watched him leave.What ever got between them.He keeps feeling that Adrian is hiding something from him but whatever could that thing be? When he thought about this, a hollow feeling enveloped his heart causing him to close his eyes.He laid his head on the tree and faced the sky, still with eyes closed.

He still remembers the first time that he returned from a suicide mission and was injured inhumanly.This was about the first incidents of wolf attacks.A wolf had gone inside a shed occupied by an old woman and two small children.The wolf was suspiciously enraged and was on a rampage. The wolf had broke the already damaged door finding the old woman. The old woman tried to fight off the wolf but the dog was obviously a hundredth fold the strength of the woman.The wolf attacked and killed the woman with the children watching .The children were screaming their lungs out and that's how Reed heard them.He entered the place and found the wolf drinking the old woman's aura.He raced towards the wolf and attacked it with his saber.The wolf fought throwing Reed onto the wall and even scratched Reed several times but eventually Reed managed to kill it.He was so drained and badly wounded that he seemed like he would die. He went back home but he passed out at the gate of the palace and was carried inside.

When he woke up he was on the king s bed and his wounds were dressed.Adrian was standing by the window looking outside .Reed stood up so that he is sitting on the bed.His movements were soft but managed to alert Adrian.Adrian jumped to support Reed and started asking questions to show his concern.Reed could see that Adrian had not slept.As Adrian put his arms around Reed to fix the pillows, Reed's gaze never left Adrian.That was probably first time Adrian had ever been delicate to Reed...

Those two soldiers were junior guards so their fighting skills are not that advanced.Reed s speed in comparison to theirs would be atleast fourteen times.However the one thing that was quite impressive about them.Their are ground coverage.Claus and Youden make a formidable team especially in investigation as no stone would be left uncovered if they are on a case.Why would Reed send his best men to the palace for such a miniscule task.Simple . Those two would be able to scout the way back and check for any wolf sighs and once at the palace they would continue to do so,such that when they give a report Reed would confident it's the real thing.

"Syin, two soldiers have been dispatched.Only twelve left plus Reed.", replied a werewolf standing next to Syin.

Syin exhaled whilst peering in the direction of Reed's stakeout. They have been staring at the team for the past few hours.Syin s team consisted of eight wolves ,him included. They were standing on a hill just hundred miles from Reed s team but due to their naturally highten sense of smell ,they could pinpoint Reed's teams on the trees.Actually they would have to change to wolves first to be able to tell the human, otherwise in human form they smell the same except of course alphas like Syin.But still Syin could just instruct one of his team mates to transform and detect them...Yes Reed's team didn't think this through unless they wanted the wolves to see.Then what's the point of stealth...or maybe they aren't searching for a wolf??

Syin who had his arms folded on his chest and one hand massaging his eyebrow, suddenly wrinkled his eyebrows. What if Reed's team is looking for the 'fox '?? Then they must know about the fox and guessed that it is here.. Just as Syin reached that conclusion , a werewolf ran over to Syin

"Syin, I can't find Declan",said the young werewolf clearly troubled by his discoveries.

"Where did he last go", quickly asked Syin getting worried.His tone of voice scared the young wolf and the young wolf pointed immediately in direction at about fifty meters where Reed's team was staked out.

With that Syin summersaulted from the hill towards Reed's direction.As if on command ,the other wolves followed Syin.

They ran through the forest trees.other transformed wolves climbed onto the trees and jumped from branch to branch.Syin was quick as he stormed through the forest.

Reed heard rustling leaves and quickly opened his eyes.An arrow came out of nowhere and sent Reed spinning out of the tree.Reed landed on the ground with his feet and his saber was already out of it's case.The arrow had hit the tree were Reed was originally at.A wolf roar broke out in one of the trees that a soldier was on and immediately after that a sound of a falling body was produced...

That can't be good.