Chapter 197 – A Wild Chase

Chapter 197 – A Wild Chase

I wake up first, opening my eyes before all the ladies. Our positions have switched a little over the few hours we have actually slept instead of taking part in a bit more lively activities, but the six naked beauties still lie sprawled all over me and the bed. Ressia is the closest, snuggling to my chest as we are both on our sides. I can feel Yuru coiled somewhere around my thighs and Oniri lovingly hugging my back. The other three are unfortunately out of my reach.

After admiring the fierce women and their serene sleeping faces, I pull the canine captain more into me and gently nibble on her pointy ear. Ressia shudders lightly and lets out a delicate sigh. Her charming lashes flutter open a moment later and a faint blush tinges her cheeks as she realises our positions.

I smile at her warmly, brushing my fingers through her hair. “Morning. I think it’s time to get up if we want to appear as professional as we can.”

“Yes, sir.” Ressia smiles back at me, roams her eyes over my front, and nuzzles her face into my neck, pressing her tender chest into my skin. “Thank you for the amazing evening, Boss. The girls looked really happy.”

“Don’t mention it.” I sneak a few pecks onto her adorable ears. “But, try not to get used to it either. While I would always be glad to give you some affection whenever you wanted, I won’t be around on every mission.”

She pulls herself up and gazes at me with noticeable adoration. “We know. Lady Sirgia gave us plenty of relief tools to help us relax our bodies during long commissions. We can manage. We will make you proud.”

Before she has enough time to hesitate, I bring my lips to hers and we share a few delicate kisses. I can see the sheets fluttering as I glance over her shoulder, thanks to her lively tail expressing the wolfgirl’s joy.

“And I’ll reward you properly for that.” I grin at her after we separate, Ressia’s face flushing even more now. “So, I think it’s time for you to take care of your part.”

Giving me one last kiss on her own, Ressia sits up and stretches her slim and muscular form, displaying her enchanting profile to me. I join her and run a hand down her shapely back, causing her tail to pick up speed as I caress her soft skin. She glances at me coyly as I reach her bubbly behind and I grin at my fierce captain while giving it a playful squeeze.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, she gives me a hungry look and sighs heavily. “I’ve never been a lazy person, but recently it’s just incredibly hard to leave the bed. I might be getting too comfortable.”

Chuckling, I reach her hair again and play with her ears. “You deserve it. But, yeah. We have a job to do. Let’s leave being lazy for when we are at home. Get this side up while I take the other.”

“Yes, sir.”

Working together, we quickly wake up the others and they walk out together for a quick bath. I go with them but head for the male section to not cause too much trouble and rumours at Vanessa’s house. When I get back to our room, the girls are already geared up and prepared for duty. We stroll through the hallways until we reach a chamber with an open roof, choosing to practise a little until it’s time for breakfast.

A butler gets us less than two hours later, letting us know that we are the first ones to wake up and that the food is getting ready to be served. Wrapping up our fun, we follow the man to the dining hall and wait in front of the entrance. It could be rude if we just helped ourselves to everything before the royal hosts.

So, after the same guy comes back to announce that the king and his queen are seated, we join in, exchanging polite greetings. Shortly after our group settles down at the table, Paul and the others file in. We eat in relative silence until most of us are finished.

“Well, then. I don’t think we have a reason to delay our departure any longer. Are your mercenaries ready, Sir Carter?” Vanessa’s father glances my way and I nod.

“Everything is set on our side. We are awaiting your orders, Your Majesty,” I reply and the girls look at him expectantly.

“Our carriage should be waiting for us by now. Let’s meet at the driveway. Vanessa will guide you there,” he adds.

The pair leaves to dress up for the journey and we take it as a sign to leave too. As promised, our princess friend takes us to the little square where the carriages stop to drop off guests. A big, fancy one is receiving the final checks from the servants. We surround it to examine it on our own too.

“Will you be appointing a coach from the castle staff or do we get to fill that spot from amongst our people?” Ressia asks one of the men.

“We’ve been instructed to follow your orders.” He makes a polite bow. “If you wish to, we can arrange an experienced coach.”

“Do we have anyone proficient in driving these?” I raise a brow at her.

Suna and Besfi raise their hands as she meets my gaze. “Everyone received a simple introduction to carriages so that we can handle any unexpected emergency. Suna and Besfi have personal experience. To minimise the number of people we have to protect, I would suggest having one of them take up that role.”

“I see. I guess Suna would be a good pick since she is a mage.” I nod to myself.

