RAIDEN ||

Onyx and I spent the rest of the day in his form enjoying the view of the stone waterfall. Darkness fell over the forest all too soon and Onyx fell asleep on the best branch we've ever perched on after finishing up his kill.

When we finally opened our eyes again, it was daylight and Onyx easily jumped out of our tree, landing on his paws everytime before he shifted and gave me control. I walked back to our little cave we found a few nights ago a little ways away from the waterfall and I grabbed a fresh pair of clothes from my dufflebag. A smile crept up on me face as the sweet memory of my mother packing what she could for me the day I had the worst fight with my father floated into my head.

I would have to make sure I visited them again soon.

Making my way back to the waterfall with my body wash and everything else I would need, I quickly washed my body and brushed my teeth before pulling my hair into a bun on top of my head. Getting out the water, I dry off with my towel before getting dressed.

This really was the best life I could have ever asked for, until yesterday that is. The thought of seeing my Dylan again had me skipping to a different beat today.

I walked back to the cave to put my dufflebag back into the crack behind one of the boulders Onyx moved to fit into the space and I rush back to the waterfall to wait for my mate.

It didn't take very long before his scent hit me. Honeysuckle and Lemon.. that best of both worlds, sweet and sour, the tang to the sugar I so craved.

I was leaning against the tree that I've come to love as I watched him walk into the clearing in front of the waterfall. I was starting to think that this was our special place. One that could only be granted by the Gods and Goddesses and given to me to come in contact with just to find the most important man I'll ever come to know.

Dylan offered me a soft smile, which sent the sweetest butterflies to flutter through my stomach as I smiled back and walked over to meet his slow strides.

"Hi." I breathe out.

"Hello Raiden." Dylan said, the way my name sounded coming from his lips sent a shiver up my spine.

"I'm really glad you came Dylan." I smiled even wider, if that was actually possible. He simply just nods, holding his own soft smile.

"Should we sit and talk?" I ask and he nods. Turning around to lead us to a spot by the river below the waterfall where the mountain stones were perfectly flat. I sat down and waited for him to sit next to me, but he never did.

I guessed it was because he was still nervous with me.

"Do you want to sit with me?" I ask.

"I'd rather stand. We're still in my pack territory so I would want to make sure I'm standing and alert in case any of my warriors come out and mistake us for trespassers."

I raise my eyebrows at his explanation.

"I didn't know this was apart of your territory." I say shaking my head as if I was trying to apologize for trespassing as well. I would have hated if someone came onto my lands without my permission. To be brutally honest, they would be dead by now if they did.

"Yeah it is Raiden. My pack is the largest in the west coast, so we have a pretty large portion of land that we inhabit.. To be honest, my warriors informed me that a lone leopard has been trespassing through our lands the past month. You could imagine my surprise to learn that it was you and you're my mate no less." Dylan says, putting his hands in his pockets and keeping the best poker face I've ever seen.

Geez... He sure can come off a lot harsher than he looks. I get that he's still nervous and unsure about me, but I would hate for him to be this closed off all of the time.

If he's still upset about yesterday, I didn't mean to piss him off. I only used my aura because he tried to use his on me. The same way he felt what I did was disrespectful, I felt what he did was uncalled for. I hoped that wasn't the reason why he's being so standoffish.

"I'm really sorry Dylan. I didn't know this was claimed territory. I didn't scent any markings and you don't have gated borders like the other packs I've come across.. I'm really sorry. I didn't know."

"Oh I'm sure you didn't know Raiden, so I don't totally hold you at fault. You're right, I should have gated borders and I'm working on it. I will also make sure Maddox and I scent the area properly so that there won't be any further confusion for you or any other shifters that happen to stumble onto my lands."

So that there won't be any further confusion for you or any other shifters that happen to stumble onto my lands..

Wow.. those words hurt more than they should. Why would I have any further confusion on the matter? Dylan is my mate and he's claimed these lands, so I should be able to stay here as long as I please. He should allow me that curtesy or at least take me back to his pack where I can be with him forever.

