Cherished Lady: Part II

13-Ace

It was time to give another stupid report. It was the most tedious and dangerous part of my assignment. I did it as little as possible. Father didn't need to know every time someone in the royal family sneezed.

The meeting point was the same spot in the woods next to a fallen tree. I was meeting my father's contact in the morning during the time the warriors had their breakfast. It meant the woods would almost be empty as warriors were always more focused on their stomachs.

After shifting into my red wolf I padded to the meeting place and hid in the bush waiting. Two wolves were here recently. One stunk of a palace guard. Probably off on a run to let off some steam. The smell made me nervous. I needed to get this done and over with before whoever it was returned.

I waited ten minutes before a familiar muddy coat was spotted slinking through the trees. Tybold. He was one of my father's enforcers and a down right prick.

Upon his arrival I crawled out of the brush to reveal myself. I approached him with my head held high making eye contact. His wolf rumbled at the challenged.

Careful pup, he growled. I can still rip your throat out. I wasn't worried. As long as my father wanted me here, Tybold couldn't do anything to jeopardize that. I continued to deadpan him. One thing my father taught me well was to hide my true thoughts. Made me the perfect spy to infiltrate the palace. Tybold continued with his malice.

Well, spit it out. Anything new to report. I rolled my eyes at him.

No. Nothing unexpected or usual. This is a waste of time and an unnecessary risk as usual.

Don't get snappy with me boy!

If you keep growling someone will hear us! I sneered back.

Before we could go further into our conversation a white blur flew through the bush and stopped. Both of our attentions went straight to the intruder. A white she-wolf with bright green stood before us with a huge surprised look on her face. Everyone was shocked with the discovery. Before Tybold or I recover the wolf's eyes flashed a purple-ish color and she gave a threatening growl. The fur on her back stood on edge a warning to the two of us.

Fuck! I heard Tybold mentally yell before meeting the she wolf with a growl. I couldn't help but stare shocked at what I saw. Tybold may be an idiot but I knew what a full white coat meant. This changed everything. I continued to stare as Tybold back the poor thing up against the trees. He was lining her up for a kill. I needed to do something.

No Tybold stop! I called through the link.

What?!?! He yelled back. I couldn't come up with an excuse to stop him. Luckily I didn't need two as another dark gray wolf leapt over the white one to stand protectively between her and Tybold. This wolf was large. Most likely a place warrior of some kind.

The gray wolf looked back at the white one before returning to meet Tybold's snarl. The white wolf seeing her chance ran into the woods with another flash, and I just stood there staring like an idiot.

What the fuck are you doing you idiot! Tybold screamed at me. Go after her! They gray wolf attacked Tybold in a flurry of teeth and fur. Tybold was holding his own but the gray wolf had the advantage of being younger.

Finally snapping out of my panic I shot after the she wolf. Following her scent I ran through the woods as branches and brush snapped under me. Her scent left a trail where she went so she was easy to follow, but then it suddenly stopped when I reached a small clearing.

I walked around the clearing with my nose to the ground sniffing her out. I was so focused on looking low I didn't think about what was above me. Something fell from the tree above me, tackling me to the ground. I rolled with it a few times before we finally came to a stop. Whatever it was I was pinned under it. I looked up to see the she wolf. She was small and I had every advantage over her yet she still managed to pin me.

The wolf's teeth lunged for my and I felt the pinch of her jaws on my neck. Fear filled every corner of my mind as my insides screamed for mercy!

Stop! I called out. The white wolf stilled, her jaw still around my throat. My lungs sucked in panicked breaths as I willed my body not to move. Slowly the white wolf withdrew her head enough to look down at me. I stared into those angry pinkish purple eyes as they critiqued me. After a minute the wolf bent its head down again sniffing at the base of my throat. My body shivered as the hot breath hit me.

The wolf blew out through her nose and shook her head as if my smell bothered her, and then slowly climbed off of me. I scrambled to me feet out of reach surprised that she had willingly released me. The she wolf was calm but I could feel her dominant energy pressing against me compelling me to stay.

Suddenly I felt a pain in my chest and a tug. Whatever it was my wolf pulled against it not wanting to give in. On the second tug the spell that held me was broken. Without even thinking I ran away from the she wolf as fast as my legs could carry me. Still filled with fear I found a dark place to crawl under to hid in the brush. Whatever just happened was not natural. I felt like a part of me was trying to be ripped out and I wasn't going stick around to find out exactly what part it was.

I felt out through the pack bond looking for Tybold. When I pulled on his end of the bond, the thread that connected us pulled free and frayed. I was very familiar with the feeling. Tybold was dead, most likely killed by the gray wolf and the same thing almost happened to me.

I was lucky to get away but either way I was fucked.