Eros' POV
I looked at the device in front of me with confusion. I'd never had to carry my own gear before, and as a consequence I never had to learn how to wear the backpack.
People are looking at us, my wolf said as I tried to pull the wolf-pack on.
'That's really unfortunate isn't it? I asked him with sarcasm, I wish I could do something about that but currently, I'm a little occupied.'
Falcon's looking at us like we're an idiot.
'That sucks,' I said without really paying attention to my wolf.
We look weak, my wolf said a little sadly.
'We can fix that later,' I replied finally realizing why he was pointing out the obvious.
I looked over to Falcon who was getting his straps checked by one of the guards. He whined a little and bumped the guy's leg with his head before looking at me. The message was clear. The guard walked over to me and started to show me where all the straps went. I quickly did as he instructed before shifting into my wolf and letting him tighten all the straps.
When I was finally all geared up I went to join the rest of the wolves, who were waiting at the edge of the forest.
Falcon gave me an impatient look before raising his head. He let out a long howl to signal that it was time to go before dashing off into the woods with his nose to the ground.
'I don't know why he can't do this alone,' I commented to my wolf as we started to dash through the forest, 'He's the one who lost his charge and it's not like an alpha was kidnapped or anything. She just ran away, like she's been trying to do for the past 12 years.'
No, he said with certainty, my instincts are telling me that you're wrong. She was taken and she is important.
'Well, my instincts say that we're going to find her on a beach somewhere.'
That's not your instincts. That's your laziness. Besides, better safe than sorry, right? You heard her record just like I did. If there's even the smallest chance that she fell into the hands of someone that means the kingdom harm, we need to get her back.
'Who's going to mess with werewolves?'
You may not remember this because you don't think about anything other than yourself, but there are other breeds of supernatural creatures. Most of them are weaker, some don't have the kinds of numbers we do, and some are just plain too peaceful to fight with us, but they do exist. In class once we heard about a werebat attack. A whole swarm of them attacked a mated couple who were having a picnic close to their house and lost track of time. They both died. Later of course the king of the werebats apologized profusely and offered to pay a large sum of money to the affected family. That's not my point. My point is that you are not the only supernatural creature capable of killing. Some of them want revenge too because we don't apologize when we kill one of them.
'I did not know that my inner spirit was so boring,' I replied, 'should I see if I can find a wolf pocket protector? Do you think we would be able to attach one to this pack? I asked with sarcasm dripping from my voice. 'I thought you were worried about looking weak. Stop sounding like such a nerd.'
As you pointed out earlier, I'm your inner spirit. If I'm a nerd, that means that you're a nerd at heart.
A long silence stretched between us. I didn't know how to reply to that; he was right in every aspect of the conversation.
Can you feel it? my wolf asked after a while.
'Feel what?' I asked, knowing exactly what he was talking about.
The pull, he replied simply, I can feel it dragging us along, trying to make us run faster. It makes me want to sprint full-out until I get to the place it leads. That pull could drag me across the continent, across the ocean... hell I think I would run to the moon and back find the source of that pull... My wolf fell silent in wonder.
I didn't want to break his retrieve so I started to look at the landscape flashing past. Millions of trees flew by as I ran. To me they were all the same, but I knew that if I went and sniffed around the bases I would find that each one had a different combination of animals that called it home. If I looked at the branches I would find that no two patterns were the same. There were millions of trees and there weren't two that you could say were exactly the same.
Thoughts of trees and uniqueness filled my mind, replacing the boredom that had set in without my wolf's voice in my head.
Don't go all philosopher on me, my wolf said in a joking manner, That will make you look like a nerd.
I laughed a little in my mind, 'You're rubbing off on me.'
Good, there is some hope for you yet then!
'Perhapse.'
I looked around through my wolf's eyes.
'Where's Falcon?' I asked not seeing anyone in front of us.
We don't need him to lead us, my wolf said with a slight snarl, We may not know the scent we follow, but we have that pull, and we are going to be alpha someday not him. I will not follow him if I do not have to. I will be the leader that I was meant to be.
'The pull probably isn't from Rose! If we run off course we will just look stupid!"
And if we do not run off course we look intelligent and capable of leading an entire species. Don't worry. I will not lead us astray. My heart tells me to run this way, and my heart has not lied yet.
Again I found it impossible to argue with him. He was the one that convinced me to turn down girls that threw themselves at me when I was in the castle and I always found out later that they just wanted my throne. I was glad when my father stopped hiring girls so much. They would just keep trying after I turned them down and it got really annoying. He was always mad when I fired one of them. Something about them being good workers and not deserving to have me corrupt them.
'I trust you.'
I could feel a vicious smile spreading across his face as he picked up the pace.
Good. I wouldn't have been able to let you take form if you didn't and that just makes you annoying.
He threw back his head and howled loudly.
This was our hunt now, and he was declaring it. We were in charge.
That was confirmed when answering howls sounded from behind us. The wolves that Falcon was supposed to be leading were responding to us, not him, us.
I could feel pride starting to well up in my wolf's chest. This is what he was born for. I never realized how much he craved to lead, and now that he had a taste of it I don't think he would give it up easily.
When the sun started to set I began to look for a dry clearing. Eventually I came to an open space that was just big enough to fit all of us comfortably.
While I waited for everyone to catch up I made a fire and pulled my pack off my back to look for some food to cook. I found some soup that looked promising and a pan to putt it in; so I put it on the fire with the water I'd been carrying.
Just as the first wolf skidded into camp it was time to eat. I started to serve some of the soup to the exhausted men who smiled gratefully as I took their bowls.
Falcon wasn't quite as grateful though. As soon as he was in camp he changed into his human form and threw his backpack on the ground before stomping over to me.