"Ok I understand Dylan... um may I ask who Maddox is?" He smiles at my question, bringing a smile back to my lips as well.

"He's my wolf."

"My leopards name is Onyx." I offer with way too much happiness in my voice if I'm being honest. I was happy that we were sharing something personal about ourselves with each other.

"I didn't ask what your leopard's name was."

And with my mates words, my smile falters once again. I was really fighting with myself here.. I wanted my mate, I wanted Dylan but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why he was being so hostile with me right now.

I stood up from the stone I was sitting on and took a step towards him in hopes of offering him my hand, maybe that would bring him a little comfort, but he took a step back as quickly as I moved forward. His actions making me stop as soon as I started.

"I have something to ask you Raiden." I stared into his eyes then, intending to give him my full attention, despite the fact that Onyx is clawing at my head right now at the sudden rejection of our mate.

"I know that you and your leopard have killed most of the game in this area, bringing a hardship to my pack when it comes to our hunts.." Dylan began and I opened my mouth to apologize for that as well, but he raised a hand to stop me.

"Before you apologize, it's fine. That's not the thing that I'm the most upset about."

"What is it that you're upset with Dylan? Just tell me and I'll try to fix it. I promise."

His eyes glaze over as if he was linking with a wolf in his pack right now, which I found odd.

"Have you and your leopard killed any wolves lately Raiden?" His question bringing pause to my frame as his eyes bored into my soul. Yes, Onyx has killed a few wolves but they didn't have a pack, they were what the wolves call rogue I think. I could tell because of the red eyes, my mother told me about them. She came across a few rogue wolves when she was on her solitary journey before she met my father.

"Yes we have Dylan, but they were.." I started until he cut me off.

"They were rogues correct?" I nod at his question and go to explain myself with the reason why we've killed them. It wasn't for sport or for a kill. They had attacked us first, super blood thirsty, crazed beasts that weren't capable of common sense in my opinion.

"So you admit to killing rogues?"

"Yes, but I.."

"No need to make excuses Raiden.." Dylan said, as his eyes glazed over again and I started getting an uneasy feeling pitting in my stomach. I heard a few twigs snap and I sniffed the air, not able to smell anything just yet, I looked back at my mate.

"The rogues you've killed, your leopard happened to drag them back here onto my territory. Unfortunately for both of us, that created an issue for my pack. The rest of the rogue wolves in this area have been retaliating.."

Another twig snapped as the bushes around us started to shake. I sniffed the air again, smelling the presence of way too many wolves. I started to back up until I hit the same tree Onyx and I enjoyed so much.

"Those rogue wolves you killed, the rest of their rogue pack retaliated on my pack and have been for the past month. A few of my pack members, my family, have been hospitalized in critical condition because of you and your reckless ways Raiden."

I looked behind Dylan as I seen 3 wolves came from the bushes, my claws slipping out in defense as I gripped the tree truck behind me.

"Raiden, you've caused a lot of trouble for me and my pack with your carelessness and because of that, you need to be punished in a way that only seems fit due to our.... Predicament."

"Predicament? Is that seriously what he called us Raid? And why are those wolves standing behind him like that?" Onyx growled as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"It's going to be ok Onyx. Get ready to shift. I don't think this is going to end well for us." I tell him, hoping to calm him down.

"But, but he's our mate Raid. We can't shift and hurt him." Onyx whined.

"It kind of looks like he wants to hurt us right now Onyx."

I watched Dylan's eyes closely as he took a step forward, not enough to close the gap between us but just enough to let me know he wasn't exactly being the friendly, sweet, loving mate I thought he would be when we met this morning.

"Raiden, you're coming with me back to my pack and you'll be serving out your punishment in the cells. For starting an unnecessary war and let's all hope that we can clean up the mess you've made."

I clenched my jaw as I felt the tears starting to brim, I blinked just as quickly to force them away at the realization that my mate is a complete douchebag.

