Note: The second half of this chapter is in third person POV.

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I walked behind the boy and the wolves at the Waterwoods border eyed me with all the threat they could conjure. There was a large building that formed as a wall. We passed through it and when we came into the clearing; it was a totally different world. I had seen Waterwoods before when I was sitting on top of the crooked tree, but looking at it up front, it felt like I had travelled back in time.

Men wore only the bottom shorts with their upper body bare, showing the taut muscles and proudly carrying the scars of the battle. Women wore a skirt-like garment and a top that covered only their bosom, with their toned muscles peeking out from the uncovered regions.

While most of them carried on with their work, some people whom I passed by repelled me in a distasteful manner.

I shifted my eyes to the front. Dealing with them will come later on when I will have to join this side of the feud to calm it. But I could still feel the gaze boring in my head like they will pounce upon me and tear me to pieces, but it was because of the boy that walked in front of me the people were keeping to themselves. "Are you a Beta here?" I asked, trying to confirm my doubts.

But the boy did not respond. What kind of pompousness he carried with him. Last time Fang had mentioned his name when asking him to bring the fruit, but I couldn't remember it well.

We walked to the six tall trees between which they had built a prodigious tent, like one for kings in old times. It was red and golden in colour, from the outer appearance; it seemed like one big room, but when we went inside, there was a waiting area and tent material wall to differentiate the rest of the living space. There was no doubt Fang lived here, while others lived in the huts outside.

The boy finally spoke to me in his same passive composure, "Wait here the Alpha is in the middle of trials right now. It would be best if you do not leave this place. For your own good."

My eyes narrowed at him. Those weren't his words. That was something Fang had instructed. As much as I wanted to defy them, this was not a place to play with my luck, especially when my luck has had a history of betraying me at perfect moments. "I am here for nominal paperwork, aren't you a Beta? I believe you handle the paperwork. Can you please help me get the signs and stamps on these?" I went to get the papers out when the boy stopped me immediately.

"Lindsey handles all the documentation processes. I will send her here." This boy was uncomfortable regarding paperwork, and it was evident with the speed at which he exited the tent.

I looked around and in this waiting area, only a sofa was kept and a side table. It was a large rectangular room at the far end of which there was another zipper door. I wonder how they live in such old times. The tent wasn't any less to royalty if this was the 14th century.

A woman came in after some time and I recognised her, Lindsey Agnarsson, the one who was there during John Walter's case.

She had more decent clothing, with a single cloth covering from shoulder to knee and a rope that tied on her waist to which weapons were hanging. "I heard you have some agreement papers," Lindsey said in a professional tone. She was old for her looks and back in court, I had estimated her to be in her early forties, but now I can tell it was more of late forties.

I removed the papers from my sling bag and handed it over to her while standing up."Yes, I needed them signed by the elders' I believe as a Beta you can help get them through"

Lindsey checked the paper, taking her own time and reading a few things here and there. Her eyes rose to see me as if to judge every cell in my body. I stood tall and prideful, like the Alpha I was. Her gaze mild down, "It is true I can get it through but the elders' cannot sign on it until our Alpha approves"

This was one irritating thing even Fang would constantly tell me. How can the elders' decision be questioned by an Alpha? They were the Gammas, the wolves of experience, and their words were considered absolute in a village.

"Fang is just the Alpha, isn't he supposed to roll with the decision of elders?" I asked.

Lindsey handed me back the papers, "This is Waterwoods dear, there is only one absolute rule here. Our Alpha, Fang Warchild. I am sure Bane has gone to inform him of your arrival. Just sit here for some time. I will send someone to bring you something to eat."

So Bane was the boy's name. I had met two of the Betas of Waterwoods, Bane and Lindsey, and there was no need for me to get another confirmation from the third Beta here that without Fang, I won't be able to complete my task here. All this time, I was expecting to just come here and get things done before Fang ends his trials, but here I was, waiting for that stupid man. I took a deep breath just to let out a huge sigh.

Suddenly, a scent wafted in the air, and then it was gone soon enough. I had smelled this one before and it felt so familiar there was a need to check it.

I couldn't recollect from where this scent was, but I sure hated it. And that only led me to believe it might be someone from the castle following me. I got out of the tent and followed the trail that was left behind by the scent. There was a forest where the trail continued. I had seen Waterwoods from the top and I knew this was a dense forest only on one side on the other side, there was a clearing for the training ground. And the trail went to the denser part.

~~**~~

Deep in the forest of Waterwoods, a girl ran with her hooded robe flowing behind her. She was fast on her feet and stopped when she met the man who she had called a few minutes back.

"Did she follow you, Sylvie?" The man asked. There was a huge scare that ran over his right eye and a burnt mark of branding on his left shoulder, saying he had willingly left whichever pack he once belonged to.

Sylvie looked around to see that there was no one here. This was the perfect place and Sylvie had led a trail deliberately in a kind of way that only the special guest of Fang would follow her. "She will be here. You know what to do, just mark her and seal the bond with her by force. You won't be a lonely lone wolf anymore, the girl is at your disposal."

The man had a big ring on his face as his teeth grew jagged, growing into the sharp canines for marking his prey, "This is perfect. I will have myself a mate today. I hope you keep your end of the promise, or else you will be my mate"

He growled at Sylvie and she stood tall, raising her hand, "You will get your reward. Go do your job properly first. Take this," she handed him a pill.

Saying this, Sylvie sprayed herself with water that would hide her scent and ran away from there. This was not the first time that Sylvie had thrown a girl to her worst fate because the girl came close to Fang. Today when she heard that this new girl was a special guest, her blood boiled in her veins seeing how the girl was beautiful with curves that fit her slender pale face. The new girl's hazel eyes looked around with no hint of fear and her brown hair bound in a bun.

How can there be a special guest of Fang, he only belonged to Sylvie!

Fang had never brought a special guest, especially a female. In fact, the only guest he treated as special was the king and no one else. That only meant this new girl with hazel eyes was his potential mate and Sylvie would steal Fang away from her by forcefully making the new girl someone else's mate. The man would mark and force that girl into mating, after which removing the bond would become a painful process that would take months.

At a far distance, Sylvie climbed a tree and was satisfied to see the hazel eyes girl who had come from Winterwells falling into her trap. Perfect! Today this girl will suffer her worst nightmare, Sylvie thought.