2 years. It had been only 2 years since Rylan had escaped that wretched place.
And he had built up quite a name for himself. Purposely? No. Accidently? Yeah.
When Rylan was finally free, he pondered on what he should do. He spent a few weeks in the forest he fell asleep in recuperating, hunting down deer to sustain himself. Rylan never thought raw meat would ever taste that good.
After a while of just thinking Rylan deciding to just adventure and travel. As he moved to different forests, he encountered many rogues. They had attacked Rylan unprovoked, and he didn't feel any remorse in killing them. Rogues were banished because they committed an atrocious crime after all.
Lone wolves were a different story. The key to finding the difference between wolves is easy. Pack wolves usually go through a ceremony, and they gain their pack mark or symbol when they come of age. This was when pups gained the ability to shift. This ceremony connects them as one to the pack to allow easier communication via mind link. Lone wolves will be mark less. They either remove their mark or never receive it. Rylan was the latter. He was supposed to be officially initiated into the pack when he shifted, but seeing as his pack died it never happened.
He still bore the mark of his pack as the Alpha's son, a special mark on alpha-bloods, since the mark of an alpha is passed down through bloodline, but it truly didn't mean shit now that his pack had been massacred. The rogues had tried to skin the mark off him and gain the alpha mark for themselves but the second they tried stitching it into their skin it disappeared and reappeared on Rylan. So now he was just another lone wolf, albeit an alpha one.
Lone wolves were rare. Not many liked to leave their pack after all. But they were still treated the same as a rogue. Now, rogue wolves have their pack mark crossed out with silver. Their scents change and eyes change, pupils sharpening gaining a more feral look while their eyes receive a yellow glazed tint over it. They looked and smelled sick and overall, it was a putrid odor. No one knew why this change happened to rogues. Most believed it was the Moon's curse for betraying your pack.
Whenever Rylan encountered lone wolves, he left them alone. His grudges mostly held against rogues and as a lone wolf himself he held no grudges against them.
Travelling a lot led to Rylan seeing some wolves being attacked by rogues. Sometimes pack wolves that were travelling, or lone wolves that were ambushed. It was a recurring pattern that worried him. He knew these rogues were being led by someone. Whenever Rylan did see an attack happening, he tried to help take down as many rogues as possible without revealing himself. He was a killing machine when in action, ending lives left and right. Rylan suspected his speed and grace was due to the vampire venom now running through his veins. At least one good thing came out of that.
He left before the pack wolves could regroup and find him, but with lone wolves he stayed to hear the grateful words they told him for saving his life. They after all were pack-less and could tell no one right? No. Apparently the wolves loved to gossip about their hero. Rylan supposed he was partly to blame. He should've told them to never speak of him or the attack ever again.
And so, he became known as Vigilante Red. Rylan was ignorant of his newly acquired title until he encountered a she-wolf and her pup. Rylan was in his fur when he met them, and they had called him that. The mother had to explain the title to Rylan. Rylan didn't consider himself a vigilante, but he did understand where the red came from. Rylan had never seen his wolf for himself, but apparently, he had a beautiful red sheen to his coat. His wolf had preened and puffed out his chest in pride at all the compliments for his fur.
Rylan had to admit at first, he had thought they called him red because of all the blood on his hands.
He didn't mind the title. It didn't mean anything to him. Until he realized his name had reached pack Alphas that wanted an asset like him in their pack. They saw him as a weapon, an object to be used for their benefit, and that angered him. The council also had apparently caught wind of him and had actually manage to track him down. Rylan was both annoyed and impressed as a chestnut-colored wolf approached with caution.
The wolf's build was lithe and lean muscle rippled beneath the dark colored fur. The perfect build for a tracker.
He didn't know how they tracked him here in the middle of nowhere, and it slightly bugged him that had they found him. Had his skills dulled? Perhaps he should work on covering his tracks more often.
