Property of a Gordon

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

When Kendall and I stepped out of the carriage, we were greeted with an energetic rush of excited screams and inviting smiles. As I scanned the crowd, it looked as if almost the entire town had gathered in the little time to spot their beloved Prince.

I gave a growl at the thundering sound that was new to me. A disadvantage of remaining in my human form for most of my life was not having made myself comfortable with my wolf senses. As a human, my senses were heightened compared to that of a full-blooded human, but as a wolf, they were enhanced further. It caused each individual scream to pierce not just one of my ear drums, but both.

I scanned the crowd once again and saw many distantly familiar faces. Their eyes were either glued to Kendall or swiping side glances at me. I had to clamp my teeth together to keep from the temptation of growling at every single one of them. I took another glance at the crowd but didn't spot my family and friends among it.

Kendall stared at them, his expression cool and neutral, but the crowd still went wild, eating it up. All I did was huff when I wanted to laugh at their stupidity. If they knew their Prince was as arrogant as the word, they might not look at him with such adoring faces. Kendall cleared his throat and within seconds, the crowd grew silent.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. As you are all aware, I am currently completing my Wolf Journey," he started, receiving screams for no apparent reason. I just rolled my eyes, wishing that this was the end of his speech and not just the introduction.

"I have settled with the wolf beside me, but decided to journey my land, not for a potential Protector, but to see my people," he continued, the crowd clinging hopelessly to his every word. "My wolf is to roam around while I visit with you-" His voice was suddenly drowned out.

As soon as he said that, the crowd surged forward in unison, shoving startled guards onto the ground. Instead of growling and baring my teeth to halt the wave of people like a potential Protector might have done, I turned and left Kendall to fend for himself. He should be able to do that at the very least.

I walked in the shadows created by the buildings, knowing the town's landscape by heart. In order to get home, I had to walk through the whole town daily because my house stood alone on the edge of the town's border. But it had never bothered me as it always gave my time alone to think.

Right now, I walked near the overgrown bushes and trees, thinking about my parents. They were probably worried sick about me, depending on what lie my friends had conjured up and repeated to them. Probably anything but the truth.

Another five minutes of listening to nothing but my paws hitting the soft ground silently and my stable breathing, and I was finally there. Right in front of me stood the place I called home.

The exterior of the house didn't look like much and it never had. In fact, it looked shabby and worn down all the way to its bones. The bricks somehow managed to adopt a faded look, adding to the effect. But stepping inside the house made you forget what the exterior looked like.

The interior of the house maintained a traditional look but seeped comfort from its furnishings. The aura of the house made you want to slip off your shoes, grab a cup of steaming hot chocolate, and sink into the couch in front of the tender fire burning in the fireplace. The house gave comfort to everyone who stepped inside but me.

The house had always seemed more like a prison in my eyes. It had been the place where I'd been cooped up until the age of fifteen when my parents had gradually, but reluctantly, allowed me to roam the outdoors. After that, I'd spent a majority of my time outdoors than under the roof of the house.