Bella's POV

I walked around the forest most of the morning, searching for possible clues. I also went to the spot where I found the warrior. He was definitely not attacked at this place. He came running from the mountain. There were only his footsteps and mine here. What huge feet he has. I chuckled. 'What do you think, Anaisha? Should we go to the mountain?' She seemed to ponder for a bit. 'Yes, but be careful and disguise your scent.'

I did, as Anaisha said, disguising my scent with the scent blocker I always carry with me. My stuff was well hidden within the cave. Nobody would know I was staying there. I kept walking until I reached the edge of the mountain. The battlefield was on the other side. All the warriors had to cross this mountain on their way back. I felt I was closer to getting answers.

I started climbing the mountain when halfway there, an overwhelming feeling made me stop. Tears started dripping from my eyes. What am I doing? This place is dangerous for me to be out here, alone and pregnant. If it was just me, I wouldn't care. The need to find my brothers is strong, but I shouldn't be putting my baby at risk. I should just go back to White Claw Pack and ask Uncle Conner to send a search party back. The conditions here aren't bad. I still wonder why Jasper lied about it.

I started descending when I heard voices close by. I specifically bought my cloak in a color that could easily blend with the bushes. I remained still. All I could hear was my heart thudding. 'Rogues.' Anaisha shivered. 'We'll be alright, Anaisha. They can't scent us.' They were too many. Their rotten smell was making me nauseous. All the bad decisions I have been making with haste, and at the heat of the moment, came rushing through me. I should have revealed my identity to the warriors. Now that I think about it, they didn't seem as bad. Well, compared to the rogues.

I remembered my ring at that moment, and just when I was about to bite my finger, two rogues pounced at me. Fuck!! 'Don't show them you're afraid, Bella; they thrive on the fear of others.' The two rogues grabbed me by the arms and lifted me easily from the floor.

"We got her!!" Yelled one of the rogues. A chorus of hoots came from everywhere. The two rogues by my side started snickering. They carried me all the way up the mountain. They had tents, and there were more rogues. They were at least 20 of them. My captors held me in place as a burley rogue who seemed to be their leader gave me a once over. He stared at his phone and then back at me.

"Would you look at that? It is her!" He said that to no one in particular. "What a delightful coincidence, Luna. You came straight to my den. There's a considerable bounty upon your safe return. Did you know?" The rogue smirked while he continued to bite a piece of straw. Tie her hands and watch her. I've heard she likes to run away." They all laughed.

The skinnier rogue was tying my hands while the other one held me. "This is a nice ring! I think I'm going to keep it." The rogue tried to pull the ring off of my finger, but the ring stayed in place no matter what he did.

"Leave her alone, Roy!! Their rogue leader yelled. "Bring her over. " They sat me unceremoniously on a stool next to him. The rogue kept staring at me. "You know, I'm in serious need of a mate myself. I like to call myself the rogue king." He put a strand of my hair behind my ear. He definitely was no king. He just looked plain evil, that's why the others obeyed him.

"How much is the bounty for my safety return?" I emphasize the safety part. This guy looked creepy, terrifying and creepy, and somehow not fully sane.

"We could have a little fun, your Alpha doesn't need to know." My heart thudded. He laughed like a madman. I'm sure I could somehow hurt one of my fingers and smeared my blood on the ring. I just have to wait for the right moment.

"Come on, Luna, what's the name of your Alpha? So he can come to collect his delightful prized possession, and I can get my money. Greg didn't give us all the details. The fool thinks I'll share the money with him." He huffed.

"He lied to you. My ex-mate doesn't want me. He has taken a mistress. There is no bounty for my safety return. He threw me out of the pack... ah!" My head turned to the side with the strong impact of his slap. My eyes stung, fighting tears.

"Don't think you can lie to me, wench. What Alpha in their right mind would throw out a woman like you?" He grabbed my chin and inhaled deeply. "Unless you want to stay with me, is that it? I could get used to your delicious smell." His eyes roamed over my body.

"Don't sweat." I hissed. He got up and pinched my chin really hard. I'll give you a couple of hours to reconsider. We have plenty of time. Nobody is coming to your rescue. We saw you arriving alone. A bit of a daredevil, I must say, or stupid. Either way, I know you're lying. Your mate will want all this hot stuff back." He waved a hand up and down my body. "The name is Gunner. Asked for me when you make your decision."

He walked away from me while staring at his phone. "Fuck!" He growled. "He survived! Greg failed to mention that. No wonder he was in a rush to leave. What will I say to the boss now?! We lost a great opportunity!" He started kicking stuff and growling. The other rogues moved out of his way while he was ranting. He grabbed one of the rogues by the neck and snapped it. Goddess, he killed him just because he could. He is a monster. Suddenly, going back to Jasper didn't sound as bad. I wanted to say something, but Roy put a finger on his lips and shook his head.