“I thought the same, Leader.” She smiles proudly. “While Besfi would have it easier to defend the carriage after it’s stopped, Suna can continue to counterattack while still leading it away. And that’s what we are going to do.”

“We shall take care of any horses you leave behind,” the man adds. “Unless you want us to switch the animal pulling the carriage.”

“No need. Our steeds are trained for battle, not pulling heavy loads over long distances. They can travel far but mostly light.” Ressia shakes her head.

She appeared quite rough when we first met but it’s clear that she’s a smart cookie inside that cold and fierce exterior of a skilled ranger. No wonder she’s been chosen as the captain. They are already making me proud.

Soon enough, the VIPs arrive. Vanessa’s parents seem to belong to the smart category too. They didn’t dress up in extremely extravagant and rich outfits, choosing to pick something more fitting for a journey like this. Of course, their clothes are still regal and perfectly tailored, but they are clearly easy to move in too. No massive, puffy dresses or ornamental capes and decorations.

As they climb inside, the man turns around to glance out. “Will you be joining us, Vanessa?”

The princess considers his question and looks at Paul. Their party leader nods with a faint smile.

“It won’t be a problem. Besides, it’s a good idea to have someone inside too. There are enough of us outside to handle pretty much anything,” he says.

“Leader, if you wish to, you can travel back inside the carriage. If you aren’t intending to watch over us on the way back too, of course,” Ressia suggests.

“I don’t think I should intrude,” I reply. “The trip is going to take a while and I wouldn’t want to make our clients uncomfortable.”

“Oh, it’s completely alright. We could use a travelling companion to chat with,” the queen joins in, peeking out of the carriage too. “You did lose your horse on the way here. The least we can do is offer you a comfortable trip back home in exchange for your service.”

It would be rude to reject such a warm invitation so I bow respectfully before turning to Ressia. “Leave your horse behind too, then. I’ll give you Diana in the meantime. As the captain of this squad, it’s only natural you get to ride the most imposing steed.”

The wolfgirl’s tail starts swishing happily as she looks back at me with wide, adoring eyes.

“Boss...” She quickly recollects herself and clears her throat. “It would be my pleasure, Leader. I swear to treat her with respect.”

The wolf in question jumps out of my shadow and materialises next to us. Standing by the carriage, Diana almost reaches its very top. She gives me a little lick before lowering her snout to let Ressia caress it with a big smile.

“I think your mercenaries would look amazing while mounted on big, scary wolves, Sensei. If you managed to find Diana-san a mate, you could raise her puppies from young.” Shino giggles as she strokes the mighty beast’s fur.

“Diana has just recently lost her entire family. It wouldn’t be right to force or even suggest her to find a new partner and make a new one for my own selfish reasons,” I say with a wry smile. “I admit that this idea is quite exciting and fitting, but let’s give Diana time to adjust first. We’ll see what happens after that.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, Sensei. Yes, I agree.” She fluffs Diana even more, trying her best to show our new friend support for her loss.

After some more brushing and petting, we get ready to depart. I leave choosing and managing the formation to Ressia and Paul, receiving a wave of salutes to the heart from my ladies as I get into the carriage with Vanessa.

The inside is rather simple but in a royal way. It’s instantly obvious that the artisan focused on comfort first so the surface of the walls is completely smooth and the only carved patterns or decorations are located on the ceiling. There’s enough space to fit four people per side and a small table in the middle. The benches are cushioned, and so are the backrests. From what I can tell, they can even be pulled forward, creating two makeshift beds, making it possible to sleep comfortably on the way.

It’s a luxury item, for sure.

For the first half an hour, we ride in silence, glancing out of the small windows now and then. But, I soon notice the king’s attention staying on me for a longer moment and I turn towards Vanessa’s father too, who is sitting across me while the mother and daughter face each other as the young lady sits right by my side.

“So, you come from the capital, right? You and your mercenaries, I mean,” the man says.

“That’s right, Your Majesty. Our headquarters are located there. There was just no reason to seek a different place, even with all the competition. In the end, that’s where it's easiest to ask King Rossberg for assistance in case of an emergency.” I chuckle lightly.

“Please, just Melrond. No need to keep the stiff titles while we are travelling inside the carriage.” He waves his hand dismissively. “And this is my wife Philippa. You are already acquainted with my daughter.”

