he left his pack for a while to follow this tailless one he had decided to make his mate, camped with a small escort an hour away from her Silvermoon tribe. Her elders had already accepted the gifts, though it was more like payment and now all he had to do was take her, the contract was for tomorrow morning. He hadn't seen her yet

He glanced to the guard nearest him and nodded towards the approaching figure, "Go see who that is." He rose to his feet, claws unsheathing as he silently moved closer to where the other guard was positioned in case any trouble did occur. The approaching form seemed too small for another werewolf, or at least a dangerous one. Perhaps it was some foolish human or a tamed beast of sorts...if so, he would have to teach them a lesson in respect.

He raised an eyebrow at the sight of the small female who had stopped some distance away, hands raised in a submissive gesture. Interesting. Perhaps she was more intelligent than he'd given her credit for. "State your business," he growled out, not taking his eyes off her long enough to address the guard beside him.

The alpha's golden eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the female. She seemed nervous, submissive even...it was an unfamiliar reaction in him. Perhaps it would be worth hearing what she had to say before deciding her fate. "Speak," he commanded. He remained where he was, keeping his guard up just in case.

"I said speak," he growled lowly, tone sharper now. His eyes bored into hers as he waited impatiently for her to gather her thoughts and voice whatever it was she felt the need to say. He could feel his control slipping slightly with each passing moment; her submission was tempting but it might just be another trick to throw him off guard.

"I thought as much," he replied coldly, turning away slightly. "Now leave before I decide to change my mind." He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye, but he didn't know how to deal with it and so decided to dismiss her. The tension began to seep out of his body as he walked back over to his previous spot beside one of his guards. It had been a futile encounter at best.

"She's not fooling me," he muttered under his breath as he saw her heading off into the forest rather than straight for the tribe. Something about her actions made him uneasy; it almost seemed like she was trying to escape, but why? His golden eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he shifted restlessly where he stood. Perhaps tomorrow would bring more answers...or perhaps it would only add to the confusion. Either way, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of anticipation building within him.

He watched the retreating figure disappear into the darkness before turning back to his guards with a frown on his face. "Let's make camp for now. I have a feeling tomorrow will be an interesting day." His tone was both thoughtful and slightly ominous, causing the two wolves flanking him to exchange worried glances. They had seen their leader grow uneasy before; it usually led to trouble.

He felt his stomach twist in anger and frustration as he heard the news of Rina's escape. And to think he had been so close to finding her... He clenched his fists at his sides, wanting nothing more than to rip apart whatever puny form she was hiding within right now. But patience would be key; if he wanted to control the situation, he needed to remain calm and collected until it was time for action. He nodded curtly in acceptance of their apologies before growling out his orders: "Prepare a new scouting party. I want her found at all costs."

The two guards immediately jumped into action, saluting sharply before hurrying off to assemble a fresh group of wolves for the hunt. As they left, Sarien Blackfang's eyes drifted back toward where Rina had disappeared into the woods hours ago...an image of her sub