"Everything went smoothly with the other three. Why did they have to ruin it?! They had one job! Kill the man, that was it!!" He snarled. Was he talking about the warrior I found? All the rogues were scampering, and Gunner was like a bull on a rampage. He grabbed another rogue and tore his neck. He was getting dangerously closer to me. I stood on my feet and tried to run away. As long as I smear some blood on my ring, I will be fine. Gunner turned his head toward me, his eyes were red.

"Where do you think you're going?!!" He grabbed me by the hair, making me fall to my knees. I started screaming as his grip tightened.

"Gunner, the money, remember. No harm to the Luna." Said Roy with a gulp. "Do not intervene, Roy. I will teach some manners to this slut. She'll learn not to run from her man next time. Another slap on my face left me seeing black spots. Oh Goddess, my baby. 'Anaisha, the baby!' 'Don't faint, Bella, use your ring!'

Chad

After searching in every hotel, I finally got the information that she had gone into the forest. I decided to visit the cave where Dane found me first.

My heart was thumping. The rogue activity around here was alarming. What are they looking for? Usually, they don't get too close to my territory. Dane had asked for reinforcements, but we can not wait for them. She is in imminent danger. We encountered 7 rogues near the cave. Dane and I tore them apart. Body parts were flying through the air. Goddess, let me not be too late.

Cobalt was on high alert. I am in mid-shift right now. Part man, part Lycan. I am letting Cobalt lead me to her. Her scent is stronger inside the cave. Dane is right behind me, covering my back. I walked further inside, claws out, ready to pounce. Hidden behind a rock, there was a bag. I grabbed it and pulled out a cloth item. I lifted it to my nose and inhaled deeply, peaches and cream. That's definitely hers. Cobalt almost howled, but we didn't want to attract more attention. I've never known fear before. My heart accelerates, afraid to lose her, before I even get to know her.

"She was here! This bag is hers. Shift Dane; we can't delay anymore. They caught her. I know they did." I hid her stuff again where she left them. We took our clothes off, and we both ran to the exit, shifting in mid-air. Dane's wolf was big. He was an Alpha serving as Beta to the Lycan King. I shift to my Lycan form as well. Cobalt's senses heightened. 'Follow her scent, Cobalt.' I urged him.

We encountered more rogues, but when they saw me in Lycan form, they ran the opposite way. Dane and I caught up with them easily. Cobalt was leaving a carnage behind. He barely left Dane's wolf any rogues. I've never felt him so furious. Cobalt kept following her scent. 'They took her up the mountain!' He snarled. Fuck!! If they cross the border, it would cause another war to rescue her.

Cobalt and Pax, Dane's wolf, moved faster. They were a blur among the trees. As Lycan, my eyesight was better than a werewolf's. We were still considerably far away when I saw their camping tents. They were still here, I just hoped she was unharmed. 2 rogues came out of nowhere, but before they even pounced, Cobalt had their hearts on his claws. 'Must find her!' He growled. Pax was getting rid of another rogue right behind me. Our fur was covered in blood already. It was helpful; since it was rogue's blood, it disguised our own scent.

We got as close as we could, taking care not to be seen. My heart got caught in my throat when I saw her. Her hands were tied up, behind her. I clenched my jaw when I saw them drag her and drop her carelessly on a stool, forcing her to sit down. My blood was elated when I saw the rogue in front of her. Gunner, the mad bastard. I've been trying for years to get rid of him. He won't come out of here alive. That's for sure. He put a strand of her hair behind her ear. Cobalt made a low growl. We couldn't let them see us just yet. Just then, the bastard slapped her. I was about to jump in, but Pax held me back. We were still too far from them.

I wanted Gunner away from her before I could attack. The guy is a lunatic. Nobody could guess his next movement. Finally, Gunner moved away from her while looking at his phone. He read something he didn't like, and all hell broke loose. Pax and I started getting closer. The rogues were distracted, trying to avoid the rage of their leader. Gunner was killing any rogue that was unfortunate enough to cross his path.

My eyes would switch towards her at every second. She was brave and strong. Other women would have been screaming or should have been fainted by now, after witnessing that gory scene. She got up from her seat, trying to run. Fuck no! Gunner was closer to her and grabbed her by the hair. "Where do you think you're going?" The bastard asked her and grabbed her by the hair, making her fall to her knees and cry out in pain.

"Gunner, the money, remember. No harm to the Luna." One of the rogues said. What money is he talking about? I kept getting closer. "Do not intervene, Roy. I will teach some manners to this slut. She'll learn not to run from her man next time. Another slap on her face, and she went limp on the fucking rogue hold. Cobalt couldn't take this any longer and pounced on Gunner.

