The Desert Alpha's Mate

CHAPTER 45-THE DEVIOUS PLAN

When the carriage was out of sight, Argus saw a sinister smile slowly creep on Ashraf's lips. He saw the color of the man's eyes change, from brown to golden. He seemed excited about something while he was looking at the way the carriage went.

'Who are you, Ashraf?' he thought. He couldn't help but shiver from seeing the look in Ashraf's eyes. When the man bolted to run, Argus silently followed. Making sure that he wouldn't lose sight of him. He saw Ashraf putting his nose upwards as if sniffing the air. From time to time, he would stop, then inhale, then he would run or walk fast again.

'What is he doing? We are in the capital, but he seems to be on a hunt?' Argus thought. He tried his best not to be noticed by Ashraf. He stayed downwind, so his scent would not be noticed. The way Ashraf was acting, he seemed an expert in what he was doing. Argus couldn't take any chances. If he wanted to tail Ashraf, he needed to be careful. And quiet.

Ashraf looked like a master hunter, and although he was in the midst of crowds of people in the center of the capital, he seemed to be looking for a particular scent. He wasn't bothered by the people he was passing. He was so determined to catch the owner of the scent that he barely noticed anything else. Argus could see the glint in Ashraf's eyes. He knew that look. It was the look of a man you should not mess with.

Argus noticed that they were both now near the center of the capital. The center was busier now than earlier, since it was almost midday and more people were pouring in to watch the Battle of Glory that would commence later.

Not too far ahead, Argus saw the Royal Carriage that was used by Lady Lina. He saw Ashraf sniff the air and then stopped. He watched the Royal Carriage from a distance. Argus's heart was pounding wildly in his chest at the thought that the scent Ashraf was following was of his lady.

'Don't you dare lay a hand on my lady!' Argus thought angrily, while he was watching Ashraf's every move.

Then he stopped as the Royal Carriage crossed the crossroads and made its way back to the palace. Argus hid from the carriage view too, but he never took his eyes off Ashraf.

When the carriage was out of their view, he saw Ashraf cross the road and enter one of the stalls in the corner of the crossroad. He let out a sigh of relief as he figured that it wasn't Lady Lina that Ashraf was after.

'What are you up to?' he thought, as he watched him enter the stall.

The stall had only one way in and one way out, so there was no means for Ashraf to exit the stall without him knowing. Argus decided to wait for Ashraf to come back outside. He wouldn't follow him inside. The stall was too small, and even sneaking closer was risky as it could blow his cover.

After a few moments of waiting, a boy went out of the stall with a pack of bread in his hands. The boy seemed nervous. His pace was fast. He seemed to be running from something...or someone. Argus became curious about the boy's actions. He followed him with his gaze as the boy made his way to the road leading to the palace.

Soon after the boy went out, Argus saw Ashraf exiting the stall casually. He saw him waving goodbye to the stall owner, while he was biting a piece of bread in his hands. While Ashraf ate the bread in two bites, he casually looked the way the boy had gone. When he finished his bread, he licked the crumbs that were left on his fingers without taking his gaze off the road.

Argus followed the trail of Ashraf's gaze and he saw the boy in the distance.

'So it's the boy he is after, huh?' he thought. Now it's clear to him that Ashraf was hunting the boy. Ashraf was just giving the boy a fair distance before he would chase him. Argus knew all too well the hunting stance of a predator to its prey. Although Ashraf was leisurely walking at a slow pace, the way his heels were lifting in each of his steps told Argus that he would bolt to a run at any given moment. He was just enjoying the fun of giving the boy some distance and letting him think that he was safe.