Chapter 29
Kavi's POV
Now that I remember the dream, I knew that mysterious man licked me over my mark and I woke up after a few minutes and heard my mom saying I stopped bleeding. It only means he helped me from dying out of bleeding. But also he said that I was his!
What does that mean?
How can he say that when I have a mate already?
But I except tingles, I felt the same with him like my mate.
Who is he?
What if the council members think I am crazy or they might conclude that it was my hallucination! But I dreamt of that place exactly on my every birthday.
I realised everyone was looking at me expectantly.
"Actually, I do have one strange dream! On my every birthday, I would dream of a completely dark place with eighteen stairs..."
"How do you know it was exactly eighteen stairs when it was dark?"
Rio questioned me doubtfully. Yamuna (a vampire) scolded him to let me complete.
"I could only see myself where would be a ray of light from somewhere. I knew it was eighteen because on every passing birthday I noticed I was climbing a step up and last year I stood at the last step. The dream will happen like I was looking at the image myself. A dark air would surround me but the Kavi in the dream will smile at the man. I found it was a man last year from his masculine aura. And he would say that he was waiting for me.”
I paused and looked at Manohar.
"Yeah! The same words that man told before stabbing himself. I didn't mean to hide it at that time. I just thought it was irrelevant and you too told he was insane. So I concluded it was a mere coincidence. I dreamt of him after Akhilan marked me. It just came up to my mind now. That man was holding me in his arms. He told that I shouldn't have let Akhilan mark me. Because I was his." My mate pulled me closer and circled his arm around me protectively and growled “Mine’. The tingles sent a warm feeling all over me. I smiled and said 'yes' to him and pecked his cheek. I looked at the council heads and with a clearing of my throat, I continued.
"He then asked me to come to him. He actually licked my mark and vanished into air. This is the first time I remember him speaking to me other than asking me to come to him. I panicked as I realised that the place was the same as I dream of, on my birthdays. He whispered me to sleep and I woke up in real. I saw Sezhiyan and my mom there and my mom said that my mark stopped bleeding. Now that I could remember everything, is there any possibility his lick made my bleeding stop? And who he is? Why I was dreaming about him? I have a familiar feel about him but I couldn't place who he was. He always had his face covered.”
I was getting more tensed when I summed up everything. Akhilan might have felt it through bond and pulled me closer to him.
I looked up at them and I noticed Poorna and Manohar's eyes were glazed. Are they mind linking each other or to someone else? Did they know anything of these things happening?
"Why you have to bring such a headache for us? Are you hiding anything else? Remember and tell what are the unusual things you have been through. Or can you identify where that place you dreamt was?"
Rio spoke in an annoyed tone. That bloodsucker! I took a few breaths to calm myself.
"I told you everything. That's all I could recall from those dreams.”
I said without hiding my annoyance. They looked at each other and sighed.
"We can't decide anything now. We can't risk her life by re-marking. Wait for some time guys Usually, the bruised mark would heal with the time as the mate would accept him. Your heat may approach soon. If nothing was unusual, mating would heal the mark. But we can't risk anything. Take it slow. We will do some research in the meantime. Dreams are not as simple as you think. Leave it to us. But you should come here anytime we want you here. And try to ask your family members whether they have noticed anything unusual when you are young."
Zarina told me in a calm manner.
"Let me see whether we could heal your mark.”
Vasigaran and Zarina stepped forward and used their wand on me. I felt a slight poke at my mark but nothing happened. They frowned and looked at the rest of them. They tried again and I didn't feel anything.
"Can you feel anything?"
Akhilanan asked me with a concerned look.
"First time, I felt a poke but nothing for the second time.”
They nodded and shared a look.
"That's fine. Don't worry about anything. We are here to help you. Take some rest and if you want, you can go out. Dinner would start at seven. Don't get carried away with too much fun!”
Manohar said with a big grin and dismissed the meeting. Everyone smiled and we left with a formal bow.
"You never said these things to me!"
My mate asked me in a calm tone.
"Because I didn't give importance to it until now. My grandpa told those were some of my imagination. So I never mentioned it again to anyone after that. But I never expected my dreams would haunt my life like this.”
I sighed and looked at him. He nodded and placed a kiss on my forehead.
"Let's go out somewhere. Let not these problems spoil our mood."
I smiled and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He shrugged his shoulder and pulled me closer to him.