"Your job isn't to track! You don't even know what Rosie smells like! Remember your place or I will have to remind you."
My wolf rose to the surface as my anger grew. He made me stand up so that I was the same height as Falcon before taking control of my tongue as well.
"Was I wrong?" my wolf growled out, "Are we off course in anyway? Can you still smell her in the air or has your nose gone with your brain?"
He said nothing but I could see his wolf trying to rise to the surface as my own spit out his insults. I watched as Falcon closed his eyes to try and reign in his wolf.
"We do not need to fight amongst ourselves. We need to find Rosie, and if I can get us to her faster, I will," my wolf said with venom, "Remember your place or I will have to remind you."
Falcon snarled and changed into his wolf.
I was fully expecting him to attack me but instead he walked to the edge of camp and laid down to go to sleep.
My wolf watched him for a second before handing out guard assignments.
After that was all set up he backed down and let me have control.
I filled up a bowl of soup and took it over to Falcon.
"Eat," I commanded as I put it in front of him.
He glared at me but started to eat his food slowly. When he was done I picked up the bowl.
"Now tell me," I said with curiosity, "Is Rose's file in your backpack? I disagree with my wolf on something and I think her file will tell me who is right."
I'm telling you she didn't run away. We're not even going toward any big city.
'I know that,' I said, 'Now hush.'
He nodded his head once and drew a big square in the sand next to a small one, then put his paw on the bigger square.
"Big pocket?" I asked just to make sure.
He nodded once before turning away and putting his head on his paws.
"Thank you," I said as I stood up.
I thought you didn't like Falcon.
'I don't but I forgot to get the file from my dad and I knew that Falcon was likely to have gone back for it. Besides, you were right when you said that we don't need to be fighting against each other. We need to find the girl. Even if I do think that we're going to find her in New York...'
If you finish that sentence I will take control and I won't relinquish it until we've found her.
'If you do that then we won't be able to look at that file,' I countered with a smug smile.
I pulled out Rose's file with my newly found sense of curiosity.
Just looking at the picture on the front sent shivers down my spine. Never before had I seen a girl that looked so lethal. You could tell that she had fire in her soul just by looking into the fierce green eyes of her picture. There was no doubt in my mind, in real life she was going to be something to behold.
"It would be a shame if our kind lost such a creature," I mumbled aloud.
"Is that her file?" someone asked from behind me, breaking the trance that seemed to have come over me.
"No," I replied immediately flipping it over so that he couldn't see.
"That's too bad. We never did see it but the king told us that she has an impressive file."
"I wouldn't know. I've never seen it myself," I lied, "Aren't you supposed to be on watch?"
"Yeah, but there's nothing..."
"We aren't the only supernatural creatures around. Get back to your post."
As soon as he was gone I opened the file and started to read the content with reverence.
I must have spent a hour going through the first three pages of the record.
I hate to say this, but if you don't put it away, we won't get any sleep. We should just read a page per night. Perhaps two. We need to get to sleep.
'Just one more...'
No! If you don't wake up in the morning we won't find her as fast.
'Okay,' I reluctantly agreed before closing the file and standing up with the it.
As I looked up I saw a pair of glowing eyes staring back at me from the forest.
"Come out or I'll attack," I said getting ready to shift into my wolf.
A slight shiver went through the air, "Don't attack," said a girl with a Spanish accent, "I'm peaceful."
"Come out then."
"Can I at least get some clothes on?"
"No, come out."
"Fine, I'm coming, but my papa will be very disappointed in how you're treating me."
"I can deal with that. I'm far from my home and I don't trust strangers."
"One of your men will vouch for me," she said with confidence as she stepped into the light.
"Which one?"
"I don't know yet, but he will."
"You smell your match?"
She looked at me with confusion in her black eyes for a second before realization seemed to hit, "Yes, my corazón cariñoso is here somewhere."
"Sniff him out, but don't wake him. Whoever it is needs their sleep. You may stay in our camp tonight, and I will introduce you to your coral zone car nose in the morning. My name is Eros. I am the prince of the werewolves."
"Coral zone car nose? No, corazón cariñoso, and my name is Alicia. I am the princess of the cat shifters."
"What kind of cat?"
She looked at me like I was stupid, "Jaguar."
Ask her if she's seen Rosie.
"Hey Alice? Have you seen someone carrying an unconscious human girl with bright red hair recently?"
"Alicia," she corrected automatically, "and I have. They threw her in a car after giving her another dose of drugs. I don't know where they went but you're only a little ways away from where the car had been waiting for them."
Told you someone took her, and if someone bothered to take her, she is obviously important.
'Yes,' I thought back contemplating, 'it seems you were.'
"Awesome. Thank you, Alice," I said to her absentmindedly.
"Alicia! Now leave me alone. I need to figure out who my corazón cariñoso is."
Stop pissing off the kitty! She's being useful and she's probably coming to find Rosie with us. We don't need someone else that doesn't like us on this trip. She'll team up with Falcon to rip our face off.
'Yeah, yeah, just don't call her the kitty. If I screw up and call her that because that's how you think about her she will rip our face off without his help.'
"Of course."
Alice shifted into her cat then and started to sniff around at my men.
I shook my head and shifted into my wolf to find my own place to sleep.
A few minutes after I closed my eyes I heard the soft sound of purring coming from somewhere in the camp. I smiled a little. Alice found her match.
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A/N Do you still dislike Eros? He's not as cruel in his head is he? Or perhaps it's that he's not as cruel when he's not in his castle. Either way, what do you think of him now? And Alicia, pronounced al-ee-see-a, what do you think of her?