We rolled on the floor, fighting, but he was no match for me. Gunner's eyes popped out when he saw me. "The Lycan King!" He said with a mouthful of blood. My claws were already digging inside his chest. "You touched what's mine!" Cobalt said as he tore his heart out. I shifted to my human form and saw Dane changing back to his human form as well. Our warriors had come and were chasing after the rogues.

I moved quickly to check on her. I wish I knew her name. She was unconscious on the floor, but I could hear her heart. I turned her over, and I swear I wanted to kill Gunner all over again. Her beautiful face was bruising. I wanted to carry her, but I was plastered in rogues blood. Another warrior offered to carry her when he was passing me a pair of pants, but my eyes flashed. There was no way Cobalt was letting anyone else carry her. Another warrior gave me a bottle of water to clean some of the blood on my body, and only then I lifted her from the floor in my arms.

Sparks danced through my body when I pressed her against my chest, and I knew Dane heard the soft gasp that escaped me. He gave me a sideways smile. "Make sure her stuff and ours are retrieved from the cave. I'm taking her to the pack's hospital." Dane gave the orders and ran after me as well. I was a little too late. No harm should have come upon her.

When we got to the pack, I left her in the hands of the Crown's doctors while I took a quick shower. I have left four guards outside the hospital room and at the hospital's entrance as well, for safety measures. She was not leaving my sight ever again.

When I got back, Alpha Terrence was already outside the hospital, pestering the guards with questions. "Is the Lycan King hospitalized again? I should have known. I told him it was a reckless idea to leave the hospital so soon. I am one of the Crown's councilors, but he always thinks he knows best..." I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled. He was trying to enter the hospital to snoop. Nobody was allowed to go inside the hospital while she was inside unless they needed attention.

"Alpha Terrence." He jumped and turned to face me. "My King, I just.." I stopped him. "I will address the council tonight. We had a rogue attack today. Make sure they're all waiting for me at nine." He bowed and scurried away to carry my orders.

When I stepped inside the room, her scent hit me like a tidal wave. She was still unconscious, and the doctors put some sort of drip in her arm. The light from the window illuminated her skin with a natural glow that made her look unreal. Her bag with her things was already there. 'She's so beautiful, Cobalt cooed. 'The fearless Cobalt' I smirked. 'She already has you wrapped around her little finger.' And I was afraid she had me too. One of the Drs entered at that moment.

"My King." She bowed. "We ran all sorts of tests on her before we gave her any medical treatment that might be harmful to her. She was generally healthy, although a little exhausted and dehydrated, which is understandable. The other thing we found out is that she's pregnant." Cobalt snarled, making the Dr. jump as he pinned her with his gaze. "Pregnant?!" I growled.

"Yes, about four months. She is marked too. The child is not a bastard. Her mark is also from a ranked wolf, an alpha." Each of the Drs. words was like a bucket of ice over my head. Pregnant? And she was alone in the forest, attacked by rogues!! What kind of mediocre alpha leaves his mate unprotected for so long?!! 'We find him and kill him. She's ours now!' Cobalt growled. I clenched my fists. For the first time, I knew the meaning of jealousy, and it was a very unpleasant feeling. I was about to punch the wall when I saw her stirring. Goddess!

Bella's POV

I woke up to the sound of voices. I was still in a daze, but something was smelling really good. Just then, I felt someone getting closer to me. Gathering all the little strength I had left. I threw a punch that landed on someone's jaw. A man's chuckle and a sharp gasp from a woman made me open my eyes. My eyes widen in disbelief. It was him, the God Warrior I have saved! He was still smiling as he rubbed the spot where my fist landed.

"What a mean right hook you got there." He smiled broadly. Goddess, he was so handsome. I was hopelessly mesmerized by his looks. "Sorry," I whispered. I had never been at a loss for words before. "I...I thought I was still with the rogues." He stretched his hand trying to touch me, but he curled his fingers before he reached the strand of hair he seemed so focused on. I realized then that the Dr. had left quietly, and it was just the two of us.

"You're safe now. Do you want me to contact someone for you? A family member, perhaps?" His eyes lost some of their sparkle at that moment. He must find me troublesome, but he went to look for me. I thought the mad rogue had killed me. "How did you find me?" Who are you?" He turned away from me thinking about how to answer. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to," I said. He turned towards me again.