We went to meet my mom and Shrini. They were sad but holding themselves together. I don't know what to say. My mate wasn't like me because he was speaking with them to be strong. Shrini had the determined look after Akhilan spoke about Iniyan. That kid deserves a good life. I will support him and will make him strong. We remained there for some time and retired to our room. I changed into casuals and we went out roaming around the place. The dinner went very well except the fact Rio constantly reminded me that he didn't like me. But others were sweet as always. Akhilan too lightened up my mood whenever Rio spoiled it.
My mom, Shrini and Iniyan joined us on the return journey. They all slept in the back seat. We let a light music play in low volume and I leaned on my mate's shoulder and spoke random things all the way back. It was sweet and warm. I love to be close to him. We reached the pack around three past midnight. Akhilan joined me in bed and helped me to get a peaceful sleep.
The next day after the training, I re-opened the file of the rogue attack Vijay mentioned me. There were no details about the rogues. It seems I have to work on it on my own. Anyway, I would be going to the rogue tournament in two days. I may get some help there. I was fighting without my mask for the past few weeks. The rogues now knew who I was. And a few had spoken to me. First I need to find Ashwin's location. I texted Vijayan.
"Vijay, Can you tell me your son's phone number?"
"His number is xxxxxxxxx, Alpha. But he didn't pick any of the calls after leaving here. I don't even know whether he is still using it but it will ring every time I call.”
"Okay. I will see that."
I replied to him and mind linked my third in command.
"Nakul, I want to meet the trackers in our pack. Can you ask them to meet me?"
"Yes, Alpha. They are on their way to your office.”
"Okay, Nakul."
I sat straight on my chair. I completely removed all the things from the old Alpha's office and renovated it to my liking. Also being this pack having almost zero connection with humans, they are slowly adopting the technological developments. I hacked his mobile within a few minutes and found the location. I took a copy of the texts and call history. But I need to confirm it first whether he was using it currently. I heard a knock on the door and two people walked in. They are father and son and they have this tracking ability in their genes. I knew everyone name in my pack but I was learning about them.
"Good morning, Alpha! Third-in-command told us that you wanted to see us."
Hari, the old one greeted me. I signalled them to sit.
"Yes. I want you and Paari to help me with an assignment. I want this to be confidential and I want you to report to me directly. You shouldn't speak about this to anyone, especially to my Beta. If I was unavailable, I want you to reach, Nakul."
I spoke in a stern voice. They looked confused but nodded their head.
"This is about his son. And I wanted it to be my first gift to him also to my future Beta. Paari, I have located the place where Ashwin's phone was. I want you first verify whether it was him and then follow him for the next few days. Gather as much information you could. His mobile was currently in a human city which was forty miles from here. I knew you guys had minimal contact with humans. But make sure you mingle with them and follow him without making any suspicions. I want you to snap the picture of everyone he meets and update his every move instantly to me. I will arrange for a spy camera for those pictures.
And Hari, I need your experience and senses to find the one who Ashwin has been searching. I hope you know I fight in rogue tournaments. So we are going to meet a few rogues and gather information on the leader who killed our Ashwin's mate. Currently, we don't have any idea about who we are searching for. But Ashwin would have collected some details. When you find his residence, I want to personally examine his room. Are we clear?"
They both listened very carefully and I knew I could trust them.
"Yes, Alpha. We understand everything. We will do it."
Paari said with enthusiasm.
I shared the location details and spoke with Paari about some tips to mingle with humans. Also, I made some backup arrangements and asked them to proceed. Akhilan went back to Green Ocean pack because Rakshana wants to speak to him earlier this morning. I got ready to college and I had to check the account statements of the previous month after returning back. Joo
Hari and I were going to the rogue tournament. It was the same number Ashwin was using. But he only picks the calls from random persons. For the past two days, he received only one call telling that there was no change in plan. Paari found the location and it was an old apartment room which was fully packed by low income earning people. Ashwin didn't leave his den all the time and the room has the smell of alcohol. He was searching for his prey. But also he was in deep pain that he was drowning himself in alcohol. Many wolves would go insane at the lose of mate but he managed to keep his senses but spoiling it in another way.
We reached the place and the guy named Rocket, at the entrance was trying to pull me into betting for the past three matches after I revealed my identity. I bought our passes and paused there.
"Can I have a minute with you? I need a favour from you."
I asked him. He raised his eyebrow and signalled money with his hand. I placed a bundle of 10k before him. He smiled sideways and led us into a tent. There was a safe at the corner and a portable table with a laptop on it. He went and sat on the chair behind the table and asked us to sit in front of him.
