C14. Trespassers

Ethan's POV:

     'That rogue is around here somewhere...' My wolf whose name is Amarok was not too far from me. I knew he was telling the truth. But, there was more to what Josephine had said. There was another Rabidcrest wolf here.

     One that wasn't the rogue or Josephine. Probably sent to deal with this situation quietly. I could smell a second scent. Something Josephine either didn't pick up on or decided not to mention to me. So they probably didn't meet last night. Josephine was telling me the truth. This could only mean one thing... The Luna of Rabidcrest had some balls. She gave orders for her huntress to come unannounced. The other female... is here for the rogue... But, I wouldn't put it past her to come for Josephine next.

     All this trespassing... Its an offense my alpha will not take lightly. They have to be confronted for their actions. But, I will leave it up to Alpha Camren to deal with. I'll just follow his orders... Make sure its delt with. If they pack up and go... we can ship the troublesome daughter back and be done with this bullshit.

     'Over here, Ethan!' Amarok yelled. His voice wasn't far from me. 'I found a trail we can follow.' I shut my eyes and smelled the air. Amarok's scent lead me towards the city limits. I could sense the trail beneath my feet as I followed my insticts. I shifted into a wolf and took off after the trail of the female trespasser.

     I came across an old parking lot. Just on the outskirts where a rundown bustop sat. The lot was poorly lit by faulty lights. This was a part of town forgotton. It was surrounded by woods on all sides excpect the one facing the road. I stayed on the edge of the woods and hid behind a tree as I listened into what was happening.

     'This is a perfect place to meet someone.' Amarok's light thoughts brought images into my head of attacking. He wanted to kill them. He thought... 'we could easily take anyone on. Let's kill them for trespassing.' As I am a beta... I was powerful enough. I could take anyone's life if I wanted to. Amarok wanted to kill them for insulting our pack... But, I crushed his thoughts as if they were paper and threw them away into the void of my mind.

     'No,' I told him sternly. He will not kill anyone. I will not kill anyone. I will not be craving for blood today.

     There was an unmarked white van sitting by the bus stop. Traffic was nonexistent on the road. It was still too early for anybody to be awake. I counted three heads in total. I watched as a body was thrown into the back of the van. There was a woman with a strawberry blonde haircut. She was defintely the female I've been tracking. The scent was leading straight to her. She carried a bow and bag of arrows on her back. I'll have to be careful not to scare her. What a huntress... The female really was beautiful to my eyes. If we had met under different circumstances... I might have tried to seduce her over a bottle of wolfweiser. Her scent left an impression she was unmated. It's terrible I can't flirt right now with the she-wolf.

     As for her friend he was a tall and fit male. With dreamy muscles... Almost deemable for a beta's position. I felt instantly jealous of him. I wanted to be that close to her... He must have been hand picked to come pick up the rogue.  They really weren't leaving any chances of that rogue to escape. The rogue wouldn't have a chance going up against those two. I knew they both were from Rabidcrest. This means the one in the van... is the rogue. I didn't get a good look at the rogue before they threw him in the back. His scent defintely matches. This has to be the right guy.

     Now that I've spotted the rogue has been caught... I can let them go and report back to Alpha Camren. They'll be gone from the territory and all we'll have to do is ship the girl home. I listened into their voices... But, the wind picked up and distorted what I wanted to hear.

     'I don't think the blonde is leaving,' Amarok said as he seemed to have heard what I couldn't. They were too far from me to be able to listen clearly. I watched as the male got into the van's driver side. The blonde closed him up inside and smacked the truck. Of course... I could hear them exchanging goodbyes. Of course she would stay. I waited until the van disappeared before I shifted human and walked out towards her. She's staying to find Josephine. I can make both our jobs easier and point her in the right direction. 'Are you insane? She has a weapon!' She noticed me coming and reached towards the bow and aimed me down. Her hand movement was impressive.

     "Stop!" She yelled at me. I stopped walking and held up my hands. It looks like I've caught her off guard.

     "You're brave to aim down a beta of the king," I said as I felt Amarok growing worried for my safety.

     "You're the king's beta?" She asked as she lowered her bow and scanned the woods behind me. I could see her already recognizing my scent as the truth. I was powerful. I was important to this pack. I could see it in her eyes... She must think I've called for the others to come... But, I can take care of her by myself.

     "I'm alone," I told her and rolled my eyes. "I'm Beta Ethan of Deepfur. Put that thing away before I do call for back-up."

