Princess in the Rough
Chapter 10

Echo

I was sitting in the den of the Night Walker clan with the alpha staring at me intently. After we had our little chat on the beach, he made me march back to the den in silence.

“Sir.” One of the wolves who went after Amber and the others came into the den.

“Did you catch them?” He growled.

“N-no. They entered another territory before we could catch them. The Moon Claw territory. They got Mud Mane.” The wolf answered, his voice full of fear.

“So you failed.” The alpha growled, getting up from the ground across from me.

“I’m sorry, sir. We will catch them once they leave the borders.”

“Leave me.” The alpha grumbled, his rage evident in his pure black eyes.

Someone needs to take a chill pill. I thought to myself as I watched the alpha pace around the small room.

“We will replace your friends, then we will kill you all. There is no escaping the Night Walker clan.” He finally said, coming to face me.

“Can I ask a question?” I said, scooting back a bit in case he decided to see what I tasted like before he ate me.

“What?” He huffed.

“Why do you want to catch them so bad. It’s not like they killed one of your pack, or took your mate, or anything else, so why?”

“For one, you have Mud Mane in captivity. Two, you’re a human. Three, you delivered but then took a away a healthy female; and four, no proper clan should have a human as a member. It’s not right.” He grumbled the last part.

“Well, I get the first one, but the second? Are you serious? Because I’m a human? What have you got against humans?”

“Humans are monsters and they don’t understand! So naive and unknowing. And wolves! They think their so loyal and great! It makes me sick!” He spat, foam once again covering his lips.

“Uh, aren’t you a wolf?” I pointed out. He snarled at me and nearly ripped my head off but quickly jerked back. I backed away quickly, clutching to the wall behind. He almost killed me!

“Hardly. I don’t consider myself one. I think of myself something, higher.” He said, half lost in thought. “I wouldn’t be this way if it wasn’t for humans and their disgusting needs and wants.”

“If you’re not a wolf, then what-. Oh.” I said, realizing what he was. A werewolf, a being that could change between wolf and human at will, except on full moons, then the transformation is forced. But I thought werewolves stayed as humans most of the time.

“If you’re a werewolf, what are you doing here?”

“I’m done talking!” He barked and left the cave. A wolf walked in and took his place. It was the whimpering, tawny brown one from before.

“Are you sure your not even part wolf?” He whimpered.

“What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.

“Never mind. The alpha gets really ticked around humans and wolves but I’ve never seen him this angry, so I thought you must be a werewolf or something.”

“Um, last I checked, I’m not. How did that guy become your alpha?”

“His name is, is Star Born.” He whispered the name. “But we can’t call him that and you shouldn’t ether. He hates the name now. He loved it when I was a pup. He founded this clan and we’re all his sons, but, he doesn’t treat us that way. No other wolf has ever joined it. That’s why we were so desperate when your wolves came.” He said and laid his head on the ground.

“That’s awful. Where I’m from, they’d probably arrest him and send him to jail.” I shivered at the thought. Someone’s Dad going to jail isn’t something I want to see, even if he was a bad Dad.

“He wasn’t always this way. It was only after, the fight.” Why did he seem so comfortable around me?

“What fight?” I asked, curious. He shuttered and his hackles stood on end.

“I don’t know everything. I was little when that happened. But I do know one thing. Something paranormal, unnatural, freaky, and downright horrifying happened that night.” He took a big breath in and shuffled closer. Only now did I realise that this wolf was only about the size of Green Paw, if not smaller. “My dad, I mean alpha, was challenged by an odd wolf that had appeared out of nowhere in our den. There was something unnatural about him, besides the fact he knew a secret way into our den.

“We realized the challenger was a werewolf. He challenged my alpha for the clan and my alpha had no choice but to agree, so they dueled. It was a bloody battle and at the end, neither won. Sorta. There was a flash of lighting, a werewolf bite, and two, blood curtalling howls. I don’t completely understand or remember how it happened but my alpha’s and the challenger’s bodys, were fused together.

“Every full moon they change into a different wolf. Like a werewolf but he changes into a different wolf. Next full moon my dad will come out and take charge with compassion and care, like old times, but until then, the challenger runs the clan. It goes in cycles. It’s very confusing. You probably don’t even understand.” He finally finished. I sniffed.

“That’s awful!” I said, fighting back tears. I had no idea that was happening to them! Poor kids, er, wolves. Just goes to show never to judge a book by the cover.

“I wish there was something I could do.” I told him, my voice full of remorse. These wolves are so scared, and they can’t do anything about it!

“I don’t think there is. Don’t tell the alpha what I told you, he’d have my fur!” The wolf added quickly.

“I never got your name, what is it?” I asked. Of course just then the alpha runs in.

“What are you doing on the floor Flea Breath! Get up now!” The alpha bellowed at the smaller wolf. He sat up right and scooted away from me.

“Yes, alpha.” He squeaked. Flea Breath, that can’t be his real name.

“Get out of here.” He scowled at me. “Your clan’s here.”