I nod politely at the lady and she answers with a gentle but slightly awkward smile. I don’t need to be a genius to figure out that she’s trying her best not to blame me for the death of her son in front of her family. Even if she knows the truth, nothing can change how much she must have cared for him. It’s definitely tough, as in some part of her mind, I’ll always be her son’s killer.

“I’m pretty sure at least one of you came from the Community, right?” I look at my girls.

Ressia and Yuru nod.

“Master, I think it would be safer for them to hide in the sewers rather than on the surface,” the latter speaks up quietly. “There are monsters that would hinder any pursuers and investigators, and there are plenty of remote, concealed areas some of our kin used in the past to take shelter in.”

“I agree,” the wolfgirl supports her point.

“Can you navigate the tunnels?” I raise a brow at the duo.

“Yes. Though, we weren’t the best of the scouts,” Ressia replies with a small wince. “But we won’t have an issue with locating the Community. I believe we should employ their help to comb through the entire sewage system from all angles. The more people we have looking, the better.”

“Let me just try one thing.” I nod and move closer to the blocked-off path.

Focusing my mind on Lascivious Hunt, I check if I can’t pick up on someone’s scent or anything, but they either have no females amongst them, or the traces aren’t strong enough to be picked up by the skill, which is surprising considering its relative strength. I really wish we managed to at least wound them or something so there was anything solid to base on. That would have made things so much easier.

The only decently suitable scent I can target belongs to the queen and is spread around the chamber from our crash. The pinkish trail cuts off at the buried exit. From the tremors that shook the place earlier, they definitely destroyed more than just a few metres ahead, making sure that we take a moment to dig through the rubble. I can see only one other passage out of here, going the opposite way. It might not be helpful, but I leave the skill active to be able to see the pinkish fumes.

“Alright. We’ll do as you say. Any objections?” I turn to Paul.

“None.” He shakes his head. “We should split up and check the surface too. We might get lucky and spot them climbing out of a manhole or something.”

“Got it. That should be fine. We’ll have the Community to fill in the lacking numbers.” I smile at him approvingly. “Take Diana with you. We should pick the most mobile individuals for this.”

The ominous wolf lowers herself to let people climb onto her back.

“I’ll go,” Marcia volunteers.

“I’m too slow.” Kamil sighs angrily.

Oniri, Suna, and Ressia join them too since they have the best movement techniques out of everyone and I glance at Shino.

“I... I want to stay...” She glances up at me with an upturned, slightly guilty gaze.

“You can jump to me through your shadows at any time and get to us after we find their hideout in a blink. You really should help up there,” I say softly.

“You are right, Sensei. I’ll go.” Shino smiles weakly.

I step closer to her and pull my lovely Japanese girlfriend into an encouraging kiss.

“Please...” A strained, low voice reaches our ears and we separate, turning to see Vanessa half-sitting and looking our way. “Save them... They are the only family I have left... I’ll do anything... I’ll give—”

Reaching her side, I take her hand into mine, interrupting the desperate princess before she promises me something she might regret in the future. And I have a decent idea of what she was going to offer considering her status.

“We’ll get them. You just rest. Focus on recovering. When you wake up, everything will be over already.” I do my best to console her and she gradually gives in and slowly closes her eyes.

“We can bring her to your mansion after taking care of the brunt of her injuries,” Natalie offers. “Go and get those bastards.”

Even though she speaks with her usual, calm and collected tone, a certain tinge of frostiness travels through it and there’s an almost imperceptible spark of something fierce in the gentle girl’s charming eyes. I nod at her firmly and get up.

“Lead the way,” I say to Yuru and she hastily looks around.

Kamil stays behind to protect our healer ladies just in case and the rest of us rush after the petite Leopardkin girl as she shoots into one of the tunnels with the confidence of a vicious predator. At first, we try to find a route that will lead us to the tunnel behind the obstruction but it quickly becomes clear that there are no other connectors in its close vicinity, making it pretty much a long straight or something turning away. I get way too far from the source of the scent to use it to navigate around and find a secondary path to my target, which continues to urge me to back up to the first room we fell into.

Instead of doing that, I let Yuru guide is further. Her sharp eyes snap from left to right as we run by the flowing water and waste. I’m not sure how much of help it will be, but I keep spreading my divine presence and general aura as far as I can to intimidate any potential monsters trying to ambush us on our way.

Soon, Yuru slows down and starts sniffing the air with her cute snout. Her ears perk up and her head snaps towards me. I nod in understanding and we dive into a narrow passage. After a few sharp turns, we spot the guards watching the entrance to the Community.

