Chapter 37

Atlas View

I had actually been enjoying the meeting. The new leaders had done well with the pack and they had developed new plans to utilize their training programs for the better of all the packs under my rule. The meeting had just gotten to more of the socialization part; getting to know the people on a more personal level; when several broken mind links had started to come in. Nothing made sense or had a complete picture for me to understand the urgency I felt through it all. It wasn't until the word 'LUNA' was yelled, that all of Royal Eclipse pack, including myself, stood up heading towards the door.

'LUNA RUN!' Burst through the link next, I froze to my spot trying to get as much from the mind link as possible. My royal guards had already started heading out. Then the pain hit me deep in my chest telling me I lost a pack member. More than one of my guards howled in pain as well. "Karr." Being whispered among them.

"Atlas, our Luna." Zion had already told the other pack what was going on. "He was heading towards the lake."

Before I had fully exited the main doors, I was in wolf form. Followed by Zion and our several guards and many from the pack we were visiting; including the Alpha and his own Luna. My main concern was Kash, as rude as it might sound. It hurt loosing any pack member of mine, but if I lost him, I would loose everything.

Before we got to the area, where we suspected the fight happened, we came across a very injured Colton trying to make his way back. I shifted back to try and get a handle on the situation. "Where's Kash?"

"Your highness, I failed. He was taken by the pack of rogues." Colton tried to kneel in respect, his breath short and raspy. His injuries bled more with the movement. Blood coming from his lungs as he coughed.

Helping him sit down I could not help but sigh with his idea of failure. "You've done well for Kash and myself." Turning towards two of my guards I gave my orders to them and then spoke for myself. "Take him back to medics. I will continue to follow our Luna's scent and make them pay." Shifting back, I ran to where the fight was. Karr's body was all that was left at the scene and the smell of rogues. Sniffing the air and trying to trace where Kash went, I grew angry. Shifting once more I growled. "WHERE IS HE?"

"Boss." Zion had grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Take a deep breath close your eyes. You won't find his scent in an angry panic."

"You're right, but Kash should have his scent all over. I can smell him by that tree; near Karr. And then nothing." I had started to pace.

"What else can you smell? He didn't just disappear into thin air. Someone must have carried him off." Luna Nyx had now spoken up.

"Rogues. Many of them. But I did smell...Ah! That's it!" I ran back over to the spot near the tree where the odd scents were. "Kash! He was taken this way! I almost missed it. They used scent blockers, but Kash's scent is different when he panics." I allowed Zion to explain to our hosts what happens while I sniffed around a little more, trying to get the right direction.

The trail led us to where they had parked just inside the territory. I could smell several men and vehicles. With so much in the area, I narrowed down my search among so many scents. Truth was, I only needed Kash's to lead me. It was one of two vehicles that had been parked here, his scent took me to both of them. "Zion. What do you make of this?" I walked around showing him what I could smell. "He was laying here for a while, not moving around. His scent gets weaker but moves into two directions. One a little stronger than the other."

"If I may Alpha." Alpha Vilkas spoke up. "This is a diversion. One with less scent will have your Luna. The other only his scent. You stated he was he on this spot for a while. I suspect he is drugged and they removed his clothing. The car with the most scent will be the dummy car holding his clothing. You can bet it is in a trunk or box of a truck to give false hope. The car you said his smell goes very faint, would be where he is, probably covered with scent blockers."

"You're sure about this?" Zion looked at him, his own patience on a thin line. "Is there a way to track both vehicles just in case, you're wrong? No offence, but this is our Luna and I believe you would feel the same."

"Yes, I fully understand. It is a common trick used with European wolves, when taking over packs." Luna Nyx spoke up. "I have seen many kidnappings like this. Not as deadly, but the same method."

"Where does this road lead?" I knew that even in wolf form I could not chase it down. "I don't think we are dealing with wolves out of country, but these rogues had been trained by someone who has that kind of access to travel."

"Unclaimed territory. Full of wild, uncontrollable rogues and nothing more. Not even humans venture into it." Luna Nyx spoke softly. "The other side is another Royals territory who for the most part keep neutral to the going on of other packs around them. We have ways to try and help you both."

"I would agree with Alpha Atlas, that these creatures are acting on orders and behaved too much like a pack." Zion growled. "Lets get back to our rooms boss and see what we can dig up via satellite. Standing around is getting no where and making us loose way too much time."

"We can also access the security cameras. We have them placed throughout the lands here and they may have caught something." I nodded with what Alpha Vilkas suggested and followed everyone back. My inner wolf howling in turmoil over the loss.

