Anton looked down at Artur with wide eyes. Artur continued to glare up at him. Oana kept tugging on his arm, trying to get his attention, but he couldn't rip his eyes off of Artur.

What was he doing here? he thought to himself.

"Anton," Oana's voice dragged him out of his state. He looked down at her and gave her a small smile as her head tilted to one side. "Do you know this utoshie?"

"Utoshie?" Artur spoke up loudly, his glare changing to Oana. "What the fu-"

"Shut your mouth," Anton snapped at him. His hands clenched by his sides as he tried to control himself. He did not like how Artur had looked at Oana. He wanted to punch him in the face but knew that that wasn't going to help anything.

Artur's head snapped back over to Anton. A surprised look was written all over his face. Oana tugged on his arm again. "You do know him."

Anton didn't take his eyes off of Artur as he nodded. "Yes, I do."

"He is from your utoshie group?" She moved closer to him.

Anton couldn't help himself as he moved her so she was standing slightly behind him. "Yes."

Oana's uncle, Manuel, moved through the crowd and stopped beside Anton. He gave him an approving nod before looking down at the three men in front of them. Flaviu and Robert didn't seem fazed at all at being here. Artur was the only one that looked angry and confused about where he was.

"Let me guess," Artur started. "You're their leader."

Manuel nodded. Anton looked at him and raised his eyebrow. He felt a presence in his mind when he suddenly heard Oana's voice.

It is not wise to let outsiders know that father is gone, her voice echoed inside his head. He turned to look at her. She smiled at him. Yes, we can communicate this way as well, she giggled. I think it is better.

Anton nodded as he agreed before turning back to glare at Artur. Can anyone else hear us? he asked her.

No, she answered him. Only us.

"Thank goodness you're alive, Anton," Flaviu spoke up. Anton looked over to his right to see Flaviu staring right at him. There was no surprise in his eyes, only relief. "I'm so glad that I found you." His gaze moved behind him to look at Oana. "I see you've made yourself at home."

Anton looked back at Oana. "Where did you find them, Cisi?" Manuel spoke up roughly. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Artur.

You need to make your friend stop looking at Uncle like that, Oana warned him. Her voice tickled the inside of his head.

That man does not listen to anyone, Anton explained to her. He didn't like me before I followed you. He won't listen to me. Oana's hand tightened around his arm as she moved around him. He didn't try to push her behind him again. She could handle herself. Hell, she can morph into a large wolf and he couldn't. What could he truly do to protect her?

"I suggest that you wipe that look off of your face," Oana growled at Artur. She stood tall as she glared down at him. Anton couldn't help but feel pride as he watched his woman glare down at a man twice her size.

A strong woman stepped up behind Artur and looked down at him, a sneer on her face. "I found these three men wandering around the jungle." She pointed to both Flaviu and Robert. "These two smell strange."

Another man with tattoos running up and down his chest stepped up beside the woman and handed Manuel a device. "We found this inside one of their packs."

Manuel grabbed the device and ran it over his hand. A small beeping sound came from the device. He handed it over to Anton. "Do you know what this is?"

Anton grabbed the device as dread started to sink in his stomach. His head shot up at Flaviu. "What the hell?"

Oana turned around, placing her hands on his hips and looking at the device. "Anton? What is it?"

"I had to, Anton," Flaviu answered him slowly. "Everyone has them."

"That doesn't make this right, Flaviu," he growled at him. A fucking tracker. Flaviu had put a fucking tracker on him. He was beyond furious at him. "What were you thinking?"

Flaviu started to move on his knees towards him when the woman, Cisi, pulled him back. "It was for your protection, Anton."

"Anton," Oana's voice reached out to him. Her hands rested on either side of his face. "Please, tell me, what is it?"

He looked down and shook his head. None of them were going to like this. Hell, he hated this. He gripped the device tightly in his hand. "He had put a tracker on me."

Oana's eyes widened, but she didn't move. She didn't take her hands away from him. "What do you mean?" she asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Traitor?" Manuel stepped closer to them, making Oana step in between them.

Anton looked up at Manuel and shook his head quickly. "No. I'm not a traitor. I didn't know that he had put a tracker on me."

Manuel wasn't listening, Anton could tell. He snapped his fingers as two men who were bigger than Anton stepped behind him. "Take him and the three other prisoners to the pit."

"No!" Oana screamed. She banged her fists against Manuel's chest. "You cannot take him. I will go down with him into the pit."

"Oana," Anton reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist bringing her against him. Let them take me.

No.

It'll be okay. He brushed his lips over her hair. I'll explain that I'm innocent in this situation and I'll be back with you soon.

Promise?

I promise. The two men gripped his shoulders and ripped him away from Oana quickly. They each grabbed his arms and pushed him towards the edge of the forest. I'll be back in our nest before you know it, Oana.

You better. She hugged her body as Manuel placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from pursuing him.

The pit sat at the edge of the village. It was a medium-sized cage made out of bones. Who those bones belonged to, Anton didn't know. But he wasn't about to ask. There was no guarantee that they were going to get any food or water. They would stay there until the council decided what to do with them. Anton was hoping that he would be able to plead his case. He had no idea that he was being tracked. He didn't care about the reason that Flaviu had for putting a tracker on him. This caused him to be separated from Oana and he wasn't happy about it.

The men pushed him, Artur, Flaviu, and Robert into the pit and closed the door. They sneered at them before turning away and walking back towards the village. Two morphers paced around the pit keeping an eye on them.

No one spoke for quite some time. After a couple of moments, Flaviu started to open his mouth. "Don't you fucking say anything," Anton growled.

Flaviu looked taken aback at first before realization came over his face. "You found a mate?"

Robert's and Artur's heads popped up quickly. "What?" Artur gaped.

Anton nodded. "Oana. Yes, she's my mate." His eyes narrowed at Flaviu. "Because of your tracker, I'm now forced to be here instead of in our nest with her." His chest hurt. Being away from her physically hurt him.

"Anton," Flaviu's face fell as he shook his head.

"How the hell did you get a woman like her?" Artur snorted.

"He is a good man," Oana's voice came from behind Anton.

Anton spun around and went to the edge of the pit. "What are you doing here?" He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I was allowed to come and see you," she reached between the bones and cradled his face, rubbing her thumb over his cheekbone. "They want to know where the tracker could be."

Anton shrugged. "I have no idea where the tracker could be." He turned and looked at Flaviu. "Where did you put the tracker?"

Flaviu's eyes moved back and forth between him and Oana. A small smile ghosted across his lips. "On your clothes."

Oana nodded as she looked back up at Anton. "I will find them."

"Burn them, Oana."

She smiled at him. "I will."