Chapter 28

"They are Changelings who have lost their sanity for one reason or another and take to the wild. Our mortal forms tame us, Ismena." He rounded another part of the forest, his arms behind his back as he continued, "Without our mortal form to keep us contained, we will become worst than wild animals. Wild Ones have lost their mortal forms, they only ride on basic instincts."

"Basic instincts?" She asked, enthralled.

"To kill, to fúck, and to hunt. Mostly, to kill." He paused, "Fortunately, they mate with each other during the full moon, so we do not have to worry about mass brutal forced intercourse with our women. But they kill and hunt us. Wild Ones are the most dangerous because their mind is gone. We kill them at sight."

There was no change in his demure or his voice, but Ismena felt his pain in that last statement. She has no idea why, but she suddenly had the fierce urge to offer comfort. "I'm sorry." She whispered, sincerely.

"We have to kill them before they kill more children." Naked pain filled his eyes for one second. He blinked it away. "So, you should make sure to be cautious. Do not wander off on your own."

"Thank you for saving me again." A smile touched her lips, "You are truly my knight in frowning amour."

His brows knitted the more, "What is that?" His confusion was apparent.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it." She waved him away. "God, I thought my heart stopped when I saw that cougar. I was almost sure I died." She shivered at the memory. Then, she winced.

He stopped at the pained sound and looked at her, "What is the matter?"

She lowered her eyes down, at the same time pulling up the dress until she revealed bloodied skinned knees. "I fell." She muttered.

The wolf snarled. The man glowered more, "You need to put herbs and bandages on that."

"Herbs? Is that what you call drugs here?" She asked curiously, letting go of the hem of her dress to flow down her body again, covering up the bruises.

He continued walking, and she hurried into steps with him again. "No. They are different from drugs. Herbs work so much better and faster on us than any drug. It will work for you too."

"Oh, don't bother about it. It's just skinned knees," she'd had worse, "I want to see the land more than I want to treat such little wound. Please, take me around town. Please?" She pleaded.

"I have a lot to do with my time, female. That is not possible." The woman is messing with his head too much, he needed to put more distance between them. Every single time he spends with her strengthens the mating pull between them, which is not something he wants.

"Pleeeease?" Ismena doesn't want to go back to an empty house. Also, she doesn't want this time with him to end yet. Just a few minutes in his presence gives her the feeling that she has never felt more alive.

"No." He gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Pleeeease?" She raised her hands and rubbed her fingers together, to emphasize her pleas.

"No."

"Pleeeeeeease?" She whined again

"No."

"Pleeeease?"

"I said no." He stated firmly.

***********

Several minutes later, a very-frowning, huge man who radiated power and elegance was seen taking a very-happy, beautiful, small woman around town.



Ismena cleared her throat to get his attention.

He paid her none. 
Walking beside her with his hands behind his back, and that giant scowl on his face.

She'd pleaded and pleaded and pleaded for this walk until her lips almost went numb before he grunted his agreement to take her just for her to stop 'pestering him', he'd stated. 

But, damn if he isn't practically wearing his displeasure for his decision on his face.

"At l-least, can you frown a bit...less?" She muttered hopefully. 

He fixed her with a glare.

Shit, that's scary. "Nope, don't worry about me. You can go about it however way you want, don't mind me at all." She raised her hands in surrender.

He faced his path again.

In the silence that followed, Ismena lagged behind a bit, so that she can stare at this man to her full without being noticed by him. That long silver-gold hair has made her warm all evening, her fingers practically itched to touch it. 

She fisted her hands, determined to keep resisting that urge. Her companion is NOT happy at all. As usual.

She wanted him. Badly. 
An urge she doesn't understand—she'd never liked uptight men with a stick up their ass at all—but it was there. Insistent. Persistent.

Every time she spends with him, her breasts are burning to be touched, her nipples hardened to tight sensitive nubs, and a throbbing in her womanhood that only increases the longer she spends with him.

Is this evening walk really a good idea? She found herself questioning herself as they passed several beautiful homes. 

Almost immediately, her mind was answering... Of course, it is, she needed to see around town, she can't go alone or risk being chased for dinner again.

Her heart has been beating badly in her chest since that run. She needs her meds.

"Woah, this place is beautiful...!" She gasped all of a sudden as her eyes caught the sight of a wooden enclosed decorated with all sorts of flowers. "What is that place?" She asked in awe, pointing at it.

"That's a manor house built for the Omegas. They like hanging out there in their free time." Wolfariane found himself replying at the sheer excitement on her face.

"Wow, that must be refreshing. But who are the Omegas?" She spared him a confused glance, but her eyes wandered off again toward her surrounding.

"The females. The females from the high species like wolves, cougars, tigers, leopards. We are in the Werewolf Clan, you see. There's really nothing much separating the werewolf Clan from the mountain lion Clan."

"In the werewolf Clan? Does it mean that all these people are...wolves?" There are a few women, children, and older men going about their way around them. Every one of them bows to their Alpha King on sight, the respect they have for him apparent and unhidden in their eyes.

"Yes." The Alphà King found himself freeing up from his bad mood as he allowed himself to see the world around him from Ismena's eyes... His world.

 All these people are his people. His family. "The heart of Naturiah is the wild space of area where werewolf Clan and cougar clan borders meet. That is the place we arrived at three days ago. There, you see a lot of changelings from different species hanging out together."

"Like a family..." She can still remember the sight of it. "Eline mentioned in her house that we are in the cougar Clan."

"Yes. Eline is a cougar. The clans don't matter anymore, we mix up pretty well these days." He found himself explaining to her as they walked, "Before the Dominant War, Changelings don't mix up pretty well, you know. Everyone sticks to his or her clan. That was two centuries ago. But after the war between Cougar and Wolves, there was a peaceful settlement."

Ismena was so enthralled by his tale, "What was the peaceful settlement? Also, what's the dominant war? I know what war means, don't get me wrong," she rushed to add, "but it seems to be more than just war from the name."

Wolfariane took a deep breath, letting the evening air caress his body, lifting strands of his hair from his nap, "We have thirty-six clans in Naturiah, and all these clans have a leader. Mostly, the leaders come from the strongest in the clan... it's always an Alpha. Before the Dominant War, there is always a problem with the general leadership."

He continued, "Which clan will the King of Kings come from? The overall leader of the land? Which clan will the owner of the Towers come from?" He paused, "Which clan will the Alpha King come from?