No title

CLARA

“Our child, Claret, looked exactly like you. That's why you see the doctor so sad all of a sudden. I need to tell you that he is my husband, and we have, or had, two children. One of them is the beta of this pack, Amos. The last born was our daughter Claret who was killed by rogues many years ago. The wound is still fresh in our hearts and the way I see it we are not going to get over it any time soon. The most affected is our son Amos, they were really close. He is always withdrawn and no one knows what he's thinking about." The nurse told me. It was like she was talking to herself because I was barely listening. The alcohol she had used to clean my wounds was making me drowsy.

“Did you see that he was so distracted when he brought you here? He addressed his father as doctor, something he has never done before?" She continued.

“Yes, I noticed. But if I may ask, why are you telling me all this?" I asked, now getting more attentive. She rose from her chair and walked to the window and as she looked outside I noticed that she had tears on her cheeks. Silence reigned for a while and when she turned to face me she had wiped away the tears.

“You look exactly like our daughter. You remind me of her. If she wasn't dead I'd say it was you." She said. Right then the Beta walked in and she walked slowly away from me. The Beta came straight to me and told me to follow him.

We walked in silence to another building, then went downstairs to the basement where the dungeons were. He opened the door and ushered me inside.

“You are going to remain here until the Alpha returns. The guards will supply you with everything you need, you only need to ask." He said as he locked the door. I watched after him until he was gone then I walked to the bed and sat on it.

I stayed in the dungeons and almost got used to it. It was a nice place, a sharp contrast to what I was subjected to by Alpha Derrick. Two more rogues had been brought, a young boy by the name of Jake and a young girl by the name of Tracy. They were both around eight years old. Their story was very sad.

They were the only survivors after their pack was attacked and vanquished . The pack doctors had taken care of their wounds and come they came once a day in order to treat the wounds of all the rogues including myself. The wounds on my back had not healed completely and they hurt with too much movement.

"Your wounds have to be cleaned regularly, or they will become infected before the wolves bane has left your system," Anne, the nurse told me, one day as she was cleaning my wounds.

I nodded, staying silent. My back had been burning all day and it was really starting to bother me.

"The Alpha should be returning in a couple of days," she said. "He will be asking everyone questions and determine if you are allowed to stay. But trust me if you tell the truth you will be allowed to stay."

"Okay," I whisper. She finished and moved onto the other rogues.

Anne treated everyone as if they were her own children. I guessed it was because she didn't want anyone else to lose a child like she did. My heart went out to her. I personally didn't know how it would feel to lose a child but I knew the pain of losing someone I love.

I lay down on my back and whimpered as my back spasmed in pain. Somehow I managed to fall asleep.

CLIVE

After every six months month I used to travel around the neighboring packs and see if the peace treaty was still in order. I'd made a peace treaty with most of the packs in our area although I thought most of them signed it because they were scared of what would happen if they did not.

"Amos, how is the pack doing?" I mind link him.

"Clive, really chill the pack is doing fine. We have had five rogue enter the territory so far," he replied. "Three rogues are in the range of age to make good warriors. The other two are just kids about eight."

"Eight years old," I said, shocked. What were eight year olds doing trespassing on other pack's land?

"Yeah, they say their pack was attacked and they were the only survivors," he said and I knew that he was feeling sorry for them. Amos always had a soft spot and he felt sorry for the rogues, even after some killed his sister Claret.

A wave of sadness washed over me when I thought of Amos's sister. She was only three when she was killed. I was six. I remembered her chocolate brown hair and piercing green eyes. I remembered giving her piggy back rides. The summer days where she would want to go swimming but be too scared to go swimming alone until I was in the pool. I remembered my mate as if she was still alive. I remembered my Claret.

"Hey man, don't be thinking about that right now, you have to focus on the meeting with the Riverine Pack," Amos said.

"Yeah, I know," I whispered and blocked him out. I needed sometime to myself.

I was both unlucky and lucky to find my mate at such a young age. I was lucky because I had more time to be with my mate than other people do. But unlucky due to her untimely death.

