CHAPTER NINE - WANTED

THE LYCAN CITY. PEASANT MARKET.

VALERIE

The markets here were not much different from the ones at my kingdom. The hood I wore over my head died enough to keep out the sun and to keep the daring eyes of most people away from me.

I had woke up quite early, jumping up from the small bed and peering anxiously through the grimy glass window. Nothing suspicious, the streets were empty. This was probably one of the joys of living in the outskirts, peace of mind.

I took a quick shower, squeezing my tits and enjoying a small sense of pleasure before stepping out and drying my body with a rather large towel Mrs Jahn had provided for me. She had told me she would be going to the markets today and I couldn’t help but miss the opportunity to get the diamonds sold as quickly possibly.

Mr Jahn was not present when we had breakfast so I was sure he was still in bed. The old man seemed to have a rather delicate health and would sleep in for hours. We are in silence and I was grateful for the excessive hospitality they had shown me even if it was very unsafe and unwise to let strangers (with bounties) into your home.

Once I was done with the food I hobbled, walking with great difficulty up the stairs before I got back into my room. Packing the diamonds and locking them in a small material bag and suffered back down the stairs and gently lowered myself into the rusty truck. Mrs Jahn started the engine, and the truck pushed off down the dirt road. The drive was slow and steady and I took the time to cram the roads and buildings in case I somehow got lost or separated from the woman. Her tea reminded me of home, of my mother and the few good days I had living my life as a simple noble nobody.

“How long till we reach the markets?” I had asked the same question ten times already. They may not have known how urgent this way because they thought it was a lowly noble feud. But I was sure if they knew it was the ruling Alpha that owned the bounty placed in my head, they wouldn’t have bothered allowing me into their shabby home.

Not to mention that I was actually a noble and would probably be easily spotted by the Hunters that trailed me.

“Just like Ariel, always persistent and tried to live faster than herself,” She said slowly with a smile on her face. “the market is not far from here dear.”

I linked my fingers and placed them on my thighs. I was sure the reason why the swelling on my left foot hadn’t subsided was because I did not yet own my wolf. Once a person shifted, they activated certain healing abilities and were able to use the senses of their wolf even without having to shift.

I had remembered my father being able to heal from broken bones within hours and Jack had an outstanding sense of hearing. While I had nothing.

I was already past the age of shifting school and frankly I was the only case that could not shift past the age of sixteen. Our wolf was an inborn part of us, an innate part of our being that one could certainly not live without.

Some people were even able to shift from way earlier ages and their wolf grew stronger the more they shifted into it.

The truck eased to a stop and I hesitated before gently opening the door.  Just being this close to so many people made me feel like I was being suffocated. I pulled down in my hood to ensure no one got the slightest glimpse of my face as I walked behind Mrs Jahn. The canvas slippers she had given me was apparently worn by their daughter before she moved to the castle. I was surprised it was still in good condition.

We walked, pushing and shoving between aimless stragglers as I struggled to keep one hand on my hood and the other griping the small pouch of diamonds. Hunters lurked in crowded places, they must have had my scent which made me an easy pick but I was glad the clothes I wore belonged to the Jahns daughter so I must have been cloaked by her scent.

We walk pass hustling merchants, empty shops and desperate looking sellers that were even eager to grab you in persuasion just to buy from their goods. Mrs Jahn might have come here with the intention to buy vegetables but I had a different goal in mind. Carefully, I spied the nearby shops, eagerly searching for a pawn of jewellery stall I could pass the diamonds for.

I was still very much an alien in this town and most of me was terrified at the next stranger that walked too close to me, I didn’t even want them to hear me breathe and I subconsciously held my breath. Mrs Jahn stopped at a vegetable stall and I bumped into her, apologising under my breath so the seller didn’t notice my breathing.

The pain in my left foot increased with every passing second and I struggled to keep myself from falling due to the sharp pain.

The sun was hot above, bright golden rays of light that made me feel like I was baking under the hood and I had to resist the urge to take off the hood so I don’t burn under. I didn’t even notice when a man cladded in black overalls stepped too close to me. I jerked back, his eyes were dark and looked straight through the shadow the hood casted over my face. A sudden chill ran down my spine. A hunter?

I backed away, turning my eyes away and focusing on the frustrated seller that bantered over the price of tomatoes with Mrs Jahn.

Beads of sweat soaked into the shirt I wore under the hood. If I knew it would be this hot I wouldn’t have worn anything under.

Still, I felt the intense gaze of the man cladded in black on my face. Whoever he was he had surely recognized me. I balanced on my right foot, trying to ease the load and pressure on the my sore left foot, I also took this time to allow my foot to regain a little strength just in case the need to run for my life became necessary.

Mustering up the fickle courage I had in me, I turned slowly to access the man but he was gone. Bewildered, I glanced around. Looking desperately to spot a black back walking away but none. Like he was never there. Whoever he was I was glad he was gone. The less attention I got the better I was out of harms way.

“Now for the cabbages!” Mrs Jahn exclaimed with a look of glee on her face. From the looks of things she must win the banter because the seller wore a disappointed as he drew his thick brows to a frown.

“Are we almost done?” I asked, hoping that she would tell me that we still quite some shopping to do because I was no where close to finding a jewellery shop.

“Oh no dear, the links in my necklace broke so we may take a little time for the jeweller to make repairs…”

I almost jumped for joy but literally could not because of the lacing pain that cramped my left leg.

