Hunted: Chapter 8
#8 of Hunted
Agh, sorry everyone. I didn't post last week because I had been gone and so the chapter was unfinished, but as for posting a day late...that was because I forgot. In my defense, my Friday was completely different than it usually is, so that is what threw me off. Also I formatted this chapter slightly differently when I was writing it, so we'll see how it transfers... Anyways, I did enjoy writing this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy reading it.
Comments are greatly appreciated!
Chapter 8
Aden eyed the white-furred wolf at the gate. He couldn't really see similarities between his Alpha and this wolf, but he supposed that there had to be, if she was his Alpha's mother. He could smell his Alpha's displeasure at her appearance, and the dominant scent that was dripping off the large wolf made him want to both cringe away and throw himself on Cedric. He laid his ears flat against his head and suppressed a whine, grateful that his Alpha had given him clothes. He'd die of embarrassment if the wolf saw his thickening sheath. Aden couldn't understand what was happening to him. He never got hard over anyone before, especially one that held this much power over him. Part of his mind was telling him to get taken by this wolf, but the rest of his mind was decidedly against the idea, remembering the pain of previous penetrations.
He forced himself to stop thinking about the tightening of his pants, or his Alpha's scent in his nostrils. He definitely didn't think about the power contained under his Alpha's fur, or the huge bulge he felt every time the he was pulled against his Alpha's chest. Aden shook himself as he realized that his tail had flagged to the side and he was sidling towards the large wolf, eyes on the wolf's muscular back, waiting in anticipation for a view of the front...
Aden's legs gave out and he sat down, hard, on the stone slabs of the courtyard. If he wasn't standing, then he couldn't walk over and molest his Alpha, a offense that would surely bring swift and painful punishment. Even if it didn't, he was sure that taking his Alpha would be painful, so it would hurt no matter how his Alpha reacted.
He noticed that although the two wolves had been looking at each other for at least a minute, neither had spoken. The tension in the air was almost as thick as his Alpha's scent, and this time he did whine out loud.
"Are you going to step aside so that I may enter, Cedric?" The white wolf asked, her tail swishing behind her. "Your guards have been rude and haven't let me in. I suggest that you fire, or at least discipline, them."
Cedric growled. "Is it polite to come unannounced to another's home and demand to be let in? They did exactly as they were ordered. There are only a few that I have given permission to enter my house at any time. You were not on the list, so they followed proper protocol."
The wolf stiffened. "You deny free entrance to your own mother? I thought we taught you to respect your elders, Cedric."
Aden watched his Alpha nod, the powerful neck muscles shifting. "You did. I did not throw you off my property, only asked you to wait until I arrived. I do not see that as disrespect." He stepped aside. "I was expecting to have a quiet day today, but it seems that you won't leave unless I visit with you, so come in."
Aden started as his Alpha stepped sideways away from the path that the wolf's carriage would be taking. This left him sitting the middle of the path, exposed fully for the other wolf to see. Yelping, Aden darted to the side as the carriage started forward, carrying whatever the white wolf brought inside while she stepped through the gates behind it.
She looked at him contemptuously as he ducked behind his Alpha. "What is this, Cedric? Another pity case that you've picked up? It's a wonder one of them hasn't killed you yet. You'll get into trouble someday, mark my words, taking so many damaged slaves on."
Cedric snarled. "Who I keep around is none of your business, Lady Sibbald."
Lady Sibbald continued on as if he hadn't said anything. "It's like that disgraceful hobby you insist on pursuing when you should be at the King's court, searching out a young girl to start a family with. You'll ruin your good looks with that job." She looked around. "If you don't take a mate soon, I'll chose for you. Plenty of young girls would jump at the chance to be mated to a wolf of your standing."
Cedric rolled his eyes. "Lady Sibbald, I don't answer to you anymore. I have released you from any obligation you have to me, so I will take my mate when I find her."
Aden's tail slipped between his legs. His Alpha didn't want him, then. He shook his head, why in the world was he disappointed? His Alpha was huge, and he'd had enough pain to last him a lifetime. But nevertheless, he couldn't stop a whine from escaping from his muzzle. He looked away as Cedric glanced back, his muzzle heating as he blushed. Lady Sibbald glanced back at him, eyes narrowing. Aden gulped and darted forward to press against Cedric's opposite side. The wolf's large paw descended on his head, ruffling his ears as his Alpha continued to speak with the other wolf.
