I calmed my breathing and climbed the tree higher and higher, the sky was getting visible now and it meant that I was reaching the top of the tree. A little more push and I was sitting on the highest branch, and the view from up here was breathtaking.

The entire Waterwoods village was visible, a river encircled it making small splashes as a few kids played by its bank. They had only one building structure by the border which looked like a long wall with numerous windows, it did a good job of hiding everything on their side from the others.

There was no road or restaurants, no residential area, just Huts randomly hammered into the ground and one gigantic tent with 6 tall trees surrounding it.

They were truly close to nature. I saw the ladies walk in a group towards the river with earthen pots in their hand and some young students were practising near an open training ground on the far right.

The older men were either in their wolf form patrolling near the wall or they were working hard on their agricultural lands on the far left. The site made me forget what I was here for and I continued to observe the serene painting of Waterwoods.

The last time I was here, I was 10 years old. I only visited the prison then which was at the far end of Waterwoods, from where the capital city of Adalolpha was near. The facility was built on the outskirts of Wateroods.

There was an odd kind of peace here, the winds were strong and the site was pleasing to the heart. My eyes closed as I breathed in the Citric scent of the tree and the ember scent became stronger here. It was odd that the burning smell was stronger this high up in the air, it felt a bit familiar but I chose to ignore it.

Somehow I loved it, since childhood, the scent of ember was one of my favourites as I used to take it in from the dungeons. That burnt scent inside that dark place was the only peace in there.

Suddenly a strong gust of wind made me lose my balance and I struggled to hold on to the trunk without making much noise. My feet raised in the air as my palms held the trunk reflexively “That was close!” I said holding the branch tighter.

“Talking to yourself?” I heard a husky voice from a branch right below me and I immediately knew who it was. At this point the Ember scent also made sense, it was not the tree or burnt woods or anything else. It was a person, the most obnoxious person I had met since I came out of the castle.

I glanced down at his black cover diamond-shaped figure, “hello Fang Warchild!” I greeted the person who just talked to me irritatingly.

I never understood how a werewolf was able to emit ember scent, did he have cologne for that? But even perfumes couldn’t block the innate scent so was it something about his ability?

Fang, the Alpha of Waterwoods and a very mischievous person and I have had that experience first hand. He was sitting there comfortably on the branch crossing his feet. I looked at him a bit angry at how he had tried to mess with me last time in court.

“Hello, little one! It’s good to know you haven’t forgotten me”, he said, opening his crossed legs to stand up. He always looks as if he was planning something in his head, his devious face clearly talking about his evil mind.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him, a bit more irritated.

He jumped smoothly stepping on a branch between us and then crouched, bending his one knee holding the trunk for support. His daunting frame leaned in closer to me holding my chin and smiling as his warm breath brushed past my face, “shouldn’t I be asking that to you? You are the one trespassing my land, little one”

There was no need for him to come here, the other wolves were sufficient to take care of a trespasser. It was like he knew I was here and came here to mess with me further.

I pulled away from his hold not realising that I was sitting high up on a tree branch, and my weight did all the remaining efforts as I lost my balance tilting backwards. “Shit!” I desperately tried to find something to hold and unconsciously held onto Fang’s hand that was already close to me when he had held my chin.

An amused smile covered his sly face and as I pulled myself up with extra force so I could leave his hand ASAP. He pulled me up even faster and our combined force jerked me forward.

Like an idiot, desperately my hands held onto his shirt collar as I fell forward. His lips pulled up as if he wanted this to happen, but my body had already lost its balance and as it was ready to fall, I pulled Fang along with me.

Fang reacted quicker than I could and calmly held onto the branch he was sitting on with one hand, and with the other, he held me by my waist tightly. “Aren’t you a troublesome princess” He smirked, tilting his head down to look at me.

I was relatively shorter than him even when we were hanging freely by the branch. He looked around 6’4″ because I was 5’10 and I still had to look up significantly to look into his eyes.

My lungs gasped for air as the panic had set in me, my eyes gazed below to see the height we were at and my fist tightened around his collar unknowingly.

“Loving this setting little one?” I heard his voice and it brought me back to my senses. I stared into his eyes with mirth cause I knew he did this on purpose, although he was enjoying every bit of this I was ready to let my soul slip from my body.

His casual response was getting more on my nerves. Bending his head forward, he whispered, “I am fine staying like this forever with you”

His words only agitated me more, I should have rather let myself fall before holding onto this wicked, notorious man!