|The wolf|
My paws dug into the snow, I could feel most of the ground now as winter was passing by and soon the fall would give us the best season we could hope for. Things ran differently in this forest. Sometimes winter ends, and summer begins. Other times, it's different. The cycles can be predicted but it is never consistent. I was sniffing for the mimic. The filthy cat who had spoken to my mate. She'd described the area where the cat had been and I was searching that spot for the creature. A witch in my forest? The balls they must have is insane.
I can't wait to snap their neck between the jaws of my teeth. I heard soft purring coming from a tree but I froze instead of going after it. I can smell the old woman, she had moved her house once more and I wondered why.
And more importantly, why was she around my terf not to far from the cat's location?
Maybe she's in search of a fresh ingredients for one of her many spells, a voice supplies me with this answer but it doesn't sound right to me.
Well the idea of her being here for an ingredient might be correct but a cat? Last I checked she had a lot of those in her home their heads were stuck on pikes. Waiting to be used by Baba.
It wasn't until the purring stopped that to egged my body to go in search of the creature so it would lead me to the witch that sent it.
I found the cat lay in the pile of snow, and a large set of chicken feet planted on each side of it.
The pet was clearly horrified. If only it would get into its senses to move before the house drops on it.
I didn't move though, I watched it. Taking note of the scent. The witches always smelled the same as their mimics. It's a key factor I use in tracking them all down.
The house didn't drop down as I expected, instead, a rope slithers our of the window. And Baba slides through it.
She isn't facing me though. Her eyes are on something on the other side of the road while I'm hidden behind the bushes.
I take a heavy sniff, cyphering through the scents that float into my nose. Then I pick the one that belongs to my mate, and I let a low growl escape me.
Ready to attack Baba if she dared to touch red. I didn't need a second thought, or even a moment to consider all that baba had done for me. All I wanted was to violently rip her to shreds if she attempts to add more scars to red's pretty little body.
But something must have happened, because just as quickly as she had dropped. She was gone.
Relief entered me, but my heart was still heavy and my body was on alert. Baba doesn't do anything without a reason. She always has one.
I need to find her home, contact her bird so that I can get an invitation.
My eyes drop to the cat who has finally snapped out of its stupor. It runs off, and I wait five minutes. I can still hear the steps, the little pouncing of its feet against the smothering surface of the snow.
Then I moved my leery gaze to red, I can see her fully now as she stares but she can't see me. She can't sense my presence. She's looking inconspicuously for something.
Which tells me she saw Baba. I need her to not know of the old woman's name, or what she truly does. If red goes to her to strip away her powers, it will ruin our relationship as she won't be able to see me, and the price baba will collect in the end will be immeasurable.
Red then turns, she's walking with Mischa and he's carrying a barely conscious body. I debate on whether I should follow the cat, which arguably would be a better option, but my paws are already stretching to take the second option.
To keep an eye on red.
Like a weird stalker.
I found a comforting spot to rest my head. I didn't listen to what she was doing, my ears traced the cat. It was heading towards the city.
Which means the which isn't in here. Odd, the witches are never far but this one lives in the city.
City means past the Dynasty prison. How two enemies could live so close by to each other is a mystery I will never solve. If it were up to me, I'd have stormed that prison and slaughtered everyone. But that would make me the monster my people think I am.
I'm startled out of my thoughts when a heavy pounding hits the front door of doctor Alonzo. A trained, ex warrior wolf who leaves with his daughter in this adorable cottage. I honestly thought he'd been eaten off by Baba since he never leaves his home. But he's one the best doctors in the pack. I gave a soft snarl, and rose on to legs.
Padding softly against the snow, and keeping the volume of my feet to a minimum.
The people banging on the door happened to be Petal, Kyroz, and Amelia- Petal's older sister.
The question of why their here doesn't enter the space of my mind. Instead I focus on the threats being thrown by Kyroz to my wife.
Some people want my bad side. They practically beg for it.