     "My... name is Veronica... I'm sure you saw why I've come... He's wanted for killing the Alpha of Rabidcrest. I don't usualy track down murderers... I'm actually a trainer..." She hesitated as she put away her weapon. Her eyes came back to mine. I didn't sense she was scared of me. "Am I in trouble?" Surely she knows better... I just wonder what kind of physco luna sends a pack member off into unknown territory like this... What if we decided to kill Veronica out of spite? Does that luna not care at all about her pack? The pack spy we have there has horrible reports from how their wolf-less daughter has been treated... But, to think the luna has no heart for her own people... I feel sorry that pack lost their alpha.

     "Yes... actually... no... My Alpha decided your mission here was of sound mind. You were coming for your alpha's murderer. The rogue, correct? But, now that you have the rogue... why are you still here?" I know what she will say. More importantly... I want to know why her luna hasn't reported to the king about the situation... It's just too damn suspicious for my own liking. But, it's not my problem. It's not my pack to deal with. I can't do anything about the way that girl is treated in her pack. She's not old enough to leave home.

     "My Luna wishes for me to find her daughter..." Good... that's what I thought.

     "I can solve that. Will you leave once you've got her?" I asked to be sure.

     "Yes."

     At least this matter can be solved quickly. I'll send the girl back and report everything to Alpha Camren. He'll give me a raise for taking care of it so fast. I sighed as I had a pretty good idea where to find Josephine at. More then likely... given the area we were in... I'd say Nathalie was telling me a lie back at the office. I think the two really do know each other.

     "You can pick her up somewhere around Tolen's Diner," I told her as I started for the woods. "Head down main street. Try not to make it a big scene when you do."

     'This is too easy,' Amarok thought as he walked with me. 'You should be keeping an eye on her.'

     'I'm going back home to give a report and catch up on sleep,' I told him sternly. 'It's over.'

     "Thank you! We won't remain long in your territory," she promised me.

'You should alert some pack members to keep an eye on the trespasser,' Amarok warned. 'To make sure they leave by the end of the day.'

     I trasformed back into my wolf form and took off back into the woods. I decided to leave my clothes and come back for them later. I wanted to go straight for the pack's manor first. Amarok was right... I'll send some people out to check and make sure the van is gone... and another set to observe Veronica. Make sure the girls leave without any complications. I'll send out a pack alert they're safe to leave the territory. I should have warned her she'll only have a day before I send the pack after them to personally kick them out.

     Camren would be first on my priority list.

     I wanted to get him up to speed on what was going on in his pack.

     When I arrived at the pack house I was greeted by an omega. He held out some hand-picked clothes from my wardrobe. He was my personal assistant, Henley. Henley was a short guy with dyed blue hair put up in a man bun. His eyes were a chocolate brown. He had distinguished demples when he smiled. Omegas that worked at the pack house were given bulter uniforms (maid outfits for females.) He was of spanish origins and had a slight accent when he talked. But, he was very shy and didn't speak much. He barely was fit enough for his first trasformation. It happened last year when he was organizing files in my office. The only reason I kept him around was because I had a huge hard-on for cute and innocent guys like him.

     I quickly put on the clothes he gave me once I trasformed human. He awkwardly avoided making eye contact with me. It was like the first day all over again. Every time was the same. He was such a virgin. It was so cute to watch him blush. I pushed past him when I was done getting dressed. Sometimes... he's too cute for his own good.

     "Where is Alpha Camren?" I asked as I tried to avoid being distracted by him.

     "He's in the ball room with your aunt, Annalise."

     Annalise is Camren's mother. She's been holding balls for the past four years trying to find Camren's soul mate. We've been trying to explain it doesn't just happen like that. Camren's mate will come when it's the right time. If they're in the ball room that means they're discussing this year's masqurade she's planning. She's invited everyone to come. She's going full out this year in budget. I guess as a royal family... they can afford it. Looks like its time to save my poor cousin from his mother.

     "Can you call Nathalie back to the manor for a meeting," I told him. "Just tell her it has to be sometime today." He'd have my phone still somewhere on him. He was in charge of keeping up with it. "Then call the pack border patrol on the Rabidcrest's side. Tell them to look out for a white van, tell them to let it through and inform me when it passes. Get me a meeting immediantly with in the next hour with Stephen." Stephen was one of the pack tracker I could trust. I'll get him to keep an eye on Veronica.