"So, what brings you out to Port Ceodre? I doubt it's a pleasure trip, or to see me either."
"Ambassadors arrived yesterday to meet with the Prince on trade agreements. His mate has also arrived."
Aden heard the controlled sarcasm in his Alpha's voice. "He was thrilled, yes?"
"He said that they had much to go over, as he hasn't read the contract yet. Originally he was going to go over it after dinner, but for some reason he never showed up."
"You don't know why?"
Lady Sibbald blinked, looking surprised. "Why, no, it is most strange. He left dinner early, and then I didn't see him again. My Lord Sibbald mentioned to me that he observed him coming back through the gates with that wolf pup...I forget his name...in his arms. Apparently he has transferred the pup over to his own guard, which I'm going to complain about when we get back to the palace. He doesn't have the right to reassign the positions of the servants without my consent, as his father ordered. Anyway, when I sent a servant to go find him, as the pup had yet to finish his punishment for making us have to hurry to get to the docks on time, the servant came back and told me that the pup no longer reported to me as of the Prince's orders." She huffed. "The nerve of him! I went easy with that punishment for the pup, he should-"
Aden felt his Alpha's eyes on him and he looked up, breath catching in his throat as his eyes met the brown ones gazing back. The lupine smirked and rolled his eyes as the white wolf continued to gripe. Breaking eye contact, Aden looked away, praying that his Alpha didn't notice how his tail sped up whenever he looked at him.
"Lady Sibbald." Cedric said, cutting off the wolf who was still going on about...well, whatever it was that was bothering her. Aden didn't know anything about any of the people she was talking about, so he was completely lost in her monologue. "Why don't we go into the house? Either that or we can sit in the garden out back."
Lady Sibbald fell silent, looking thoughtful. "The sun is rather warm this morning, I think that the garden would be lovely."
Cedric nodded, "Then we will go just around the corner here, and there's a gate leading to the garden there."
Aden glanced back at the carriage in the courtyard, watching as the horses were led into the barn, no doubt to be watered and fed. He had done that a few times when his old master had been to tired to get another servant to do it. The work had been a nice change of pace from what he was usually forced to do, and he rather liked the smell of hay. He watched the stablehand, a stallion, lead one of the horses in by the halter. His old master's stablehand had been a stallion as well...Aden's eyes darkened with fear as he remembered the pain of those nights after he had finished with the horses. He could hear the rough voice of the stallion in his mind.
Why don't you take care of this horse, mutt?
Aden screamed aloud as he remembered the pain he had felt when the stallion bent him over the hay bales, yanking up his tail roughly before shoving his long, thick maleness balls-deep in one go. Crumpling to the ground, he curled in on himself as he tried to hide from the phantom pain of that night. Hind paws by his ears, tail grasped in his paws, he shuddered as he lay on the grass. He both heard and felt the thudding of large paws as someone hurried to his side. He tensed as he felt them come near, and large hindpaws brushing against his head and neck. Panicked, he snapped at them, satisfaction flooding him as his teeth sank into warm flesh. He heard a pained grunt as warm blood flowed into his muzzle. His muzzle full of his attacker's paw, he breathed through his nose.
His eyes cleared, and Aden looked in horror at the pained face of his Alpha. Immediately releasing the lupine's paw, he felt his throat constricting as he watched as Cedric looked over his paw. Those brown eyes went from the paw to him, and Aden began backing up in a half-crouch, ears back and tail tucked between his legs and held in both paws. His back bumped up against the wall of the house, and he pressed against it, trying to move as far away from the wolf as possible. He had bitten his Alpha. Oh god, he had bitten his Alpha. The absolute worst offense possible was assaulting your Alpha, and he had gone ahead and done it. Pain was the only way to make up for what he had done, pain to the point of death.
"It bit you, Cedric?" The other wolf's voice sounded shocked. "That thing's dangerous. It should be put down. Do it now."
