Chapter 302

302 Snow White Luna

Katie thrummed her fingers on the dashboard, sighing for the umpteenth time, “Where is he already?” the girl groaned. The beta alpha in the back seat chuckled.

“You told him you’re going to track down the person that has been abducting people in Lycaon. There is a preparation process for that kind of operation. Besides, they have you to protect when they get there,” Kyle replied.

“Oh, stop explaining everything Kyle and tell me how you’re finding Lycaon and I want the unaltered truth this time,” the girl turned to her beta alpha for distraction.

Kyle was quiet for a bit before speaking, trying to avoid her piercing gaze, “You know I don’t have a will of my own just yet. I’m not allowed to have a will that’s against you. I only care to protect you and do everything in my power to defend those that are dear to you. Beyond that, I don’t really have an opinion,” the boy replied with a nervous smile.

“So you’re still only a walking shadow of your former self?” Katie sighed. She was visibly disappointed but didn’t show signs that she’d lost hope.

“No, I’m not, but I haven’t found something else to fight for either. I would like to think of it as being on the verge of a new beginning,” he replied honestly.

“Your truth is starting to confuse me a bit. If you were to find your mate, would that give you something to fight for?” she asked him.

“That’s a bit extreme, but I guess the answer to that would be yes,” he chuckled.

Just then, a group of werewolves emerged from the palace. Pack warriors that Katie had now come to recognise by face although not by name. She hadn’t placed that much effort into knowing those that surrounded her yet as her mind was still plagued with worries concerning herself.

.....

However, one of them had managed to get under her skin. A beta’s daughter to one of the alphas that lived within Lycaon. Cole had told her to just give the woman time as she was a former suitor that had approached the prince, but Katie couldn’t let it slide that easily, thinking back to her experience with Crysta.

“Why is she here?” the Luna groaned.

“Who?” Kyle asked, peering out the window, “Oh, you mean Bella? Come on... She’s hot and popular with the guys as well as an excellent warrior. She’s honestly better than many I’ve met up until this point.”

“You’re trying to make me feel worse than I already do. I thought you said there was no training for you,” Katie countered.

“That’s because there isn’t any training for me. When Caden feels like he needs a punching bag, he takes me into the ring and practically... beats the crap out of me,” Kyle shuddered, sinking into his seat.

“Come on, Kyle. You’re a beta alpha. You’re meant to be stronger than that,” she encouraged, turning to face him in the back seat, “You stand your ground the next time and defend yourself.”

“What if he orders me to stand still?” Kyle asked her.

“Well, if that happens, then you tell me straight through the mind link. I’ll free you from his control immediately,” she answered.

Kyle sank even deeper into his seat. His new orders were the most frightening he’d had yet, “That will piss him off and encourage him to break a few bones this time.”

“It also means you’ll get the chance to learn something from him. You and I both know what’s going to happen to you,” she reminded.

“You should just have me killed,” the boy replied in a voice barely a whisper, “Honestly, I don’t deserve to serve someone like you.”

“You feel that guilt eating at you, Kyle? When you stop feeling guilty for what you did, I’ll have Caden stop punishing you,” Katie responded, “Until then, hang in there and do what you can to make the most out of this situation.”

After a short silence, “Understood Alpha Katie.”

“What are the two of you talking about?” a cheery girl’s voice came as Cole approached along with Jason, “Oh, Cole, you can sit in the back with me and have Jason drive.” The girl’s voice was like that of a siren, bearing the tone that was nearly impossible to resist... and it got on Katie’s nerves.

“Bella, I’ll drive,” Cole replied, opening the driver’s door, “Otherwise I’ll get rusty if Jason does it every time.”

The girl pouted, but let it slide and let Jason through the back door. Katie could have sworn she was aware of the other beta alpha that was inside the car and had intentionally kept her distance.

Katie did what she did best and ignored her, “Cole, where are we going?”

“Well, the home of the musician that was supposed to make her debut on the day of my coronation,” Cole replied, checking his phone for the address that was sent to him.

“Oh, that sounds like trouble. I hope she’s fine,” Katie responded, “Is she human or werewolf?”

“She’s a werewolf and one of the only few capable of a half shift. It makes her even more animated when she’s on stage,” Cole replied.

“Good morning, Luna Katie. How is the morning treating ya?” Jason’s cheery voice pitched in from the back seats. In her feat to ignore the girl, she had ignored Jason as well.

“It’s going great, Jason. Thanks for asking. I would have thought you would stay behind with Sandra like you did last time,” Katie replied, wiggling her eyebrows at him through the driving mirror.

“As much as I would have liked to do that, I was the one that visited the family of this girl, so it would be easier if I was the one that they met again to continue this investigation,” he responded.

“Oh, that makes sense,” Katie replied as Cole started the car engine. The king placed a kiss on his mate’s forehead.

“Don’t overdo it,” he said one more time. Katie was sure her ears would fall off with how many times he’d said that.

“I’ll be fine, Cole,” she replied in a low tone. When Cole wouldn’t drive, she slumped back into her seat, defeated, “I won’t.”

“That’s better...” and they were off.

...........

