The Unknown Lycan Princess - Chapter 148: Chapter 148

Third Person POV
Arthur, Roman, and Lupus were leading their armies against the rogues. All three men found themselves looking for Ethan, Alexi, and Beth in the chaos. They knew they would be closer to the center of the clearing, and tried to make their way there. Arthur was fighting off two rogues when he heard the screech of Blaze’s dragon. Arthur quickly dispatched the two rogues he was fighting. A link from Jessica had him stopping in his tracks when she said, ‘Dad! Blaze said that an unknown wolf is running away from the battle with Timberlink and Esmerelda! He is trying to follow but can’t see which way they went in the thick tree foliage.’
‘Ok. Have him clear a path for me and I will go after the pups. He replied back. Thankful to at least have a lead on his grandpups. As he had instructed Blaze started to clear a path for him to easily make it through the rogues. Roman was quickly by his side and said, “Where are we headed? It must be important if the lizard is clearing a quick path.”
Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle about that nickname. He said, “Blaze saw an unknown wolf take off with Timberlink and Esmerelda. He ran into the forest and Blaze couldn’t keep track of him. I am going to find my grandpups and make sure they are safe.”
“I am coming with you then. They are also my grandkids.” Roman said firmly.
Roman and Arthur ran into the forest where Blaze cleared a path for them. None of the rogues wanted to get anywhere near the dragon’s fire. As soon as they breached the treeline Arthur shifted into his giant black alpha wolf and started to scent the area. To his surprise he smelled three very familiar scents. Two belonged to his grandpups. The other scent belonged to a man he thought had died many years ago. He had buried and mourned his loss. How could he be alive after all these years?
Arthur gave off a soft growl and ran after the scent. He followed it to a long forgotten tunnel system made from the natural caves on these lands. He and his brothers used to play down in these tunnels when they were kids. It wasn’t long after Felix and Baxter’s deaths, well supposed deaths, that a few pups went missing. They discovered dark witches had been using the cavers system for sacrificial rituals. Arthur had gathered a small army and cleared the tunnels of the witches, but the taint from the dark magic was not able to be cleansed. So Arthur banned the pack from going into these tunnels. Now his grandpups are in the tainted walls.
It didn’t take long for Arthur and Roman to reach the caves. The scent of Felix and the pups became stronger now that it was in a more concentrated area. Arthur quickly shifted back into his human form and grabbed the shorts he had tied to his leg and put them on. Once he was decent enough he took off into the cavern and said, “Be weary in these tunnels. Dark witches have tainted these walls with sacrificial magic. We need to hurry and get the pups out of here before the magic taints their souls.”
“You never had it cleansed? This is so close to your packlands. How could you be so lacking in the safety of your people!” Roman hissed out. Roman never thought that Arthur would be the negligent type like that.
“I tried to have it cleansed, but the coven that came to do it said that the magic used for these rituals far surpassed any light magic that is in existence to cleanse. So I banned my pack from ever coming in them. I did the best I could do at the time.” Arthur defended himself. He did not like someone questioning his dedication to his pack’s safety.
Roman was curious about that bit of information. What were the witches trying to do if it called for that much dark magic? Is there another threat coming or is it part of this threat. Roman had a bad feeling that this was going to open up a whole new set of problems. They would have to get Beth to come and see if she could boost a coven of witches to dispel the evil hidden in these tunnels.
They made their way silently but quickly down the tunnels. Before they made it too far they heard footsteps coming closer and closer. They stopped in their tracks waiting to ambush whoever was coming their way. Arthur knew it was his baby brother coming up the tunnel. He prayed to the goddess that Felix wasn’t a hidden enemy like Baxter. Arthur didn’t think that his heart could take it.
Felix could sense there were people nearby. He just couldn’t smell anything over the stale air of the cavern. He walked slowly up the tunnel keeping an eye on the shadows. He knew he was about to be ambushed. He was just trying to decide if it were smarter to allow them to take him so it will take them away from the pups. Or if he should attempt to attack them and give them cause to search the cave for more. He decided to allow them to attack him. Anything to protect those pups.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Arthur looked at Roman and motioned with his hands ‘on the count of two’. Roman nodded telling him that he understood. Arthur held up his hand and raised his forefinger and then when he raised his middle finger both men jumped and slammed the intruder onto the cave floor. They were surprised he wasn’t putting up a fight. They soon realized why when the stranger said, “I surrender.”
Felix realized after he said he surrendered that it was his brother Arthur and not any of Baxter’s rogues. He quickly said, ” Your grandpups are safe! I protected them as their mother and Fate requested. I mean no harm. I am on your side brother!
“Arthur quickly stopped and studied Felix’s eyes. Felix could never tell a lie without giving himself away. Arthur was confident Felix was telling the truth. He wrapped his arms around his brother in a bone-crushing hug, and Felix returned the sentiment. “I missed you brother. Where are my grandpups? It isn’t safe in these caverns anymore. These walls are tainted in dark sacrificial magic.” Arthur said with excitement and worry.
“Gods! I didn’t know. Hurry they are back this way. I left them in the large cavern on a pile of furs.” Felix said and turned around to rush back to the pups. If he had known, he would never have brought them here. His heart was pounding because he made a silent promise he would protect those pups with his life.
The men were halfway back to the pups when they heard Timberlink scream out calling for help. “Help! Uncle Felix! Hel…” Timberlink’s call for help was cut off.