The Culling

CHAPTER TEN

Darcy listened to the fighting as he struggled to get the ropes untied. The rogues had been smart enough to use silver strands in the rope. He almost couldn't believe that a femme wolf took down three rogues as easy as she had claimed. For some reason, her voice sounded very familiar.

When she kept taunting the two rogues that had stayed with him, he realized why he recognized the unknown wolf's voice; it was Phoebe, the guard who had gone pack hopping with him. His wolf perked up at her wolf and they struggled harder to get untied. He couldn't explain why his wolf was so drawn to her, but at that moment, he didn't care why he felt a pull towards her.

The two rogues raced out of the cabin and Darcy's heart almost stopped. Phoebe had easily taken care of the first three, but those two rogues were the sizes of war horses. It would have taken an alpha to defeat one, let alone both. Suddenly, a deafening growl echoed throughout the clearing and Darcy's blood ran cold. The fighting outside grew louder and fiercer.

Just as his ropes snapped, everything turned quiet. Dread filled him as he slowly picked himself up and shuffled over to the door. Slowly, as if not wanting to see the carnage, he poked his head outside. What he saw shocked him speechless. A large female silver-black wolf stood over two dead bodies. Her coat was stained red from both the blood of the rogues and her own. Her whole body was shaking as her sides heaved quickly, trying to draw in oxygen.

"Phoebe?" Darcy called out softly, making the wolf's head snap towards him. The solid golden orbs told him that her wolf was in control. He watched as she stood tall and limped towards the cabin. The wolf barked twice at him and then nodded over her shoulder. It took him a minute before he realized that she wanted him to start walking.

"I don't know where we are. They made sure I was blindfolded on the way here." The wolf let out an exaggerated huff before turning around and started limping towards the woods. It dawned on him that she wanted him to follow her. Leaping off the small porch, he jogged after her, stepping over the rogues bodies. When they returned, he would have to send someone back to make sure that the mess was cleaned up.

Hour after hour they walked, and Darcy watched as the guard in front of him started to walk slower and slower. Letting out a sigh, he took a step towards her. "I could carry you. It would save your energy and we would get back faster." The she-wolf snapped at him while making sure to put several feet between them. Holding his hands up in surrender, he mockingly bowed his head. "You don't want to be touched. Understood." She growled softly at him, and Darcy couldn't help but chuckle softly at her.

Suddenly, he saw her tense and come to a quick stop. She looked over her shoulder at him before sitting on her hunches and letting out a loud howl. Darcy was confused until he saw several wolves appear before him, his father being one of them. The king and Captain Taggart shifted and hurried towards the prince.

The king embraced his son, the worry that had been written on his face now faded away. Joy and happiness had taken its place. "Darcy, my boy, how did you escape?"

"Phoebe found me Father. She managed to defeat the rogues that were holding me and then she led me back here. We need to get her to the doctor. She fought at least five, and she's injured." The king's eyes fell to the wolf that had been patiently sitting several feet from the small gathering, watching the surroundings with a watchful eye.

"Thank you Phoebe." The king spoke softly, yet she still heard him. The wolf gave a bow of her head, and the king saw her body weave a little when she raised it. His eyes then noticed the still drying blood that covered her fur. How did she find Darcy so quickly? He asked himself as he slowly stepped towards the guard. Suddenly, their pervious conversation came to mind and he looked back to Darcy and then back to Phoebe.