The family of the musician didn’t give them much trouble in letting them gain access to the girl’s room. With Jason accompanying them, they were more inclined to let them in. As he’d explained, they were instantly calmed by his presence, ‘Huh, Jason is a charmer...’

Katie’s eyesight was invaded by a storm of pink when they entered the room, “Ah, I’m going blind, Cole. Everything’s pink.”

The king laughed, “That would be the aim when you enter this room.” They moved about the room and searched for anything that could have retained the scent strongest.

“How about this? Will this help?” Bella smirked, holding up underwear between her index finger and middle finger.

“A shirt will do, Bella,” the girl replied with a plastic smile, “Something from one of her previous performances perhaps.”

Ignoring the beta once more, she moved to the girl’s wardrobe and opened it. After rummaging through the different glamorous outfits, she sighed in disappointment.

‘Nothing... Everything had been washed clean and perfumed to perfection.

“How about this?” Katie turned to see the missing musician’s mother holding up a shirt, “It was the one she was wearing before she changed into her stage clothes. And those stage clothes were the last thing I ever saw her wear. The words brought tears to the woman’s eyes.

Katie approached the woman and held her hand in hers. Training as a hunter involved learning how to talk to civilians, and her comforting voice was nothing short of spectacular, “Don’t worry. We’ll do our best to find her.”

Almost immediately she touched the shirt, the scent of the girl was imprinted in the back of her mind. ‘I’ve got it, Katie,’ Ashley told her as she brought the shirt up to her face.

‘No kidding...’ Katie was astonished by how fast it had worked. She hadn’t even needed to bring the cloth to her nose. Just to be sure, the girl did so anyway and the scent was the same.

“Katie, you got something?” Cole asked. The Luna nodded.

“Yeah, I have, but I won’t be able to track her down in my human form. The scents are stronger when I’ve shifted,” she explained.

“Very well. I’ll be with you the entire way. You are not to push yourself just because you feel like you’ve nearly reached them, is that clear?” Cole argued.

“Yeah, I hear you loud and clear, Cole,” she grumbled before heading out of the room and down the stairs. Cole rubbed his temples and sighed.

“Cole, aren’t you being a little overprotective?” Jason asked him.

“I can’t help it. I’ve watched her get injured far too many times. It’s not done me any good,” the king replied.

Turning to the musician’s mother, he thanked her for her cooperation and walked out, following the path his mate had taken.

They were out of the house and gathered in a group before long. Cole addressed the whole team Katie was supposed to be leading on the procedures to be followed. Katie, on the other hand, couldn’t be bothered to pay attention. After all, she was now sure she wouldn’t get a chance at the action... not like she would try if she got the chance.

“How does it feel to be on the sidelines? Are you really that weak?” Bella walked up to her. The Luna had barely noticed her approach her and was almost startled by her sudden appearance.

She was grateful for having Kyle stand between the two of them at the right moment. If it hadn’t been for him, Katie was sure this beta would have crossed her personal space, “What are you, her bodyguard?”

“More or less... Luna Katie isn’t in the mood to talk to you, so I will kindly ask that you step away,” he replied.

“After all the times alpha Caden has put you in your place, you have the nerve to stand up to me,” Bella smirked.

“That’s enough, both of you,” Katie commanded, “We don’t need a fight amongst us when there is already one we are going to. Working together should be our goal here.”

“Oh, look at who’s acting like you’re in charge,” the girl replied.

Katie balled her fists in anger at the girl’s disrespect, but cursed inwardly when she couldn’t find the strength she sought, ‘So this is what it feels like to be weak.’

Cole finally finished talking and turned to them, “Hey, Katie, are you good to go?”

“Yeah, I am,” the Luna replied, turning her attention to the wolf within her. ‘Ashley, are you there?’

‘You know I am. Is it time yet?’ the wolf responded groggily. She sounded as though she was only waking up.

‘Yes, Ashley, it is time. How long can you stay up?’ Katie asked the wolf.

‘If we don’t try to draw on too much power, I can stay up for a couple of hours,’ the wolf replied.

‘Very well... Let’s hope that’s all the time we’ll need,’ she replied before allowing the wolf to take over her body. The girl’s eyes flashed a brilliant blue before the transformation replaced her body almost instantly with that of a large snow-white wolf. The wolves that had accompanied them gasped in awe as they witnessed her brilliant wolf.

The rays of the sun bounced off her silky white fur, enhancing her beautiful form.

‘Hahaha, beat that... Bella,’ Ashley gloated. Katie was sure the wolf had hunted for a way to twist the beta’s name and failed.

Cole chuckled at the wolf’s remark and shifted into his own black version of hers, the two of them mirror opposites of each other, ‘Should we get going before you manage to make that girl shift out of raw jealousy?’

‘Yes, my love... I shall lead you to the abducted wolves in style...’ the wolf replied, ruffling her white glistening fur in pride and holding her nose high.

'

This brief demonstration was aimed at crashing a certain admirer of her mate, but it was short-lived as she had to focus on tracking down the lost musician. Cole was dumbfounded... He’d never seen this side of his mate... and also took a mental note to keep his distance from Bella onwards.

With that brief display of dominance, the hunting party was off, following the two wolves in their cars and staying ever vigilant, ready to defend them as soon as the opportunity arose.