It has been a few days since the pair arrived at the Alpha King's castle. Zaru has spent the majority time pacing back and fourth in the little cottage. His anxiety ripples out, keeping many at a distance. Ryo on the other hand remains sleeping.
Her new form lays peacefully, not even flutters trace her closed eyes. Zaru inhales deeply before he finally walks to the side of Ryo's bed. He sits in a cushioned chair next to the bed, Zaru reaches for Ryo's hand gently holding it in his.
Leaning his head down, he closes his eyes. Worry and sleepless nights have left a toll upon Zaru's features, large dark blotches lay under his eyes. His skin overly pale and even his hair shows signs of neglect.
The pack doctors claim everything is fine physically but no one really knows what going on inside. Even Jin hasn't been able to access her mind either and his own anxiety adds to the choas in Zaru's heart. Ryo is completely locked in at the moment, all anyone can do is wait.
The council meeting is soon and Zaru needs his mate and yet she remains unresponsive. She lays in the king sized bed with black bed set Zaru picked out. He like the contrast as it pairs nicely with Ryo's new form. He stares at Ryo's flawless skin, mesmerized by her glow.
Zaru carries an air of surprise as there are no signs of her chaotic past. No scar or blemish can be seen on her current body. It's as if Ryo form is angelic, fresh from Moon Goddess herself.
He gently runs the back of his curled hand down her soft pale cheek before trailing his fingers along her nape. Admiring the air of grace that surrounds his slumbering Mate.
Zaru moves to brush her hair tenderly off her shoulders. Watching as the loose stands flow like water onto the sheets. Reaching down, he slides his slender fingers through silver strands.
"Softer then silk." Zaru speaks in a mere whisper and brings a lock to his cheek.
Every fiber in him is screaming loudly to hold his Mate, to press her into him. Zaru lets a deep sigh roll off his lips as Ryo continues to be unresponsive to even his touch. There are no other signs of life aside from her chest rising and falling.
Her breathing creates a rhythmic melody that harmonizes with the beat of her strong heart, slowly her pulse has been increasing steadily.
Zaru finally caves and slides into the bed to wraps his arms around Ryo. His love can been seen in his care of her and the depths of his eyes.
He pulls Ryo gingerly closer and whispers sweet nothings into her ear, desperate to get any response from her. Calling to her with every fiber of his being, trying to wake her from the coma.
Closing his eyes, Zaru inhales deeply. Ryo's scent carries the smell of the deep forest laced with sweetness and to him it is the best scent in the world.
"*She is brave, fierce and beautiful.*" Jin speaks from within Zaru.
"She will wake up. I just know it." Zaru keeps a somber tone but hope fills both the creatures.
Zaru can't help but smile at the feeling, grateful that his Mate truly is incredible. That she is the missing part of his ownself. He hugs her tighter but quickly startles as Ryo bolts upwards.
Ryo easily rips from Zaru's embrace and her demeanor is reeking with confusion. She brings her hand to her chest as she gasps for air. The panic rolling off her crashes into Zaru like waves. He can see the onslaught of emotions twisting Ryo's expressions rapidly
With her in this odd human form it makes reading her emotions much easier for the white wolf. Ryo turns her head slowly looking Zaru up and down. Ryo's familiar crimson eyes soon land on Zaru's blue ones.
He can see the utter terror that fills her's, tears roll hard and fast as Zaru just watches nearly frozen in time. It wasn't till she started to shake did Zaru's senses returned. He rubs her back gently, trying to slow the tremors rocking through Ryo.
"Ssshhh. Sssshh, Ryo. It's ok my Love." Her body so small as he slow pulls her to his lap.
Ryo has more of a vuranable appearance now and it pushes Zaru's need to protect her even further. He wraps his arms around Ryo, her own arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"Bring the pack doctors now!" Zaru booms out, the wolves standing outside the door took off instantly.
He looks back down at his panicked Mate. Ryo is covering her ears now with shakey hands and her eyes squeezed tightly shut.
"Ryo can you hear me?" He whispers lower and gently reaches for her hands, slowly pulling them down.
"What happened to me?!" She shouts several octaves too high and a crack appears on the wondow, she is definitely not use to this form.
