Malevolent

Chapter 21

We had marched for several hours when Alazne pulled up beside me. "We will be pulling up camp soon for supper." She mumbled, avoiding eye contact with me. I nodded mutely, watching her stiff posture closely.

As we pulled to a stop in a small clearing, Marcus gave instructions to everyone as we unpacked the supplies needed for supper. Which Alazne blatantly ignored; jumping off her horse, she stalked away into the forest away from camp.

"Ala!" Marcus called "Alazne! Come back here!" He growled aggressively, his eyes darkening dangerously, "For fucks sake." Handing off his horse to another, he snarled, striding after her.

"Ahem," I coughed, Marcus's sudden anger taking me by surprise. "Sir Marcus, I'll go after her."

"No, you won't," He growled at me, "She is meant to stay here and protect you. You chasing her into the forest is the exact opposite."

"I will be fine, Sir. Alazne will not put me in any danger."

"You will not go into that forest! I am warning you Lope, if you step even a foot outside this camp–"

"You forget your honour and you do not get to give me orders, Beta." I spoke just as forcefully, staring at him in the eye, "Especially threatening ones, choose your words more carefully next time." My heart beat wildly in my chest as I continued to stare him down. My sudden need to state my superiority surprised me, finding his aggressiveness towards Alazne and his threats towards me a strange challenge to the animal inside me.

Fenrisúlfr had finally joined the party in the clearing, I was standing with my back to him, but I could sense his presence yards behind me. "Do not follow me, Marcus. Tell Fenrisúlfr I will be back with Alazne." Turning around, I caught Fenrisúlfr's eye, he stared at me with a blank face, but something was shining through his eyes. Our glazes did not break until I disappeared behind the trees, following Alazne's trail.

She had disappeared from view, but her faint scent was lingering on the branches she brushed, and a disturbance imprinted on the leaves in the muddy ground where she had run over.

Following the trail she had left, I was brought to a trickling stream, flowing gently over rocks and moss. There were large boulders up ahead, where Alazne was seated on top of, bathing in the afternoon sun, her body curled into her chest, but her face tilted towards the light.

I climbed up next to her, and she shifted to make more room. I leaned back, the sun on my skin pleasantly warm.

"Not many wolves can track me," She started, "I was trained to hide and disappear within seconds. I am surprised Marcus let you out of his sight."

"He didn't really have a choice in the matter." She glanced at me but offered no response. "So..." I shifted my body to look at her, "You and Dutch, huh?"

She huffed out a laugh, loosening her tight hold on her body, and stretched her legs out, laying back against the smooth surface of the boulder. "I do not know how it happened, or even when it started..." she whispered, "There was just always something about him that... interested me." She gasped suddenly, her hands covering her face as she tried, desperately, to bury her tears. "And then last night, when we–when we," She struggled to speak as she fought the tears burning her throat. "He brought me home and we..." She trailed off, breathing deeply.

I caught onto the meaning behind her words, unsure how to respond. Was she ashamed? Did she feel used? Or was she in love?

"Alazne..."

"I love him." She mumbled behind her hands, "I have never felt this way about someone before, and when Danny came along... something changed. He isn't my mate," she said miserably, "But he doesn't have to be. I love him. And now I'm marching off to an unpredictable war with no certainty that I will ever see him again."