The day the rogues attacked I was with my father away at another pack. My mother had mind linked my father in a panic and we rushed home. But by the time we got there the rogues were gone and Amos and his parents were devastated. No one was able to find Claret. Her body was never found. Even at the age of six I was heartbroken and still am. My wolf and I still yearn for our mate.

"Alpha we have arrived," Peter, one of my best warriors said from his spot in the front seat. The car had come to a halt.

"Alright," I said, waking up from my reverie.

I stepped out of the car and walked up to the pack house of the Riverine Pack. I could see a lot of activity as guards ran helter skelter. I walked to the front door and knocked

"Alpha Clive, we weren't expecting you until tomorrow," Luna Denise said, bowing her head.

"Well, I arrived earlier then I expected, and besides, I cut short some of my visits." I said, bowing my head in respect.

“Well, welcome back to the Riverine Pack. I'll take you to see Alpha Derrick," she said and led me into the house.

Everyone bowed when we passed and soon we reached his office.

"Find her! Now! She couldn't have gotten far! If you don't find her so help me..." I heard Alpha Derrick yelling.

Luna Denise knocked on the door. Alpha Derrick ripped the door open, his mouth open and ready to yell. His eyes grew wide and his mouth even more slack. Then he saw me and composed himself.

7"Alpha Clive, we... we weren't expecting you until tomorrow," he said and bowed his head in respect.

"Yes, well I arrived earlier then I expected," I said, getting tired of repeating myself.

"You are dismissed Edward," he said to a man looking around the age of 25.

"Yes, Alpha," the man bowed to us both before almost running out of the office.

"Dear could you make Alpha Clive and myself a cup of tea?" He asked his mate.

"Of course. Alpha Clive what would you like in your tea?" She asked turning to me.

"Two scoops of sugar," I said, giving her a smile.

"Of course," she said and walked out of the room.

"So Alpha Clive, why is it that you have decided to visit us and in such short notice?" Alpha Derrick asked, his finger interlacing on top of his desk.

"Well, I have noticed an increase in rogue activity and want to make sure that you have nothing to do with it." I said, not mincing my words. I had sufficient intelligence that this Alpha was breaching the terms of the treaty. He said nothing, just staring at the wall.

“If I find out that you are the peace treaty between us will be destroyed and you will find you and your pack in an all out war," I added, sitting up straighter and looking him straight in the eyes.

"Is that a threat Alpha?" He asked.

"No, Sir it's a promise," I said, crossing my arms and showing that I was completely serious. And I was. I didn't let any of my allies show treason toward me or other allied packs.

Luna Denise came back in carrying a tray with three cups of tea. She handed me mine before standing next to Alpha Derrick, who was deep in thought, sipping her tea.

"Alpha Derrick, I am going to ask you once and only once. Are you involved in the sudden increase of rogue activity?" I asked, taking a drink of my tea before setting it on the desk.

"Alpha Clive, I know we have had our differences in the past. But I can assure you that I have no involvement in the sudden increase in rogue activity," Alpha Derrick said. His knuckles were white from gripping his hands together.

He was lying I knew it. But I had to wait in order to revoke the peace treaty between us. I needed more proof.

"Alright," I said.

I looked at my watch pretending to see what time it was. "I better get going, my Beta says that there has been rogues on our territory and I need to go deal with them."

"Alpha Clive if you may, we had a pack member by the name of Clara run away, if she happens to run onto your territory could you send her back. She is our adoptive daughter,"

Clarets smiling face popped up into my mind when the name slipped out of Luna Denise's lips.

Breaking away from my shock I turned around.

"Of course."

"Thank you," Luna Isabelle said, a hand over her heart like she was relieved but her eyes didn't show any relief. They were acting.

I nodded once more and walked away. I knew my way out.

"I'm on my way home," I mind linked Amos.

ANNE

"Honey, please you are going to wear a hole in the ground if you keep pacing," I said, looking at him over the rim of my glasses.

"The girl, she looks so much like her Anne. She looks just like Claret. What if it's her?" he said, looking at me, his eyes were glossy. I know after all these years thinking about Claret still hurts.

"Honey we have talked about this, Claret is dead," I said, feeling tears welling up. But deep inside I was starting to ask myself the same question.

What if it was her?