The wolf got down on their belly before baring its neck to Rylan. Rylan was a bit puzzled by the show of submission before he simply gave a nod. The wolf shifted into a tall lean man that slowly got up with his hands raised. Rylan supposed it was to show he meant no harm. Rylan had sized him up earlier though and knew he could have the man's neck in his jaws before he could get a chance to pull any tricks on Rylan. Yes, trackers were fast, extremely so, but Rylan was positive he was faster.
It seemed the man wanted Rylan to shift as well so Rylan decided to humor him and shift into his skin.
It was a few moments of silence before Rylan growled in annoyance that made the wolf before him flinch. "So? What do you want from me?"
"The council wishes to meet you", he stuttered out. "I will be the one to lead you there-"
"For what reason?"
"There's been a recent problem the council would like to talk to you about at the capital."
The capital. Where the royals resided. Rylan thought they were doing a shit job at ruling the werewolves though. Rogues ran rampant terrorizing each other and others. They put the supernatural at risk of being exposed with how careless they were. More wolf than human and apparently the wolf had little sense of self-preservation.
"How do I know you won't imprison me and use me to your advantages." Rylan said lowly in a questioning and taunting tone to him.
The man seemed to bristle a little at that. "The council would never do such things. Unless you've committed a treason against them." He raised an eyebrow at Rylan to which Rylan just rolled his eyes. But deep inside he knew he might as well be rogue with how much blood was on his hands.
His wolf was curious on what the council wanted though, and Rylan had to admit he was curious as well. He sighed before speaking. "Fine. Lead the way..." Rylan raised a brow at the man. He was curious of the name of this skilled tracker.
"Lucas."
Rylan just nodded and shifted into his fur while waiting for Lucas to do the same.
Lucas hesitantly started trotting, probably wary of having his back turned to Rylan, and then broke into a sprint which Rylan easily followed. Rylan enjoyed the scenery change. He had never gone west before. He had watched as the snowy forests he traveled within slowly melted the more they got closer to the capital.
The scent of flowers and pollen wafted through the air to his nose as they approached the capital. Springtime. Rylan wasn't a fan of summer and spring. It was too hot to do anything and the sweat from the heat made him sticky and left him with a disgusting dirty feeling. Fall and Winter were a different story. The cool breeze from the fall season left him feeling refreshed while the snow that fell during winter was like a cool shower to him. And despite the cold the fluffiness of the fresh snow was comforting to him. He wasn't really cold in the Winter either, thanks to his undercoat of fur.
Rylan had never been to the capital before. His parents always went without him and promised to take him when he had grown older to groom him into the alpha position. His heart sunk a little at the thought of his parents.
As they got closer Rylan made out large gate with an entrance. An entrance that was guarded by many wolves. Lucas shifted and Rylan stayed in his fur, he felt safer in his fur. Rylan wasn't by any means weak in his skin, but his fur had more advantages, claws that could shred through flesh and a deadly jaw full of canines.
He tuned out the conversation Lucas had with the guard as he checked over his surroundings. The guards eyed him warily, whether it because of his title or of his status as lone wolf he didn't know. Probably both.
Lucas shifted back into his wolf before yipping at Rylan to get his attention and began to trot towards the entrance. Rylan followed reluctantly, it wasn't to late to book it and get his ass out of here but curiosity won over the anxiousness. As they entered Rylan slowed to examine his surroundings and was blown away.
There were many trees to accommodate the wolves but as you got closer to the center there were more buildings and some little shops. It was a beautiful community with the streets bustling with werewolves. He looked farther back to see a glorious manor. He had heard descriptions from his parents. This was where the werewolf council held meetings sometimes joined by the witch and vampire council.
Lucas's chestnut-colored wolf seemed to puff out his chest in pride as he saw a rare glimpse of admiration in Rylan's expression.
