Chapter 3 I fell asleep

We had been traveling for three days and were almost there; nevertheless, we were all exhausted, hungry, and horribly odorous. We should get to the castle right about dusk. We were well protected on all sides since Thrain flanked me up front and our men were on each of our flanks. We took a brief break beside a small brook; it was lovely. While I was eating, the sound of birds chirping and the faint bubble of the stream's water nearly put me to sleep. I shook myself awake and completed my meal.

I reasoned that a little swim would wake me up sufficiently to proceed, and I also didn't want to appear to have been dragged through the forest when I arrived at the castle. I hurriedly undressed, leaving me only in my bra and underwear, and dove into the stream. My skin felt cool in the water, so I sank down and just let my thoughts wander to what we would be encountering in the palace. I've heard that Julius, the King, was a strict man who didn't like rogues, so I'm unsure of what will happen when he learns that I have a large group of rogues. Three really fit men were standing in the stream with water drips flowing down their bodies when I heard a splash and let my head surface. I am aware that we all have partners and will ultimately meet them, but I am also able to appreciate what is in front of me. Thrain was the black sheep in his family; you could tell he was of Greek descent because his black locks hung to his ears and his eyes were so captivatingly emerald. He had a strong, pointed jaw and always had a little stubble; he disliked shaving but thought a beard was ludicrous. He has gorgeous golden skin that looks like maple syrup, and I have always been envious of his complexion. In addition, he has excellent muscle definition and a good, lean build. Now that they are built like tanks, Tom and Eric exercise every day and spend their free time in the gym. They both have abs the size of a washboard and biceps bigger than my head. Tom looked like a blonde surfer; his shaggy hair ran down to his shoulders, and his nose was unmistakably damaged. He constantly wears a smile on his face and has blue eyes that are always up to no good. Eric has a buzz cut on his red hair because, in his words, it keeps it out of the way. He has freckles all over his pale complexion, and when I once asked him if I could play connect the dots with him, he practically tackled me. Lesson absorbed. Eric had lovely eyes, and I knew I could always rely on him to lend a hand if I needed one. I brushed my hair out of my face and grinned at the boys, "God, no need to show off," and said, "You know you could put all of us on our asses, Alpha." It was true; I had fought every warrior in our pack, and not one had ever placed me on my ass. We all laughed at Tom as he pouted. In reality, nobody has ever been able to get the better of me. I am looking forward to that day since it is healthy to be humbled occasionally. I responded, "Maybe you should train a little more so you could beat me," to Thrain's splash, "That will never happen, and you know it." This sparked an all-out war of splashes. Before getting out of the water, we fooled around in it for a while. We had to resume our journey. "Thrain, do you think that family will be alright?" I dressed and then turned around. When their Alpha forbade their daughter from visiting other packs to locate her mate, a family of wolves who had left their pack in the middle of the night They were in awful shape when we found them late last night; their clothes were hanging loosely, and the young child appeared incredibly ill and frail. They wouldn't likely last much longer on their own out here. I made a call to my border patrols and instructed them to keep an eye out for the family, to treat them respectfully, and to take care of them. They will be taken care of as best as they can, even if we don't currently have a pack doctor. They only need some wholesome food and a cozy place to sleep, and they will be OK. They have recently experienced a lot. We all turned into our wolves as I grinned. We took up position and retraced our steps toward the palace. ** We were starving, weary, and in desperate need of a shower when we arrived at the palace soon after sunset. We changed back into our human selves as the palace guards appeared. They welcomed us with the attitude that we were the shit on their feet. "What do you rogues want?" stated the tallest of the two. "We have an appointment to see the King in the morning." I nearly rolled my eyes. We weren't talking to you, bitch, the shorter guard snorted. I had to restrain a ferocious growl, and I knew the boys were doing the same. In this context, the word "bitch" was used to refer to a female wolf rather than as an insult. We were still living in the middle of the twentieth century. Since I knew I would slit their throats, I chose to let Thrain lead. Thrain's voice was strained, and I could tell that he was having difficulties controlling his wolf. "We have an appointment with the King in the morning, Bowers and company." The towering guard's eyes began to drift out before he nodded at us, allowing us to pass and informing us that a servant would be waiting for us outside to lead us to our rooms. I took several long breaths to keep myself from becoming enraged as we moved toward the palace. I had to explain to my wolves that they didn't realize I was an Alpha and that they didn't mean any offense, but it was difficult because I was also feeling angry on the inside on the human side. A few minutes later, the palace came into view, and it was magnificent. The enormous structure was at least several centuries old. The entrance's columns were encircled by vines, and the driveway was home to a stunning fountain with a wolf in the middle. A frail-looking old guy with his hands behind his back stood in front of the enormous oak entrance doors, which were reached by stairs. We didn't have time to appreciate the interior's splendor as he beckoned us through the door and led the way down a corridor, up some stairs, down another hallway, and finally to a stop in front of a door. Breakfast begins at 7 a.m. promptly, and this is the women's restroom. I shall have someone get you in the morning for breakfast." He gave a slight bow and beckoned for the guys to follow him. The king will see you in the throne room when you finish. I bid the guys good night before entering the room. Though a little too opulent for my standards, the room is lovely, so I won't grumble now. In order to admire the view as you got up in the morning through the wide windows, the large bed was positioned in the middle of the room with the back of the bed facing the door. The doors to the bathroom and closet were located on the room's left side. A modest workstation and a lounge with a TV could be seen on the room's right side. My pajamas were nowhere to be found in my bag, so I dumped them on the bed and pulled out my good clothes for tomorrow in the hopes that they would somehow manage to uncrinkle in time. I headed over to the doors in my jammies, praying I made the correct choice. I almost cried out in satisfaction when I opened the door to the restroom as I was standing in front of it. Once the water in the shower was warm, I got in to let the steam soothe my aching muscles and unwind my mind. After washing myself and my hair, I changed into my pajamas before going outside. I went out outside to discover that someone had brought a tray of food and stolen my clothes. I took up the tray and sat on the couch to watch some television, relieved that my clothing would be wrinkle-free and nice-looking. I haven't watched television in a while. My stomach was grumbling as I chose a reality show and started eating. Since I hadn't slept on a real bed in a long time, I set the tray of dirty dishes on the desk and laid face down on the bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep.