Randolf was impressed by it. She wore her vulnerability on her sleeve. All of the women in his pack were taught to be stronger than most. The women Loux Garoux rarely showed vulnerability, nor would they show blind compassion as she was doing for him now. As to not disturb her, Randolph gently picked Sylvie up off of the ground and took her over to the bed.
He pulled the covers back with one arm, and gently placed her on the soft goose feather mattress. Sylvie moaned in her sleep but did not awaken. He shook the covers out, then put them atop her. He looked down at her. She looked comfortable.
Randolf was tempted to join the sleeping beauty, who lay in front of him in his bed. As much as he wanted to he knew he couldn't risk it. He had one more thing left to do. He quietly searched the dark den and found more firewood. He put more on the fire and left the rest in a place that would be easy for her to locate in the morning.
Randolf looked at her once more. He had a sudden urge to lean down and place a kiss on her forehead. He decided against it and quickly changed back into wolf form and exited the den. He felt the moon sharpen his senses it will no longer hurt. Instead, it tangled he howled at the moon honoring its presence.
Randolf took off into the forest. He had one thing on his mind. To run wild and free. When he did this, it helped his body heal and kept his mind sharp. He was down the waterfall, past the split streams that turned into the creek when he smelled them.
It was other wolves. Their wolf musk was distinct. They weren't werewolves, nor were they Lycans. They were Loup Garoux, Randolf deduced. Their wolf musk was mild and less pungent than a Lycans Musk, which is excreted from the sweat glands because of a mutated chemical reaction, causing them to smell.
He held his position.
His back was to a large tree. His front was facing the tall green grass he and Sylvie had hidden in earlier. Any other being would have been caught off guard, but not Randolf. He could hear their quiet padded footsteps.
He was wide in his stance and ready to pounce. Two Wolves slowly walked out of the bushes. They looked familiar to him. He knew these creatures, but he didn't know how. Randolf decided then to show himself.
He morphed back into his human form once more, standing at his full height of 6'5, 235 pounds of pure, naked muscle.
His dark here was tousled atop his head. He held his left hand up. His right hand held on to his exposed wound. "I command you to show yourselves." His voice boomed in the night.
Both wolves had no choice but to morph. The sound of the Alpha Loux Garoux's voice had the power to make his pack members shapeshift at will. He watched the painful transition take place for both. Yes, they were his kind, but who were they? His question was soon answered when the process was finished.
Both men stood up, out of breath from the painful process of morphing from wolf to human in such a fast amount of time.
Randolf showed them a little mercy and let them catch their breath. He knew these men. These men were his father's.
"My father sent you here?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
Both nodded their heads 'Yes' in unison. Finally, one of them spoke. "We are Fenwick and Bayle. We have been assigned by Alphaa Adolf to search for you since the news broke of your alleged assassination."
Randolf wasn't shocked by that news. His father always acted like he had no idea where Randolf got his no-nonsense, stubborn attitude from. Randolf had always suspected it was from his father. When pushed, his father could be just as stubborn as him.
The man continued, "Now that we have found you, we must immediately evacuate from Canis. It is no longer safe for you, my Liege. A revolt is about to break loose at any moment."
The other man nodded in agreement. Randolf wasn't a coward. This was his island. These were his people.
He spoke to them both then, "These people need us. You would have me run like a coward?"
"No, Your Majesty, General. It is just that the people of Canis are the ones who mean to revolt."
Randolf was shocked at the news. He quickly realized in this brief discussion that the majority of humans on his island had joined the ranks of the Lycans.
"They believe this island is theirs, and they no longer care about you nor your father's generosity or your family's sacrifice to keep this island a neutral territory. Please, my Liege. We must go."
The words they spoke to him about the disloyalty of the islands' inhabitants angered him to his core. Everyone on this island would receive the retribution they deserved for turning their back on royalty. All except one, and he had great plans for her.
SYLVIE
Sylvie awoke feeling better rested than she could ever remember. Upon waking up,her heavy eyelids did not want to open to the distant sounds of the morning peaking through her sleepy veil. She was so warm and comfortable. For the first time in a long time. She snuggled deeper into the heavy blanket.
Her subconscious and conscious mind became alert to the unfamiliar feeling. She realized then something was off. The last thing she recalled from last night was contemplating her life as she looked out at the sunset, by the cave opening. Sylvie didn't know where she was at the moment. That thought scared her enough for her to open her eyes wide and pop up from underneath the warm comfy covers.
Her eyes adjusted to the light. She assessed her surroundings. She was still inside the cave. She saw no sign of anyone else here. The fireplace held cherry red embers from the fire last night.
How did she end up in the bed? She wondered. She stretched, then pulled the covers off her, and got out of bed. Sylvie was about to go outside to gather more firewood when she stopped mid-stride and noticed a medium pile of firewood in a far-off corner. She hadn't noticed it last night. She shook off her doubts, grabbed 4 pieces of the wood and gently stacked them atop the embers in the fireplace, making sure not to smother them.
Once she felt it was correct she stood from her kneeling position. She turned around and looked at the large bed. It was soft. She noticed the entire bedframe was made out of stone. She looked to see if there was a sizeable lump in the bed that could be her lazy morning companion.
There was none.
She quickly searched the cave for the wolf. For the first time since they had met, the wolf was gone...
| Randolf |
Randolf and his escorts took great care in sneaking the Alpha King off of the island. For him not to be seen Randolf had to ride the Ferry as a corpse, which he hated, because of his claustrophobia. Fenwick and Bayle paid the ferryman extra for a private sititng quarters on the boat. Once inside, both men inspected the cabin and decided it was insulated well enough. They used a small iron crowbar that had been hidden on Mr. Bailey's person earlier and pried him out of the pine box.
The distance from the Island to the mainland was short. It only took an hour to get to the mainland. 60 minutes was more than enough time to fill him in on what he had missed since his disappearance. Within the small timeframe, he found out that all of the men he had brought with him that day to his island, excluding his beta and an only friend, were slaughtered the same day he had been injured and forced into his wolf form until his wounds could heal substantially. Randolf wanted to know as much as possible about this Amaruq character.
Not only was he a thorn in his side, but Sylvie's as well. Randolf, the Tyrant Alpha, had tried not to worry about her, but it was no use. He had left her so abruptly. He was worried she wouldn't be able to handle it and go into shock. Randolf could not deny the strange bond they had begun to form.
No one ever made him feel poorly for his decisions. No one. But knowing his sweet Sylvie, she deserved to know he was leaving. After getting A full rundown on the Loux Garoux ranks and locations, Randolf was slowly forming a plan.
It was a bumpy ride home. Randolf rode inside his father's carriage while Mr.Gould and Mr. Bailey drove it. It had been waiting for them when they arrived at the docks and got situated. Randolf's mind couldn't stop going towards revenge. He watched the scenery roll by. His mind was one track now. "Kill them! Kill them all! Save Sylvie and kill them all !"