Chapter 14

Blade gasped as Daphne’s jaw opened in shock. She couldn’t believe what Rex had said. Didn’t he just say he wasn’t sure about Arthur’s control?

“You want him to join the patrol?”

Daphne and Arthur looked at each other. Arthur was just as surprised before turning a suspicious glare at Rex.

Rex grinned, “We are very short of people recently. Rogue attacks are increasing, and our patrolmen are often injured. The cubs in training are still too untrained to fill the spots. Blade tells me you’re very strong. It’s an obvious decision.”

Arthur scoffed, “You just want to use me as a tool.”

Daphne had to agree. Though it wasn’t the worst thing Rex could ask for, it wasn’t very polite.

Rex shrugged, “Think what you want. The forest is full of rogues and very dangerous. We can shelter Daphne for free because she's just a fragile human. But you…”

He tensed as Rex’s lips lifted into a little, knowing smirk.

“I don't need useless wolves in my pack, and I won’t allow them to benefit from the work of my pack. If you want to stay, you have to contribute to the well-being of the pack. It’s just an offer. Take it or leave.”

Contribute. It was odd to hear someone wanting him to participate in the operations of the pack. Brown Valley had a rogue problem as well, but no one had asked him to help. They didn’t even ask him to work for the pack in any way. There was a part of him that was almost hopeful, but he pushed it away. He didn’t trust Rex or any other wolf of Sharp Armor. He damn sure wouldn’t ever leave his mate alone with them, but there was no way he could guarantee his safety alone in the forest, and Rex knew it.

He had no other choice if he meant to keep her safe.

Damn it.

He grumbled a bit before huffing in defeat, “Fine.”

Rex turned to Blade, “Do you have a problem with it?”

Blade looked at Arthur frowned, “I obey your orders, alpha, but I hope he can follow mine.”

Arthur huffed, “I don't need to follow orders. I just need to kill rogues, right? That’s what you actually want.”

Rex smirked. He couldn’t disagree, but that wasn’t the only thing he wanted from Arthur. There was something about Arthur that was bothering him, poking and prodding at memories, and he wanted to know why.

Blade shook his head, “We patrol as a team. You must follow orders. If you don't know how you'll have to learn.”

Arthur bared his teeth at him, tensing and ready to growl again, but Daphne held his head down.

“Arthur, remember what we talked about?”

Arthur growled nodded stiffly. Daphne stroked his head again, seemingly easing him into a calm. Blade looked at Daphne then at Arthur and found the relationship between them interesting. He had his reservations about Arthur, but he trusted Rex’s decision and he was curious. Would Daphne’s safety be enough to get Arthur to fall in line? For how long? Would she be able to keep him calm when they were apart?

“Come to the training ground tomorrow morning at sunrise. We’ll go over some of the basic commands then.”

Daphne stroked Arthur’s head, “He’ll be there.”

Rex stood, “It’s been good to meet you both. Welcome to Sharp Armor.”

Daphne opened the door for them and saw them out.

“They aren’t what I expected,” Rex commented. “It’s sure to be interesting.”

Blade said nothing as they walked and Rex chuckled, patting his shoulder as they reached the edge of the town and were prepared to part.

“Indulge me a bit, old friend. I’m sure he won’t cause too much trouble.”

Daphne was filled with relief as they left. They could stay in the pack's village so long as Arthur behaved and performed as part of their patrol. At the very least, they would be safe for however long they needed Arthur on the patrols. She got the sense that the rogues were a huge problem, so she was confident that it would be a while.

With the prospect of having a place to stay long-term, Daphne started to make a catalog of what they had and what they would need. They had a bit of food from Mamie, but they needed some cooking utensils and tools. She hoped Mamie could help them. She slipped into her shoes and got ready to go see Mamie.

Arthur followed her to the door in his wolf form.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m going with you.”