The good thing is I like showing them that bad side. I like giving them something real to fear.
When I heard the threats mix in with Adele's screams back, I can finally get the image of what happened. I thought to approach right away but I waited to see what Kyroz would do.
Mischa had already informed him of what I would do to him if he touched my mate. It won't even be something to laugh about in the future. I will wreck him.
"Open the door, Adele. Let us discuss this. You don't know what you saw. My mother was assaulting me and my sister. Kyroz had to step in and save us." Petal pleaded, and Mischa's disbelieving scoff could be heard through the closed doors.
I spotted the signs of blind rage fueling Kyroz before he even screamed and bashed his shoulders against the door in a fit to get them open.
But while he is an alpha, Mischa is a big man who refuses to be intimidated by Kyroz.
They get out into a harsh throwing of words and I notice Amelia sneaking into the house with Petal right on her tail.
Shaking my head, I sat back an howled. The sound was followed by a powerful growl that shook the trees, and scared the animals around.
I didn't move from my spot, but I knew my large size could be seen from where I sat. Mischa shoved Kyroz out, and began to walk in my direction.
Next I saw the trio of idiots follow him.
Adele came out after Petal.
She had wide eyes, and she looked frightened up until she saw me. I'm not sure she realized the soft way her gaze dropped. Showing how relieved she was to know that there wasn't a threat, just me.
Should I be insulted that she wasn't even a little bit afraid?
I can smell the fear as it comes off everyone else.
They eventually came to a stop just ten feet away from me. Adele continued on though. She didn't stop until she was next to me. Then she dropped to her knees, and leaned in to kiss the spot where my shoulder would be.
I can tell that she didn't do that because of the list, it felt like she needed to do that. To have an excuse to stay safe next to me. She laid her head against my side, and sighed just low enough for me to hear it.
I growl once more before I speak.
"Can you explain the reason for this argument?" My eyes are on Kyroz as he's the only alpha in the group.
"Nothing, your highness. Your woman just got in the way of something that didn't concern her." Right of the bat with that.
Adele sat up right and glared. "oh I'm sorry I hit you with a bat for trying to FUCKING MURDER AN OLD LADY JUST BECAUSE SHE HIT YOUR MISTRESS."
Amelia turned to face my mate. "Excuse you, he hit her for the sake of his wife."
Mischa and Adele laughed. "Really? You think we didn't see what happened. How he stood there when petal was hit but only struck back when you were involved?" Mischa points out.
Amelia tightens her lip, she has nothing more to add. And Petal looks upset. Glaring at Adele.
"She's my mother, your highness. She was hitting us, and causing a scene. I say she deserves to be hit. Why would she involve herself in my marriage? That is between me and my husband."
"And his true love." Mischa added, Petal shot him a frown.
"You don't know what you're talking about so stay out of it."
I don't even care what happens to Petal. She's an adult, she can take care of herself.
What I do care about is someone threatening Adele. And also the fact that she was so close to Baba.
"Petal is an adult, she can make her decisions. But her mother is one of the elders who has contributed enough to this pack. Kyroz, you're forbidden from coming any next to her. And you're on house arrest for the next seven weeks." His jaw gapes.
"But what-"
"And I want you to pick a finger. I told you the last time you acted out of anger, I would cut off a part of you. Pick a finger from both hands and I will bite it off. Or, you can ask Petal to sacrifice one of hers."
Adele tenses next to me, her lashes flutter and I know every tense line on her face even though my eyes aren't on her.
Kyroz nods, "Petal, give him the finger with your ring on it."
"What?!"
Why is she surprised? Is the only thing I ask myself while I put on a bored expression.
They should make up their minds so that I can take my mate away. And to think people consider me as the monster. I can say that-
"There are some really shitty people in this world." Adele whispers to me, and I chuckle. We were thinking the same thing.
Call me insane, but my heart nearly explodes from that little moment.
So this is why people obsess over mates. The feelings are intense.