Outside, Shira drew in a long breath, filling her lungs with the fresh scent of spring. It was fresh, and it was green and.... she realized it was still summer, the fact that she smelled spring could only mean one thing -- werewolves, lots of werewolves. She shrugged. She was in werewolf territory after all, and one of the Shark's rogues had assured her that no one would be attacked within the inn, and she was technically still on the inn's grounds.

She would start worrying about the unfriendly werewolves in this unfriendly land once she was outside the royal choice inn.

Shira found that now she was outside, she did not really have a a good escape plan -- of cause, it was going to be easy to escape her young companion, but how was she going to escape the city of Renaki unharmed. She needed a sword. She glanced at her companion who was already looking very uneasy, he did not carry a sword.

Werewolves rarely did, she was told. They liked to fight with their claws instead. She had never seen werewolves bare their claws before, and she was not willing to see it that night but, she had to prepare for the worst -- even without a sword.

She turned and gave her companion her most charming smile. ''Thank you Liam. I really needed this.''

Liam shrugged, but he could not hide the blush that crept up his cheeks.

Shira smiled to herself. He was just a boy.

''I think it's time to come back inside my lady. I don't want the Shark to have to look for you.''

Shira pasted a fake smile on her face. It was now or never. ''Okay, sure Liam -- it's just..''

Liam stretched out his hand to her, but she made no move to take it. ''What's the problem my Lady,'' he asked uneasily.

Shira started shuffling hurriedly from foot to foot on the same spot. ''Liam, I fear that I might need to use a chamber pot, I really need to pee.''

Liam blushed again. ''My lady, I'm sure there must be one in your room --''

''Liam, I cannot make it to my room!'' She said, forcing her voice to sound urgent.

Liam looked even more uncomfortable but he nodded.

Shira smiled. ''I would find a spot, and I promise to be back very soon.''

She ran then, further into the shadows, trying her best to look pressed. Once she was out of sight, she stopped to catch her breath. She knew it would not take long before Liam realized that she had tricked him. He would probably raise alarm, and they would be out searching for her immediately.

She ran further down the road, then, not wanting to look suspicious, she tried to slow down into a walk, but she must have still looked out of place with the heavy cloak around her shoulders -- Liam would spot her easily with that cloak.

She removed the cloak immediately, and dropped it on the ground. She could not have known how much of a mistake that was but ...

She still wearing the peach gown she had been wearing that morning, dressed to meet her mate. It was feared that the Alpha Farok may not want his human mate, and so, the gown she had been asked to wear was designed to make her look beautiful, ravishing, irresistible. The dress would have made even a plain maid look beautiful, but on Shira who was already known to be a beauty, it was splendid.

The pale color of the peach gown contrasted beautifully with her dark looks and curly black hair. The bodice of the gown was cut a bit too low, exposing more of her breasts than she had ever been allowed to in the past, and making Shira a bit uncomfortable. The dress hugged her waist, emphasizing a waist so slim, some mother's had once asked her mother the secret.

She would have had more hope remaining unnoticed with the cloak on, than out there in the wild streets of Renaki, with nothing more than her ravishing gown on.

''My my my! What have we here.'' A deep croaky voice said beside her, and a sweaty hand brushed against her cheek. ''What a beauty.'' He said, with what she had come to realize was a Renaki accent, making the 'beauty' sound like 'beauteh'

Shira brushed off the hand from her cheek, but the male caught her hand in his. She struggled against him. ''Please Sir leave me alone.''

''Oi but why would aye do that my sweet thing. aye think aye would rather have a nice time with you.''

Several males began to gather around her, coming out from the shadows, like they had been lurking there all along, waiting to assault her. One of them twisted one of her dark curls and sniffed it.

''She smells like werewolf, but I can swear she's human.'' He said, boldly tracing a finger through her cheek, then her lips, then he tried to force his finger into her mouth. Shira bit hard against his finger as it entered her mouth, her eyes finally filling with tears. His finger tasted like mud, dirty mud after a rainy night.

The male gave a startled cry, and slapped her face, hard. The force of it pulled Shira to the floor. Stunned with pain, she had little time to calm her breath before she felt rough hands pick her up again, then she found herself staring at the long claws of one of the werewolves. He was going to kill her!

Shira closed her eyes, waiting the for the blow that was going to come -- one quick slash with those claws, and her head would be taken off her neck. The blow did not come.

''There's no need tah kill the pretty thing before we've had her Yuno.'' A voice said from behind her and she heard several other voices chorus their agreement. Her stomach chuned, she could smell their fowl breath.

Shira closed her eyes and tried to rein in the terror she felt, but it was no use. She felt so alone and vulnerable, and even her training in combat did not seem like what would save her from the savages.

She felt shame wash over her as one of the males extended a claw and ripped open her dress to further expose her naked flesh.

"I'm going to have me turn on her first, then you all can follow -- right before we kill her off." The male who had stopped them for killing her said, and Shira felt tears slip through her eyelids at the thought of being raped so far away from home by such savages.