     "Yes sir," Henley said as he bowed. He pulled out my familiar phone to do as ordered. He stopped following me to find a quiet place to make a phone call. I went straight to the ball room to find Aunt Annalise and Camren sitting at a table taste testing a variety of finger food. There was a stack of paperwork in front of Camren. Camren got his royal signature looks from his father's side of the family. Even though we were related on the same side of the royal family... Camren got the white hair and I got the red hair traits. It's said my traits came from a family that married into the royal bloodline... A wolf whose family came from another region. While Camren's traits can be traced back for generations or more. He was a true king.

    "I'm back," I announced my arrival as I walked up to his highness. I smirked and looked at the variety of finger food before trying a triangular cut ham and mustard sandwhich. A few omegas on stand by brought a chair in for me and I sat down.

     "And?" Camren asked. He must be wanting to know what happened last night durring the full moon. He didn't have a chance to join the pack for a run. His mother has been keeping him busy... I could see now his mother was forcing him to look at documents on the eligable females from the area. I looked at my aunt.

     "Camren isn't going to find his mate from paper," I said sternly.

     "Camren and I have agreed if he doesn't find his mate at the mask... he will be announcing his betroval to his choosing at the stroke of midnight."

     "The bloodline has to go on," Camren said as he looked at me in slight annoyance. "I can't die with no heir, cousin." At least Cam always knew his duty to the crown. So, he's choosing the best match from paper? I'm sure he'll find someone of good quality... He froze up as he was eyeing me down. His chest stopped moving as he took in a deep breath, like he was breathing something in. He suddenly looked towards his mother and tensed up. "Leave," he suddenly ordered in his alpha tone. It was the most dominant voice I've heard from him in the last year. He's never spoken to his mother before. "Now."

    "Camren," she growled in annoyance. "Don't speak to your mother that way!" Camren sent her a glare that spoke a thousand words. He wasn't playing with how serious he's become. She got up suddenly. "Whatever you don't want me to hear... I hope it will be important!" She grabbed the paper work sitting in front of him and took it out with her. A few omegas went with her.

    "Everyone!" Camren snapped. "OUT!" He grabbed my wrist and dug his nails into my skin as if to make me stay. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up as the rest left without a second to delay. Ah shit... I got a feeling I'm in trouble.

     "What's the matter cousin?" I asked nervously. Did I fuck up? I better tell him the good news so he forgives me for whatever I've done... He stood up and his height alone hovered over mine as he breathed in the air surrounding me. Ah-fuck...

     "You've found my mate," he said. I cringed as I knew he'd say it. I recognized the dominant obsession from a mile away... this was something I saw a lot of in Moonvally High when we were in school... It was just amazing he picked up such a scent on me. There hasn't been that many people I've been around today... So which one is it? I swallowed hard as I knew there was a slight chance he could be angry at me.

    "There hasn't been that many people I've seen today," I told him. "So we can narrow it down to one hand full of people. Tell me... what stands out the most to you?" He stepped away from me as he could tell I was weirded out by his approach. I relaxed as he rubbed his head.

    "Your job is to round up everyone you've seen then. One of them is my mate..."

     "One of them is the future queen," I said as I thought about it. My future luna. Is it that attractive woman, Veronica? They'd look good together... It makes sense he'd end up with someone like her. I think I could call her my queen. Wait... this will be complicated. "Camren... I've only been around two females. The Alpha of Rabidcrest's daughter, who isn't capible of carrying on such a position... But, there was the other one... She's the Rabidcrest wolf that was sent here to capture that rogue. She succeeded... But, we're in luck because both females will be in the same spot. She remained here to get that Alpha's daughter back home safely." If his mate is either of them... it will be problematic...

     "That makes your job easier. Send out word to bring them in. One of them is my mate."

     "Are you going to announce to the kinddom you've found your mate?"

     "Not yet... I don't know if I'll accept her. Just bring me my mate first, Ethan."

     Shit... Shit... Shit...

     I walked out and almost ran into Henley. He was about to walk into the room like he had some news to give me. He gasped in pain as his head got hit from the door. I pushed him aside and closed the door behind me as I snatched his hand.

     "Henley, where's my phone?" I asked as I searched in his pocket for it. "We've got an emergency." I gotta call Nathalie... I've got to make sure she delays Josephine and Veronica from leaving the territory.

     No way was I about to tell Camren I've set it up to let his potential mate leave the territory so easily. If he knew it now... I'm as good as dead to him. I'll let him believe there is more time for me to track down the girls and get them here. It'll keep him calm. Calm enough to not cut my head off.