The moment his eyes glaze over this last time, I felt Onyx forcing the shift, but before he could complete it, I was tackled to the ground with the weight of more than one man on top of me. I was fighting them off the best I could. L

I mean I was the son of a leopard and a lion. I could beat the wolves that were on top of me easily, but knowing they were apart of my mates pack, apart of his family, I didn't want to kill them or hurt them too much.

With ease, I threw them off of me one by one and scrambled to my feet. Throwing punch after punch, dropping the fuckers like flies before trying to run towards the tree I knew held my safety. Once I grabbed hold of the trunk, I sunk my claws in and started climbing as fast as I could, but my victory was short lived as I felt someone grab my ankle, swinging my feet out from under me and I collided with the earth below me. Hard.

I was seeing stars for a few seconds at the sudden impact. My head hitting one of the stones below me, causing a type of pain to course through me that I haven't experienced in a long time.

Onyx let out a thunderous roar within me that made its way out of my mouth. The surrounding wolves stumbled back as my aura forced them to submit to my will.

I wouldn't give up without a fight, my father is a fucking Lion!

A king!

He didn't raise me to back down from a fight, he taught me to fight as viciously as he would and protect myself as hard as he would protect his pride, he didn't teach me to be in his image for nothing.

The wolves just kept fucking coming though, what did my mate think I was going to do? Kill him? Why did he bring this much back up? For a few rogue kills? He didn't even let me explain that I only killed them because they attacked us first. This is insane.

Throwing another punch, I sent a wolf flying and turn around when I felt the presence of another furry canine behind me. The moment my fist connects to his jaw, my mates scent hits me with the strength of a freight train.

His scent falters my movements for a moment as I feel him wrap his arms around me from behind and sparks from our bond rush through my body, making my knees buckle slightly as I unconsciously lean back into his chest. I close my eyes forgetting everything around me in this beautiful moment as I melt into his sweet embrace.

Only seconds later, my eyes flew open when I feel something pierce my neck. A wolf stood in front of me with a terrified expression on his face. I head butt him, making him stumble back as I roar in frustration trying my best to escape the weight of my mates embrace.

He tricked me.

He fucking used our bond against me.

He betrayed me.

HE FUCKING BETRAYED ME!

My body starts to feel weaker with every movement and my grip isn't as strong on Dylan's arms anymore. My legs start to buckle again, everything feeling like jello and then panic sets in, what the hell did these wolves inject me with?!

What did MY MATE let his pack inject me with..

"ONYX!" I roar through our link needing my leopard now more than ever, but I hear nothing. "ONYX!" I roar again after a few more seconds, but even my voice sounds weaker now. I feel for him. I desperately feel for him, anxiously waiting for his response, but it never comes.

It never comes.

WHERE IS HE?!

"What did you do to me? Where's my Leopard? Where's Onyx? Why can't I feel him?" I cry out, my voice growing weaker and weaker with each passing word before I feel my legs completely give out from under me. I fall forward in my mates arms, my back still pressed against his chest, but I could no longer control myself. The only thing keeping me from hitting the ground again was the fact that Dylan had his arms wrapped around me.

"Calm down Raiden. Your leopard isn't gone, not permanently." He whispered, his breath tickled my ear and against my will, my body shivered in his grasp.

"Where.. is he Dylan? W-What... did you do?"

"We injected you with a numbing agent, it took some time to figure out what would best affect felines, but with a ton of research my pack doctors were able to find some concoction that worked obviously." He whispered again, my mind was racing. Anxiety was kicking in at an all time high. My mate betrayed me, he's a freaking jerk. He wouldn't even let me explain, he just assumed I'm this monster that caused problems for his pack.

Oh God.. he doesn't care about me..

He took Onyx from me. I would never take Maddox from him.

"P-Please Dylan.. Where's Onyx?"