Daphne eyed him, wondering if she should ask him to transform, but she decided against it. Whatever would make Arthur less tense was for the best. Besides, Rex and Blade had seemed oddly entranced by Arthur’s coloring, maybe it would keep everyone in the pack at bay from asking too many questions or being rude.

The walk to Mamie and Blade’s house was short and uneventful. People looked at them strangely as they passed, but they didn’t approach them.

“Isn’t that…”

“… good that he’s healed. Do you think they’ll be staying?”

“I heard…”

Daphne wished she had better hearing so she could hear the conversations, but the conversations didn’t seem to be agitating Arthur, so she guessed it was nothing rude. They arrived at Mamie's door and saw a woman leaving Mamie's house with a briefcase. Mamie waved her goodbye before she noticed Daphne and Arthur.

“Oh, Daphne! How good to see you! Hi, Arthur.” She smiled brightly. “Come on in! What can I do for you two?”

Arthur sniffed and turned his head sharply at the doorway.

“I’ll stay outside.”

Daphne frowned and glanced at Mamie who seemed surprised, “What’s wrong?”

“It smells like him. I don’t like it.”

He stretched a bit and lay down beside the front door, watching people walk by.

Mamie laughed, “Men. What can you say? Come on in, Daphne.”

Daphne eyed Arthur before entering the house.

“Who was that woman just now?”

“Oh, the doctor from the pack. I'm pregnant, so she came for my checkup.”

Daphne gasped, “Pregnant!”

“Yes. Oh...” She smiled at Daphne. “I forgot you weren't aware of the werewolf thing. Our pregnancies aren't as obvious as human pregnancies are. We deliver in about two or three months.”

Daphne stayed a few feet away from her, staring at her stomach that seemed flat. She believed Mamie wouldn't lie about it, but she didn't want to chance harming her in any way.

Mamie laughed and rubbed her stomach, “There’s no need to be nervous. Werewolves aren't that fragile even when we’re pregnant!”

Her assurances didn’t make Daphne relax much.

“I didn’t want much. I just hoped you could help us. There are a few things that we need like kitchenware and so on…”

Mamie hummed and wandered around the house, “I’m sure I’ve got some stuff around.”

Daphne wasn’t expecting Mamie to pull things out of her kitchen and from around the house for them, but she was grateful.

“How’s that?”

“It’s… more than I hope for. I—”

Mamie waved her off, “Don’t even think about trying to pay for any of it. You’re a member of the pack now!”

Daphne smiled, “Thank you… for your generosity.”

“I heard from Blade that Arthur will join the patrol… It’s a very demanding job.”

Daphne could only imagine given what was outside the boundaries of the village.

“Alpha Rex says they're going to fight rogues... Rogue are those bad wolves with red eyes, right? The ones that don’t seem to have much rationality?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Mamie nodded, fiddling with a few towels she checked for holes before throwing them in the box she was giving for Daphne. “They are all wolves who were expelled from the pack and abandoned by the moon goddess. They have always been around and will attack any creature that comes near, but they’ve always acted alone...”

She stopped and frowned, “I don't know why, but over the years they started to organize, getting bolder and bolder.”

“How so?”

“Attacked the packs directly instead of just attacking travelers…. Many of our pack members have been injured during their attacks.”

Daphne worried her lip, worrying about Arthur. He was strong and fast, but he wasn’t invincible. And what about the huge gray wolf who had been with all those rogues? He had red eyes, but he could communicate just like Arthur could despite their red eyes.

He called himself Arthur’s brother of all things. How were they related? She still needed to talk to Arthur about that, but maybe she could get some information from Mamie.

“Would rogues obey the leadership of another wolf?”

She seemed surprised before scoffing in disbelief, “Of course not. They can hardly even communicate, let alone heed orders.”

Daphne wasn’t sure how to take Mamie’s statement. The rogues were definitely following Owen. If rogues didn’t heed orders, who was the gray wolf who called himself Owen?