The lost princess

Loch soiléir

Selena POV

After a weeks’ worth of trekking through the grassy highlands of Scotland, I thanked the moon goddess that it were a tolerable temperature. It was summer, but unlike other countries the heat was not too stifling.

We were heading to loch soiléir, they were the first to be targeted by the rogue group, losing half a dozen warriors and two of their elders in the process.

As our group gathered outside their pack house, I barely acknowledged the large crowd that had come to witness the royal arrival. The alpha of the pack had met us on the front steps, and I could barely take my eyes off of him, he was magnificent.

He must have been six foot five easy, and had the physique of a professional body builder. His thick black mop of hair danced around his head every time the wind sent a gust in his direction.

He was young for an alpha, there was no denying that, nineteen, twenty at the most if I had to calculate, but he spoke with such maturity you would take him to be twice his age.

“Stop drooling…” My thoughts were interrupted by Sage’s irritating voice. “It’s not very regal.”

“I’m not drooling…” I roll my eyes at his chuckle. “I’m just listening to what the alpha and dad are saying.”

“Oh really? What have they been saying then?” I think for a moment for an answer to Sage’s question, coming up with the most pitiful of defences.

“If you were listening, then maybe you’d know.”

As if he can feel my eyes on him, the alpha looks at me with a raised brow, a smirk gracing his full lips.

“Alpha Ewan, we would be grateful if you could accommodate us during our visit, if it is not an inconvenience.” Alpha Ewan returns his attention back to my father to address him.

“Of course prince Alexander…” He looks back at me with a smile. “It would be my pleasure to accommodate all of you.”

The warm breeze ruffled my snowy fur as I stood on the top of the hill that overlooked the pack’s small hamlet. My wolf, Angel had always been an energetic soul, but as the date of my sixteenth birthday neared, she had grown even more antsy. I could feel her constant need to be free, demanding for me to allow her to shift and run for hours, not giving in to her requests meant ending the night with agonizing headaches.

She huffed a sigh when I declared that it was time to head back to the pack, she liked it here. The highlands were beyond beautiful, wild flowers grew everywhere and the secluded territory was so peaceful.

The pack took its name from a nearby loch, the water was so clear you could see the small, colourful fish that darted around within. As I watched them through my wolf’s eyes, I noticed how carefree their existence seemed to be. No rules. No annoying little brothers. No expectations to be met. Just living, in the tranquillity of the cool water they habited.  

Angel took off leisurely, not wanting to return to our overpowering, testosterone filled group. It had been the same every night for the past week, Forrest and Skoll would fight while Sage tried to distract them by heckling from the side line. Cyan and Reagan would every now and then voice some encouragement, in between their muttered discussions of action movies or historical battles.

My father would try and include me in things he and the other warriors were talking about, but I didn’t know of any of the people they were speaking about, so would politely excuse myself from their conversations.

Even with almost my whole family around me, I had never felt more alone, maybe I had made a mistake in joining the rogue search. Maybe they were all right, I was just a spoilt little girl who couldn’t live without her creature comforts.

Descending the hill, Angel ran into the wooded area that was shadowed by the highland. Coming to the tree that was sheltering our clothes, we shifted back to our human form.

A twig snapped behind me, just as I pulled the black tank top down, to cover my stomach. I spun to be met with a pair of indigo eyes.

“Alpha Ewan?” I gasped in surprise at his close proximity to me.

“Nice run princess?”

The swoon worthy smile that he gave me made goosebumps rise all over my body, his perfectly straight, white teeth just made him even more delectable.

“I…Uh…Yes…” I said, fumbling in the back of my mind for words. “Your territory is full of beauty.”

“It is, isn’t it?” The way he looked directly into my eyes as he said the words, made me gulp down any thoughts of saying another word, my attraction to him was far too strong to grant me the pleasure of having a level head right now.

“I’m only fifteen.” I could have kicked myself at what came out of my mouth, when I finally found my voice.

What on Earth possessed me to say such a thing? Maybe it was the lusty look he was giving me as I stood in front of him in only a pair of lacy briefs and a skin tight tank top. The burning in his eyes made me, both nervous and excited.

I took a step back, gauging his reaction to my admission, but he only gave a smile.

“For now princess, for now...” A smirk grew on his lips. “I’ll find you again in a fortnight.”

I furrowed my eyebrows as I watched him walk away from me. What did he mean by that? Almost as if a bolt of lightning hit me, my eyes widened at the realisation. A fortnight would be my sixteenth birthday. He’d find me when I came of age.

Everywhere I had gone over the past week, I could feel his eyes on me, yet he had still kept his distance. I was finding it difficult to keep my gaze from falling upon him, it was becoming a distraction.

I was feeling a pull, was it the mate pull or just a simple attraction? It felt stronger than the allure I felt towards Lincoln, that was for sure, but I only had another week, until I would find out the answers to all of my varied queries.

We all sat in the pack house’s huge dining hall, the tables and seating were enough to cater for the entire pack, plus an extra fifty guests. It reminded me of a medieval banqueting hall, nine wrought iron, candle lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling, spaced in three rows of three, allowing light to illuminate the heavy oak tables and matching benches.

“I would like to thank you again, for your hospitality over the past week, Ewan.” My father announced, raising his glass to Ewan.

“Like I have told you a dozen times prince Alexander, it has been my pleasure to house you.”

“Unfortunately, it is time for us to part ways.”

Ewan looked to be deep in thought for a couple of moments, before speaking again.

“I was hoping you may at least stay until next week…” He smiled politely. “After all, it is your children’s birthdays next week, and I was hoping that my pack could have the honour of hosting a garden party, to celebrate the milestone. It is bad enough being away from home for the first time, but being away from home during such a special occasion? I would never forgive myself if I left you to celebrate in the woods.” My father nodded to himself, pondering the invitation. “And you can prepare yourself for the journey ahead of you. Plan your route, your next steps.”

“What do you think?” My father turned to our pack’s beta.

“I believe they are still children, and by the looks on all of their faces it will be even more of an arduous trip than it already is, if we turned down the alpha’s kind offer.” Terry answered, looking at all of our pleading faces.

“It seems as though it is settled then…” My dad said with a smile. “Ewan we would be delighted to accept your offer…” He then turned to each one of us, teenagers. “Just for f**k’s sake do not tell your mothers.”