Into The Woods (mxm)

Twelve

"I grew up, Aamon. I was young and stupid. I have learned through this whole experience what it's like to lose a pup. I understand how you felt and still feel. But... I need Ansel back with me."

Aamon swallows thickly. He takes a timid step closer to me. Looks up into my eyes.

"You- you really love him don't you?"

"Yes," I breathe out. "I love him so much."

        Aamon takes a deep breath. We stand in silence for about a minute before he answers.

"Okay," Aamon closes the distance, taking my hand in a tight grip. I can't lie when I say it feels nice to be close to my brother again. Guilt hits me hard as I think back to all of the pain I have caused. Goddess, Luanne was right. Having Ansel in my life really has changed me. I have become so soft over the years. Slowly becoming a pushover in the eyes of others. Good Goddess...

Aamon tugs me along through the woods and away from the battle. "There's a passageway in the woods just in case there was a situation in which the royal family needed to make a quick escape. It leads right up to Alpha Greyson's bedchamber. We will be able to look for them through there once we are safely away from the battle."

We run into the woods a little way until we reach a cave entrance. A small hatch in the corner opens as Aamon tugs on the jagged edges of stone on the ground.

       Aamon jumps down into the hole and I follow suit. It never occurred to me until now that Aamon could have been tricking me into a trap. Now-in this small and cramped passageway with no other way to go but towards the Castle- I feel so vulnerable.

We walk single file through the musty, dark passageway until we reach another hatch above a rotting wooden ladder.

"Be careful it hasn't been used in a while. We've got to climb a little bit before we get to the stairway that leads to the Prince's bedchamber."

Aamon goes up first, showing me where to place my hands and feet in order not to fall or break the rickety old ladder. As we climb, Ansel's sweet scent drifts closer to me. My heart beats faster, my palms becoming sweaty as my wolf and I long to be with our pup.

      Aamon comes to a stop at a small ledge which he climbs up and through a small entrance in the wall. I climb through behind him to find that we are in a small room with stairs that spiral high up.

       I break into a sprint up the stairs as Ansel's scent seems to be getting stronger on its own.
      I trip over my own feet, trying my hardest to make it to the top of the seemingly never-ending stairs.

      Once I finally make it to the top of the stairs I come to a stop at a wooden door. I try the knob and it is locked from the other side. I am about to break the door down when the knob jiggles.

       The door swings open and I come face to face with my pup. My boy.

Ansel sobs out as he throws his thin arms around me. He jumps up to wrap his legs around my waist and I tuck one arm around the small of his back and the other underneath his backside to prevent him from falling as well as hold him as close as I can.

       "Ansel," I say gently into his ear. Hoping to get him to calm. Ansel whimpers out in response as he tightens his hold around my neck.

      "Daddy," he cries out. My wolf howls at the name that I hadn't been called in years since Ansel was a little pup. "Oh daddy, I've missed you so much! My life has been so hectic I just want to go home! Please take me home!"

       "It's alright, my love. We are going to go home. Home to see your Mama. Hey, it's alright, Ansel. Daddy's here now. Daddy is here now..."

        I see Aamon slowly approach us from the corner of my eye. He looks at Ansel with a sense of longing. He never had this type of connection with Ansel. It's my fault too. I am going to make this right for my son even if it kills me to do so. I owe it to my pup.

        "Ansel," I reluctantly pull him back a little so I can look into his tearful eyes. "We need to go now so we can call off the war and retreat. This isn't about fighting this is about returning you to a safer place. We need to go now, and when we get home we can take the time to properly reunite there."

I put Ansel down onto the ground, taking his small, shaking hand in mine. Before we get the chance to go anywhere a voice coming from behind stops us.

      "Wait! Take us with you. Please."

       I turn to find a small boy with two rather large men on either side of him. I recognize none of them except for the boy to the right. Well, he's not a boy anymore, grown into a man with similar looks of his father.

        "Greyson," I say. "Well, it has been a while since I have seen you. You've grown."

       "I don't remember meeting you..erm... Alpha?" Greyson tilts his head to the side slightly.

       "Of course you do not remember me. You were but a child when I met you. A pup. Come, let us go before someone catches me here."

       The six of us make our way rather quickly back down through the passageway. Greyson and the other large man sticking close by Ansel the whole time. I will have to ask Ansel about them later even though I have a good idea of what they are to him.

        By the time we arrive back to where the battle is, Alpha Blake is waiting for us at the edge of the woods.

      Aamon swears under his breath at the sight of his Alpha. Alpha Blake howls our and his warriors stop fighting, retreating back to the Castle. A couple of warriors stay behind to form a semi-circle behind Alpha Blake. I howl out for my warriors to retreat back to the Castle save for a few to protect us if things go wrong here. Goddess, help me restrain myself before I kill Alpha Blake in front of Ansel.

      "And where do you think you are going, Greyson? Aamon?"