Finding a man who didn't want to be found was a much larger task than my husband himself seemed to have anticipated. The crowded streets gave sanctuary to a youth who had hidden among the undesirables his entire life, much as I liked to think I knew him better than anyone- perhaps I did; this part of his life had remained unexplored by me. Bits and pieces flickered across my mental catalog, but predicting where he might go in a foreign land left me uncertain.
There was little here to comfort him, even less than he could predict with the nature of our current time. He might be frightened, running blindly into a hostile land full of those who would persecute him, yet I must remind myself that this was not a lycan but a man with a curse. I had to find him before harm came to him, surely we could not escape the icy grasp of time twice.
Caspian had shown little fear, seeming to have preferred their current situation to the one they had left, it left me wondering what part of time had we interrupted? The whole concept was still foreign to me, spiraling, I run a hand through my hair with a heavy sigh. What were we changing? How would this effect us?
A benefit to me might have been knowing where the holding facility they were taking Caspian resided. A more experienced tracker could have slinked through the city streets, finding their way by scent alone. But with the heavy fog of the afternoon rush hour looming in the streets and the screeching of sirens as our venue went up in smoke, there was little to follow and even less to gain intel from. I only had two hour until midnight, I had to find him in short order.
Overhead, heavy beams of light flashed as they followed ghostly figures. Caspian's forces were receding into the depths and I was sure Lotta had ordered to track them down. Their movement only furthered the soot and debris in the air that blocked out any hope of tracking a scent.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I exhale into the cooling air as I attempt to fathom how it was the universe saw fit to continue to punish me.
Truthfully, I'd been looking forward to some alone time with the man, some time to reconnect and rediscover ourselves. Most of all, I was looking forward to time with our children, I'd been less of a father to them than my own sire was to me. Instead, I was attempting to clean up yet another mess.
Such was my reality, back and forth between the push and pull of duties and desires.
Even in our newly formed family, our children were in hiding, Helen had been excommunicated and we were increasingly more estranged from those that remained from our time. I could only imagine it was my ungratefulness towards our good fortune that had warranted this punishment. The gods were displeased with us, of that I was certain, I couldn't imagine that Tyr had not seen this coming in some aspect or another.
Rolling my thoughts into the question of fate and destiny, both of which seemed rather cruel.
My watch chimes lightly, reminding me that we had a flight tomorrow morning, our surprise get away no doubt. Chispa had called it a honeymoon, booking the tickets and convincing my warlord to fly on a plane had been troublesome enough. Irritated, I shake my wrist to turn the watch off and sample the air. Deepening the bitter taste in my mouth, I lacked confidence in this adventure the longer I walked.
Finding this man in a sea of people seemed like a daunting task, part of me couldn't help but wonder where Verando's faith in my ability to track came from. The minutes ticked away like the countdown on a bomb, if I did not find him before midnight, the beast lurking inside would be unleashed. It was the final push, the last attempt to rekindle the war.
Caspian had been all to grateful for the appearance of the pair, unleashing extinct creatures into this world would be the final death nail. Werewolves could not be controlled, could not be reasoned with, there would be no happy ending.
Souring my mood further, I pinch the bridge of my nose as I attempt to block out the overwhelming whine of sirens and all-terrain vehicles. The tram overhead zooms past, rolling along the railing with a jolt that sends me towards the nearest building to find cover in a shower of sparks that glinted off the aged railing.
I still hadn't gotten over my run-in with the elementals, fresh in my mind, my heart races as I attempt to reassure myself it was merely faulty fixtures.
My nerves still shot from the assault at our wedding, I shut my eyes tightly and thump the back of my head on the brick. "Get a grip, Nic." I spit at myself. "You've fought in multiple wars, run a damned country and figured this god forsaken language, this is nothing." It was merely another layer on the decimation of my mental state, with no time to unpack, I would just have to endure until I could sort through the head trash in the only way that appealed to me.
A familiar scent catches my nose, followed by a tune that I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Tracking the melody, I pace down the cracked sidewalk towards the underbelly of the lively city. It felt safer here, cooler, less pollution even in its darkness. Sighing in relief from the chill of the streets, I slip towards the underpass and into the lesser world of the underprivileged.
The distant sound of clapping echoes off the deteriorating buildings, coupled with the strum of a guitar. I capture the sweet scent of wine, followed by the hoppy taste on the back of my tongue of fresh beer from a tap. The light among the shadowed structures draws me into the echo chamber of the lower city. Glancing over my shoulder, the bustling world above begins to fade away as I follow the sound of music.
It reminded me of the doll house that Silvia often played with, structured on the outside but once turned around, incomplete and filled with marks and tarnishes from her play time. The under belly of the city was no better than when we first came to this time.
