Chapter 3

For almost six years, I spent my time slowly traveling from pack to pack across the Quellonia.

I shared what knowledge I had about healing and herbs with the pack doctors, helping them with several mixtures that would help their pack mates in the long run.

During those six years, news of the royal family was very common.

And while it hurt both me and my wolf to hear about our mate and the family he had with another, it helped us at the same time.

There were many days since the night I left, that I had almost caved in and returned to my home.

But the fact that if I was that close to my mate and couldn't have him, the pain would have killed me.

The truth of it was that even with a giant ocean between us, the pain was barely tolerable.

Slipping from my small, warm cave, I stretch and take a deep breath of clean mountain air.

Most of the year is spent traveling, sharing and helping.

But from the time that the first snow sticks to the ground to when it melts and the air is warm, I find a remote location to spend the winter.

This winter had been spent holed up in a forgotten cave somewhere in Silverpine.

My eyes took in the natural beauty around me and I knew that it was time for my travels to resume.

The last of the snow had fully melted away last week, leaving my route out of the mountains safe and unobstructed.

My wolf, who was understandably silent, sighed softly as I picked up our small pack of items and began the slow trek from our winter refuge.

I knew that she missed our mate most of all; seeing as how they are the true mates and we are just the vessels.

But that didn't make the pain of what had happened any less real for me.

Since we are a part of our wolf spirit, we love our mates just as much as they do.

Thus making their rejection that much more deadly.

But I had been born of a strong bloodline, and my wolf was a very stubborn femme.

And then there was the duty I had to my mate.

If I were to die, that would weaken him and in time our kingdom.

Once the kingdom became weak, our enemies would take that chance and attack.

I would never allow that to happen.

The bright red flash of a cardinal's wings brought a bittersweet smile to my lips.

My wolf flashed the face of a handsome young man I had met about three years ago before my eyes.

He had been a young warrior, the same age as I when we met.

I had just left a small pack, teaching things I had learned and what I knew from years past when I stumbled across his half-dead body.

Lying beside him on that damp forest floor were the dead bodies of several rogues and a woman roughly our age.

Instantly I knew that the two had been mates.

And judging by the marks on the trees and in the dirt, I pieced their sad story together.

Rogues had ambushed them, and he fought bravely.

In the end, he won or lost seeing as how his mate was killed.

When he first came to, the look in his eyes almost made me wish that I hadn't stopped to help him.

But if I hadn't, I would have regretted it til my dying day.

A week after I found him, it snowed heavily and we were locked away in the little cabin I had found.

During those cold months, we grew to know each other well.

He knew that I had found my mate but he already had a family.

I kept the rest hidden.

By the time that spring arrived, the warrior had grown stronger again.

There was a part of him that would never be the same after the loss of his mate, but he would be a better warrior I believed.

We parted ways, but I made sure to keep tabs on him.

Not too long after that, news reached me that he had mated with a human and started a family.

And I was happy for him.

Shaking the memory from my mind, I pick up my pace a bit.

By sun down I would be on the outskirts of a pack and once again my days would be filled with fake smiles and laughter.

Werewolves were very observant creatures.

Yet, I had perfected the art of masking my true feelings and emotions many years ago while under my mother's roof.

For hours I walked in silence, letting my thoughts roam free.

I hadn't shifted since the fall, but my wolf wasn't itching for a run.

I silently promised her that when we reached the pack, I would shift.

She deserved to be just as free to roam as I was.

There were maybe two hours of daylight left when I felt the shift in the air.

I don't know how to explain how nature knows the dividing line between pack land and unmarked territory was, but we wolves could sense it.

Stopping just a few feet from the border, I toss my head back and howl loudly.

Think of it as walking up to a house and ringing the doorbell.

Not many minutes passed for the sound of thundering feet could be heard.

Keeping a peaceful smile upon my lips, I wait for them to appear.

Every pack has a unique feature to the members that are born into it.

And as I stared at the ten warriors that slowly made their way towards me, I could easily pick this pack's trait out.

All of their eyes were the color of emeralds, with gold flakes floating in them.

Bowing my head in respect, I wait for one of them to speak.

Finally, one stepped forward and I could tell by the power that radiated from him that he was the pack's beta.

"You're no rogue." His first words had my smile growing as I slowly lifted my head.

"That is true Beta, I am no rogue."

"Who and what are you then?"

"My name is Maddie and I am just a lone wolf, traveling from pack to pack, sharing what little knowledge I have on healing and other things." The tense hold of his body slightly relaxed as he gave me a ghost of a smile.

"We have heard many great things about you.

Follow us please." With that, he turned, but waited until I crossed the border.

Most of the warriors shifted and ran on up ahead of us, but the beta and I just walked slowly.

As of late, the need to shift seemed to be growing more and more faint for me.

I could only pray to the moon that my wolf wasn't dying.

If she died, then I would be free from the pain of Marco's and my separation, but half of me would forever be missing.

I would never be complete again.

"My alpha will be pleased to know that you are here." I didn't speak, just waited until he had his say.

"Our pack, while having some of the finest warriors in the Quellonia, we lack the proper medical training for our healers.

Any knowledge that you can share will be greatly welcomed."

"I will share my knowledge, all of it, with those who are willing to learn." A comfortable silence fell between us as we continued walking towards the den.

"Where are you from?" The beta asked suddenly, giving me an easy smile.

"Your accent seems to be familiar, but I can't place it."

"Nysa," I tell him softly, keeping my eyes on the ground before me.

Though it was growing dark, I could still see just as clearly.

The excitement that rolled from the beta confused me and my eyes met his.

His smile split his face in half.

"I wonder if you know my father.

He's one of the ranking wolves for King Blackwood." He kept talking but I zoned out at the mention of my mate.

Flashes of his face filled my mind as the ache in my heart flared up.

I bit the inside of my cheek, tasting blood as I manage to keep the whimper in. Noticing that the beta stopped talking, I stop and turn to look at him.

"I'm sorry.

What did you say?" He waved my spacing out away with a smile.

"I said that his name is Reign Russ, head warrior."

My entire body froze as I stared at him.

Surely I had heard him wrong.

But with a shake of my head, I knew that I had heard the name of his father right.

My wolf pushed forward in my mind, waking up from her long nap.Brother.Her one word had my body shutting down.

The last thing that my mind registered was the concerned look on his face as he reached towards my falling body before a peaceful darkness took hold over me.