The leader of the half-naked

Athos and the six guards surrounded Mircea and her horse, Athena in a protective circle. Mircea couldn't believe these creatures were half naked in such dark. Again it could be because of their powers. How shameful it was that the human body had no such power. 

Mircea couldn't sort out their leader, whatever, it was that they called their commanding chief. She needed to talk to someone. Needed to confirm their safety and then needed to find a tent for herself and retire for the night. It had been at the very least five minutes they stepped onto their land, no one had as much as greeted them. Everyone was simply staring at her. 

Before Mircea could speak, Athos' voice boomed loud and clear for everyone a mile away, "We have come from Slyve to meet his highness, King of Cetus. I shall introduce you all to her majesty, Queen of Slyve, who has come with us to visit his highness." Athos bowed in her direction. Mircea scanned the half-naked flock of werewolves, some of them were bowing slightly, some of them gave her a curt nod and the remaining ones ignored Athos' mere existence. 

It didn't matter to her whether or not they respected her. She had come here with a ploy she needed to execute, in order to save her kingdom from the long claws of King Kirill. 

Another half-naked werewolf walked out from the large standing tent. She wondered if this was a permanent base or did they build all these up just for a night. Mircea couldn't make out his exact features because of the dark, however he appeared to be rather gigantic. Other werewolves which she initially thought were large seemed small. 

The man ought to be six'seven with raw muscles bulging out. His muscles were not too much-they were just there, present, like they were simply a part of his body and not something he had worked hard for. Tight leather pants were sticking to his thighs like second skin. Mircea saw slick black hair reach his ears when he finally stepped out in the light. 

To say he was gorgeous was an understatement. He had a long straight nose that matched his sharp cheekb7ones. Full lips with eyes colored with such vibrancy she couldn't quite figure out what color they were. Mircea wanted to look away, to not show that she had been arrested by his eyes although it seemed impossible. 

His eyes were assessing his surroundings like hers had been the moment before he entered. After double checking Athos-he met Mircea's green gaze that had been darkened by the emotions of attraction that had clouded in her brain. 

Nonsense, she encountered in her brain. Her eyes and brain and her body had been wired by seeing someone so handsome. Urban was whom she was attracted to. Whom she liked. 

The half-naked werewolf stopped right by her horse, "Mircea?" He asked in a deep voice. Mircea was so distracted by his voice that she didn't notice he had addressed her with her initial name. 

"How dare you call her majesty by her name?!" Alejandro put his hand on his sword glaring at him. The man overlooked him and continued staring at Mircea with his magical eyes. Mircea wasn't sure how to respond to him. He had addressed her as if they were best of mates. 

"Who are you?" Athos queried calmly.

There was no reply. Athos seemed agitated by how the situation was unfolding. Mircea had to take the matter in her own hands if she wanted to wrap this up and know if they were really safe. "The night isn't getting any younger, so it would be nice if you tell who you really are." Mircea proposed to the guy-werewolf who was standing an arm's distance from her. 

"I am Frey. I don't suppose that is what you want to know though." He retorted. Mircea had never heard of the name. It sounded sweet unlike what he looked like. In spite of that Mircea felt the name suited him like his leather pants. 

"No, I want to know what your rank is." Mircea's statement was short and on point. Just how she desired to keep this conversation. Perhaps he was the most handsome man in the obscured realms, for all that doesn't mean he will get to address her by her name. 

"I'm the next alpha. In your language, the crown prince." Questions rose in Mircea's mind at his assertion. What was the crown prince doing here half-naked?

Had he come to escort her? Or this was a permanent base of theirs and the king had lied about sending a small army to escort her.

Mircea nodded at him before opening her mouth again, but he cut her off. "You must be tired from the journey. My boys here will escort you to your tents. We will begin riding to the palace in the morrow." He began retreating to his tent when he turned around and shouted, "Don't worry about getting killed. No one here will dare to touch you." 

