I hope you enjoy it.







THUMP! THUMP!



"Gone?" Katherine asked looking around. "How can they be gone? They were right behind us."

"You heard their screams just as I did. They didn't make it in time. They didn't run fast enough."

Katherine shook her head as tears ran down her face. "No...No, we have to go back for them." She turned about to make her way through the trees but was stopped by a rough, wet, and muddy hand gripping her wrist.

"Katherine, you know that is suicide and stupid," John said trying to talk some sense in her.

Katherine glared at him yanking her arm from his grip. "I don't care. Those people we left behind are our friends. We need to help them."

John shook his head. "We can't they'll overpower us. We end up just like them. Captured."

Katherine let out a sigh as a tear fell down her face. "What are we going to do?"

"Hopefully, when we find the underground sanctuary we can maybe find help. But, for now, we need to leave this place before a search party is sent for us." John said with a calm and gentle voice.

Katherine let out another defeated sigh before she nodded her head to John's suggestion.



John held Katherine's hand as he dragged her across the steady river to the other side. Thankfully, the river was not too wide.

After they made it across safely, John began to help Katherine as best as he could in covering her exposed skin with mud to mask the scent. He even placed some on his and her hair.

"Quickly. Follow me." John said. He then guided her along running through the woods.



...........



Running.

That's all Katherine has been doing through this whole quest. Running.

Her feet ached as she ran through the woods where she was led by John. She jumped over logs and dodge branches. The mud began to feel weird laying against her skin. Through all of this, her mind still lingered on Dallas and Bethany as well as those poor people left behind. She wonders what those lycans were doing to them. Were they suffering? Were they in pain? Are they being lead back to the palace for punishment? Were they de-

"Stop!" Katherine as she stopped running.

John looked back at Katherine with a confused look as she leaned against a tree. "What? Why are we stopping?"

Katherine took a few breaths before she spoke. "Nothing. I just needed to rest."

John shook his head as he approached her. "We have no time to rest. Those lycans could possibly be on our trail as we speak."

Katherine shook her head. "No, I need a moment." She said trying to pull herself together. Her eyes began to burn as the thought of her friends ran through her mind.

John sighed walking over to Katherine. He placed a hand on her shoulder causing Katherine to look up at him in curiosity. "Look, I know what you're thinking, but right now we need to focus on getting out of these woods. We are no good to them if we get caught ourselves."

"I know it just feels like I abandoned them," Katherine said as she felt a tear drop down her cheek.

"I know. My friend was captured too, but I know he would want me to keep going." John said, giving her a look of encouragement.

Katherine sighed moving away from John. "Fine. Let's keep moving." She walked right past him and continued further into the forest.



........



"Do you even know where you're going?" Katherine asked, trying to keep up with John's fast pace. "Do you even know where the exact location of the underground hideout is?" John, look over his shoulder at her for a moment then ahead of him. If Katherine had to guest they had been running and walking for over an hour or two. She couldn't tell for sure since she didn't have a watch.

"John?" Katherine called to him once again.

John kept moving not paying much attention to her calling his name. Katherine let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not going to be here instantly Katherine. It is an underground hideout after all." John replied, finally answering her. "Have some patience."

"I get that. But, if it is underground how would we know if we made it there or not? What if we walked passed it already?"

"I think its pasted Black Lake toward the mountain."

Katherine stopped in her tracks. "You think? What do you mean you think?"

John stopped 'speed' walking. He sighed then turned toward Katherine. "I'm not one hundred percent sure where it is."

Katherine's eyes widen at the sudden news. "What?"

John rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look, my friend, Henry was the one with the most details of the underground sanctuary. He was supposed to guide us the rest of the way, but since he's been capture-"

"So we're screwed," Katherine said in disbelief. 'Unbelievable.' Katherine thought.

"No, we're not screwed. Not entirely." Katherine raised a brow at John for curiosity waiting for him to continue. "Henry went over with me the location of the place a while back. I remember how to get their its just the image of the map he drew out is a bit fuzzy." John placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Katherine, I'm going to get you there safely. Come on. We stood here long enough already." John said then turned walking off through the woods.

Katherine's heart raced in her chest as panic rose in her. Her life and safety are literally in John's hands. 'God, please help us.' Katherine thought as she looked toward the clouds. Toward Heaven.



...........



Dallas's body continued to tremble as his pants became wet against the icy snowy ground. Its been well over an hour since he, his cousin, and the rest of the group have been captured by the lycans working on the ship. All of them have now been tied with tight itchy rope and were forced on their knees to the ground.

He looked over at his cousin to see her nose and eyes red from crying. Dallas looked around the rest of the group to see most in the same state as his cousin, Bethany. Some were still crying while others had the look of defeat on their faces.

