While River and Paul bickered loudly with each other, Rowan felt a gnawing hunger and decided it was time to find them. Before stepping out, he pulled a hood low over his head since it would be unbearable if he ran into an alpha in his current state.
Hidden beneath the folds of the hood was a small bottle of his inhibitor, a silent reassurance against the chaos his scent might draw.
Now, where the hell did those brats go? he muttered inwardly, scanning the dim streets.
By the time River and Paul returned from their quarrel, Rowan was already nowhere to be seen.
"Go south and I'll go north. We'll meet back here in thirty minutes, okay?" Paul instructed River, already moving away while anxiety threading his voice.
"His Grace will surely kill me if even the slightest bruise touches His Highness!" Paul panicked inwardly while River, equally tense, methodically searched every alley and every inn along his route, eyes sharp for any sign of Rowan.
Meanwhile, Rowan strolled under the night sky with the chill of the evening pressing against his skin but his mind was elsewhere, focused on finding River and Paul as well as the gnawing hunger in his stomach. That he didn't even notice the faint rustle of footsteps shadowing him from a distance nor the subtle glint of eyes tracking his every move.
Now, where the hell did those brats go? he muttered inwardly while adjusting the hood that covered his face. Hidden beneath the folds was a small bottle of his inhibitor, a silent reassurance against the chaos that his scent might draw.
By the time River and Paul returned from their quarrel, Rowan was already nowhere to be seen.
"Go south and I'll go north. We'll meet back here in thirty minutes, okay?" Paul instructed as his voice tight with anxiety as he moved off.
"His Grace will surely kill me if even the slightest bruise touches His Highness!" Paul fretted inwardly while River carefully searched every alley and inn along his path and eyes scanning for any sign of prince.
Rowan, still unfamiliar with the town's layout wandered deeper into the maze-like streets unaware that he had strayed far from safety. It wasn't until he rounded a corner and found himself in a dead-end alley that a flicker of realization hit him.
Eh? Where the hell am I? he muttered while furrowing his brow. Turning back, he froze when two men are now blocking the narrow exit, stepping out of the shadows with predatory grins.
"Sirs… could you make way? I think I'm lost. I just want to go back," Rowan stammered while unsheathing his sword as a last line of defense.
The men's eyes roamed him hungrily and with the silver light of the two moons catching their eager expressions. "Woah… can't see his hole yet but look at me, bulging hard already," one murmured while tilting his head and licking his tongue.
Their cheeks were flushed and their movements betrayed the unmistakable signs of being in rut.
And so, panic surged through Mari's mind. Shit… I hope those brats find me before it's too late… Then he tightened his grip on his sword with every muscle coiled for action.
"Good sirs, if you could just let me go this once, I swear I won't tell the guards," he tried negotiating while forcing a trembling smile.
"That won't do. Many of them are one of us, you see…" the taller alpha stepped forward, each movement deliberate while radiating menace.
"Don't come closer, you perverts!" Rowan shouted and now swinging his sword in wide arcs but fear made each strike sloppy.
The alphas also drew their own swords and advancing with ease. "Don't make this hard. Just come with us—we won't hurt you, okay?" the bearded one said with his voice thick with lust.
Before Rowan could respond, one of the men lunged at him while seizing his wrist and wrenching the sword from his hand. Reflexively, Rowan drove his heel into the attacker's stomach but in the chaos, his blade grazed his own arm. The cut wasn't deep yet blood began to trickle like water from a faucet, making him feel dizzy and weak, especially since he hadn't eaten anything.
"Argh! Fucking hell," the alpha groaned, clutching his stomach. "Go—get him!" he bellowed.
Rowan yanked his sword back and bolted with sharp pain radiating from his wounded arm. But another alpha lunged at him while now grabbing at his hair but Rowan shoved him off and spun, delivering a fierce roundhouse kick to the man's face, sending him crashing to the ground.
Shit, I should've focus on studying taekwondo back then.
"Disgusting scent… shit," Rowan muttered, realizing the smell was overwhelming him and making his body flush and his head throb.
They're definitely alphas. Where the hell are those brats?
Just when he thought he might escape, a hand yanked his robe, sending him crashing to the ground then a cold steel was pressed to his neck.
Seriously?
"Identify yourself!" demanded a voice.
At first, he didn't answer because he was too weak to even to lift himself. But when he finally raised his head, he was taken aback by the figure before him. It was Zalyric Nightborne, the king of this kingdom and who's suspiciously clad in a black robe with the hood drawn, flanked by a single guard.
"What are you doing here, Johann?" Zalyric's voice carried a hint of irritation.
"You know him, Your Majesty?" Dylan asked cautiously.
"Forget that. You're bleeding. Planning to die before serving me?" Zalyric's eyes narrowed while Dylan felt completely ignored.
Then Rowan scrambled to his feet because dizziness hit him hard.
"Tsk… pathetic," Zalyric muttered while shaking his head as he regarded him.
"M-my apologies, Your Majesty…" Rowan bowed weakly but before he could say something more, he fainted and fell to the ground.
"What a lousy display in front of me," Zalyric muttered with voice flat with boredom as his gaze turning toward the alley where Rowan had emerged from.
"Dylan, bring those rats to the dungeon prison. As for this one, I'll handle him."
"But Your Majesty, you could leave him here," Dylan reasoned.
"Really? Are you going to waste time arguing or are you going to let them escape? Move!"
Then Dylan vanished into the shadows and Zalyric hoisted Rowan onto his shoulder like a sack as the young man slumping limply.
"Fuck this… why am I even doing this…"
Rowan groaned faintly, half-conscious as the cold night air pressed against him.