They continued towards the manor and were greeted by once again, Rylan might add, guards. Lucas shifted and motioned to the clothes in his hands that were handed to him. Rylan's wolf bristled a bit at the order and begrudgingly shifted. Lucas handed him sweatpants that he slipped on quickly. Rylan wasn't use to being so close to other wolves, or other people in general. He was always a bit introverted growing up. Being locked up for years with no socialization besides taunting the rogues when they tortured him didn't exactly help.
Lucas glanced back at Rylan for a quick second before gesturing for him to follow. He stopped abruptly and Rylan if not for his quick reflexes would've tripped on Lucas. He looked at Lucas only to be met with eyes that were glazed over, Rylan guessed he was mind linking someone. His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the brunette.
Said brown-haired man snapped out of it and began speaking. "The council would like me to direct you to them. They will explain their reasons for dragging you out here there."
He eyed Rylan with caution before he began to walk again with Rylan dragging his feet behind him. He was getting hungry; he had run for hours without breakfast because a certain someone had to interrupt him. His eyes snapped to Lucas with malice that disappeared as quickly as it came as Rylan calmed himself.
Rylan's wolf bristled a bit as the wave of hunger hit his beast as well.
His eyes scanned the corridors as they walked. It was filled with large paintings that Rylan guessed were of the past council members.
They stopped at an obnoxiously large dark wooden door. Lucas inclined his head in greetings towards some more guards as they gave him a slight nod in return. Rylan eyed them before also give a slight nod. He would've laughed at the way their eyes widened before they scrambled to give a slight bow of respect to him in greeting, but he kept his nonchalant unbothered facade intact and waited.
He started to grow a bit irritated and agitated with how long the council was taking to say the simple words, 'come in'.
Rylan almost sighed in relief when the words were spoken and the ominous doors swept open. His hands twitched to come up to his ears and save them from the screech the doors made as they opened fully to reveal the 3 esteemed council members.
In the middle sat the leader of werewolves. The Alpha 'King' but as Rylan sized him up and checked for weaknesses, he was thoroughly disappointed. Unless the King had some hidden crazy power he was no better than an average Alpha. Perhaps even less than an Alpha.
How disappointing. Neither he nor his beast saw him as a leader and his wolf would never bow down to someone weaker. His beast would rather fight a million rogues than damage his pride like that. It was amusing but Rylan felt inclined to agree with his wolf.
On his left, Rylan guessed was the Queen. Now he had to admit he was impressed by the power she exuded. The prime example of power and grace was what she was. Her power fell off her in waves that hit Rylan with more force each time. He suspected had he been a lesser wolf his knees would've buckled beneath him. He turned to look at Lucas to see him already baring his neck while trembles wracked through him. The raw show of power clearly affected the tracker. His wolf didn't like the idea of bowing down to anyone, but he felt her power and knew she would give them a run for their money. Rylan's beast still had his pride though and believed he could best the Queen.
Rylan almost shook his head in exasperation. There went his bad habit of sizing people up to see if he would be able to beat them or not. He really needed to stop that.
On the right of the king was who Rylan guessed to be the werewolf representative when the royals couldn't make it. He felt a strange draw to the she-wolf and by the way her eyes widened she felt it too. It was nothing strong however, it felt more like the bond to a family member. His wolf's curiosity also piqued at the she-wolf. He too felt the bond. Rylan imagined if he had a sister their bond would feel like this.
From the left a strong voice spoke and Rylan's head snapped towards the source pulled away from his thoughts on the bond. "Welcome, we assume you're wondering why you were brought here, not to worry though. Everything will be revealed in due time."
The Queen's eye glinted in slight fear at him before it washed away within seconds. Rylan caught it though, and his wolf growled in delight when they realized the werewolf Queen was scared of them.
He held back a sadistic grin as his wolf leaned forward in curiosity and all the people in the room squirmed in their seats like scared insects he could crush.
This will be one of the most exciting adventures I've ever had. Rylan thought as he gave them a toothy grin that had a shiver of dread rolling down their spines as they got a small taste of his power.
Neat.
___________________________