Shiftless

Chapter 1 - Talee

I approach the village of Vyan by riding in on Moon, who rears back as I pull on the reins. With my body pressed against my tempermental mare I feel closer to nature and my instinct tries to reach out to my wolf. But then Moon drops onto her front hooves and the moment passes in failure, once more. Although, I guess I have to be thankful for that, it would not end well to begin a shift on a horse.

"Talee?" My mother's voice soothes the sting of the most recent failure. I dismount with little effort and give a quick hug to my mother who hugs me back with as much enthusiasm, but a little concern has her tightenting her hold for just a second longer. "Any news?"

"The Alpha Cayn is approaching with a lycan male and a female who looks a smidge uncomfortable."

My father approaches with a disgruntled sound. Reum makes the same sound right behind him. I nod my head to Reum who shares a smile with me in greeting.

"Let us go greet them before they reach Ovia proper then." Although Reum's voice is gruff, all around know that he isn't upset with us. He is upset at Alpha Cayn. We all heard it when Lord Alpha Ersyu sent out the notification of Alpha Cayn's indiscretion. Well, we all heard of it eventually through the grapevine.

My parents and my alpha shift forms and I follow on horseback to the border of Ovia. As we trot I think about Alpha Cayn. I can't believe he'd do that... but that female... Even I'm a little envious of her. To be loved so much, cherished, that a male would carry you from one country to his home in another. I do wonder where they plan on going from here though. I've heard that human royalty are quite prideful and wrathful creatures and those Tanithe bastards would be more than happy to cause misery to Airzais by joining hands with those types. Based on what others have said about Alpha Cayn I know he isn't stupid, he's formed too much of a good reputation to be such, but the danger he's now put us all under is maddening.

I'm forced to put my feelings to the side as we reach the edge in good time and have to linger as the trio make their way to us, at the pace of humans. Reum looks up at me, "How were they traveling?"

I flick my eyes to my alpha so he knows that I've acknowledged him but my eyes are nearly immediately drawn back to the landscape in front of us as I reply, "The female was carried by Alpha Cayn and the other lycan male was in human form. He walks like a tracker."

Reum nods but I can see the curiosity in his eyes. Admittedly I wonder about their chosen transport. It makes me wonder if she's ever seen their wolf forms as it would be so much faster for her to travel on his back, she is light enough for it.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait much longer for our answers. Even when Alpha Cayn stands in front of us he doesn't look at all of us until the female in his arms is safely on the ground with her dress around her ankles once more, that is more telling than it is not. Especially as he has her angled so that she is behind him. Next to him is the other lycan male who remains close to the other two, as if he'd protect the strange, human female too.

We all take an experimental sniff of the air but the female smells only vaguely of Alpha Cayn. I see Reum and father tense as they look at each other. I can nearly positively guess their worry.
There are only a couple reasons why a male would be protective of a female that doesn't share the marking scent of the male. One, she is his true or life mate. Two, she is pregnant. And the same goes for a pack mate of an Alpha. They only protect the definite future of their Alpha, if the female isn't their own.

He looks at Reum first then nods to the rest of us here. Since he doesn't actually know any of us no formalities are exchanged between him and my parents or me. He simply directs the usual words at Reum, "Hello, Alpha Reum, I request to move through your territory to Vatin."