Present Day...

It was as if a thunderbolt came down from the heavens and struck his chest sending waves of currents through his body awakening every cell one by one until his cold body was brought back to life. His heart began to pump again, slowly shooting out bursts of liquid fire through his veins. Lungs began to fill with air like trying to blow a balloon to raise the boulders that were the heaviness of his chest. Yet he still couldn't move. The smell that embraced him was heavenly. It felt like home. When he completed his first breath that essence filled him, rousing him further and stoking a desire that had long been dormant. 

Need more. 

The scent was growing fainter as if moving away from him. He was able to finally open his eyes taking in his surroundings. The room was bare with only the stone slab he lay on inside it. Just as he remembered. Something must have gone wrong, he wasn't supposed to be alive. And if something went wrong then ….

Fueled by adrenaline he was able to rise and head toward the only door that led out of the room. He needed to act quickly. Seconds could mean countless lives lost. Lives he’d given up everything to protect.  And yet he was torn between investigating the status of his kingdom and following the rapidly receding trail of the scent that promised to ease the yearnings long left unsated.    

His mind was muddled. Not just because he had died and was now suddenly alive again, but because every time a thought would occur, he would be pulled back to the scent that was calling to him. 

Follow me.

He obeyed. Reaching out to the doorknob. Before he grasped it he hesitated. Trying to make sense of the situation. He recalled his deal with Marina. He gave up his life essence to power a protection spell for his kingdom. So why was he alive now?

She must have betrayed him. He knew better than to trust that Witch! The earthy honey-sweet smell reclaimed his attention… 

Just then he heard scratching on the door coming from the other side. An animal was whimpering trying to get in. No not an animal, a wolf. His wolf, Loki.

Opening the door a wave of heavy damp air crashed into the crisp and cool tomb. In an instant his thin cotton tunic stuck to his chest and back, sweat acting as glue in between the two. The oppressive humidity wasn’t here when he was on the battlefield earlier. Before he could think what to do next Loki jumped up putting his front to paws on his shoulders knocking him down. 

“Hey boy, what has happened?” the wolf, seeming unconcerned of any danger, wagged his tail in excitement and let out a howl. With a huff, Ander pushed the wolf aside to see a man standing before him, jaw dropped in shock. 

“I-I can’t believe it… when Loki came for me all but dragging me down here by his teeth I was worried something had happened, but not-not this,” Jace lent his hand to pull Ander up to his feet and then embraced him in a hard hug. “How can this be cousin?”

“Marina took advantage of our desperation. Come, where is my armor? I must return to battle, we may go down, but we sure as hell won’t be going down without a fight,” He turned to exit the room and entered into a dark cobblestone tunnel.

“Cousin wait! There is no battle,” Ander looked at Jace in confusion, ''Marina did not betray us. She delivered an impenetrable shield as promised. A demon has not been seen in this realm in over five hundred years…” He trailed off realizing his cousin was unaware of how much time had passed since that fateful day.   

“So you’re saying that after half a millennia, today I was suddenly brought back to life?” Ander slumped against the wall to support himself in his state of puzzlement. Jace nodded his head seeming to debate reality as well. 

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“Marina told us to leave your body lie. Not to disturb it in any way. That your body would be preserved while the spell fed off your life force. No one except for Tristan and I have been allowed in this room since, no one even knows what happened that day. Most assume you died in battle.” 

“My brother, where is he? Was he able to get the rest of our people inside after the shield went up?” Ander’s voice was tense but the scent he was after still called to him.

He must find his brother immediately. Together they would find the reason for this happening. 

“Yes, he managed to bring in everyone who did not make it in time. Though it took a while since only Tristan’s blood could create a passage through the walls. The demons still regularly scout the perimeters, so it made things more difficult” Jace explained.

“Take me to my brother,” At the command, Jace’s face had fallen. “What is it?”

“After things were set to order here, Tristan and the troops would go out aiding our allies in their own battles with the demons. As well as bring back anything our population was lacking here. The last time he left he went alone, refusing to let anyone come with him. He would not say why or where he was going but since he last left ... he has not returned,” The battle may have ended but the warring was not over. And he’s missed five centuries of it, leaving his brother alone to bear the burden. 

