We were almost to the palace when there was a change in the wind, I could smell other weres and I doubted they were friendly. We could send Hildy off with the horses but until our little escapade, she had never ridden a horse.
"Luna, there are rouge wolves close by, they outnumber us at least three to one." William whispered.
"I know, William. I can smell them. We'll have to keep them away from Hildy and the horses, that way if she gets an opportunity she can ride to the palace and get help." I whispered back. I put my hand on the hilt of my knife. It was a weapon I had owned since I was a young pup, and I was quite proficient with it. It wasn't a big knife but it had a blade that was sharper than any sword. It had gotten me out of a few scrapes back before my wolf was sealed away and I would sneak out to get away from the duchess.
We picked up our pace and went straight for the palace, pushing the horses as hard as we dared. They startled and almost threw all of us when the rouges came out of the woods and surrounded us.
"Well, well, it seems that some vulnerable ladies with their guard ran right into our trap. Fair lady, why don't you give us your name? After all, we're all friends here." one of the rogues said. I could immediately sense that he was in charge of these rogues.
"Go to hell, you bastard." I said.
"Now, now, fair lady. You have obviously spent too much time around servants, for a fair lady." he said and smiled nastily.
My hand immediately went to my knife. I was ready for the attack that was to come. Beta William had a look of grim determination on his face. We both moved so that Hildy would be protected. "The amount of stupidity that men have never cease to amaze me. You are keeping me from my mate. Now, move!"
"As you wish, fair lady." the leader said. The rogues attacked two of them went for me, and I kicked one of them in the groin and the other was stabbed in the throat. My wolf was itching to come out, even though I knew I had never even fought in that form before. What I did have however was, proficiency in martial arts and knife-fighting, both of which I learned as a young pup.
Hildy, as it turned out, also knew some martial arts and was able to subdue her attackers. I didn't even see William but from the sounds I heard, he was fighting the other wolves in his wolf form. Another one came toward me, the leader, "Well now, fair lady, it's been fun but I think that you should come with me." he said, his eyes glittering.
"Like hell, I will. I said MOVE!" I shouted that last word with all of the power I had. I met his eyes and I wouldn't look away from him. When he finally looked away, all the attacking wolves stopped what they were doing and stared at their leader. I doubted that he had submitted to anyone before, let alone a woman.
At his signal, the entire pack took off and disappeared into the woods. "Is everyone alright?" I asked.
"Luna, one of the rogues got William." Hildy said, her voice was distressed and her eyes were filled with tears.
"Bring him here, Hildy." I said. I looked at the wound in his side, it was a stab wound. The first thing I did was check his pulse and his breathing. I didn't think that the knife pierced his lung, which was a very good thing, but he was unconscious. The only thing that I needed to do was bandage his wound. The bottom of my dress and petticoats were little more than strips of cloth at this point, which made them perfect. I used my knife to help me cut my skirts and petticoats into the bandages I would need.
I wrapped them around his wound tight around his wound but I made sure that he was still able to breath. It was a bit of an effort but I managed to get him on the horse, and I had Hildy to make sure that William wouldn't slide off the horse by accident.
I grabbed the horse by the reins and we set off at a walk toward the palace. It was about an hour before I could see the palace walls. I saw a patrol of guards and walked toward them. There were six men in all, they were all werewolves, clad in shiny, silvery armor, with a sword.
"Halt, who goes there?" the leader of the patrol called.
"Lady Rose of Sicillia, Beta William and Mistress Hildegard Gioia. We need aid, the Beta has been wounded, we were attacked in the woods by a pack of rogue wolves. I need to speak with Prince Jared right away." I called back. The patrol came over to us and the leader said, "Very well, my lady. We shall go into the palace."
I moved over to start getting him down from the horse when one of the men said, "Wait just a second, no lady would have a skirt on her dress that low. This woman cannot be a lady."
I turned and looked at the one who had spoken and fixed him with the coldest stare I could manage before saying icily "Guardsman, I had to use my skirts for bandages, so since you so kindly volunteered, get the Beta off the horse and on to the litter or what ever it is that you will use to carry him. NOW!" I pointed to the man next to him "Help him get the Beta down. Mind his side, he was stabbed there fairly deeply." I pointed to two other men and said "You two, stand there and try not to look stupid." I looked and realized they were both standing there and staring at me. "Don't just stand there, GET HIM DOWN." I said with a bellow that was, no doubt, loud enough to wake the dead.
They all flinched and the two that were ordered to take him down did so. They lowered his still unconscious form down on to a carrier and started to walk off. Hildy tried to go with them but one of the other guards said "Mistress, you can't go with him."
"The hell she can't, she is his mate and as such she can accompany him wherever she likes. Hildy, go with your mate." I said.
"Yes, my lady." she said and bobbed a curtsy. The look on her face was eternally grateful.
"Well, your ladyship, who died and made you queen of Hisperia?" said the guard that I had told to get the beta down.
"I am not the queen yet, but I will be." I told him.
"Well, your ladyship, if you're to be the queen, then I am a bloody witch." he said.
"Well then, why don't you find a way to magic your lips shut, because if you don't, I will do it for you." I said. Then I fixed him with a look that I used very rarely at Sicilia because only a few of my pack members and servants had dared to disobey me over the years. It would force them to remain silent, the amount of time varied but it was never less than a full day.
Whatever that guardsman tried to said was unknown because there was no sound coming from his mouth. The patrol said "Alright, hands behind your back, you're under arrest for forcing magic on a member of the Cacciatori.", but I could have sworn I saw respect in his eyes.