I stood gaping...no, I mean, literally, GAPING at the shirtless, muscled bodies before me.
"Yup! That's what I thought you'd do. Come on, I heard Lord Clarke is about to hold a match! We gotta see!"
She grabbed my hand and off we flew. After weaving and ducking (very ungracefully I must say) we finally managed to get 2 seats where we could see everything! In the middle of this horde of sexy men stood one solitary figure. He was tall and lean but with broad shoulders and muscles rippling throughout his arms and abdomen. His hair was blonde and his eye's were deep forest green, his nose was a bit long and his lips just a tad too thin for my liking but still, he was an extremely handsome man! Besides, I'm genetically programed to find the faults in all but my own mate.
"Bui i aenil" I head Trixa whisper. Having studied her Elvish tongue I knew it translated too "By the Goddess" I snickered, it appears I'm not the only one taken back by the handsome males. Lord Clarke stood proud, hands on hip's and chest out. He threw us a gleaming smile then began slowly turning.
"Does anyone here wish to show off a little for our honored hostess? I would be truly delighted to act as her highness's champion for this bout." He said in his thick British accent as he turned back to me and bowed. I snickered behind my hand then rose to my feet. Back straight, head held high I replied.
"Lord Clarke, How very noble of you to act as my champion. However, I do already have a champion of my own. I'll tell ya what we can do though, everyone pair off, one winner from each respective pack will be chosen to fight against....my champion. The winner can, if he so chooses, have a private afternoon lunch with me." Snickers, grunts of approval and whispers went all around.
There were 10 major British Clans and only 5 of the German Alphas brought their packs. After three long hours of sparring the 15 winners were chosen. By now it was nearing 1:00 in the afternoon and I along with everyone else was beginning to grow hungry.
"Wonderful! So now we have our 15 prospects!..." I was cut off by a blood curdling scream.
My head immediately jerked to the source of the scream. I felt Trixa go rigid beside me, I called my powers as I launched myself towards the outlying woodlands. It wasn't long before Grayson was hot on my heel's followed by the son's of the Alpha's. I dashed into the tree's, leaping silently from one branch to the next. Another gut wrenching scream echoed through the wood's. It was coming from the river bank. I bolted to the ground, shifting in mid air. Where once was a woman now stood a giant white wolf covered in black ancient runes. I landed just as silently as I had been in the tree's. All the Alpha's sons had transformed as well. I sprinted towards the river, throwing my head back and bellowing out an Alpha's call to my makeshift pack behind me.
They yipped their compliance and pushed onward, following my lead. I wasn't sure they would, seeing as how I'm an un-mated female. No matter if I'm Alpha born or not, No matter if I'm Royalty or not....I am still who I am. Un-mated. By all right's they didn't have to follow, yet they did. My heart swelled a little at that thought. Just then I picked up the thick iron laced smell of blood. It was young blood. Rage fueled my muscles as I forced myself to quicken my pace yet again. I was so far ahead of everyone else, even Grayson was having trouble keeping up. Tree's flew past my face and body, low hanging branches and twig's caught my snout and sides as I brushed past them. I didn't care, I knew my mission, find the child.
I burst through the underbrush and into the clearing by the river. Lips curled back, fur on end, I scanned the area. I heard the others slowing down to creep into fighting position. I sniffed the ground then the air as I slowly made my way closer to the river. The scent of blood was getting stronger. I gave a low growl and looked back over my shoulder, a signal for the others to come search the area. All different colors and sizes of wolves descended upon the clearing in our search for the victim. Suddenly a snapped twig caught my attention. I hunkered low and growled a deep menacing sound. There was a thicket just beyond the waterfall. I saw movement and pounced, jaws wide and claws out. I landed on top of what felt like rock's but turned out to be a skinny, ragged wolf. It's fur was matted all over and it was covered in blood and mud. It whimpered and screeched in my face. My jaws were held taut to it's throat.
"Who are you!" I demanded in my most Alpha tone.
The wolf just whimpered and whined in my grasp.
"I wont ask twice whelp!"
"I.....I'm...E-Eodan, I'm Eodan." He stuttered.
"Shift, now!" I said as I removed my jaws from his throat. I took a step back to let him sit up. He was shaking all over.
"I...I can't, I...don't know how..." he whispered in a near sob. Then it hit me...the blood is his. He's just a child, this must be his very first shift. I studied him as he sat before me whining and staring at the ground.
"Go back to the castle. I'll bring the boy in. Grayson, tell my father what's happened. Tell him I'll be home in a bit." I said loud and clear, never breaking my gaze from the young wolf.
"Mmm. Come on boy's you heard the princess, Get!" Grayson exclaimed as they all turned tail and dashed back into the forest.
"You're....the princess?" The youngling managed. A sense of awe in his voice. I hadn't noticed a few moments ago but I now clearly heard a hint of an accent in the boy's voice. What kind I have yet to figure out.
"Yea sug, I'm the princess. So this is your first shift huh? Pretty scary to go through that by yourself. Where are your parent's?" I eased myself around the boy, taking him in from a safe distance.
"They're gone, died when I was a babe." His shaking had lessened but not left him. I took my paw and placed it under his chin as I puled his head up so I could look him in they eye's. What I saw was fear in his glassy orb's. Fear and a very rare thing...the boy has Heterochromia. One eye was gold while the other was a deep green.
"You're a very special child, you know that?" I cooed to him.
He seemed to ease a bit at my calm tone. I licked his muzzle and head inciting a giggle. I moved to sit next to him, he flinched away a little but quickly returned to my side. I looked down on him. He was so small, I, myself am pretty big for a female but I'm also of royal blood so of course I was a little bigger than most, but this boy, he couldn't be more than maybe 10 years old.
"Ok, so let's try to get you back into human form. Sound good little one?" I asked him sweetly. He shook his little wolf head.
"Ok, just relax, feel yourself turning human again. See it in your minds eye. It won't hurt, you'll feel a warming sensation all over your body then a bright light will envelope you then you'll be human again. Come on we'll do it together." I spoke softly and encouragingly to the boy.
It took a few minutes but he finally began the change. Once he was human again he crumpled into a tiny ball. I quickly allowed my wolf to recede as I pushed my human self forward. Once on my feet I called my powers and managed to make clothing for us from river moss, leaves and vines. (Elemental powers, remember. This is the best I can do in a pinch.) The poor child was cold and riddled with cut's and scrapes. I dressed him as best I could then picked him up and held him close to my own body, hoping to bring up his temperature. He really was freezing, poor thing.
"How long have you been out here?
"I, I don't know. I came here with my brother Darrow. He's the only family I have."
"What a brave little wolf you are. Don't worry sug, we'll find your brother. Im'a take you home with me for now though ok?
He nodded his response. He was riding the edge of consciousness and not long after I left the clearing he passed out in my arms. His little body was so bruised and torn, my heart ached for him. I thought through all the names I'd memorized from the packs who were supposed to attend the ball. No one I'd heard of was named Darrow. I knew it was European but of which pack specifically I didn't know. It was a long walk home and my feet were killing me by the time the castle came into view. My father along with all the alphas and their sons were standing outside in the training grounds. I smiled as my eye's met those sky ones of my father's. He began walking towards me, arms outstretched but before we could reach each other a low growl, deeper than any I'd ever heard before sounded behind me. I stopped dead, my father's brows, furrowed as his lips pulled back and his canines descended. His fists clenched at his sides. He was staring behind me, I took in a deep breath and slowly turned.