“How long ago did he last depart?” Ander knew his brother would not abandon the kingdom. Something must be keeping him from returning. 

“He’s been gone for eighty-seven years,” Fuck. What could have made him leave on his own? Many questions needed answers, but he knew he would not find them here in this dark, dank tower.

He knew going right would lead him to the great walls that protected the gate to this domain. And going left would lead deeper into the estate and eventually to roads that lead to the outer villages. The latter still had the faint smell of sweetness. He followed.

Ander charged on down the hall turning abruptly when the scent led him up a set of stairs that entered into a service hallway.

“Where are you going?” Jace continued at his heels with Loki not far behind.

Ander however carried on like he was on the hunt and tracking prey.

Jace sped up as he saw his cousin head straight to one of the maids and grabbed from her the crate she was carrying. Perhaps he has lost his mind as well as a few centuries. “What are you doing?” Jace dismissed the frightened maid before she found out just who it was rummaging through the linen box like a mad man.

The delectable smell was coming from here. From this box filled with nothing but sheets. He turned it over emptying all of its contents onto the floor. Kneeling down he held each up to his face trying to determine where it was coming from. He heard his cousin’s objections to his behavior but his mind was now consumed. Where the hell was it coming from? 

Finally, he saw it. A dainty white silk scarf had been mixed in with everything else. It had elaborate designs sewn into it with gold and ivory thread. This belonged to a female, one who must have been of high importance to own something so fine as this. 

He whistled for Loki to come around and held up the fabric to his nose. “What do you think?” he asked the wolf much to his cousin's surprise. The wolf inhaled deeply then let out a series of joyous barks that filled the room. “Yes me too,” he smiled and tucked the fabric into the inner pocket of his tunic.

Jace recognized the look Ander and Loki were sharing. It was one he hoped to have on his face one day as well. Every wolf did. And it only meant one thing. Ander had found his mate.   

Or at least the scent of her. Which must be what had woken him. They knew of nothing more powerful for them than the bond of matehood. If anything would bring a wolf back from the dead that’d be it, but as far as anyone knew nothing like this had ever happened before.  

“Where did this crate come from?” Ander asked now inspecting the wooden box for any clues as to its origin.

“I’m not sure, but we can find out. A lot of these fabrics are woven by women from the villages outside of Tabbe. It’s likely from one of those,” Jace said as they began moving further down the corridor. “I know in the past you never wanted to get your hopes up but…”

“It’s her, I’m sure of it,” Ander answered confidently, “Take me to the merchant master, her scent is fresh. These goods must have arrived today,” he motioned for Jace to lead the way. He stepped in front of Ander but then turned to face him blocking him off instead of continuing on. 

“We will find out where she is, but we need to be discrete. Ever since Tristan has disappeared, the people have been uneasy without their Alpha. Some are calling for a challenge to replace him. If you suddenly show up after centuries, it could be perceived as a threat to those who are all but demanding the conclave to gather and precede,”.

“So? I’ll fight anyone who wishes to challenge my rule in my brother’s stead. Same as I did after my father died, that is if there is any wolf foolish enough to confront me after I’ve already conquered death,” Jace could see his cousin hadn’t lost his confidence. Which he would need when he entered into the new world that awaited him. 

“There is one other thing…” Jace trailed off unsure how silly he would sound if he brought this up in a time like this. But a time like this was foretold for many millennia before, ever since the beginning of their blood feud with the demons. Though less believed or even knew of it now, unlike in the old times.   

 “What?” Ander asked impatiently. Every second not spent on finding her was a second his mate was away from him, from protection. 

“Your return, the possibility of finding your mate… you know better than I do that sounds like the prophecy. The people now, they’re different. They enjoy the safety and peace inside the walls,” 

Why was Jace concerned about this? If it truly was the prophecy at work, then they were about to achieve what none had in history. “Cousin, our warriors are brave and strong, if now is the time then we will be ready. We always have been. Now come, let’s go bring my mate home.”

His cousin didn’t understand. Things had changed drastically since the old times and he was about to find out.