The Alpha King's Mate novel Chapter 7

Covered in sweat, I am jolted awake and shaken. I sit up in bed to find Eric standing over me, worried.

"Alpha, you were having a nightmare. I could hear you down the hall. I've never known you to cry out in your sleep," Eric says, sitting on the end of my bed.

Panting, I try to gather my senses.

"It must have been a nightmare. It felt so real. The moon turned blood red. There was a violent, bloody war. My mate was there. She's alive. I saw her. Her scent was a mixture of violets and honey. She was downcast and afraid. She was singing the saddest song I have ever heard. Our mate bond compelled me to go to her, but she morphed into King Fenris's face when she turned to face me. I think she might be in trouble," I explain.

"I'll fetch the doctor," Eric says.

I grab his arm tightly and sternly look him in the eye.

"I'm serious, Eric. This dream was a message. The Moon Goddess is warning me of what is coming and telling me my mate is alive." I let go of Eric's arm when he realises I'm not mucking around.

"Ok. What do we do about it?" He asks.

"I need to find her. We need Beta Troy back here as soon as possible," I say, and Eric nods.

"I'll find out if he's on his way back," Eric says and leaves the room.

The next day, standing in the front foyer, Beta Troy still hasn't reported back to me.

"Eric. Where's Troy? Why hasn't he reported back to me?" I ask while slamming my fist down on the table in the centre of the room.

Everyone in the foyer flinches and keeps their heads bowed. Eric kneels before me.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. Unfortunately, it seems Troy's mind link is blocked. However, he did say it could be a week until he is back from investigating West Wallow. But, we have, unfortunately, had more reports of more rogues being found dead and skinned near the forest border."

"King Fenris has to be who is responsible for the deaths, I'm sure of it." I say.

I wander around the market in Wellmore and buy some of the juiciest fruit I have ever had. The King's soldiers stop at stalls with carts and place half the contents on the wooden tables into wooden crates. A soldier addresses the whole village with an announcement.

"By order of King Fenris! King Fenris orders everyone to donate half their food to their sovereign again. These donations will feed his soldiers when we prepare to go to war against Alpha King Damon." So, the rumours are true. They are planning a war, and humans outnumber werewolves greatly, and we're not our strongest without a Luna.

I look at the goods belonging to a stall beside me, and my stomach lurches when I realise what I'm seeing. Furs belonging to my kind, displayed on metal iron hooks, with little fox furs.

Werewolf fur! They're the ones killing the rogues. Pack wolves or rogues - this should not be happening to our kind!

A young woman accidentally bumps into the wooden table, and the pelts on the hooks sway from side to side. "I'm so sorry..." the young girl apologises, and the stall-holder assures her not to worry.

She clasps a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp, shocked by what this stall is selling. Reserving my disgust, I purchase all of the werewolf hides from the stall and sling them over my shoulder. The girl watches me and then runs off.

Poor thing. She was just as horrified as I was at the sight of the furs. Odd, a human is so upset over them, though. No one else bats an eyelid.