"Wow! I never expected you to have such a high-tech area." Zion was just as amazed by myself.

The room had a whole other vibe to it. Think high security with monitors, and computers all over. The central part of the room was a full wall of monitors, switching between cameras all over the pack lands. While there were other wolves listening in on; well not sure what since they had noise reducing headphones on. I felt like we walked in on a James Bond movie.

"We have to keep some secrets or our pack would be in trouble. If it was not for the loss of your guard and Luna on our lands it would not have been mentioned and you would have never seen this. We keep this area to monitor the activities around us. You can be at ease that the information is all kept confidential. Unless of course it is deemed a threat." Alpha Vilkas smiled as he spoke. "I am very proud of this team."

"Thank you for the use of your services." I was feeling very anxious to get over to one of the screens and find Kash. "Where do we start?"

It felt like many hours before we got any clues worth following. "There! Alpha, I found the same cars meeting up in rogue territory. They switched drivers and all left together."

"Where are they headed?" They already had such a large amount of time and were only getting further away. "Alpha Atlas, they are heading into the territory we have to track with public traffic cameras by humans. It will take a little more time, unless we get lucky."

"HOW MUCH MORE TIME WILL WE GIVE THOSE BASTARDS?" I was loosing my temper and struggled to keep my wolf down. "I WANT KASH FOUND NOW!"

"Hey Boss, lets get outside for some air." Zion had walked over and was already dragging me out; ignoring my attempts to stay. After sitting outside in the cool air for a while, Zion spoke up once more. "Feeling a little better?"

"Calmer, yes. Thank you. I just can't believe I failed him again. I can't even feel him right now. Usually, I can feel approximately where or a direction he is, but it is like he is gone. My whole being hurts with the loss." My head in my hands, I took another deep breath. "We need him back safe."

"We will boss." Zion patted my back.

"Excuse me. Alpha Atlas. We found something." One of the warriors had come up to us from inside. "We are still trying to get more information, but we did find the cars current location."

This had me jump up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"We need you to see it first." This gave me the chills of foreboding. Going back into their security room, I saw a group of them around a single monitor.

"So, what happened?" Zion had to ask, because I couldn't say a word.

On the screen in front of me was not the cars parked at some building we could take down and rescue Kash from. It appeared to be a war zone in front of them. A huge fight took place and the cars were destroyed in the process. Evidence of fire and huge impacts all over, including on what was left of the vehicles. I saw no bodies, so it was obviously already cleaned up.

"Well sir, that's the strange part. Someone had already erased the footage. We have no way to recover it either. It was done by a very professional and high up team." The wolf beside the monitor we had been staring at spoke up. He was working on a black screen and green print racing across it. "I can give the time of the deletion. About four hours ago."

"Then let's go and check it out ourselves." Zion looked at me and I nodded. "Atlas can track Kash from there."

"It is on the lands of the other Royals, but close enough to the rogues we should have no issues. Will take us about three hours to arrive. Alpha Vilkas is already preparing vehicles and guards. Luna Nyx has already informed the Royals of the minor land crossing. She gave no information what is going on; it will all be kept confidential."

I sighed. "Thank you." Turning to Zion I spoke up. "When we get him home, I am not waiting for a ceremony."

"Yes Boss." Zion knew I would do what I threatened, and his face told me he was not looking forward to the clean up after.

Once we arrive to the area, I was speechless. The sight on the monitor was nothing compared to the scene in front of me. If it was not for my extra senses, I would have assumed teens had had a bonfire and destroyed their cars for fun. Not only was the blood cleaned up, but scents as well. I could trace nothing, even as I walked away from the scene to catch anything to help.

"These guys are pros." Zion had followed me as I stepped away. "Don't worry boss. Kash is okay. We will get him back, through hell or high water."

"We need to work on finding him and who is trying to take him in the first place and why." I had sat down, leaning against a tree in frustration.

"Alpha Atlas?" As I moved to get up, Luna Nyx singled me to stay. "Rest for now. The team at headquarters will work on trying to get answers. I do give you good news. The other guard will be okay. He is currently resting in our medical wing." She then sat beside me. "I understand how difficult this will be for you, but if you will trust my team, we promise you to get all the answers you want."

"I would be happier with Kash back at my side, but thank you." She smiled. "We need to get back to our own pack, and deal with the death of our own. It's just that I feel like I am abandoning him to do my duties."

"Kash would be very proud of you following your duties. Though our meeting of him was short; what I could see of him was a great Luna. He will understand that you have other duties, and would respect you in the choice of having outside help. We will find him as soon as we can. I promise."