Princess...

Chapter 13

Ethan

Alfer and Brondy's bodies lay limp on the floor as I stared after where Ace had run. I knew she didn't know her way around the house yet and figured someone would find her eventually as I turned back to the pack who all had their heads bowed to me again, very obviously understanding how serious I was with my threats after the execution.

"Someone clean this up and burn the bodies downstairs." I ordered and stalked off, hearing my Beta and Delta following behind me hurriedly

"Was that necessary, Alpha?" Delta Kurt called, still trying to match my strides as I came down from the adrenaline high that I always got after a kill. I stopped in place, swivelling round to face the Delta who dared question my actions and he bowed his head in submission

"I gave my orders. Those two disobeyed. What Alpha would I be if I allowed two of my own men to get away with that?" I asked rhetorically and continued my journey, my two most trusted men following behind

"All due respect Ethan, but now we need two more warriors to take their place. The battles of ranking aren't scheduled for another two weeks." Beta Deryn informed me and I rolled my eyes, emitting a low growl

"So move them up? I saw the pack in training, someone will be worthy enough to take their places." I ordered and the two men stopped as I entered the far West Wing, clearly understanding that my actions were final, and they now had to fix the mess for their Alpha. I received the mindlink from the Beta that the battle of rankings was tomorrow and put it to the back of my mind, retiring to my room and stripping down to my boxers, too tired to go for a run this evening. After a few hours of tossing and turning, I sat up and flicked on the bedside lamp, emitting a dim light that cast shadows around my room. I had slowly made the room my own after all the years of sleeping in here, yet it still felt cold and uninhabitable. Grey painted walls surrounded me and plush black carpet lined the floor. I had a king-sized bed that I only ever retired to when truly exhausted, sometimes not sleeping in it for days at a time due to the stress of being Alpha and the requirements of the role. There was a towering bookcase in the one corner with a warm sofa and armchair, and an acoustic guitar my father used to play in the other corner, gathering dust as I hadn't picked it up since he passed. I stood and paced in front of the large window that overlooked the forest, my mind never leaving the redheaded rogue for a minute

Is she back yet? Raula could easily be asleep right now, but I had to know and it was too risky to walk down to the workers quarters, in case anyone saw me.

Is she not with you? I haven't seen her since you dragged her away Ethan. What happened? My eyes widened when I realised that Ace hadn't been seen since I let her escape earlier. The thought of her escaping the house passed through my mind momentarily before I chuckled aloud, it was impossible to escape here, my father had ensured of it.

No, she isn't with me. Wake the workers and find her, Raula. Was I begging? No. I just didn't like the idea of the new rogue escaping so quickly. I pulled on a hoodie and a pair of jeans, before shoving my feet into some trainers and jogging down the hall, peering into every room I passed.

Find the rogue. The pack all searching for Ace would mean she would be found quicker, I was sure of it, hence why I mindlinked everyone and heard a surge of footfall as everyone began searching. After an hour and no one had caught sight of the redheaded rogue, I stormed up to the two hunters who manned the gate

"Have you seen Rogue Ace?" I demanded, standing quite a bit taller than the two hunters who had their heads bowed to me

"No, Alpha. None of us hunters have seen her since the execution." The one to the left, Wyett, spoke and I nodded, getting increasingly frustrated. I had met up with Raula at some point who assured me that Ace had missed dinner and hadn't returned to the workers quarters all night. Growling angrily, I allowed my wolf form to shift which ripped my clothes from my body and ran into the woods for a chance to clear my head. I needed to be thinking clearly if I wanted to find her, though a part of me questioned why I cared. She was just another rogue, one that should have been executed by now, might I add. As I breezed past the trees I'd known my whole life, my nose caught a familiar whiff of a scent only a wolf would recognise; rogue. I shifted behind a tree and pulled on a set of clothes I'd hidden just a few feet from me. When running through these woods, you never know when you'll need a change of clothes if you have to suddenly shift back and there were plenty of clothing items hidden in the forest in emergencies.

My inner wolf picked up the scent of rogue quickly, but it was masked by something I didn't recognise and I struggled to keep the scent, searching for a further half an hour before my eyes fell to a figure hunched under a vast oak tree. I took in the sight in front of me, unconscious and oblivious to the world around them with dark hair covering the figure's face; red hair. I dropped to my knees in front of Rogue Ace and listened hard, hearing her quiet breathing as she slept, now donned in an oversized hoodie that drowned her figure and looked more like a dress if I hadn't caught the scent of my cologne on the hoodie. That must have been why her scent was hard to pick up, I mentally noted. I gently scooped her up in my arms, cautious not to wake her as she burrowed further into my chest, that strange feeling from before resurfacing and I struggled to push it away.

She has been found. Everyone retire to your rooms. Tomorrow we battle for rankings. I mindlinked the pack and hoped everyone would have disappeared by the time I got back. I saw the glowing lights of the house in the distance and knew Raula would be up, worried sick for Ace's appearance when we returned. I glanced down at her sleeping figure before dragging my eyes away and making eye contact with my mother figure who was pacing in the kitchen, just as predicted. She dashed over to me and looked between us.

She's asleep. She was out in the forest. Raula nodded, carefully taking Ace off of me and my arms felt empty when I stood back, watching as she fussed over the sleeping figure. I nodded curtly and began the journey back to my room, my inner wolf feeling more relaxed now I knew where the redheaded rogue was.