A Winters Memory

Chapter Four

The next day, Alec had been about to head out to meet Ara when his father stopped him mid-step.

"Where are you heading off to?"

Alec sighed and turned to face his father. "I was going to go for a run."

His father's brows furrowed as if what his son said didn't quite sit well with him. Eying his son, he looked him over as if trying to figure out what he was up to.

"I want you home soon; the son of the alpha shouldn't be going out so much and neglecting his duties."

Alec rolled his eyes inwardly but nodded anyway.

"Of course. I'll be home before the sun sets."

The alpha nodded and allowed him to leave, though he wasn't completely satisfied with just allowing his son to leave unattended.

Calling to one of his more trusted members he instructed him to be watchful of Alec and to report any and everything to him but what was more important to this task was that he was not allowed to let Alec know that he was being followed.

He was to keep to the shadows and make sure to stay out of sight and to not be smelled either for he knew his son would cause a commotion if he knew that he was being followed by one of his father's loyal subjects.

The alpha's man followed Alec through the forest, making sure to keep as far away as possible and yet keeping as close to him as he could without bringing attention to himself.

The alpha had grown suspicious of his son and his constant daily outings. He knew there was something in the forest that had stolen his son's attention causing him to ignore his duties at home and prolonging the ritual between him and his sister Amelia.

He knew it had to have been a woman keeping his interests elsewhere, women were conniving wenches. There was a reason as to why Alec and Amelia's mother wasn't around; no one really knew what happened to her except for the alpha's most trusted commandant only because he was left with the orders to get rid of the evidence.

When the time came, and the children were old enough to wonder about their mother, the alpha told them that their mother had run off with another man.

A rogue wolf no less and that she had been banished from their pack and was no longer able to come back or even speak to her family, they were told to forget about her, they no longer needed her and the females of the wolf pack would be their surrogate mothers and as such, they grew up never truly knowing just how their mother had actually left.

Alec and Ara ran through the forest enjoying the feel of the cool breeze blowing through their fur, savoring the moment as they leaped over fallen trees and skidded across the loose earth sending up small clouds of dirt into the air as they landed.

The scent of wild berries, dirt and other familiar scents filled their senses and making their bodies come alive with excitement.

Little did they know that they were far from alone with the alpha's commandant right on their tails without them even realizing it, too wrapped up in the fun they were having both being very careless, especially Alec.

When they came into view of the lake, they both went straight for the water to rest their tired bodies.

Soon the sun would be setting, and their time of fun would be coming to an end, with a heavy sigh, Alec stood up and turned to face Ara who was sitting by a moss-covered boulder with her back to it.

"I need to start heading back home, I promised I'd be back before the sun set."

Ara nodded her head, the corners of her lips moving down in a frown. She had fun today and hadn't wanted it to end just yet, but she understood.

"Will I see you again tomorrow?"

She looked up at him with hope in her eyes. Smiling he nodded his head.

"Sure, I'll be back tomorrow, same time, same place."

Ara smiled and nodded her head. "Okay, see you tomorrow then."

Alec smiled back and rolled his shoulders as he began to shift back into a wolf and headed back home, the commandant not too far away from him.

He stayed for a moment longer studying the girl as she too stood up to leave and headed in the opposite direction of Alec, thinking the alpha would want to know where this girl was living, he followed her back to her den chuckling inwardly to himself as he took notice of where she was staying.

She was a rogue wolf, yet, she lived with real wolves, no other shape-shifter to be seen among them. Shaking his head, he made his way back to the cabin to report back his findings to the alpha.