"You know who I am, Rocket Tell us about what you know about the rogue attack happened in Blood Warriors pack in April, last year."
I directly pointed out my need.
"April... Blood warriors... I couldn't remember anything. What's special with that? Did they steal anything valuable?"
He asked with curiosity. I knew he wants to get more money according to the thing we say.
"No, I was just getting aware of my previous enemies who attacked the pack before I took charge. They used daggers laced in wolfbane. Can you remember any gang like that?"
I asked him with the hope he would be knowing something about them. I have chosen this guy because I saw many of the rogues talking to him as he was the one who organizes the betting in the tournament which is one of the main sources for gang activities.
"Are you talking about dark vipers? They use such techniques. Yeah. I remember them attacking a pack last year. Usually, they won't get into a pack. They do smuggling and killing for humans. But if you want more details, you should pay for the service.”
He grinned showing his golden tooth. I kept two more 10k bundles but he nodded his head. I added three more. He grinned and took them
"They are so dangerous. I didn't see any of them recently. They work in the pack model. The top three would rarely show faces but the goons will finish everything perfectly. No one knows the leader of that team. The top three would handle things internally and deal with human crocodiles who want the crime to be done. The main head after them was the one who manages the rogues. But I heard he was killed recently. And they change their place often within the state.
I know a member of that gang who would visit the rogue tournament near the beach. He is a fit, tall and dark man. He would have a scar on his left cheek with a bald head. He loves to fight and visit there every week. Once he came here as that fight was cancelled due to rain there. You may have the chance to meet him if you go there now. That's all I can tell. And don't mention my name anywhere. Because you may need me again."
I nodded and stood up and looked at Hari.
We know where we should go. But the details were vague. He told the top three would rarely appear at crime scenes. First I need to identify who did that. I called Sezhiyan to pass his territory as it was the easy way to reach the beach. The beach tournament held in between the Green Ocean pack and Crimson Moon Pack. I asked him to keep a low profile about my visit as I don't have time to visit my friends or even my mate. Maybe I could go and surprise my mate if things go smooth. We shifted into a wolf and carried our things in our mouth and started running towards our destination. I know the place and I took Hari in short cut. It took an hour for us to reach there which would have consumed good four hours on wheel. We changed into our outfit and I checked my mobile as I felt my mobile getting vibrated from continuous notifications. Paari had texted me that Ashwin was going somewhere and at the latest message told that he was going in the route of beach rogue tournament and he suggested this would be the right time to examine his den. But I can't go there now. I want to know whether he was here for the same man as we or just to fight. Also, I want to know what he finds out from this rogue
I asked Hari to stay behind and wait for my command. Ashwin would identify Hari easily. I bought my pass and mingled with the gang. I searched for Ashwin first and found him eyeing someone with so much rage in his eyes. I pinpointed who he was glaring and it exactly matched with the one tall person who rocket had mentioned. He had a tattoo of a blue snake circling a black rose on his neck. When one of the wolves defeated inside the circle, that tall man entered the circle. His moves were sharp and calculated. I noticed him as well as Ashwin. He made two wolves submit in a row. Then Ashwin entered the circle. I could feel his rage from here. I watched them fighting neck to neck. But my Beta was gaining upper hand. They shifted to their wolf and Ashwin's dark grey wolf stood proudly and the fight went for forty more minutes. Ashwin did most of the damages and bit all of his limbs and made that rogue submit to him. He exited the circle and came back in his human. I followed him with a good distance. Paari was hiding in woods as per my instruction.
I saw Ashwin following the man who was partially healing now but limping his way to the parking area. As the tournament was still going on, there was no one on his path. Ashwin looked around and when he noticed no one was around, he used his wolf speed and pulled that rogue into the woods. I quickly followed him and I had already used masking spray before entering here. So I went to him without making any noises. With my wolf sight, I saw Ashwin hitting that man across his face. When he felt the rogue had enough he started asking who accompanied him on that attack.
So this rogue was a part of the attack and he must have noticed him from the way he was questioning. That man didn't budge and spat at him. I could feel Ashwin’s raising rage but he calmed himself and questioned him again with a few more punches.
The tournament cheering voice was muffling this rogue’s cries. This went on for the next twenty minutes and I felt Ashwin was losing patience and at one point he snapped the rogue's head. And kicked him a few times then shifted into his wolf and ran into the woods.
[To be continued...]