"You can call me Chad. Of course, I went out looking for you. You saved my life." I wanted the Dr. to come back. I wanted to ask her if my baby was fine. He noticed how I pressed my hands protectively on my abdomen, and my cheeks reddened. "Your baby is fine. The Dr. told me." My face got even redder. I thought doctors were sworn to their patients' secrecy. He also seemed to read my mind. "Don't blame the Dr. This pack is a military base. Everything has to be run by me. We're on the outskirts of the main city." He said gently. He must be their Colonel, for sure. He folded his arms across his chest. Goddess, he was so strong.

I was trying to sit up when he moved swiftly to assist me. He grabbed my hand and put the other on the small of my back to pull me up in a sitting position. When our bodies touched, the same sparks I felt in the cave came back to life again. It was like a powerful current emanating from him sipping through my veins. Our eyes met for the first time, and it was as if time had stopped. My breath came in soft pants as he caressed my hand with his thumb. He smelled so good. I fought the need to bury my nose on his broad chest. It didn't help that our mouths were dangerously close. A knock on the door brought me back to reality. Chad cleared his throat and let go of me.

"I see she is awake." Dane strolled in looking cheerful. I looked around for something to throw at him, in case I needed to. Chad chuckled again, guessing my intentions. Goddess, he reads me so well. "It's okay, Dane came here just to apologize. Right, Dane?" Chad gave Dane a stern glance.

"My apologies, Miss...? He looked at me waiting for me to fill in the blank. "Bella, my name is Bella," I said. "Miss Bella, quite a fitting name." Said Dane. I swear I heard a small growl coming from Chad. Dane cleared his throat before continuing. "It was never my intention to harm you without concrete proof. I wish I had approached you differently. I'm just grateful that you're back safe and sound." I nodded in acceptance. He at least sounds sincere. "I'll leave you now, I wish you a speedy recovery." He did a military salute and left.

Later, a nurse walked in with a trade of food. Chad grabbed it quickly and placed it on the high table next to my bed. He put the table across the bed and put away the plate covers. He also took the wrappers off the utensils. "If there's something else you want to eat, don't hesitate to ask." He said courtly. The nurse's mouth hung open. She had probably never seen Chad, the fierceless Colonel being so attentive. He was just grateful that I saved his life.

That afternoon, he had moved me to a suite at the top of the hospital. He insisted that I stay until I was fully recovered. The Dr. was concerned about my pregnancy. I hadn't been eating well lately, and she didn't think making a long trip back to the South would be advisable. I couldn't just tell them I could use my ring. Chad hadn't left my side since I woke up. Dane came for him about an hour ago, but he promised to come back soon. He still wants to know why I was alone in the forest.

I was dreading that talk. The embarrassment I felt just thinking about telling Chad about my mate's betrayal was overwhelming, but I had to. What other plausible explanation could I give him? The soft knock on the door announced his return. I went to open with quick steps. My eagerness to see him overpowered any embarrassment I might feel. His towering figure made me take a breath intake. His golden eyes met mine, and like before, they made time stop. "May I come in?" He asked with a husky voice after a few seconds. I stepped aside and let him in. Once inside, he looked at me appreciatively. I was wearing an elegant, long-sleeved silky dress in bronze color. It hugged my upper body to perfection. It was flowy from the waist down, falling below my knees. I knew the brand. This dress was expensive.

"Thank you for the clothes. You shouldn't have to." I smiled at him. He was about to say something, but he just waved his hand like it was nothing. 2 people came in at that moment bringing carts with deliciously smelling food. They organized everything on the dining room table. After they were done, they bowed and left. Every now and then, I see people bowing to Chad. The customs of the North are a little strange. I chuckled. Chad was sitting across me and looked at me amusingly.

"I like seeing you smile." He said as he piled food on my plate. I love how attentive he was to me. Jasper could take some lessons. Thinking of him, my face saddened. It was time I told Chad everything. "I know you have lots of questions, Chad. You might have noticed already that I'm marked." I touched the mark on my neck. One that in the past, I had always felt proud of. "You also know that I'm pregnant." His face turned serious, and I saw his Adam's apple rise and fall. "My mate is Alpha Jasper Holloway of Riverbank Pack." I heard a clatter on his plate. My eyes became watery all of a sudden. I do not wish to go back to him. He has a mistress. It would be better if I reported him to the council and the Lycan king. I'm not going to overwhelm Chad with all my troubles.

I wiped the tears of my eyes, and Chad was behind me in seconds. He put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it lightly, sending the strength I needed to continue. I almost told him everything that Jasper did to me, but I still haven't even processed it myself. "We haven't been seeing eye to eye lately. I don't even think he knows I'm pregnant yet. I don't even think I want him to know. Jasper and I are fated mates. We were together for five years!" I felt Chad tense on my back, but he didn't say anything. "He's just not who I thought he was. Would you ever hurt your mate's feelings, Chad?"