Zaru cringes lightly, "I dont know Ryo... We were getting ready for a match.."
Realization hits her and Ryo jumps up suddenly but her legs don't work and she falls hard to the floor. Zaru stands hastily moving to Ryo.
He bends over to her with an extended hand, "It's ok Ryo, we are at my Father's territory. We are safe."
She looks at Zaru and pushes his hand away aggressively, her firey side coming out alittle. Ryo wipes away the tear streaks and uses the bed to steady herself.
She looks around the large room, her expressions shifting rapidly as she takes in the bedroom. Fully distracted now by the new environment, Zaru watches as his Mate stumbles from the bed to the adjacent wall.
Ryo heads for the dresser first using the wall to hold her upright. Her eyes are locked on a pink glass bottle at the far end yet her legs keep moving in the opposite direction.
Little knick knacks and perfume bottles line the top of the dresser. Ryo struggles trying to pick up the different objects and maintain her forward motion. She lifts the odd items to her nose and smells them individually before dropping them back down.
Ryo lowers her face to look closely at each item after they clash against the top of the dresser. Zaru watches on nervously as she finally sniffs the pink perfume bottle. He chuckles gently as Ryo sneezes in response to the potent floral scent.
She growls warningly and slams the small glass bottle to ground forcefully. Jumping when it shattereds loudly on impact. Ryo drops to her knees instantly and claps her hands over her ears once more. The sound is so strange to her new ears and knock into her like sonic waves.
Ryo looks at Zaru breifly after the rising stops. He is sitting like a stone statue on the messy bed, he remains quiet and soon Ryo goes back to exploring. He is completely amused watching as his Mate explores everything in the room she can get to.
Her child like innocence is on full display currently. By the end of her initial investigation, the once clean and beautiful room, is now trashed. Broken bottles and ripped clothes from the closet, litter the harwood floor. Even the dresser drawers were all on the scattered and some lay broken in pieces.
"Ryo?" Zaru finally calls out as she wobbles towards the closed bedroom door intently.
She growls and looks over at Zaru questioningly. For over an hour he remained silent to speak now definitely annoys the curious Ryo.
"You can't go out there yet Ryo... Your body is.. exposed.."
She looks down like reality is just coming back. Zaru has a sudden wave of remorse for pulling her from where ever she was at before. She shivers again and begins touching her body everywhere frantically.
"This form is wrong!" Ryo snarls, confused and anxious as she looks up to Zaru for help.
Even in a semi human form, her growls and snarls are so deadly that it is a shock to hear it coming from someone so angelic. Especially while having an expression of fear.
"Easy my Love, easy now." He walks towards Ryo steadily.
She stands leaning against the wall as Zaru reaches out to her with one hand while using the other to motion to the bed.
"Come sit and tell me what you remember." His velvet voice captures her attention momentarily, and she reaches for Zaru's hand.
Ryo growls lightly as their hands touch but ultimately lets Zaru help her to the bed. She sits down willingly but refuses to lay down, her fresh legs hang over the side. Zaru sits next to her but hasn't yet released her hand.
Ryo looks deep into his ocean colored eyes then closes hers as the past memories flood. She jolts up from the bed but her legs can't handle such switch movements. Zaru jumps forward, catching Ryo before she falls.
"I have to go back!" Ryo shouts angerly, trying to push from her mate.
"NO WAY IN FUCKING HELL are you going back there Ryo!" Zaru and Jin shout angerly as one.
Panic and rage filling them both at the thought of their weaken Mate running towards danger. Ryo stops fighting against Zaru for once, the tone and his words shocking her system.
Part of Ryo blazes in fury that Zaru dare to challenge her yet a new part dims her anger and lets his words sink in. She looks down her unnatural form once more, tears she can't stop come flooding out.
"What am I gonna do Zaru!? I'm a wolf! I'm a WOLF!" She howls frantically.
Ryo doesn't know how to be a human, to her humans are weak and filled with pointless emotions. Vuranable, she cries even harder as her thoughts continue to race.
Zaru and Jin whine in unison as they hold their breaking Mate. All her courage, her strength. It's nearly all gone, Ryo is back at square one. Weak.