Aden whimpered as his Alpha approached him. The Lady wolf was right, his Alpha should kill him for what he did. Sliding down the wall, he curled up against it in the grass as he watched the huge wolf come closer. The last time he had done this, it was back in that alley after his Alpha had saved him. A tear slid down his muzzle as he realized just how short his time with his Alpha had been. That had only been yesterday. He hadn't even had a full day with his Alpha before he had done the unspeakable. He could at least take comfort in the fact that his death wasn't at the paws of his old master.
One huge paw extended towards him, and Aden closed his eyes, whining slightly louder as he felt it brush across his whiskers. Curling along the back of his neck, he shivered as it gathered the loose skin of his scruff and pull, lifting him from his position on the ground. Aden felt himself reacting as a pup would, keeping his body curled in on itself as he was lifted up to eye level with his Alpha. Cracking open an eye, he clenched it shut again as he saw Cedric holding up his bloody paw, displaying it to him.
"Open your eyes, Aden."
He whimpered, but did as he was told. Aden tried to look away, but he couldn't stop his eyes from fixing themselves on the paw that his Alpha was holding up for him to look at. He could see his teeth marks, a semicircle along the outside of the paw. Blood oozed from the puncture wounds and trickled down the wolf's wrist and arm, a single drop falling from his elbow to disappear into the grass below. Aden hesitated, then pushed his head forward, tongue flicking out uncertainly, licking gently at the wounds he had caused. When nothing happened, he continued him ministrations, ears folded back and eyes fixed on his Alpha's face, looking for any sign that he wasn't doing what his Alpha wanted.
After a few moments, Aden felt himself being pulled forward to his Alpha's chest. He gratefully rubbed his muzzle in the larger wolf's chest, the scent calming his still-shivering form. Aden closed his eyes as he was shifted until he was being cradled the same as last night. Burying his muzzle in the powerful chest of his Alpha, his tongue flicked out and he licked at it softly. He was shifted again so the the arm with the wounded paw was free, and that paw was rested on his stomach. Aden whimpered at the thought of the pain he had caused his Alpha, his deserved punishment coming to the forefront of his mind again.
"Do it, Alpha." he whimpered.
Cedric sounded confused. "What are you talking about?"
Aden whined, did his Alpha really want him to spell out his own punishment? "I hurt you, Alpha. K-Kill me, i-it's your right." He felt his Alpha's grip tighten.
"Nonsense. You were scared and forgot where you were. I will heal, and you will as well." He muttered thanks to someone out of Aden's view. A long bandage was dropped on his stomach, and the bloody paw returned there as well. "You can make up for it by binding it."
Aden hesitantly picked up the paw, trying desperately to be as gentle as possible. "Yes, Alpha." As Cedric and Lady Sibbald continued towards the garden, Aden rode in his Alpha's arms as he wrapped the bleeding paw as gently as he could. Tying off the bandage, he made sure it was tight, but still comfortable. "I-Is that alright, Alpha?"
Cedric sighed as he sat down on a stone bench in the garden, his mother seating herself on one across from them. "Yes, thank you."
"N-No!" Aden stammered. "D-Don't thank me, Alpha!"
The lupine looked down at him, eyes narrowed. "Are you telling me what to do?"
Aden looked away, thoroughly cowed. "N-No, Alpha."
He felt the wolf's warm breath before the wide tongue swiped between his ears. "I'm not mad at you, pup." He heard whispered in his ear.
Tears trickled down his muzzle. "Thank you, Alpha." He hiccuped. A wide tongue lapped across his muzzle, wiping away the tears.
There was a loud cough from the bench across from them. Aden looked out from the warmth and strength of his Alpha's arms at the opposite bench. The wolf seated there was glaring at them, her white fur puffed away from her body. Her words were cold. "He's unstable, Cedric. The best thing, the kindest thing, for something like that is to put it down."
Aden began to shiver again, and Cedric's arms tightened around him. There was a surge in his Alpha's scent, but this time it was tinged with the acrid scent of anger. "Aden is not a thing, Lady Sibbald." He growled, his chest vibrating against the smaller lupine's side. "He is a wolf, just like us."
She waved a paw dismissively. "Not like us, Cedric. We are nowhere near such low breeding as that. It is close enough to a thing."
