Rose stopped at the small opening between a tight-knit group of buildings. Walking down the small corridor, she arrived at an open area, a water spout trickled steadily from a tree root in the ground. A wooden basin sat underneath containing several small hand brushes and a few bars of wonderfully fragrant soap for the travelers. Quickly thrusting her hands into the surprisingly warm water, she grabbed a bar of something she could only describe the smell of as peach and possibly mint. After trailing off in her thoughts for a few moments, she quickly rinsed her hands, producing a small wool handkerchief from the pocket inside her cloak. Taking a deep inhale of the crisp, sweet smelling air around her as she dried her hands, now cold to the touch, before slipping the kerchief back into the small pocket. Rose looked around at the small open space, the cobblestone street was littered with small white flowers that seemed to float upon the soft thin blanket of snow through the entire city. Dark green vines climbed the walls of nearly every building, beautifully fragrant lavender seemed to defy all logic, climbing the stone buildings entwined with their fellow counterpart of ivy. It was an amazing site beneath the rays of the sun which peeked between clouds that glowed in the soft blue of the sky. It was a truly magical place indeed, she thought to herself, Melody happily agreeing from behind her eyes.
Turning to make their way back towards the tavern, the faintest most familiar scent wafted in the breeze. The scent closed in, causing the hair on her arms to stand on end, a sudden feeling of dread engulfing Rose completely.
Melody stood on end, her only words of encouragement, "Turn and run the opposite direction."
Together they frantically tried to remember that scent while slowly walking backwards for a quick retreat before turning right into a large figure towering over her. The snarl of two wolves met her ears as she looked up to see two large men from Eden Moon standing only a few feet away. Quickly turning to walk the opposite way, Melody let out a vicious growl as they came face to face with the Gamma of Eden Moon.
"What, you didn't miss us little mouse?" Echoed Bernard, the most vile Gamma Eden Moon had ever appointed.
Slowly, Rose stepped back, her back bumping right into Charlie, the Beta, and their friend Kent, who was only an Omega but acted as if he was born into high status among the pack.
Bernard bent down, slowly coming face to face with Rose, "Now Rosie, that's really no way to greet your friends now, is it? Right Charlie?" he added with a devilish grin.
"Ya know Bernard, I feel hurt. Betrayed even, if one can't be glad to see their friends, then what's the point of visiting with them?" Charlie said, stepping to the side to look down at Rose's face.
Melody let out a low growl, "Rose. We need to run and now, forget the dress and let me out, Isabella will understand!"
Rose's eyes glowed a soft lavender as she struggled to keep Melody at bay. A small side step only told her that Kent was now positioned directly to her other side, effectively boxing her in.
"I ... um .... I apologize, but I do have to get going .. Please?" said Rose with as much conviction as a wilted flower in the sun.
Gracefully Rose curtsied, her hands pulling the cloak tightly around herself, her eyes quickly scanning for the best escape route while Melody frantically calculated the best option. The feeling of Kent's large hands caught their attention as his fingers tightly gripped her upper arms and his chest pressed against her back. The sound of him deeply inhaling her scent sent shivers down her spine, causing Melody to growl once more. This time it was not a warning. The smallest whimper left Rose's lips, her eyes darting back and forth between the two large pack members as panic engulfed her.
"Poor poor dear little Rosie, did you think that meant just because you were sold ment you no longer belonged to us?" Kent asked, inhaling deeply. His nose pressed firmly into the top of her hood.
'Please, I need to go home, my -" Rose was cut off as Bernard stepped forward, his hand quickly grasping her chin.
Rose could smell the mix of sweat and liquor that overpowered his own scent as he ran his tongue slowly up the side of her face. Bernard's hands hungrily grasped at her small waist with his other hand, Charlie taking advantage of the situation to run his thumb painfully slow across her lips. With little warning, Rose let out a growl, leaning forward just enough to bite down on Charlie's thumb, sinking her teeth into the flesh before pulling away with the pad of his thumb between her teeth. She could hear the laughter behind her as Kent tightened his hold, digging his fingers into her arms through the cloak. A loud growl came from Charlie as she turned her head, spitting the pad of his finger back into his face with a mischievous grin. Bernard tightened his grip on her jaw, turning her face back towards him and the sinister smile that spread too wide across his face.
The sound of Charlie shuffling to rinse the chunk of his flesh off in the water behind him could be heard. Melody snickered, guessing that he was trying to attach it back before his healing kicked in fully.
"Wouldn't want to lose a piece of crap like that, he might multiply." Melody giggled to herself, itching to be let out.
"Now i don't know exactly what's gotten into you , but you used to be such a good silent girl Rose. Whelp, guess we need to reteach you little mouse." stated Charlie from the side.
Kent pressed himself into Roses' back, his head dipping to whisper into her ear, "We told you that no matter who buys you little mouse, you will always belong to us. we were nice to let you go pretend to be some rich man's property. In the end though, you'll always belong to us, and we can take you back if we feel fit."
The feeling of Bernard's hands roughly gripping her waist was repulsive. Moreover, the feeling of Charlie's hands snaking around to unclasp her cloak caused ripples of terror to seep into her aura and radiate out.
Rose struggled to pull away in vain, Kent only digging his claws into her arms as Charlie's sinister smile widened to an unnatural width. Rose's eyes shinned a bright lavender, Melody extended her claws in anticipation of being given free reign.
"So who gets to teach this mouse a lesson first?" Charlie asked, excitement lacing his words.
Kent chuckled from behind, "You sniffed her out Gamma, I say you get her first." He leaned back against her ear, whispering ever so quietly, "We told you we would find you mouse."
Charlie's hands untied the cloak, pulling it off in one quick movement, tearing the soft fur into strips that fell unceremoniously into the snow. The three men stopped briefly, a loud laugh from Charlie bouncing off the walls and echoing back as Bernard joined him.
"Get a load of this Charlie! She's a thief now too!" Bernard said between his up-rawr of laughter.
Charlie's fingers digging into the elaborate up-do of braids and pulling them out of place, causing them to unravel and cascade down around her waist.
The click of a crossbow and unsheathing of a blade caught their attention. The faint noises could be heard before Isabella's dominating aura washed over them. Kent was the first to step back and gasp lightly at the pressure surrounding them. An aura of rage and anger pressed down upon Charlie and Bernard, catching them off guard. The sound of footsteps closing in from both directions made Charlie spin around and Bernard follow suit. Rose stood between the three men with their backs towards her, her claws fully extended and a low rumbling growl rippling through the air. Kent was the first to bend the knee, unable to resist the Alpha aura that now enveloped the courtyard. Bernard was the next, though he could withstand kneeling. He was frozen in place, unlike Charlie who, with his father's Alpha blood running through his vein's was able to freely move about. It was Charlie that straightened himself, preparing to meet whatever Pack leader who he figured Rose now belonged too. The Ripple of a Luna's aura slowly intermingling with the Alpha aura, causing him to take pause, assuming that Rose was possibly a lady in waiting. The color drained from all three of the men's faces as several of the Queen's guard poured in from both directions, the sapphire blue snowflake embroidered on each uniform causing a slight pause before Charlie straightened himself, plastering a fake too wide smile across his face.
The audacity.
The gaul.
The gumption.