Soon Ryo lays motionless in Zaru's lap, the tears ending but the trails ever present. Her composer slowly returns but the strain of emotions on her demeanor are evident.
Once Ryo calmed down enough Zaru orders the doctors to come in at last but he doesn't move a muscle. Not that he could if he wanted to, Ryo has him firmly locked in place. Her sharp nails cutting into his arms as she grips them.
She doesn't respond to the pack doctors as they examine what they can while she sits on the Alpha's lap. No one dares to try and move her, even though Ryo is in a bad state, her killing intent is not dampened in the slightest.
The doctors leave after confirming that their Luna's vitals are good, and she just needs balanced meals and rest for a bit. Zaru nods dismissing them to their relief. Once the pair were alone again, Ryo's grip lossens and Zaru moves her gingerly to face him.
"Ryo.. Ryo.. Ryo.. Love?" He has to say her name a few times before she opens her eyes to look at Zaru. "Why were we running? I need to know?"
Panic fills her instantly, "Death! We were in real danger! Something stronger then me!" She snarls, anxiety starting to consume her mind.
"Danger from who Ryo? What... scared you.. so much...that you shifted forms?" Zaru tries to keep calm but the reality is that Ryo is an incredibly power werewolf.
Her alpha blood is the strongest they have seen and for her to be that terrified she shifts for the first time in over 20 years has every pack on edge.
No, word of the Beast fleeing an arena has traveled to nearly every werewolf who knows her reputation. Even some rogues are on alert now, just like the packs in the allaince.
"I don't know Zaru," she looks at him solemnly. Fresh tears threatening to fall, "Everything was just screaming inside. I couldn't... I couldn't.."
Zaru holds his Luna as another wave crashes onto them, "If I wasn't there would you have ran still?" He can't hide the seriousness of his tone.
"I would've lost no matter what.." Ryo replies thinking about that moment precisely.
"Why?" The white wolf's eyes swirl colors waiting for Ryo's answer.
"I dont know Zaru! I don't understand either!"
"Was he a rogue, an Alpha.. a pit master?" Zaru asks softly, unable to let it go.
"All and none! Nothing yet something!" Ryo throws her hands up, gritting her teeth.
"That doesn't make any sense." Zaru huffs out, just as frustrated.
Ryo snaps at him but it's not the same anymore. Her flat mouth makes a chatter sound instead and Ryo shakes her head. Her frustration only building and more tears burst out.
"Why the ocean? You ran there instinctually, like a trance." Zaru rubs her back, his insides twisting at asking his Mate painful questions.
"I DO NOT KNOW ZARU!" Ryo glares at him angerly, "I.. just knew... Or I didn't know.. but felt it.. FOR FUCKS SAKE! Why is it so hard to focus in this form!"
"You were never taught how to handle emotions and now you are feeling them all uncontrollablely." Zaru pulls her into a hug, holding her gently, "The questions can wait, I'm sorry Ryo."
"Is this every day for you?" She looks up at Zaru and it feels like she is seeing him for the first time all over again.
A new wave of feelings come crashing down on her like falling boulders. Ryo wants to touch him, to be even closer, to hold him.. to /bite/ him. Heat flashes through her body, his sweet husky scent so alluring and overpowering.
She studies his face, admiring the charm his appearance holds. His shoulder length black hair, his sharp jawline. Her hand reaches out and strokes his smooth cheek unconsciousnessly. The tingles feel completely different then when she was a wolf. Ryo finds herself enjoying this feeling, it is the same happiness she feels when running.
Ryo runs her hands down his exposed chest, feeling the warmth of his body. The soft smooth skin, the beats of his heart. She listens intently to it, leaning the side of her face to feel the beats within.
"Mate." She growls aggressively a few minutes later, looking up from Zaru's chest.
His body falling backwards on the bed as she moves to smell him more. Her hand forcing him on his back and he willingly gives in.
"Mate." Zaru growls back affirmingly, as his mate stalks up his form, her naked body hovering over him.
Ryo leans her head down, trailing her nose along his nape now. His body tenses feeling her tongue lick the spot that will bare her mark one day, Ryo drawn to it so naturally.
Zaru reaches his hands up, wrapping his musclar arms around her petite body. He pulls her down ontop of him, Ryo's bare chest now pressed into Zaru's.