Cedric placed Aden to the side, not hearing, or heeding, his soft whines at the loss of physical contact. "I'll be right back, pup. I need to go call a servant to show my mother out. She has lost what little welcome she had here."
Lady Sibbald stiffened at his words, glaring at his back as if she could burn him with her gaze. When he turned the corner, her gaze snapped over to the black-furred wolf. Standing up, she stalked stiffly over to him. "Listen closely, thing." She hissed into his ear. "If you keep him from settling down with a nice, wealthy bitch, I'm going to have to get someone to clean up, so to speak. Don't you dare get in the way."
Aden's eyes widened and he jerked backwards at her words, falling off the bench. He scurried back across the ground, trying to get away from the threats. Standing up, he darted into the house, eyes wide with terror as he looked for Cedric. Turning a corner, he slammed into a wall of brown fur, bouncing off and falling to the floor. He recognized the scent before his eyes had even registered who it was, and he was back on his paws and darting forward to slam into the wolf yet again, only this time he wrapped his arms around the huge chest and held on tightly.
A firm paw rested gently with the back of his head, pulling him closer. "Whoa pup, Aden, what's the matter?" Cedric muttered something and Aden heard someone make their way around them and out into the garden. Opening his eyes and looking up, he felt his throat tighten up and he was only able to stare at the concerned face of his Alpha for a few seconds before burying his muzzle back in the lupine's chestfur. Hearing footsteps coming, he glanced back, yelping and struggling out of Cedric's grip to dart around behind him. Peering around Cedric, Aden watched Lady Sibbald cautiously as he was led past by a canine in light armor.
He heard his Alpha growl. "What did you say to him?"
Lady Sibbald sniffed. "Nothing that I hadn't already told you. Make sure he doesn't keep you from getting a mate, or it will be...unpleasant."
Cedric bristled. "Is that a threat?"
By now she had walked past him and was making her way down the hallway, followed by the guard. "Not to you."
Aden could see his Alpha's paws clenching and unclenching, his tail sticking straight out behind him. "Get out of my house and don't come back." Waving the guard away, he began following her himself. "Never mind, Amur, I'll show her out myself."
Aden hesitated, he didn't want to follow the white wolf, but as the strength of his Alpha's scent faded with the distance between them, he began to feel almost cold. Darting forward, he caught one of the lupine's paws with his own and laid it over his shoulder, against his neck, relishing in its warm weight as he walked along with Cedric.
It took only a few minutes for the horses to be reharnessed and the Lady to enter her carriage. Once that was finished, the carriage darted forward and out the gate, nearly running over another group making their way toward it. The horses neatly sidestepped the careening carriage though, and rode up to the gate, stopping outside it. The wolf at the head of the column raised a paw to his mouth as he shouted through the gate to Cedric.
"Is this a bad time?"
Aden watched as Cedric looked the newcomers over. "Well, as long as you're better company than she was, you're welcome to come in."
"We met up with one of your men on the road up." The mottled grey wolf said as he rode up. Swinging off his horse, he turned to Cedric. "I heard you were in good health, but hadn't had many interesting jobs recently."
Cedric shook his paw, "Right enough, just petty thieves for the most part. I'm hoping something interesting will come along soon, or I may need to start branching out."
The wolf laughed. "You're rich enough already that you don't need to branch out. You could live on what you have for the rest of your life."
Cedric shook his head. "Aylmer, you know that I'd be bored out of my mind if I tried that."
Another lupine stepped away from his horse, furious. "That's Prince Aylmer, sir. That or..."
"Thrunor."
The guard captain stopped short, his voice fading as he looked over at Aylmer. "Yes, sir?"
"You won't get him to give me a title." Aylmer chuckled and shook his head. "He takes a more traditionalist view of power, where it goes to the one who wins it. Last time we fought with that in mind, he beat me. He owes no titles to me."
The guard's ears flattened, and he back off. "If you wish, sir."
A husky emerged from the stables, dusting his pants off before approaching Cedric. "Sir?"
"Yes?"
"There was a new posting on the board. I didn't think you'd be going in to the port today, so I brought it with me." The husky handed Cedric a roll of parchment. "If you've nothing else for me, I'll be getting to my duties, sir."
