5.

"Where do you wish to go first?"

Shia was happy that his king was taking this step. They were currently walking aimlessly on the sidewalk away from their apartment building. Accompanying them was Dimitri's best friend. Jakobe.

"They have great books here at their bookstores and the library," Jakobe suggested knowing his friend's love for books.

"That sounds ideal," Dimitri muttered taking in his surroundings. His wolf was eerily quiet. The scents of wolves and humans were powerful, they walked and talked together. Probably oblivious of each other's true nature but it still was insightful to watch their day to day interactions. "Our people. How are they adjusting socially? The pups all start school in a matter of weeks. Are they prepared?" he asked slightly bowing his head to a passerby. The man eyed him curiously, his eyes flashed to a darker color before his head lowered in submission.

"They are all well, my friend. It has been months, we can..." The blissful voice of Jakobe shattered the illusion his mind was playing. The oncoming reminder of their attack brought back the tension in his shoulders.

"Relax? These people patiently waited for each royal to lower their guard to attack. They killed the four royal families, broke through our barriers and was highly trained enough to kill them. We were prepared that's why most of us survive. I can not rest till this threat disappear, my priority will be finding this person or people before they find us. I understand your laid back disposition but please don't forget the reason why we are here." The anger in Dimitri's tone quiet the comments they were about to make immediately. Tucking his hands in his hoodie he stalked away from them requesting that they leave him be for now. He was still deep in grief and felt so alone no matter how many friends he had surrounded him. His people can feel it. They all try to reach out to him but he politely distanced himself from them.

This adjusting was going to be a chore for him. He wasn't bred in this lifestyle.

The concrete buildings and unnecessary noises made him feel agitated and claustrophobic. He walked aimlessly around eyeing the stores along with the people before he found a park with a few trees on the far side of it. Seeing the cluster of trees, he made a beeline for them and found the biggest one and simply sat in its shade. The feel of the rough bark against his back, the moist earth under his hand reminded him of running freely in wolf form on his land. He had to make use of the secluded beach at night and the forest surrounding it. He longed to hunt for his own food than eating the processed meals Shia introduced him to. Thank the heavens cooking was one of his upbringings back in Russia. He missed the elders who took care of him after his mother died. Dimitri knew her from his early childhood years, always being by her side and never forgot their moments together. He witnessed how cruel the modern world was when the hunters found them in the forest. They knew who they were and went to great lengths to capture the female werewolf. At eleven he was just learning to protect himself and the use of his powers, he wanted to help but his mother ordered him to leave.

He wasn't fast enough and got caught in one of their traps. He knew it was silver but the contraption was foreign to him. Dimitri didn't know what happened after, he lost all control of his body after calling out to his mother. Everything went black after that. Her howls of pain and her words of reassurance and love still haunted him at night. Now his father's joined hers.

Dimitri covered his head with his arms and began to hum the lullaby she always sang for him, it was all coming back to him. They won't go away. They had to. He had to stay alert. He was in a foreign place, he didn't know who to trust here. The fear that threatens him in the night now found him in the light. It can't. He had to be strong. He must.

'It's okay. I'm here. We're safe.' Dante was trying his best to comfort his human.

'They will find us. We have to keep them safe. Keep her safe.' Dimitri was scared. He wasn't ready to be king now all these people's lives depended on him. Even the life of the mate he refused to search for. He had to stay away from her as long as he can. Accepting the bond will make her a target. He can't put her in danger.

'We will keep her safe. Trust me.' Dante said firmly, sharing his plan silently with him. 'It's alright now. I'm here. We are in this together. You and I. A team.'

'Yes. A team,' Dimitri said agreeing wholly with his wolf.

"Sweetie? What's wrong?"

It was nearing night when Elena and her father decided to call it a day. They were entering her part of town when she felt a tug at her heart and heard a desperate, sad voice calling to her. Her father just drove through the bustling streets of what the town called college maze to drop her off at her house. A lot of college students and older folks were outside enjoying the last light of the summer day, happy smiles and faces and yet she felt unhappy all of a sudden.

"Someone...." Her words trailed off when she felt the tug again. Unconsciously she rubbed her chest looking out the window searching for the person but she had no clue who to search for. Elias eyed his daughter carefully. Her once cheerful face now had worried and confused lines across her forehead. 'Her mate is pain and he's somewhere around.' Rage confided to his human.

"Someone needs us," she said softly still looking out her window.

"Why don't you go for a run later on tonight," he suggested.

"Sure. Maybe it's that wolf from last night. He was so sad. I felt his pain. I don't know why. I wanted to reply to him but I didn't want to intrude on his mourning," she said out loud still rubbing her chest.

"I heard him too. Seems like they lost someone important amongst their family."

Approaching her street Elena looked around hoping that maybe she can find the person. "Hey. Go for a run. Wherever Tara leads you that's where you're meant to be. You may be surprised," Elias gave her a beaming smile before kissing her head.

"Thanks for the great day daddy."

"Only for you Ellie, my little she-wolf," he returned pulling her into a hug. Giving him a wave good night, she stepped onto the sidewalk still looking before walking up to the one-bedroom home her father secured for her since she was seventeen. His graduation gift to her, someone wasn't happy when it was revealed.

Freshly showered and a quick dinner Elena was still agitated, she was pacing her sitting room floor looking out into the night. Tara was restless and kept muttering incoherent words. She was worried also but wouldn't share her opinions. Mulling it over by herself she kept going back to one thing. She stopped abruptly, a wide smile bloomed on her face.

"Our mate Tara," she said out loud.

'I was thinking the same but....' Tara sounded hesitant and sad. Elena deducted she knew something and didn't know how to tell her, as a wolf she was much more in-tuned to the spirits.

'Is something wrong with him Tara?'

'I-I don't know. Let's go. I-I think I can find him,'

Elena checked the clock it was nearing ten in the night, the moon was out but didn't lend much light. The darkness should cover them. She knew the spots where the high school and college students hang out for their rebellious moments. One too many times she followed Rachel to keep her safe during the Harvest Moon and other dark nights where wolves love to have their runs.

Leaving off the back porch light, she quietly unlocked the property gate that led to the woods. With much use, a path was created from the gate straight into the forest which was eight feet away. Being careful of the neighbors, though they were a few feet away she was dressed like she was going for a leisurely walk.

Hidden in the dark of the trees, she undressed and hid her clothes in a sealed container. The night wind nipped at her naked body, her toes welcomed the grass between them, Elena loved this part of being a wolf. The freedom and being at peace with the nature around them.

'Ready?!'

'Yes!' The determination was in Tara's voice, Elena gave her the free reign she wanted. Smoothly her limbs shifted from human to ones of the large she-wolf she was. Shaking out her thick fur she sped off in the direction she felt the tug.

Please let it be him, Mother.