"He's there, he's still with you, he's just dormant right now. Try to relax so we can get the cuffs on you ok." His voice was soft and gentle, but all I could feel was fear. The fear at the sudden loss of control and the loss of my leopard. His voice brought no relief or calm to my rapidly beating heart as panic coursed through me and I was unable to do anything about it.

"C-cuffs?" I ask, trying my best to lift my arms to grip my mates arms again as I watch another man come towards me with sure enough was a pair of cuffs. I assumed they weren't silver because he was able to touch them without issue.

It's a known fact that silver affects any

were-persons or any type of shifter. I don't know why, but the damn metal was just lethal to all of us.

I felt my arms being pulled behind my back and then I heard the cuffs being placed on my wrists. Everything felt numb, so I couldn't exactly feel them.

Then 4 other wolves came forward and grabbed me out of my mates grip, holding me upright as they helped me walk the best that I could with my dang jello limbs.

We walked through the forest with the men from Dylan's pack making sure I didn't fall and they took it slow, slow enough so that I could keep up with each agonizing step.

I don't know how long it took, but after all the walking through the forest, we came out into the biggest pack village I've ever seen. All eyes were on me as the wolves that we passed by yelled words that I'm not comfortable repeating. Calling me every name in the book for lack of better words. They really believed I was the cause of this war between their pack and the rogue wolves and it wasn't like that at all.

"Take him to the cells. I'll be down there later today. Make sure the prisoner gets water and food and make sure no harm comes to him." Dylan instructed his men, taking the quickest glance at me before turning his back on us and walking away with another man that dangerously resembled him.

The prisoner.. not mate, not Raiden, he could have even called me the leopard, but no, he called me the prisoner.. yeah that's love..

My heart feels broken..

The men holding me upright made a quick job of taking me to their cells, tossing me inside the cell I would be staying in. I landed on the cold, hard ground pretty damn hard.

Freaking wolf jerks.

I couldn't even sit myself up because I still couldn't feel anything, so I just laid on the floor on my side waiting and waiting.

And waiting...

And waiting...

Time seemed to move so slow down here, nobody came back to give that food or water that Dylan spoke about and they definitely didn't make sure no harm came to me. Chucking me in this damn cell without concern.

I don't care what my mate had done in his past, whether it was intentional or not, I would never treat him this way. I would never condemn him before allowing him to explain himself and even then, I still wouldn't lock him in a damn cell.

At least I had one thing going for me, I actually preferred being alone. The sheer loneliness I felt down here didn't phase me as much as it would a wolf. The only thing that did irritate me is the fact that my mate is the man who put me here and I'm still in these damn cuffs. I was thanking the Gods and Goddesses that my body was still partially numb, lucky I couldn't feel everything right now.

After what felt like forever, I heard someone coming down the stairs that led to the cells where I was so leisurely calling my home for unknown amount of time.

I turned my head the best I could when I heard someone unlocking my cell, kind of hoping it was Dylan, but of course it wasn't.

"Raiden right?" One of the men asked and I raised an eyebrow at him. Who the hell were these men?

"My name is Gabriel, I'm the Beta and second in command here and this is Hunter, he's the Gamma and the third in command here. You and I met yesterday when you and Alpha Dylan... umm.. found out you were mates." I chuckle softly at the memory before returning to my current state of disbelief, knowing my mate betrayed me the way he did.

"It's nice to meet you Beta and Gamma?" I ask hoping I got their titles right.

Wolves with their stupid ranking system, nothing about it made sense. Either you're an Alpha or you're not. Either you're in charge or you're not. There's no need for so many different ranks.

"Thank you Raiden. Despite the fact that you almost bit my head off yesterday and the current circumstance we find ourselves in, it's nice to officially meet you too... and it's nice to know that our pack finally has its rightful Luna."

I looked at him again raising both eyebrows this time. What would be really nice is if someone got me out of these cuffs and off this stupid ground, but more importantly....

"What the hell is a Luna?" I ask, causing both men to laugh a little. I didn't really find much funny right now.

"Do felines not have Lunas?"

"Obviously not if I'm asking what they are."