Cedric absently slipped the paper into his pocket and nodded. "Go ahead. If you see Cook, tell her that I'll be having a guest over for lunch."
The husky clapped a fist over his heart. "I'll do that, sir."
As the dog left, Cedric turned back to Aylmer. "Is this your entire guard? I thought you'd have more than three."
Aylmer shook his head. "No, I left a few back at the Mayor's manor, it's where I'm staying. One was shot on the way here, so I've ordered him to rest and recover, but he's already defied that order once. I left another back to keep an eye on the ambassadors that arrived yesterday, to make sure there's no trouble, and also to watch over the pack's pup, Becan, and make sure that Lord Sibbald doesn't harm him."
"They hurt a pup?" Cedric exclaimed."
They sent him to clean up the guards barracks, alone, and to serve the guards as well. He has a couple scrapes a bruises, but otherwise he's fine. From how he acted last night I thought I'd have to bring him here too, but he liked tending to Dylan so much that he was content to stay with him."
"Well, let's go to the training courtyard and talk there. I haven't gotten my exercise in yet, so I think now is as good a time as ever." Turning suddenly, he strode off, leaving Aden standing in front of the group. Yipping, he darted after Cedric, clinging to his paw as he looked over his shoulder at the group following them.
"Cedric, you never introduced you friend there!"
"What would my mother say?" Cedric said dryly. "This is Aden, I ran across him in an alley in the port yesterday and brought him back here. He's a little quiet, but I'm hoping that he'll open up in time."
Aden whined, "I didn't know if you wanted by to talk, Alpha."
Cedric ruffled his headfur. "And you were asleep for most of that time. That, or you were too frightened."
"Sorry, Alpha."
"Alpha?" Said Aylmer curiously. "Why are you having him use such an archaic term?"
"He chose it himself, not me." Cedric said. "I've already asked him why, and he already answered it. Besides, I like it."
"You're getting a swelled head." Aylmer muttered.
Aden felt anger well up within him at the insult to his Alpha. "He does not have a swelled head!" He shouted at Aylmer, letting go of Cedric's paw and glaring at the other wolf. "Take it back!"
Cedric looked surprised at his outburst, and Aylmer held up his paws. "It was just a joke, pup. I didn't mean anything by it."
Aden shivered when Aylmer called him pup, only then seeming to realize how far away from his refuge he had gotten. Jumping back to Cedric, he pressed himself against his side. Looking up, he splayed his ears out submissively as he met the larger wolf's gaze. "Nobody should insult you." He muttered, looking away.
Cedric growled and swept the smaller wolf up off his feet, cradling him in his arms. "I'm proud of you, pup."
Aden shivered again as he was called pup, but it was a different feeling than when Aylmer had said it. Instead of wanting to shrink away, he found himself wanting to press closer to Cedric. Aden didn't try to analyze the sensation, simply enjoying it.
"Weren't we going to the training courtyard?"
Cedric stopped nuzzling the top of Aden's head and looked up. "We were, weren't we? Well, let's go then." Setting Aden back on his own paws, he started off. Aden whined softly at the loss of contact, and one of Cedric's paws came to rest heavily against his back. He pressed against it lightly as he was guided through the maze of buildings that surrounded the main house.
In a few minutes they arrived at the courtyard, and both lupines proceeded to stretch, Aden standing off to the side, watching. The courtyard had an almost doubled look, due to the square pit in one half of the courtyard. Aden couldn't help but glance over to it every few minutes, his mind imagining a deeper pit, with gates set into the stone walls, blood staining the sand, stands filled with crowds of onlookers...
He stepped away from the pit, shivering. Glancing over at his Alpha, he wished he could go bury himself in the wolf's thick fur, breath in the heady scent that seemed to make all his troubles go away...But Cedric was practicing sword forms at the moment, and he didn't want to disturb his Alpha. He had done that too much since they had met. Cedric paused in one of his forms, feeling over the bandage on his paw. Aden's ears dropped. It was his fault if his Alpha wasn't able to do the forms correctly, he was the one who had injured him. Leaning against the courtyard wall, he slid down it, drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his tail around his hindpaws. Resting his muzzle on his knees, he watched Cedric with admiration. He could see the wolf's huge muscles shifting under his fur, moving his gigantic body with barely constrained power. The last person he had seen with that much muscle was the guard captain of his last master, and his Alpha was even bigger! The thought of the canine brought back memories of the dog holding him down as he roughly took him, ignoring his screams of pain. As the memory progressed, the dog's form morphed until it took the shape of his Alpha, and the phantom memory of his scent filled Aden's nose. It dimmed the pain and increased the memory of the pleasure until the memory was completely different. Now Aden lay panting and whimpering under his Alpha as the huge wolf pounded away at him, taking pleasure from his body.
