The Wannabe Warrior
Chapter 66

Zane POV

Madison had told me to be calm and not scare the young wolf that was following us.

I had no idea one was following us. I still could not feel or smell him, we had changed our direction, so we weren’t headed to the caves any longer and slowly made a circle, heading back home.

When the wolf stopped us, I wanted to protect my mate, but she growled at me in the mind-link to hold back. Against my better judgement, I allowed Madison to keep the lead.

I could tell she was talking to him, though I don’t know how. I can’t talk to other pack members, only my own. I will be able to once I become the king, but at the moment I cannot, yet Madison could. I will have to talk to her about that when we have a quiet moment with ourselves again.

She told us we were heading back, and I was happy to follow that lead, though I still did not know anything about this boy.

The warriors came out of the woods and I told them to back off. He was not our enemy, and they sniffed the boy and moved away.

I almost lost control when Madison shifted in front of the boy and handed me and him some pants to put on. She was my mate and was naked in front of an unmated unknown male. I guess I will have to learn to accept that. I am still very possessive, being newly mated, but it did not mean I had to like it.

We are now eating in dad’s office, watching the boy devour the food, like he had not eaten in days, and that seemed to annoy me for some reason. I could not wait to replace out what this boy’s story was.

The food gone, dad coughed and asked the boy to tell us his story.

‘Alpha, I am here to beg for help.’ He started and Alpha stopped him.

‘Tell my lad, what is your name?’

‘Oh, sorry Alpha, I mean no disrespect. My name is Anton.’ showing his respect to an Alpha.

‘Welcome Anton, please how can we help you?’ Dad coaxed softly.

‘My Alpha Alex has sent me out to replace you, we desperately need your help, sir, we are starting to starve as we are too afraid to leave our homes.’ he sounded desperate and anxious.

‘Where are you home, son?’ Dad looked confused, for he too did not recognise the boy or the Alpha’s name.

’In the caves, sir.’ the boy sounded as if he had thought we knew they lived there.

‘In the caves, how long have you lived there?’

‘As far as I know, most of us. We were born there, sir. We went back to about one thousand years of living in the caves. We had to block out many tunnels when the invaders came, so they could not make it down to our main village deep in the cave. We are running out of food, sir, we need to get rid of these men that have taken over our homes. They killed many of us when they broke into our cave system, but we managed to block them out, by collapsing some tunnels, but they are digging, trying to get to us, but collapsing the tunnels as they get closer means we can’t get out, sir.’ The boy shows his anger and desperation in his pleas, but kept his respect for the man he is pinning his hopes on to save his family and friends.

Dad looks at me and then at Madison, and seems to make an internal decision.

‘Come with me lad, let me show you something.’ Dad stood.

He led Anton into our inner office and at the diorama, the boy’s eyes lit up in surprise and then moved closer to look at what we had.

‘What is this?’ Anton asked in wonder.

‘We have had rogue problems lately and we have slowly been replaceing where they are hiding, we have had some traitor in our midst, so this room is a secret room, away from prying eyes, where are you situated?’

All these entrances are ours, though we are not part of that there.’ He points to the mine site.

‘Are all the caves linked together?’ I asked, looking at the diorama in a new light.

‘They did. We had special doors that looked like a stone block that could move on its axis, but when one of our caves was infested with these smelly wolves, we locked all the doors so they couldn’t move around. They have been digging and linking them up. We still have some room to move, but not much. If something is not done soon, we shall all perish.’ Anton said sadly, which almost broke my heart.

‘We have been working on it, Madison, how long before you think we can invade?

‘Two more days to have the polish done and the communicators finished.’ Madison replies.

‘Son, we will be invading in about three days, we are going to storm all those caves and the mine site. Do you think you can get back to your people and inform them?’

‘I can mind-link them, sir, and tell them.’

We waited for the boy to talk to his Alpha and see what was said.

‘Alpha is willing to attack from the inside. If you give the signal when to start, we need something so you can identify us apart from the invaders.’ Anton suggests.

‘We can do something similar so you will know we are the friendly ones too, a green ribbon around our necks, showing we are all friendly.’

Anton mind-links and comes back with the agreement that they will wear green to show we are friendly.

‘Anton, are you able to get back home?’ Madison asked.

‘I am unsure, Madison. I was able to escape through a vent shaft, but not sure if I could get back down. I was lucky to get out at all, the risk was great, as the shaft is near one of the entrances that they have men walking by often.’

‘Show me where on the map.’

Anton points to the cave nearest us, and I smile, we can do this.

‘Anton, what if Madison and I come with you and get you back home?’

His eyes light up and he agrees. I understand he would prefer to be with his family at a time like this.