Ryo's tongue is still trailing over his kneck unphased, so he leans up bringing his own lips to her exposed neck. The feeling stimulates another instinct within the wolves as they continue to indulge each other.
Zaru wiggles his pants off, the feeling of her teeth nipping his skin sends waves of urgency. He continues to touch and kiss his Mate frantically, all his pent up desires taking the lead.
Ryo's fangs sharpen more as she starts to apply pressure, her instincts driving her to bite him in that spot. Sparks begin to erupt within them the harder she presses.
The white wolf growls in excitement, ready to finally claim their mate. The moment she marks them, he plans to complete the mating ritual. Jin is also excited, he too wants to feel his mate completely.
To put his scent on her, to have her scent on him. But right before they could take Ryo, Zaru hears the last person he wanted to hear.
"I WILL BE DAMNED if I keep being left in the dark!" A high pitch voice spikes just outside the door, "I haven't even seen my daughter in law since she arrived nearly 9 months ago!"
The Queen Luna, a beautiful tall red head, comes barging in. A helpless King following behind his Mate into the destoryed room.
The Queen's eyes take in the mess around the room before landing on the bed.. Her son and his Mate in an extremely private moment. Zaru yells at his mother through the mindlink venomously.
She gasps with redden cheeks and slams the door shut, frantically apologizing over and over. The Queen shakes her head swiftly trying to forget the image. Her and the King hastily go to sit downstairs and await their son's summon.
The sudden intrusion snapped Ryo out of her trance as well and she pulls back, red flushing her cheeks instantly. Zaru groans and slides off the bed deflated. He dresses grumbling and picks up a shirt, tossing it gently to Ryo.
"It's common for us to wear clothes when in human form, please put my shirt on for now." As Zaru suspected his shirt is massive on her, tapering off around her thighs. Zaru chuckles slightly as he walks to the door, "Come up now!"
Ryo tries to peak out around him from the bed but his body blocks the view. Shortly after shouting out, he greets his parents and walks them in.
"Dad, Mom. This is Ryo in her human...ish form."
They both stare in awe, Ryo has a natural glow of beauty, one could say even go as far to say Royalty. Ryo could be in rags right now and they would still believe her to be the most beautiful person they ever seen.
"Hi, Ryo! I'm Luna Tilda, Zaru's mother. We haven't actually met before." The woman shoots a scolding look at her husband and son, "They hid you from me for far too long." She leans down and swiftly hugs the stiff Ryo.
"Your silver hair is absolutely stunning! The Moon Goddess has blessed you clearly!" The Luna starts running her hands through Ryo's silky hair. Setting it up in makeshift styles, "I can't wait to dress you up! It's gonna be so much fun! And oh my! Those ears, how magical!"
Ryo looks to Zaru, panic building in her eyes. "Mom, please. Ryo is still very much.."
Tilda pulls away realizing the state of her daughter in law. Exhaustion, confusion, and even panic is heavy on her facial expression.
Tears soon lace the Luna's own gaze, "Poor thing! Get some rest dear, and Son, no more funny business.." Tilda turns and grabs her husband on the way, "Come we must prepare a feast for tomorrow!"
"Zaru, kill me." Ryo states blankly looking at him.
"It'll get easier.." Zaru slide's back into bed, Jin wants to finish what they started but Zaru knows it shouldn't have even gone that far.
He glances over at his Mate, her back facing him fully. A twinge of guilt balls in his chest thinking about what nearly happened.
"Emotions are difficult..Can we.." Ryo doesn't look at him as she speaks but Zaru understands.
"Don't worry about it Ryo. This situation is overwhelming... for all of us.." Deciding if she doesn't wanna talk about what happened then they will also leave it alone.
Zaru is still slightly pleased at Ryo's exposed vulnerability, he feels like she needs him to protect her at long last. As well as a small hope that he can subdue the wailing his moping wolf inside.
YOU ARE READING
Rogues: The Beginning
Wilkołaki(First Draft Book 1) ~ A Beast lurks deep in the shadows of her own despair. Anger and hate are the chains she can't break. Instincts guiding her fangs as she hunts for blood. Lost and found. Feared and loved. Powerful and weak. Alone in the...
