Betrothed

Chapter 17: Running Out of Time

Brayden

I needed to get to Willow. I heard her howling, but it was hard for me to pinpoint the exact location due to the elevation and the trees reflecting the sound in different directions. I was working my way to her as fast as I could. I shifted back to my human form and sent my parents a message on my smart phone and then quickly shifted back to find Willow. I started running as fast as I could not caring how far I was pushing myself. I made it to where I heard the howl the best and was waiting to hear her howl again to pinpoint the location because I knew I was not nearly where she was, otherwise, I would smell her sweet lavender and honey scent. "Willow! I need you to howl again please." I begged into the mind link. "I can try." Willow replied with a weak voice. This was not good. She was tiring out and was not going to make it much longer. I needed to get to her, and I need to get to her fast. I heard her howl again faintly. I knew I was in the general area, but I needed to get closer. "Willow, please hang on!"

I pushed myself through thick bushes and tree lines smelling the air for any scent of Willow. I slowed down when I felt that I had made it to the spot where I thought her howl came from when I smelled something strange. I smelt rouges. Not again! This was not happening again! What did they want from my Willow! She doesn't deserve to be treated as anything less than a queen and they probably want to use her as a bargaining chip. I ran as fast as I could run to the rouges hoping to find Willow.

A minute went by, but it seemed like eternity, I slowed down after I heard chatter. I looked out in front of me to the right to see two men in jeans and black t-shirts wandering around in circles searching vigorously. "Where did she go?" A rouge said quietly but not in a hush voice. "I lost sight of her before she went into that bush line over there with the thick brush." The other rouge said, trying his best not to make it sound like he wasn't paying attention. I needed to find Willow and if waiting for the perfect timing was going to be the way to find her then I am going to have to abide. I am using the rogues as a way to find Willow. I am outnumbered at the moment, so I don't want to start something that could end up bad for both of us.

I hid underneath a large pine tree that had just enough coverage for them not to notice me watching their every move waiting for the right moment to protect Willow and get the hell out of here. The rogues kept wandering for miles and we continued until we hit the lake which meant we were at least eight miles from the nearest path to take us back to the Willow's pack. We were not anywhere near help, very far from it. The only help you could get out here is from the moon giving off the light. The light reflects off the water creating a glowing area where you could see just enough to not have to wonder where everything was. "You swear she went this way?" The rogue was getting angry at his partner. "I swear man!" The other rouge vouched for himself. I was hiding in bushes next to the lake but far enough back that the light didn't reach enough to shine on me.

I still couldn't get a good glimpse of their faces to identify them to pin them to a rogue pack. Occasionally there will be alliances of rouge packs that come together in hopes to overthrow a bigger pack and take it over. The chances of it working are very slim and only maybe have a one percent chance of working out unless the rouges can incorporate some of the strength that is bred into the royal packs. The royal packs are the top blood line for a reason, they do everything by the book at least until Willow and me. We are something new to combine the two packs making them stronger in the process.

I heard rustling in the bushes near me and I didn't know what to expect, so I laid low ready to attack. "I think I see her!" The rogue yelled out.

Willow

I could hardly push myself anymore. I had already managed to run miles. Where I was going, I had no clue because I lost my sense of direction and focus. Nothing looked or even smelled familiar anymore. I know they are still following me slowly because they want me to tire out. I hate playing the game cats and mice and being the prey. Being the prey doesn't make me feel too great. The only thing keeping me going is the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I wished for saving but I know at the moment it is up to me to save myself. I needed to hide somewhere so I tried to run faster. I managed to put a little extra gap between the stranger and I when I smelt more rouges. I was being tracked by not one but multiple rouges no wonder why they were taking their sweet time with me.

I got up to the lake and hurriedly looked around for a hiding spot. The only spot I could think of was in the tree line behind the lake. I worked my way over there when I heard one of the rogues yell, "You swear she went this way?" I quickly got to the bush line next to some trees and continued to slowly work my way to the tree line behind the lake. "I swear man!" The rogue yelled back from the other side. They were spread out, but there was another so where did the one that originally started following me go? I was scared, terrified, and all I could think of was finding Brayden. I hid like my life depended on it. Unable to move stricken with fear.

"I think I see her!" The rogue yelled to his buddy. They couldn't have possibly found me. I didn't hear them but from a distance still. Who did they find? That is when I saw the other side of the tree line where a line of pine trees stood. I saw the rouge walk towards the bigger pine tree. What did they find? Could it be the other rogue? "Brayden, I am scared. There are three rouges' hunting me. They think they found something, but I can't tell from this distance." I told Brayden in the mind link. Then I saw movement where the rogue was approaching. It wasn't the other rouge. A big dark brown beautiful royal wolf with white markings on his face stood out from underneath the pine tree now. "It's me!" Brayden replied to the mind link.

Suddenly I felt power skyrocket through me. I couldn't let him fall victim to three rogue wolves alone. It was me they wanted anyways. The rouge approached the pine tree closer, so close that Brayden was practically within reach to wrap his teeth around his leg and clamp down. "Willow, stay there no matter what please stay there." I don't know if I could abide by that when I feel this way. "I-," I started to say into the mind link when my tail was pulled sharply. I yelped in pain as my attacker dragged me out of the bushes. I felt teeth digging into my tail. I continued to yelp as I tried whipping myself around to see who the hell was biting me. As soon as I was out of the bushes I was continually dragged. I tried using my paws to cling to the ground, but nothing I did kept my weak lightweight wolf form from being dragged from my hiding spot over toward the commotion.

"It told you she was close." The rogue leader said as I was put in the middle of their group and chatter. Where was Brayden? Had he not heard me? "Bray-," I started to say into the mind link when it was interrupted by growling. I smelled him coming towards me and the rogues. I would never get over his scent of pine sap and sage. I was curled up in a ball trying to look around me but all I could see was the two rogues in their human form guarding me with the other rogue in wolf form standing in front of them ready to fight. The wolf was a darker gray with no spots of extra color the same size as Brayden. I tried looking around them, but it was no use. The growling got louder, and the scent of Brayden got stronger.

The dark gray rouge leapt at Brayden, and they were wrestling as they both took turns getting their turn. The two other rouges turned around and started coming toward me. I started growling at them and started moving backwards. I tried to continue to walk backwards as they were approaching but they were too fast for my weak self to get away from them. I heard a yelp, and I was scared that it was Brayden. The two rogues picked me up one on each end as I growled trying my best to wiggle out of their grasp, but it was no use. I was too weak and worn down from running.

They were in a hurry running with me in their arms as fast as they could. Eventually one slowed down and that caused my body to be pulled in two different directions. I looked behind me at Brayden and the rogue was still fighting. The rouge took a beating from Brayden and was bleeding from several gashes in his back leg. Brayden was bleeding slightly around his torso. I whimpered, wishing I could do something to help get us out of this situation. I did not want to distract Brayden from the task at hand, but I think we are in for something worse. I saw a glimpse in front of me and it was all trees except in one of the trees was a deer stand and someone sitting in it. The rogue jumped down right in front of me and I couldn't believe my eyes. What the hell?