A Dash of Demise

Ch 13: Wolfsbane

A/N: Reds dress!! Oh and yay little longer of a chapter.
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Zander POV:

It has been over a weeks time since I last saw Red, my wolf side sorely missed the small red haired girl and all the fire she held.

But as alpha I did not have the time nor the ability to spend all my time panting after her and following her every movements. I have a pack to run.

And this week was the week of the month several pack members and I went into the royal city to buy products that would aid our packs survival.

It was rare human merchants would trade with us, and if they were so willing they were often travelers. Staying in the crown city would often mean their doom, it was highly illegal to consort with wolves, they are supposed to be reported and or killed on sight when in the city.

It is the law.

And the Scarlet Guardsmen are relentless when it comes to this one in particular.

It is high treason to associate with my kind.

We are risky business. Its why the only humans to form relations with us are either prostitutes or rather shady merchants.

This month happened to be one where one of the very shadiest was in town. He also happens to trade in a cure to wolfsbane, a rare poisonous plant spawned from the royal palace. The guardsmen and certain wealthy hunters like to coat their weapons and traps in it so it is nice to have plenty of antidote with us.

Nothing stings more than silver coated with wolfsbane.

we always met him in a different alleyway where he would give us a small barrel of the antidote. One of his underlings watching the entrance for danger.

It was no different this time, myself, Maddox, and three other wolves slipped into an ally behind a rather seedy bar and met the rather large, greasy man. A tall lanky child retreating to the ally mouth.

All and all it was the same as the last time we had met, "Misnick."

The graying man eyed me, chubby fingers on the barrel, "Stonewood...the price has gone up."

I growled lowly, the price we paid for this safety was already more than ridiculous.

He swallowed hard pulling the barrel to him, "my apothecary had to make a new antidote."

I paused at this. "Why?"

He shook his head, "new wolfsbane. The guard caught on to the fact there was a cure so there were rumors the royals had a new kind made. We bought some to test. And had to make a new cure."

My jaw tightened, that would make our current supply practically worthless. "how much?"

"10,000 silver."

"Thats twice the price!"

He shook his head, "its not easy nor cheap to make it is 10,000 or no cure we-"

The boy in the ally whistled lowly.

I practically snarled, we have been here too long already, "fine. Pack it up before the guard gets here will you?"

The merchant did nothing.

I glanced at him.

He was deathly white and wide eyed as he stared past me.

The whistle came again. And the a giggle, "You do know that one should perhaps try changing ones signal for trouble. Or at least make it difficult to copy."

Slowly the five of us turned to see Red, the lanky boy, limp on the ground before her.

The merchant swallowed hard, "the vermillion demon."