Storm Born Book One

Chapter four.

Kellen sat brooding into his tankard of ale his feet on the table, he had recognized the woman instantly,  she was the whore from the inn they had stayed in two nights previous. Which raised too many questions in his mind, why was she traveling with the man and his boy? how had she gained her freedom from her tavern master, as far as he was aware girls like her were owned by the landlords of the taverns where they worked and were unlikely to be able to buy their freedom which meant she was a runner. It was clear they were hiding something they were not married. Though the boy did not closely resemble the man he could see there was enough of a familial resemblance to the pair that he could pass as his son. but it was the man's features that drew his attention, his likeness to his former Alpha was uncanny, except for his eyes he thought, his eyes were softer more like his mother's. Smirking he took another long gulp of Ale, he may redeem himself with the Alpha Yet. 

A petite tavern girl sauntered over to the table and asked them if they would like more drinks.  He ordered another Ale, eyeing the girl hungrily as she scurried off to fill his order. His companions were already well into their drinks and making free with another girl, She was curvaceous with an ample chest that a man could lose himself in he thought If she had not already been occupied with his companions he would have considered her for himself but he did not like to share. She was perched on Liam's lap wriggling as he kissed her while John's hands traveled up her skirt to squeeze a bare arse cheek, these boys sure liked to share he thought chuckling.  Tom was resolutely ignoring them all, as usual concentrating on his beer and the plate of food in front of him.

He shook his head Tom rarely indulged in the company of women, he preferred to wait for his true mate, well that was his loss he thought, smirking his gaze swept past his companions and returned to the girl eyeing her up and down as she approached the table.  a jug of ale in one hand and a tankard clutched in the other. She was a pretty little thing her long brown hair loosely fell down her back falling in soft curls, pulling her into his lap, She smiled nervously, giving an aura of innocence that he knew in this place was likely false. the man and the boy could wait till the morning. 

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They rode through the night distancing themselves from the town, the boy slept in the saddle leaning into Ned's chest his head periodically dropping to his chest.  Ned needed to think, needed a plan, they could not keep roaming the countryside without some plan in place everything had been so rushed when they had left the croft, barely enough time to get themselves together and flee now he needed to think where and what they should do from here on in. 

He frowned looking down at the boy on the saddle in front of him his dark curly head bobbing back and forth as he slept. first, he would have to somehow alter the boy's appearance he cursed himself for a fool he had considered himself the boy's father for so long that he gave no thought to his strong resemblance to his real father, and Rosie would need new clothing more modest attire if they were to go unnoticed. The boy shivered in his arms and he wrapped his cloak around him tighter they would need to rest themselves and the horses he looked about him in the gathering gloom. 

Spotting a rocky outcrop that would likely suit their needs perhaps they could rest for a few hours before carrying on. They rode the horses right under the outcrop it was wide enough to protect them all from the wind and the rain the sky was threatening to unleash they would have to forgo a fire though not needing to draw any more attention and not knowing if they were being pursued. He had not spoken to Rosie at all since they had left the town, 

She was quietly undoing her mount's saddle as he settled the sleeping boy onto the ground on a pile of leaves that the wind had blown under the outcrop, he paused for a moment to look at the boy, he had been quiet since they had left the croft barely speaking, it was not like the boy to be so quiet he was not accustomed to it and it worried him, sighing he left him to sleep and walked over to Rosie he helping her to pull off the saddle from her horse, her strength was almost out she was exhausted and near dead on her feet.