Mircea thought he was rather weird for a crown prince. Another half-naked guy ran behind him calling him by his name. Now she thought everyone here was plain weird. Looking at them she speculated if they had no such thing as your majesty or your highness. Perhaps that is why he addressed her by her first name. Moreover she would be lying if she said she didn't like her name on his tongue. 

***

Mircea had been staring at the crown prince for a while now. Something seemed wrong with him. He didn't look the quiet type. Perhaps Mircea's overthinking brain was at it again, but she could feel it in her gut that something was off with him. 

Athos, too, had been awfully quiet. 

Except for these two men, everything was going according to the original plan. The only thing that Mircea had to worry about was: how was she going to convince King Kirill to stop the war without getting herself and her crew killed. 

King Kirill had kept his promise-the people that were there yesterday, were members of his small army. What she didn't know was, this was the deadliest army with their deadliest commanding chief. Athos had filled her in, yesterday night, after they had settled in. Everyone in the front army knew about Cetus' small army which was commonly known after Frey's crew. 

Frey was the same crown prince Athos had been talking about a few days back. The handsome crown prince. Mircea had taken the liberty to add the word handsome in it. 

Oh, how the council and everyone in her kingdom would frown at her thoughts!

The forest was clearing up-sunlight was pouring in through the now large gaps of the canopy. Were they close to the capitol? 

The werewolves didn't bother to close the tents they had built up there. Before the sun rose they had simply taken their personal belongings with them, some of them had changed into their wolf form and others rode on their backs. 

It was wonderful to see them shift into something so beasty yet so beautiful. Their fur was shining in the little light that they got into this deep forest. Mircea knew about their abilities, she knew that they could reach the capitol if they travelled at their original speed, howbeit, they were riding along Mircea's horse's speed. If this wasn't respecting enough from their foe, Mircea didn't know what was.

"How far do we have to travel to reach the capitol?" Mircea questioned Frey. He was riding on Javier's horse while Javier was sitting on some werewolf's back. He said and Mircea quoted 'I want to experience everything my life has to give me.' Some guy had laughed at his attempt and given him the permission to sit on his back. 

"We have reached the capitol. The palace is about half an hour away from here." Frey replied not even glancing at her. He hadn't looked at her after she asked him who he was last night. Mircea couldn't figure out what his problem was. 

Mircea nodded at him even if she knew he wasn't looking at her. They both hadn't addressed each other properly. Mircea felt uneasy with how things were going. If he kept this attitude she wasn't sure how she would convince King Kirill to stop the war. 

There was small chatter between the soldiers of both kingdoms as they proceeded further. The sunlight began to pour abundantly, it was getting hotter every minute they neared the palace. Mircea guessed this was why they were half-naked the last night. Much to her dismay, when she woke up this morrow each one of them had donned a tunic and pants. 

The trees fully cleared up showing the path to the palace that was shining more than the water of the white river. The whole palace was made of white stone unlike the black stones she had known her whole life. The place seemed vibrant just like Frey's eye color. 

Such a beautiful combination it was, she thought, glancing at the faraway castle and then into Frey's eyes. 

As they neared the palace grounds people came into the picture. People who could all shift into a beast whenever they wanted. There were some in their wolf form, roaming around, goofing around. Everyone bowed at Frey with warmth in their eyes and continued their work. 

It was a rare sight to see adoration in their eyes for their crown prince. Mircea asked herself if this is what Carsten meant by having a strong foundation. She knew her people didn't exactly adore her. 

A female came rushing out of the gates of the palace. Her chest rose up and down as she stared at them with an intense look in her eyes. "Este?" Frey whispered, appearing perplexed. 

She then took a long leap and started running in their direction, Mircea didn't know what was happening. Frey jumped off his horse and in mere seconds Mircea was in his arms. His back blocking from the girl sprinting toward them.

When Este was close enough she took a leap once again and tackled Athos on the ground. Athos yelped in surprise, not sure what to do with the woman sniffing in his shoulder. 

"Mate!" She roared before she hugged him laying on top of him.