บท 20: Into The Wolves' Den
-Estelle POV-
"So, I guess this means we are making a stop before we continue for Vules?" I ask no one in particular.
"Well, I was planning on taking you to Vules for a while and then coming back to meet with the packs and clans, but I suppose we can stop at the Silver Moon Pack first," Stetson answered. "There is no way we can go straight to Vules, now. Not unless we leave Haidee behind, and that's not going to happen."
Stetson turned to two of the guards, and told them to return to Vules to warn them of the delay. Meanwhile, I walked over to James.
"Thanks for letting me take a pair of your pants. Remind me to buy you another pair," I said with a cheeky smile.
"Well it's not like I had a say in the matter, you kind of just took them from my sack," he said with a chuckle. "Oh, hey, I just want to warn you. Vamps and wolves don't tend to get along together very well. Not sure if you knew that or not."
"I did not. Care to explain?"
"Well, it dates way back to when each other's bites were lethal to the other," he started.
"Okay, but I thought over time they slowly became immune to it. So why is it still that way?"
"Because of the food chain. Both are top predators. Since vampires almost went extinct by the revolt of humans, they stopped feeding off them. And when they stopped feeding on humans, they needed to feed off something, so they turned to animals. And what else eats animals?"
"Werewolves," I answered. "So the rivalry is because they're both feeding off the same food source. Huh, yeah, I guess that would do it."
"Also, werewolves are naturally territorial. They do welcome other species with open arms, but vampires don't get such an honor," he added.
"They also smell horrid. Maybe not to your human noses, but to us vampires, they smell like wet dogs," one of the guards cut in.
"Oh yeah?" Arthur jabbed back while instinctively pulling Dee behind him, "Well you bloodsuckers don't smell much better. It's like death warmed over."
"Why don't you go fetch a stick or something, you dog. You know, find the biggest one to impress your mate."
"Hey, now-" I started but was cut off.
"Ha-ha," Arthur mocked, "so original. How about you go find some poor unsuspecting soul to go suck dry. At least werewolves don't waste perfectly good meat."
The guard bared his fangs and hissed at Arthur. He was about to say something when Stetson's voice rang over the clearing.
"ENOUGH!"
The guilty guard's eyes opened wide, and the others cowered away behind they're horse to remain from being seen. The guard was frozen in his spot, and looked at his feet to avoid Stetson's gaze. I turned to look at my beloved, and his eyes were bright crimson with anger. I glanced at James and his eyes were also wide. Arthur was in a defensive stance, but you could see he was slightly uncomfortable.
"If we didn't have women here, your head would be on the ground. You are on thin ice, and if I so much as hear even a whisper of misconduct, I will be the last thing you see. Now go tend to your horse. As for the rest of you, the same applies. We will be going to the Silver Moon Pack, and I expect you to be on your best behavior."
I watched as the guard scurried off, and at this point, I was stunned. Yeah, he's definitely not a banker's son. If he can threaten and kill a guard and not worry about any circumstances. I looked back at Stetson, and his eyes softened. He walked closer and cupped my cheeks.
"Are you alright, my little amethyst?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. It was just a squabble," I commented with a shrug.
"It may have started out that way, but things could have gotten extremely ugly. You were standing right in the middle of it too. Blood could have been shed, and I would murder every last being here if even a single drop of it was yours."
"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, don't you think that's a bit drastic?"
"Never. I have waited hundreds of years for you to be in my arms, and if you were to get hurt, now, over a petty racial squabble, I would kill every last one of them just for watching and not interfering."
"Well, when you put it like that…" I started to blush and look away, unable to finish my sentence.
"Sorry, to interrupt your little love confession," James chimed in, "but Arthur said he notified the alpha of our arrival, and we should really get going before anything else happens."
Stetson let out a deep sigh. "Very well. Back in the carriage you go. It looks like Dee is waiting for you."
I smiled at him, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. I could tell it caught him off guard, but before he could react I scurried off to the carriage giggling. I could hear him mumbling under his breath about me being a little vixen or something. It only made me giggle harder.
After I settled into the carriage with Dee, it was only a few moments before we started moving. I looked at her, and she was grinning from ear to ear.
"So, not even a half day outside of the kingdom, and you've found yourself a mate. What happened to 'I don't want a suitor'?" I jested.
"Well, obviously I wasn't expecting to be mated to a werewolf, Elle!" she squealed defensively.
"I know, I'm just teasing. Anyways, are you excited to go to this pack? To be honest I'm a bit nervous. I can't imagine they're going to be comfortable with almost twenty vampires being on their territory."
"Yeah, Arthur said his Alpha wasn't too keen on the idea, but he would see where it goes."
"Oh hey, that brings me to another question I had. How in the world was Arthur able to talk to his alpha when he was here with us the entire time?"
"Don't you remember? Werewolves can mindlink. It has to do with their wolves being a separate soul from them. The wolves can communicate through their spirit realm, I think, and then the wolves communicate with their human counterpart. They are like two separate beings, but they share the same body and mind. They are separate, but one."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Although, I never did fully understand that very well. Werewolves were always your interest and strong suit. I guess now we know why," I said with a smile, and she blushed in response. "Anyways, doesn't he have to mark you or something for the bond to be official?"
"Yeah! He said if I wanted, we could do it tonight. But only if I'm comfortable."
"You do remember that involves being intimate with him, right?"
Her blush became even brighter. "Of course. Everyone knows werewolves mark each other during…that."
I stifled a laugh. "That? Dee you can't even say the word, how are you going to be comfortable with it, if you can't even call it what it is?"
"I don't know. I just can. I feel different with Arthur. I feel safe and comfortable. I know we just met, but it's the bond. I just know I can trust him to take care of me."
"I know, hun, I was only teasing. I'm sure everything will be fine," I said with a comforting smile. "Besides, if he even thinks about hurting you, I am a witch. I will learn how to curse people, and I will curse him before I learn how to do anything else," I added with a shrug, and we both burst out laughing.
"I love you, Elle."
"I love you too, Dee," I responded, and the carriage fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride to the Silver Moon Packhouse.
After about another twenty minutes, the carriage came to a stop, and the door opened. Arthur's smiling face and hairy bare chest greeted us. I'm glad I gave him Jame's pants.
He helped Dee out of the carriage, and after moving away from the door Stetson helped me out.
The pair of us walked to the front of the pack house with James following close behind.
If I thought Arthur was big, the man before us in front of the packhouse was huge.
"Alpha," Arthur greeted and bowed his head, exposing his neck. "Like I told you via mindlink, I've found my mate. As you can see, she is accompanying a group of vampires to Vules. I would like to request that I may travel with them."
"Why is she accompanying them? Can't she stay here with you?"
"Well, she's human, and this is her friend who she was accompanying as a companion. I believe her friend is the beloved of one of them, and they were traveling from Criba to Vules."
"Criba!?! How in Moon Goddess's name did you discover your beloved in Criba?" he asked Stetson. "Who even are you?"
"Well, Alpha Black," Stetson started with a sly grin, "I'm ashamed you don't recognize me. After all, I haven't aged at all since you last saw me."
"Don't play mind games with me, vampire. You're on my land, I am within my rights to take care of you as I see fit."
"Now, now, Gavin. That isn't a way to treat your father's old friend, now is it? Where is your old man, anyways?"
"Heath!?! Is that you?" an older version of the man before us shouted while coming out of the packhouse.
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