We walked and I furtively searched for the ninja like man that had taken a scary interest in me.

I stalked behind Mrs Jahn, avoiding the suspicious eyes of the merchants.

When we reached the cabbage stand Mrs Jahn starts the bantering I decided to finally take matters into my own hands.

“Ma’am?”

She turned, raising a brow as the seller looked equally as frustrated as the tomato seller. If the didn’t agree with prices why did they still bother sell their goods? I had no idea.

“I think would be a good opportunity for me to stretch my legs. I’ll meet you at the car before you leave…” I said convincingly, if I wanted to wait for her to finish her shopping before meeting the supposed jeweller then I was in for a long day and being out like this in the midst of this many people was making me feel anxious and claustrophobic. I never been good at relating with people since the days of my young and times like these only reminded me of the hated life I was born to endure.

Mrs Jahn looked at me sceptically, I was sure she was not onboard with the idea. So far she was like a mother to me, I needed a mother, she needed a daughter.

“Stay out of trouble dear…” she said, a little pain in her eyes. I nodded, turning around and making my way through the hustle of people.

‘Food…’

‘Merchandising…’

‘Shoes…’

Everything but a jeweller.

“Maybe I should have just stayed with Mrs Jahn…” I muttered to myself.

The glimmer from something sharp penetrated the shadow over my face. I turned sharply, spying the silver chains that hung from hooks in a particular shop.

“A jeweller…” I exclaimed, dragging attention to myself from a few people and I gasped in fear quickening my pace so I reached the small shop when it wasn’t with any customers. Looking down at the counter I was marvelled, more jewellery that I as a noble had ever seen in my life, ranging from emeralds to rubies to preciously coloured stones and gems.

How could such diamonds be sold down here, this was no where near the noble settlements and so far what I had seen was only peasants that occupied this part of the Lycan City. The seller had his back turned, he looked at me over his shoulder when my shadow moved into view.

“Now what can a fine young lady like you be needing?” He asked in a croaky voice. There was an ugly scar that ran down his left eye and wondered how deep the injury must have been for it to not have healed without a scar.

“Ummm…” I cleared my voice, trying to make it sound deeper than it actually was. “I want to pass some diamonds…”

He looked skeptic, probably wondering where a peasant could have gotten diamonds from.

“Coloured?”

“No, pure!” I said sharply, hoping this bargain could be over quicker.

“Let me see…!” He said, his eyes easily penetrating the shadow I hid behind and examining me face. He was a jeweller, they had sharp eyes and could easily spot fakes in seconds so I tried to keep my head down.

I produced the small pouch of in my hands and handed it over to him. There were just thirty diamonds in the pouch, little studs no more than half a rice grain but they should fetch a high price.

He took out one, holing it up to the ray of light that passed thought a small crack in his shops ceiling.

He studied it for about ten seconds before he poured all the rest onto his hands and did the same.

“Where the hell did you get these from?” He almost bellowed and shivered because a few standbys had started to take interest in our little deal.

“They were mine I—”

“Liar! These diamonds are from the Emeral city!!” He eyed me suspiciously.

I was lost for words, if he went on like this he would draw more attention to me.

“Look! I stole them from a noble!” I whispered, hoping that the hate the citizens of this Kingdom has for mine would act as a saving grace now.

He eyed me slowly, “What part of town?”

And that was when froze. I did not know this kingdom at all, neither did I know what the parts of it were called.

“Ummm, the main…” I said nervously, hoping that there was main part.

“When?! And don’t lie to me missy!” His eyes where fixed in mine and mine shook like a buzzing bee.

“Last two weeks…” I lied.

He scoffed.

“Fifty Kobo! Last price!” He shot and I almost stopped back. A starting offer of fifty Kobo gold coins meant that he must have been up for a lot more profit. Fifty gold coins could get me a fake ID which could rub away the bounty from my head. This was an offer I was not going to miss.

I faked hesitant at first, before saying, “Deal…”

The jeweller smiled widely before he hobbled about searching for something.

I felt someone hand on my shoulder and I almost flipped.

I turned to meet the hardened gaze of a tall and muscular man.

“Hey there missy, my friends and I think you might look familiar…” His voice was deep and sounded hurt. A Hunter. I noticed the sly glares from a small circle of chapped looking men a distance away.

My heart galloped in my chest and my limbs were found that thigh were they turned to jelly so I hate to contract my legs to keep from falling over. Hunters could smell fear so I had to keep calm. But how did Hunters from my kingdom think of searching for me here?

He produced a small paper and held it out.

I looked at him, “Nope, never seen you before…” It took all the strength I had to keep my voice from now falling out completely.

“Look!”  He waved the paper in my front of me.

The jeweller turned, looking at the large Hunter that had his  hand firmly rooted to my shoulder. The jeweller took my hand, pressing the pouch of hard Kobo coins into my palm before hastily closing his shop.

I waited, heaving out a small breath as adrenaline pumped through my blood. I had come this far to get caught? No!

I took a furtive glance at the paper and a shiver vibrated my limbs when I saw a rough sketch of my face bold on it. They had found me.

I looked up at the man. Wondering which method he would use to kill me as hope drained from my body like the sweat that soaked into my clothes.

“Ariel?” I heard Mrs Jahns voice call from a distance, the Hunter made his only mistake. He turned and I bolted. Pushing, shoving and jumping over wheel carts.

My heart galloped like a horse and my feet felt as light as a feather.

The Alpha Emeral still wanted his mate, even if he would only have her head.