Renegade

9

Winter has not seen all the wolves around the world, but surely, no wolf was this massive! It's like ten times the size of a regular wolf or even more! She stares at the creature, it's color as dark as sin with the moonlight glinting magically against its fur. Its eyes were the lightest shade of blue she'd ever seen but menacing as it glowered at the fallen figure in front of it, sharp fangs bared ready to rip anything to shreds.

The frightening sight before her did not seem to give her much notice because it was just staring at her kidnapper as if it was waiting for the guy to get up. She is scared, but she still wants to escape, since getting eaten by that beast is also not the ideal ending she wanted. So, in spite of her frozen limbs and trembling soul, slowly she tries to stand. Unfortunately, the chain clinks and the animal's gaze snaps towards her direction.

Winter gulps, as she freezes into a crouched position. What was she going to do if the animal pounced on her? I don't want to die, please! She pleads to the heavens as her heart races wildly, unable to tear her gaze from the menacing, albeit, majestic-looking wolf. With its size, it could probably grab her in a split second.

Just back away slowly, Win. You can do it. No sudden movements. She thinks to herself as she slowly straightens up. The wolf growls, its teeth snapping and Winter almost falls back to the ground. She manages to stand still, her breathing shallow as she tries to calm her racing heart. She feels faint and for sure, at any second, her mind and body are going to give in.

She swallows hard as the wolf starts to advance towards her, sniffing as if she's a delectable prey. Its huge paws walk over the mystery guy's body, still on the ground, to get near her. The scene could be beautifully fascinating if it weren't threatening, but at least, the animal was no longer growling.

The animal stops a few feet in front of her, but it still looms over Winter. She really did not want to stare up at it, but somehow, she could not help herself. The creature's eyes were like crystals, and she also noticed that the color of its fur was not black but rather a deep, dark indigo. It stares at her, and she swears. The animal looked like it was contemplating a rational thought.

"P-Please d-don't hurt me," she managed to whimper as the wolf's face inched closer down at her. She closes her eyes just as its nose closed a few inches in front of her face, her heart thudding so fast and so loud, blood rushing towards her head so fast that she's now lightheaded. "I just want to go home..."

The wolf's breath fans her face as Winter tries her best to hold on to her consciousness. Never in all her dreams did she imagine her life ending this way. She did not even find out about how the man said he knew her real mother. She also wanted to know why she was abducted, thus landing in this bleak situation. How I wish I had just gone out with Jackson tonight!

Just as Winter thought that she was going to be eaten, the strangest thing happened. A wet, warm sensation was felt all over her face. What the frack? She thinks as she opens her eyes, just in time to see the animal's tongue dart out of its mouth, and it gives her another slobbering lick on her already wet face before everything went black.

"What do you mean she's not home?"

Gabriel snarled into the phone as he got a call from Jackson Colt while he was in the middle of a meeting with the elders and the two

Royals. They had been arguing well into the night and were now at an impasse regarding the current predicament of packs in the Northern part of the world.

This was one of the reasons why Gabriel did not like being an Alpha, because the state meetings and discussions always took a lot of time since everyone involved was either too proud or too stubborn to simply yield. In spite the purpose of protecting and for the betterment of the packs, there were still some who put their own interests at the forefront.

"I went to check on her after my shift. It's the usual routine, right? I let her walk home a few yards before I followed her. I was closing up the store and was about to follow her trail when I heard a foreign sound, a howl, then a loud crash in the nearby area of the woods," Jackson explained hurriedly on the phone.

"What are you telling me, Jackson?" Gabe hissed, his patience already very thin.

"I saw the snow tracks just a few meters outside her apartment building, sir," Jackson replied, his voice shaking just a little "I think Winter has been taken by someone who does not belong to any of our allied packs."

Gabe let out a loud growl which made most of the members of the council turn towards his direction. He could feel his wolf bristling in anger, ready to burst forth to search for his missing niece. He gritted his teeth as his fangs elongated.

"I'm sorry your highnesses and fellow Alphas," Gabe announced, his voice resonating with the grumbling that was echoing from his chest "I have to leave the meeting to deal with an emergency concerning someone from my pack."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "Who might this be, Gabriel?"

"Just a wayward pup who's probably lost in the outer perimeter of town. I have to deal with the situation since this is my responsibility", he replied, hoping to restore calmness in his voice. His fangs retracted back to normal.

The two Royals, as well as the council, did not need to know about winter just yet. Gabe did not want his niece to be bombarded with information and be thrust into the chaos of being who she was until he and his wife had sat down and explained everything. Jill and Gabe had to make her understand the betrayal that they had caused.

"Maybe we could be of some assistance?" Sergei offered with a small, almost sinister-looking smile.

"Oh no, I would not dare bother the Royals with such a petty issue," Gabe quickly replied. "Besides, everybody is needed here to finish the discussion regarding Hunter's heir and the extra protection needed for the heirs to the Royal seats as well as the allied packs."

"Very well," Stefan declared, waving his hand to dismiss Gabriel. "Attend to it if you must, but, we certainly require your presence immediately once you are done. And Gabe, do keep in mind that I do not like being kept waiting."

Gabe nodded before bowing respectfully at the people seated at the round table. He quickly strode out of the meeting room, signaling for his Beta to remain in case there was an important issue or development in the meeting.

He walked off the front steps of the Hunter's mansion and changed into his wolf form. He let out a loud howl as he ran through the woods towards the direction of Winter's apartment. He was soon joined by three of his pack members. Soon, they were met by Jackson outside Winter's building.

"Do you have any idea where she could have been taken?" Gabe growled at Jackson using their mind link.

"I tried to sniff out the trail, but the snow covered it," the brown wolf whined, feeling guilty that he had lost his charge during his shift. "I'm sorry, Gabe."

"Never mind that now," Gabe replied, snapping his jaws together, "let's just head south to the edge of the border. Split up, call some of our most loyal troops. Nobody says anything about who we are looking for."