They instantly lower their weapons but Yuru speeds up and waves at them. “It’s the Alpha! Gather everyone quickly! The claw strikes where the fang can not!”

The men freeze and one instantly drops his spear, sprinting past his colleague. Whatever passphrase my adorable mercenary used has clearly been an important and verified one. The other guard moves aside to let us pass unobstructed and thumps his chest respectfully as we fly by him.

We make our way through the familiar decorations of the wandering Beastkin. All the acquired furniture and decorations bring forth a plethora of memories but I shake my head to get back in the correct mindset. It’s not the time to think about the past. We have a future to save.

As we rush towards the Alpha’s audience chamber, containing one very memorable couch, many members of the Community whisper amongst themselves and point at me, mentioning my status with excitement. Still, they do forward the message and people follow us into the spacious main hall, gradually filling it to the brim.

By the time we make it to the raised platform with the wide throne, I’m pretty sure most of them are present, including the Elders. Nodding at them respectfully, I start heading for the stairs to get a better position to speak to everyone.

Before I take the first step, a bulky, muscular, pure-blooded guy steps into my path, belonging to some reptile subrace. “So, I heard you are one of the Twin Alphas? How pathetic can you be to share your power with a fem—”

A resounding BOOM echoes through the chamber as I punch the fucker without even looking his way or holding back in the slightest, sending him crashing through at least three walls to my right. The entire hall falls silent in a blink as the big guy is suddenly gone faster than their senses can register it, disturbed only by the quiet popping of crumbling stone.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” I growl in annoyance and turn around to the crowd. “I’ll meet any challengers with Astrea at this month’s contest of might. Right now, I have to ask all of you to please consider lending me your help. Parents of my close ally have just been captured after some shady group collapsed the road above and made me and the others fall into the tunnels. I need as many men and women searching all the paths and shelters as I can get. Will you heed my request?”

I run my gaze over the gathered Beastkin, trying to gauge their reaction. I might be their Alpha alongside Astrea, but we haven’t exactly kept an iron hand over the Community, and I personally haven’t shown up that often to do my duties. They might not even remember that I technically run this place alongside her.

But, my worries are proven to be unfounded as the entire chamber drops to one knee. Paul and Catherine stare at the display slack-jawed. At least one of them heard about my little quest here but that still doesn’t make it less incredible.

“Just give us an order, Alpha,” one of the Elders speaks up while bowing his head.

“My order is as follows, then. Find a group of suspicious men in full-body robes and masks but do not engage. They are prepared and professional. They might have set up a hideout somewhere in the sewers so there might be more of them. They hold two Human royals captive and their rescue is our top priority. Do not throw away your lives to be the heroes, though. Let us deal with them,” I say loudly and clearly.

A few rounds of thumping followed by a respectful battle shout echo through the chamber in response.

“The enemies are Human too. Bring any information you gather back here. I will stay behind and convey it to the Alpha mentally through the bond we share,” Yuru continues after me, raising her usually quiet and shy voice in the time of need. “Beastkin! Let us show our loyalty!”

Another shout answers her and everyone stands up, ready to sprint out of the chamber at any moment. I glance down at the short leopardgirl as she smiles at me timidly. I can easily tell she has to be blushing under all that fur covering her sweet face from the moment of her boldness.

Reaching out to cup her furry cheek, I tilt her chin up and kiss the adorable little feline deeply. She purrs loudly as I stroke her fur and move higher with my lips, closing them firmly over her rounded ear, and adding a gentle bite to it. While it’s not the gesture that binds us as sworn mates, it’s another one, which in turn is a traditional show of great respect and affection.

Especially when done in public.

Yuru shivers strongly and lets out the sweetest mewl ever heard. I pull back and look deep into her fierce eyes, which have now dilated to their limit. An intense wave of female need hits my sense of smell, making it clear that she understands well what I have just done for her. No one here will question anything she says as I have just turned her into one of my favourites, and so, representatives.

As she stares at me with a lustful expression, I chuckle softly and place a peck on her delightful snout. “Later.”

I pry my gaze away from those heart-melting full kitty eyes and turn to the gathered. “Go!”

The Beastkin rush out of the chamber, leaving almost no one behind. Only a bunch of guards and the Elders stay at home. Our group follows their example too, heading in the general direction of the running kidnappers. There is no point in waiting around for someone to report back when Yuru has offered her kind cooperation.

They won’t be getting out of this lightly.