Aden shook his head violently. What was he thinking? Why would he want something like that done to him again? Looking up, he watched Cedric end his sword routine and bury the point in the sand, leaning on the pommel as he watched Prince Aylmer do his own. The wolf looked over at him and cocked his head. Leaning his sword against the side of the pit, he hopped out and walked over to him.
"Would you like to do some training as well, Aden? You look a little bored just sitting there."
Aden looked up, unsure of how to answer. All his past experience was telling him no, but his Alpha's questions hadn't had any alternate meanings so far. Perhaps Cedric really did mean training for him, and not something else that involved pain for him. Aden gulped, and took a chance. "I-I would like that, Alpha."
Cedric grinned and offered him a paw. "Well, let's go then. I'll get you something from the armory and we'll get started."
Hesitantly placing his paw in Cedric's, it was quickly engulfed and used to pull him to his feet. Turning, they made their way quickly to the building on the adjacent side of the courtyard. Aden was nearly jogging to keep up with his Alpha's quick pace. He felt his tail wag slightly, his Alpha was eager to teach him. It was a nice feeling to have someone eager to show him something that didn't involve inflicting pain on him.
Once inside the dimly lit room, Cedric led him to the back of the room, passing by racks of weapons. Gesturing to a smaller selection of weapons, Cedric grinned. "These are my personal ones. Take whatever suits your fancy, and that will be the one you train with."
Aden took a step back. "Alpha, I shouldn't use your weapons..." He turned and looked over his shoulder. "I'm sure those ones over there would be fine..."
A heavy paw pressed against his back, pushing him forward again. "Nonsense. You'll use one of these, because..." Cedric trailed off for a moment, then continued. "Because I said you could."
Sighing, Aden stepped forward, looking over his shoulder as he did so, making sure he didn't do something wrong. His Alpha only smiled and gestured for him to continue, so he turned back to the rack, trying to keep his tail from wagging as he looked over the selection. At first he thought of going for a sword, but as he reached for one he paused. He had never had any real experience with a sword, even when his old master had had him train for gladiator fighting. His paw wandered to the side of the elegant swords, resting on the pommel of a long knife. Pulling it out, he felt the balance in his paw. Smiling to himself, he tried to hide his excitement. This one was way better than the other ones he had used. The handguard even had a little rise at the edges to help keep a blocked weapon from sliding off the edge. Spinning it on his paw, he grasped it in reverse.
"Looks like he's handled a knife before, Cedric."
Aden froze, eyes going wide as he remembered that his Alpha was right behind him, and so, apparently, was the visitor. Turning, he looked at both of them wide-eyed, knife held loosely at his side. His Alpha had an amused smirk on his muzzle, and the Prince was leaning against the doorframe, sword stretched diagonally from his paw to the ground. Folding his ears back, he held the knife out. "I-I'm sure you d-don't want a s-slave to know how to fight, A-Alpha. I-I don't-"
He fell silent as the lupine moved, walking around behind him. He jumped slightly as a hot breath whispered in his ear. "You've been trained in the use of a knife already?"
The heavy scent of the dominant lupine drifted over him and Aden crouched submissively, "Yes, Alpha." He jumped as the other wolf's arms wrapped around him.
"I can't resist teasing you, pup." Cedric whispered in his ear. "You look so cute like that." Aden felt his Alpha's large tongue swipe alone the edge of his ear, melting back into Cedric's arms at the sensation. His mind wasn't even taking in what he was seeing at the moment. His sight was overridden by the scent of his Alpha, and the feel of his tongue across his sensitive ears and the powerful chest against his back.
After a minute, Cedric pulled away and rubbed his back. "Why don't you show me your knife skills, pup?"