Ana kept pace with the woman, the illusion never breaking as her
eyes stuck fast to the ground. She fell into a rut. She knew what she
was supposed to do, after all she was just a runaway slave, and you
don’t go running off after someone just saves your life. The woman
stopped and turned on her heel, her head held high. “Oh, I’m
sorry dear, didn’t realize you were still following me. Can I help
you?” There was a deep hunger in her eyes as they narrowed at Ana.
The young girl was taken aback. She honestly didn’t know quite
what to say or really what was going on. “No.” She ended up
stammering out the simple word while fear welled up inside. She
didn’t have to say much more because finally Kavos had caught up to
her and she spotted him in the crowd. “Oh!” Her full attention
turned towards him and the mysterious woman turned to look as well.
She wrinkled up her nose as he came near. There was a low growl and
immediately Ana realized something was off between the two. “Thank
you again miss.” She bowed low trying to break the tension of the
two. “This is my half brother,” it was the lie that they ran
with, after all it was simple enough. “I got separated.”
Ana was about to say more but Kavos stepped up, his chest was
pushed out and every muscle was tense. “I’ll be taking her home
now.” There was a growl as he wrapped his hand around Ana’s
wrist. It was so tight that she began to worry that he might actually
hurt her, or worse, shift back.
The woman turned her attention to the girl. She held Ana’s gaze
and spoke only to her. “If you ever get tired of running with
animals, come find me again.” She smiled, it was a wicked smile.
She knew everything. Even Ana could tell, but she didn’t know how.
Kavos growled again deep in his throat and pulled Ana away before
she could say anything. Her eyes were fixed on the woman as she
disappeared into the crowd. As the two seemed to rush from the city.
As soon as the thriving village was behind them Kavos shifted back
into his wolf form. It seemed a lot less painful but it didn’t seem
any more pleasant to watch. Without word or warning he grabbed at
Ana. His paws gripping her shoulders hard. “Did that bitch touch
you? What did she do!?” He was yelling and shaking the small woman.
His anger scared her. Ana couldn’t understand what was going
on. She couldn’t help herself and started to sob while the hulking
white wolf stood there shaking her and yelling. She tried to find her
voice in the madness that was going on around her. “Kavos… Stop…
Please.” She could only get one word out at a time while he shook
her. The pressure on her shoulders was starting to hurt and she could
feel his claws digging into her skin. Tears raced down her face
leaving clean trails where they went.
“Kavos!”
Ana melted at the voice that echoed around them. It was enough to
stop the white wolf in his anger but he didn’t let her go. Either
way, Ana didn’t care. Stela was there, she was safe. Her wolf was
there and everything was going to be okay.
Stela stood up on her hind legs, making herself as tall as she
could and she squared her shoulders while she made her way down the
small rocky ledge she had been standing on. “Let her go Kavos.”
There was a bellowing growl deep within her chest. Her movements were
slow but deliberate. Kavos let Ana go and took a stumbling step back
as his mind returned to him. “What happened?”
Ana ran to the alpha and threw her arms around the large wolf.
Stela picked her up as if she was a child and the woman ran her hands
through the animals thick fur. It was beginning to feel like home.
She took a deep breath and smelled the scent of her wolf and for the
first time she really started to notice her. Stela was always dark to
her, but now that she looked she could see how her back was much
darker than the front, save for one small patch at the base of her
neck and between her shoulder blades.
“There was an enemy in the village. She was after Ana. Or Ana
was after her, I don’t know and I don’t care. All I seen was
her,” His paw pointed to the woman who was curled up his alphas
arm. “following a blood sucker.” He spat the last words. It was
so out of character for him to be so mad, normally that was Aurel,
but for some reason Kavos felt as if for the first time, this human
had put him in danger.
“Calm down Kavos. Alice, please go take Ana back to the den.”
Her eyes never left her second in command. Alice stepped up and held
out her arms, and Ana was dropped into them.
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