Chapter 15

Ana's PoV

I moved into a defensive position the second I saw the rouges. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fern doing the same.

I quickly mind linked her, 'This was a terrible idea...'

'I kno-'

She stopped mid sentence as the rouges turned their attention to the side. Fern and I followed their eyes, looking through the trees.

An amazing scent hit me just as I saw a wolf staring at me. It smelled like chocolate with a small hint of honey. It was amazing!

I was starting to lean into the scent when I realized what it means.

Holly was howling, 'Mate! MATE!'

I cut through her howls, 'Holly, this is BAD!'

Holly cut off her howling, but I could tell she was rejoicing.

The rouges forgot about Fern and I as they raced towards the prince and his patrol. Fern looked at me in alarm and jerked her head to the prince's reddish-gray wolf. I nodded and bowed my head. This was going to be tough.

.:.:.:.:.

Anthony's PoV

All the rouges shifted their attention to me as the rest of the patrol caught up to me. My father mind linked me as he came to stand next to me, 'Anthony! What was that?'

'I couldn't help it! Walker was going crazy, and when I got here, I realized why! MY MATE!!!'

My father's face turned from disapproval to happiness instantly, 'Congratulations son. Now,' he said, addressing everyone. 'Everyone needs to go after all wolves except Anthony's mate. Is she the brown one with white streaks?'

I nodded and he continued, 'Anthony, you need to keep your mate from running, and when she shifts back, give her this,' he threw a towel at me and I grabbed it mid air.

'Are we ready?' As soon as everyone nodded, he looked at the rouges again.

'3... 2... 1...'

Go, I thought as I charged down towards my mate. My other half. My life.

.:.:.:.:.

Ana's PoV

My eyes widened as Anthony raced down the hill, the king right by his side. I started to make a move to run, but before I could, I saw Fern getting tackled by the king.

'Fern!'

'I'm alright Ana! I can mind link him, showing I'm the officer's mate. But run before the prince catches you!'

I started to run again, but the prince caught up to me and bowled me over.

I instantly clouded my mind. I knew that the royal family could force themselves into any wolf's mind, so I had to cloud it.

Somehow though, he managed to get through, 'Shift!'

I forced myself to mask my voice. 'Never!'

I opened my eyes to see Anthony's face.

I'm seriously think he has anger issues because he looked...

Lets just say if looks could kill...

'Now sweetheart. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.'

'I'd much rather do it the easy way, but that would probably mean me shifting, which I don't want to do, but the hard way... Is there a medium way? Can I have a description of every option I have? I do have no way, right? I mean...' By now I was playing for time.

'Well, the easy way is when you shift without resistance and we live happily. The hard way is where I take you to the castle, I wait until you shift, and we still live happily.'

I snorted, 'Any other options?'

'Nope! Now, easy or hard?'

Think, Ana. Think, I told myself. Almost the second after I said it, an idea came to my head.

I looked at the trees behind me and my eyes went wide and I started shaking as if scared.

The prince looked through the trees, and he looked as if he was mind linking someone.

Then, he slowly got off me and raced towards the trees I was staring at. It worked! He thought there was a rouge over there!

I ran in the other direction, but I almost ran into the king. I turned around and ran back to the place I had been pinned down and thought of the only thing I could.

I shifted back into my human form, thankful that I had my special clothes on so I shifted back with them, and I grabbed the branch above, praising the Moon Goddess that it was thick. I pulled myself up and crawled along it to the trunk. I then climbed further up until they couldn't see me. I jumped from the trunk to the one next to me until I was a safe distance away from everyone. By now it was night. I mind linked my family, telling them I wouldn't be home until tomorrow, and I ran to Fiaga's den.

She nodded to me, blinking in the light of the half moon, and put her head back down. I could tell I would have to explain later, she was just exhausted.

I closed my eyes against her, an the last thing I heard was the most distressed and pained howl ever.

I fell asleep with nightmares.

.:.:.:.:.

Anthony's PoV

I raced down the cliff as my mate made a move to run. I was worried I would have to give chase when she stopped as if mind linking someone, and she started running again.

But it was too late. I bowled her over, making sure she had no chance of escaping, and sighed with pleasure when I felt her fur.

I tried to get into her mind, but it was shrouded with clouds. I tried harder, and this time I got through.

'Shift,' I ordered.

She had a focused look. 'Never,' she spat.

She opened her eyes to look at my wolf face, and I could tell she saw how angry I was.

I growled back at her, 'Now sweetheart. We can do this the easy way or the hard way.'

'I'd much rather do it the easy way, but that would probably mean me shifting, which I don't want to do, but the hard way... Is there a medium way? Can I have a description of every option I have? I do have no way, right? I mean...' By now I could tell she was just playing for time.

'Well, the easy way is when you shift without resistance and we live happily. The hard way is where I take you to the castle, I wait until you shift, and we still live happily.'

She snorted, 'Any other options?'

'Nope! Now, easy or hard?'

I could tell she was in deep thought by the look on her face. She looked behind her, and her face filled with fear. She started shaking under me, so I looked where she was looking.

I scented the air. Maybe all the rouges weren't chased away...

'Father! Are you or any of the patrol free?'

The reply came instantly, 'Yes, but we are a ways away. Why?'

I growled through the link, 'There's still a rouge out there.'

'Go get it son. We'll circle around your mate so we can stop her if she tries to escape.'

As soon as he finished, I slowly got off my precious mate to go get the savage creature.

I searched for a while, but there was no rouge. I walked back to my mate to find that the patrol was searching for her.

I shifted back and put the shorts on that I brought and I walked out.

"WHERE IS SHE??? THE ONLY THING YOU HAD TO DO WAS KEEP HER FROM ESCAPING!!! ONE. SIMPLE. TASK," I roared at them.

The guards backed up and bowed in submission as my father and Nestor walked up to me.

"Anthony, when we were walking back, we caught a whiff of her scent, as if she ran but when she saw us she went the other direction. We followed her scent here, where it appears she shifted back, and her scent just disappears." My father was the one who spoke.

"No," I whimpered as the words settled.

I ran away and shifted, stopping where the land just dropped away to the sea.

"NOOOOO!!!" I howled my sorrow to the Moon Goddess, hearing it echo across the quiet forest.

**********

I feel so bad for him!

Anyway, I'm guessing this was the chapter you guys expected Ana and Anthony to finally meet, have a happily ever after, the end.

Nope!

Come on! This is only chapter FIFTEEN!

ONE. FIVE.

It would make the book end in like 2-3 chapters!

I think that as much as you want them to get together, that would end the book!

I mean, I do have the thought to do a sequel.

Hmmm...

Anyway,

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