Darius felt his chest almost explode with pain when he finally saw that fortress, the fortress of the McKeltars, where he saw a few beasts and guards walking before the first gate.
July Williams built this fortress when chaos broke out in this city, but then Knox McKeltar strengthened it with spells and curses with the help of the witches.
Therefore, this was one of the safest places that you could imagine finding in this realm.
All the lone wolves or any creatures that didn’t have their own pack would gather here to look for protection, but it didn’t mean Knox McKeltar would accept all of them.
In that case, Darius indeed managed to reach this place, but there was no guarantee for him to be able to become a part of their pack.
This could not be his last stop. There was a high chance he would be chased away because at this time, he looked so weak and battered.
Even though Colton and Ariana had helped him with the poison that he consumed, it didn’t mean he was already safe right now.
He walked down this road, his lungs felt so hurt, but he needed to keep going, because this was his only way to survive.
When he had come closer, about two guards and two beasts prevented him from getting any closer. The guards looked at him sternly, while the beasts growled at him viciously.
.....
“What do you want?” One of the guards asked him, while the two beasts circled him and smelled him, trying to figure out what he was.
“I am here... looking for a shelter,” Darius said. He was hungry and thirsty. The supplies that Colton gave to him had run out hours ago. “Can you give me water?” he asked them. He looked like he was about to pass out.
The guards looked at each other and then handed a bottle of water to him, which he drank greedily and felt a little bit of relief when the water moistened his dry throat.
“I am looking for a shelter,” Darius said. He didn’t have high hopes that they wouldn’t turn him down, seeing how weak he was, but then Colton told him, if he couldn’t offer them strength, then he could try with information.
“I am sorry young man, but we can give you supplies for a few days, but I don’t think you meet the requirements to be a part of us.” That was the best that they could do. At the very least, every creature that they turned down would have a chance to find another shelter.
Darius knew that would be the answer, but he didn’t want to back down yet. “I am from the biggest pack in the east, Shadow Moon pack. I can give you information about it.”
Darius then provided a few details to them, not so confidential, but it was enough to pique their interest enough for them to consider calling their leader, Knox McKeltar, or July Williams.
“July Williams...” he mentioned her name. “Tell her that her twin is in that pack.”
The two guards looked at each other and one of them returned to the gate, as the other one helped Darius to sit down near the camp that was built for the guards to take some rest.
The fortress that was built to protect the territory of the McKeltars was so big. Coupled with magic, which could possibly be the strongest defense, no one would be able to penetrate it.
It could be said this place was even safer than the Shadow Moon pack.
“Just wait here,” the guard told him to sit down and gave him another bottle of water and a loaf of bread, and Darius thanked him for his kindness.
=======================
Zuri felt it was only yesterday she saw this place, but now here she was, after years of being away from here and when she returned, this city, this place had changed drastically, until she was not sure that she even recognized it anymore.
“There was no fortress in this place before,” Zuri pointed out the fact before their eyes, as she could sense there were a few shifters around this area that were guarding this place. “Are we in the right place?”
Chaos, who was walking next to her, didn’t say much. He held her hand and walked with an expression that was devoid of any emotions. He had been like this since they arrived in this city.
Of course, his return caused a commotion among the supernatural creatures, but in a positive sense, because they immediately backed away from their path and didn’t dare to cause trouble for them.
Chaos return would send all the weaker supernatural creatures into disarray, because it meant there would be another chaos in this city, but for the stronger supernatural creatures, they would look at him as an opportunity to wait until he wreaked some havoc again and ride the tide for their own benefits.
There was not a single supernatural creature that didn’t know him.
“Are you sure, behind that is McKeltar manor?” Zuri frowned. She felt like she was in the wrong place.
“Yes, Knox built that thing,” Chaos replied.
“How do you know? You were not even here.” Zuri looked at him and noticed that his eyes had become darker yet again, but she said nothing about it.
“Of course, I know,” Chaos said with a little smile playing on the corners of his lips. “He is part of me, remember?”
Knox’s soul belonged to him, since he was his shattered soul, which meant they were the same person, as their soul was actually one.
“I need time to discern that,” Zuri murmured.
“You don’t need to think about that.” Chaos put his arm around her shoulders and then kissed her head. “There is nothing to think about...”
As they walked closer to the fortress, three guards came to them.