Before Dallas was tackled to the ground and captured he was pulling his cousin along behind him right behind Katherine and John. As they were close to the ship doors he felt Bethany's grip loosen from his. He nearly stopped dead in his tracks when he no longer felt her hand in his. He turned to see a tall and buff lycan grab Bethany by the arm rough and was pulled to his chest in a death grip. When she yelled for help Dallas heart race as his blood boiled at the sight of his cousin being handled like that. Without thinking, Dallas ran back toward the lycan with full force. His eyes held hatred as it locked on to the lycan who had a surprising look on his face. As he lept for him he suddenly felt the wind knocked out of his followed by pain on his side. Dallas then found himself pinned down to the ground captured just like the others. He glanced at his cousin with an apologetic look then looked over toward the entrance to see Katherine slide under the door before it is completely close.

Dallas turned from the bounded group and shut his eyes tightly at his failure to escape. Now he can only hope Katherine and John somehow make it. Also, if possible find help.

"I just received word that the Alpha Prime ship will land in a few minutes." One lycan said, approaching the one keeping watch over Dallas and the rest of the people. The lycan was the same tall buff one who grabbed Bethany.

"You think he would pay us for capturing them?" The other lycan asked glancing at them. He was bald and a bit on the thinner side.

"I doubt it. Two of them got away." The tall lycan replied.

"The captain just sent someone after them a few moments ago. Hopefully, if we find them we'll get paid well." The bald one said.

"I hope so my mate is driving me nuts about bring in more money." The tall one said shaking his head.

The sound of heavy boots coming from behind caused Dallas to turn and see another lycan walking down the ramp of the ship. Judging by the uniform he wore Dallas figured he must be the captain.

"Captain." Both men greeted.

"Look alive, the Alpha Prime is about to land." He said with his hands behind his back as he looked toward the sky.

Dallas looked toward the sky as well. A moment later the morning sun was blocked and darken the area around them. The Alpha Prime ship was huge maybe even bigger than the ship the group arrived on.

Across the field, the ship landed with a light thud from its weight. Everyone watched as the doors to ship opening to reveal a group of elite warriors step out all in uniform marching out in sync. All lycan crew members tensed up a bit as the Alpha Prime himself appeared with his older brother walking along with him.



In almost an instant the captain of the ship and his crew came face to face with the Alpha Prime himself. The men bowed their heads in respect as their leader stood before them.

"Bow before the Alpha Prime." One of the warriors said, pushing Dallas and others head to the ground. Dallas face now covered in snow.

"Rise. Enough of this." Demos said, agitated. Everyone raised their heads and looked toward the Alpha and his men.

Dallas looked at the Alpha and he could tell he was furious as he glanced at the kneeling group of humans before him. "Where is she?" He asked, with a hint of worry and fear laced in his voice. HIs eyes rapidly scanned the group again until it landed on the captain. "Where is your luna, captain?" Demos asked, approaching him. Xerous trailed close behind with his ears opened to the captain's answer.

The authority and the dominant aura the captain had is now gone and replaced with worry ad uncertainty. "Well..uhm, I sent two of my best men in the woods there after them." He said pointing to the woods to his left. Demos looked toward the woods in thought.

"Demos, I'll lead a group of warriors in the woods after your mate," Xerous suggested stepping up to his brother.

Demos looked at him unsure. He wanted to be the one that find his mate, to hold her in his arms. "Demos...." Xerous called him, giving his brother a serious and determine look. "Let me make up for being the crappy older brother and go find your mate and bring her back to you."

Demos looked at his brother for a moment and shook his head. "No, I'll find my mate." He strongly declared.

Xerous sigh. "Very well. I'll go with you to help the search."

Demos sighed and nodded. "Fine we split into two groups." Demos then turned to his group of warriors. "You go with Prince Xerous." He said pointing to a group of pack warriors.

"No, need, Demos. I have brought my men with me." Xerious said gesturing to his own men.

"Fine. Let's move." Demos said about to leave until a warrior stopped him.

"Alpha Prime, what do we do with the human prisoners?" The warrior asked.

Demos looked at the group of humans kneeling on the ground in digust and hatred. "Chain them in the lower part of the ship for interrogation." He commanded. The look of horror and fear ran on the groups faces as they were forcefully pulled off the ground and dragged on toward the ship. Some even begging for mercy because they knew certain death awaited them.

"Alpha Prime..." Another warrior said approaching him. "The Alpha of Bloodclaw is on his way."

Demos shook his head. "I have no time for him. The only thing he can do is help me find my mate other than that tell him to stay out of my way and keep his people in line." The warrior nodded at his alpha's order.

"Move." Demos commanded than shifted into his lycan form swiftly taking off in the woods.





"I'm coming for you Katherine and this time you will not escape."