Betrothed

Chapter 9: Finding The Lost

                                                                                Brayden

I don't understand why Willow would run away from me. I wasn't trying to scare her off into the woods. I didn't notice she was slowly walking away from me until she darted in the other direction. I tried to catch up to her, but she got the head start and was already gone. I tried following her scent, but it was too windy to track her. I stood in the last place that held her scent, and waited for the wind to die down, but I knew that would take forever. It was worth a shot though.

I sat in the same spot for an hour waiting but I can't wait forever, I need to find her. I stood up and looked around and smelt something different, and then a scent I was so familiar with. I started running as fast as I could toward the two scents. I was in the woods running still, and I saw a stranger standing next to Willow. My inner wolf growls so loud, and I couldn't take it. I swung the clothes off my human body before I shifted into my wolf form and forced myself to stay back until the time was right to intervene, so I sat back growling at the wind for being so loud that I couldn't hear what they were talking about. I picked my clothes up into my mouth and slowly and swiftly crawled to a closer tree and tried to pick up on their conversation.

I sat on the ground behind a tree and shifted back. I threw my clothes back on quickly. I couldn't help but try and not hurt him because if I did Willow would hate me, and never forgive me. I hugged my knees to my chest, my head in my lap and my hands in my hair, then I broke. I sat there brokenhearted and sobbing quietly so if the wind died out, they wouldn't be able to hear me.

I pulled myself together after a long period of crying, I don't want to lose the only girl I care about. She is mine and isn't going to be anyone else's but mine. I forced myself to stand up and watch the conversation they were having. The wind had died down some but was blowing in one direction now, and I am sure that they can smell my scent. I ran away to find some mud to put on myself to neutralize my scent from being so strong and went back to the tree I was hiding behind.

Willow's hair was blowing in the wind along with the stranger's hair, who had to be from an un-royal pack. There was something odd about the way he was standing. He was favoring his right leg, and Willow must know that because she was standing at the right angle for the perfect kick. I watched them talk and then Willow kicked him in the right leg propelling him to the ground clutching his leg close to his chest.

Then something weird happened, Willow helped him up from the ground and then continued to talk to him.

I got so mad at the thought of him taking my girl from me, and then the wind stopped blowing and I heard two words from him. "Brother and... doomed." What is going on? I need to know what lies he is feeding Willow, my girl. I slowly walk closer to them and hide behind another tree. I kept listening to their conversation, when I could hear it.

Then I heard him begging her not to combine the royal packs, but I didn't hear why, and she was believing whatever he was telling her. Willow is supposed to be smart about making decisions and involve her parents all the time; Just as I have to do, because I am the next in rule. After the strange outsider said his piece and left, I walked out from behind the tree I was hiding behind and pretended to be out of breath jogging toward her. The only girl in the world that matters to me. The only girl that I must have and be able to call mine.