It should not surprise me that he'd found his way here. Singing a tune that I don't recognize, my French is not good enough to translate it. Of course, he would be here, where technology had not found its way and those who lived here could not afford it anyway. I recognize the faint hint of magic, probably lower forms of users who couldn't get work doing much else than the remedial labor of a builder or some type of cleaning.
The man before me was not a hero, he was merely a boy, much as I was when I'd started this journey. The room is alive, bustling with activity despite the destruction going on above. Clapping, dancing in a manner that I recognize from the city streets of my childhood.
The faint memory clouds my vision, tainted with the jealousy of a child trapped in the icy grip of high society. My mother explained that this was a dance for the peasants, not one that I and my siblings could partake in.
We had so wished to join them, for it far surpassed any fun that we had in any of our teachings. Even here, I found myself stuck with that discomfort once more. Perhaps I only envied their ability to maintain such happiness, to not carry the burden for responsibility.
I would not be recognized, not in my civilian clothes. Slipping into the tavern, I rest my hand on some of the last remaining wood in the city that lined the shabby entrance. So few trees remained, this was the forgotten part of this world, the buildings that had not yet been updated and swallowed by concrete. One last farewell to nature, though it called to me in a way that would need further examining.
I was fresh off a large discharge of magic, my body still quivered with it's pulse.
Taverns were always a safe haven, where the lost and forgotten could go to find solace and then disappear once more without a trace. I spy him by his out-of-character clothes, the long dirty white sleeves hanging loosely on his arms, the strings of his shirt long since unraveled as it hung haphazardly on his shoulders. He looked like a lad, not much older than I was, perhaps even younger.
He was not searching for Caspian, he was not on some daring mission, he was here getting drunk and partaking in the nightlife of a foreign city. Spinning from woman to woman as an elderly man plucked out a rhythm on a guitar, he looked way too content for someone who'd been pulled from his time.
The younger version of my husband had not gone after his friend, he'd done the only thing he knew that would assure his survival, he gained himself favor with the locals and attempted to blend. So easily he had moved on from hunting for his friend to seeing to his own entertainment.
I was missing my honeymoon for this, for a young man with little honor compared to his current self. Wouldn't Verando be disappointed to see he'd abandon his friend to seek companionship, though if I do recall, I'd been told more times than not that this version of the man lacked much for integrity or self-worth. He'd avoided this part of his life, pushed it down, and hidden it from me at every opportunity.
Working my way through the patrons, the music is almost overwhelmingly loud. In another time, I might have been convinced to enjoy it. He captures a woman's jaw, pulling her lips to his. My heart lurches and I clear my throat loudly, startling him. "Oi, have a drink but don't cough on me, mate." Pushing a beer into my chest, he turns back to the woman while I attempt to fathom the audacity.
I must remind myself that he did not belong to me in this age. "Verando Mercer." I proclaim firmly.
The flinch I receive is satisfactory. "Just a moment pet." He exhales to the woman, she narrows her eyes at me and slips back towards the crowd as he stares after her in disappointment before looking back towards me with a slow, up and down glance. "Well, you let the bird get away, ya did. I hope your reasons are good, you've lost me my room for the night."
"Aren't you married?" I snap, irritated. To me? To Marisol?
Raising an eyebrow, he snatches the drink back from my hand and downs it. "Piss off. I don't know who the fuck you are." Thumping me with his shoulder as he pushes past, any intention of bringing him quietly fade away. I didn't want to invoke my knowledge, but the words came out on their own, out of my control.
"Wouldn't Kitten be disgusted to see you acting like this when your friend's been captured?" I lay the blame at his feet, he spins to hit me and I catch his wrist as the room goes quiet.
"Don't bring her into this." He threatens, stumbling in his half drunken stupor. I'm stronger than him for I am a lycan, and he is but a man with a curse. To slow, his hand goes for his belt and I know him to well. He keeps his karambit there, knocking his feet out from under him, I pin him to the ground on his face, quickly disarming him.
I hear the click of a gun, seeing the muzzle pointed in my direction. "Honor the Good King." I tell them firmly, glancing up from my captured prey.
"Enough." The bartender yells, drawing the room to a pause. "A truce. Let him go, that's his catch, show some respect."
The moment of pride doesn't last long, the back of his head crashes into my nose, sending me reeling as he scrambles to his feet. A fatal mistake, don't take your eyes off your prey. "Mother-" My vision spins as I attempt to refocus on his back, only able to acknowledge that he was making a run for the door.
With a mighty cheer, the patrons urge him on to victory and I curse under my breath as I jump to my feet and wipe the blood from my nose. Don't hurt him.
If I lost him now, I'd never find him again. I might be faster, but I lacked the street sense that he possessed. Even in unknown territory, I was the wolf chasing the hare. Racing towards the darkness, he skirts down an alley and my heart begins to pound. His scent in my nose, my vision sharpens as I lock onto the shape of his back.
Fresh anticipation fills my mouth, I'm practically salivating as I race after him. Verando had run for his life for the majority of his existence, it triggered every instinct in me to hunt him. He ran on true instinct, just as I chased him with the vigor of a predator.
Running out of alley space, he races down the street, stumbling over manhole covers and cracked asphalt. I grip his shirt, yanking him backwards and sending him flying off his feet and onto the ground. Gasping at the impact, he audibly groans as I place my foot on his chest. "You're coming with me." I suppose that might have been a good thing to start with.
"Like hell. Fuck off, 'honor the good king'. You're with them, you bloody royal prick." He spits in my direction and I must remind myself that I love this man, at least a version of him. My anger spikes, I feel my body heating up. He's human, he's fragile, his hands grip my boot and I fight with myself to keep under control. "If you're missing something, I didn't steal it. If your maid is pregnant, I might have fucked her but it ain't mine."
Momentarily, I'm mesmerized as he squirms under my foot. Angry, fighting for his life, I examine him, lost in this feeling of 'eventually' that I'm locked in as my eyes meet his. Is this what he felt when he first saw me?
The light blue of his eyes had not yet gained their intensity, his hair still smokey and not quite the silver sheen. He was slimmer, under fed, still young and not quite come into his own. "Hey, wanker!" He yells.
The bright flash of head lights catch me off guard, I snatch him from the street in an instant and yank him back onto the sidewalk. Wide eyed, he clings to me, gasping for breath as he watches the car zoom past. "Bloody hell.."
"It's just a car.." I explain away, hit with a feeling I wasn't quite expecting as I hold onto him. My family was in Romania, he'd grown up in Spain, his current state was not yet my families fault and I needed to remind myself of that. There was nothing I could have done to change this for him, I wasn't even alive yet.
Realizing his hands clutch my shoulders, he jerks away, but I don't release my hold on his shirt. "Oh... oh... listen, I don't know if Cas put you up to this to get him out of jail but I don't fancy a man that way. I don't even know where I am, I'm just trying to find a place to sleep before the moon goes up. Let me go and no one gets hurt."
"That's exactly what I'm trying to prevent. You're a danger to everyone running around like this, I thought you were going after Caspian-"
"Cas can handle himself, what's it you anyways? I don't even know you, so as I said before, piss off-"
I'd heard enough, we were running out of time. I jerk him towards the complex, noticing it's barred entrance. "I'm going to put you where you can't hurt anyone."
With a flinch, he jerks out of my hands, much more forcefully this time. My alarm begins to beep. "I'm telling you, get away from me."
"Let me help you." I command him as he backs away. I don't have time to chase him again, I lunge for him, grabbing his wrist as his eyes flash icy blue. Flashing his teeth at me, the sound that comes from his throat is anything but human.
My wolf lurches, crashing towards the front of my mind, but not to escape. It wants to join him, to be with him, I can't hold onto him as I attempt to hold myself back. He screams, dropping to the ground as he wraps his arms around himself. We begin to attract eyes, my own body throbs as his attempt to shift triggers my wolf.
"Get out of here." He warns me, arching off the ground as he cries out in a horrific, blood curdling roar that. Contorting, the snapping of bones is nearly more than I can bare. I was the wrong person for this, I couldn't watch this happen to him.
"Randy." I plead, going towards him as he curls into a ball on the sidewalk, skin slick with sweat. In one motion, he's on his feet, inhumanly strong as he grips my shirts, teeth pointed and bared.
"If you want to help, do something." He snarls.
Verando had told me he had had no relationship with Alpha in this body, the wolf was as vicious as it'd ever been only in a raw form that could reek havoc as it saw fit. Diving my hand into my pocket, I lift the capsul of enhancer I'd managed to snag from my belongings before we left. I pop it into my mouth and he shoves me away, gripping the sides of his head as he cries out and his shirt begins to tear.
With a gust of wind, I blast him into the caged in entrance of the complex and slam the door behind him. Placing my hands on the lock, I chant in short quick words as it ices over. In the darkness, I hear his body crack and bend, his clothes begin to tear as people surround us. My own body responds in it's own agonizing quiver. The enhancer did little to suppress the wolf, it was as if it accessed both parts of me this time.
Chanting, I freeze the back half of the entry way, preventing him from climbing the stairs. My alarm beeps once more as I hear the low, rolling snarl from the darkness.
With a roar, he hits the front of the cage, stretched out arm reaching for me as I jerk back at the last second. The community screams, the moon light shimmers of the silky silver hair. Half man, half wolf, the creature roars at me as the bars begin to bend and groan.
"Alpha, stop!" I plead with the creature. I hear the screech of the screws in the walls, slowly backing out of their holes as he slams against the grate.
My wolf fights to get out, I clutch my own body to hold it in.
With a screech, the bars bend to his weight. My wolf rips through my body and I stand before him, watching from some distance as the beast takes over my conciousness. In that moment, we lock eyes and everything falls silent as the entrance crashes to the ground.