Crowned Wolf (Original)(Completed)

Seventy-Seven

Ralph is stunned.

He's always been confident. Not like Gavin-confident but more like Melissa-confident. He's confident in his skills. He's confident in his trust and he's confident that he doesn't give a damn about Fenrir or the damn god's plan. He's confident that his family is cursed and he's confident that his sister is the only good thing in his life. He's confident that he can kill a wolf or a man or some other beast without any issue. He's confident that he has only one true fear. But for the first time, he's absolutely and completely stunned.

He hasn't ever felt this way. When his parents were murdered, he was trained on what to do. He knew what to do. He was confident with what to do and he did it. He got Audrey to safety. He protected her. He outran their enemies. And for a good while, he continued to do so. Then, with the Holts, he did the same thing. He was confident that he could leave behind the second home he knew. He was confident that he could leave behind his best friend in order to protect his sister's life. And he did. 

Then they were alone again and for a long while, he was confident he could live as a rogue. He could defend his sister against them. He could hide against his enemies and he could damn well take care of them without a problem. And he did. 

Then they met John Sullivan. He was confident that he'd never trust that man and he was wrong. But he was confident that could afterwards and he was right. And he did. 

He trusted the Sullivan pack. He joined them with Audrey and he was confident that they could stay safe for a long while and they did. That nonsense with the Moore pack? He was confident they'd make it out okay, that they might even win the war. They did. 

And when Audrey left for training with Jasper and Blaze? He was confident she'd come back stronger and happier and she did. And he was confident that she'd become the monarch and she'd be great at it, along with her mate. And they are.

But now he's not so confident. He's not confident that he can do it. He's not confident that he can protect his sister. He's not confident that she can rule as she was meant to. He's not confident that Wolf Country will regain peace. He's not confident that he has what it takes to do what's necessary. His sister is dying and his brother is terrorizing innocent wolves. The alphas are ganging up on the monarchy and Ryan Holt is on the run. And he's not confident he can take on all of that because his sister is dying.

Her heart is slowly giving out. It's slowly beating and slowly fading. There's so much blood around her. Her skin is so fucking pale. He can see the blue of her veins. Her blue eyes are dying, almost as if the color is draining out of her eyes. She's barely moving. She's barely acknowledging anything. She doesn't even know her own mate is murdering Cane's pack at this very moment. And Ralph has no confidence in himself.

What does he do? What can he do? He knows logically, he should stop Nathan. Logically, he should do all he can for his sister until he can't do anything else, burry her and take his place as the monarch, the true Kappa. But logically he can't bring himself to do it. Logically, he has no way of gaining control over himself. All he can think about is that his sister is dying right in front of him and he can't do a thing about it.

Curse Fenrir! The supposed god gave his ancestors power to watch over and rule over all werewolves and the damn guy won't let them do their job! What's the point? What's the end result? Death. Death is all that there is for a werewolf. They die to defend their territories. They die to defend their mates. They die to keep their mates. They die for power and for glory and for stupidity. Or they die for simply being what they are: beasts. So what's the point of being Kappa? Or Iota? What's the point of being royal if all Fenrir is going to reward them with is death?

Fenrir took away his grandparents. Fenrir took away his home. Fenrir took away his parents. Fenrir made him live life on the run. Fenrir made him grow up way too soon and Fenrir made him dark and twisted. The only thing Fenrir ever did for him was give him Audrey and now Fenrir is taking her away too along with the brother he gained through her. Fenrir did nothing for him but give him hell. Fenrir is not the werewolf god. Fenrir is not the good deity he's read about and learned when he was younger. Fenrir is not benevolent or forgiving. Fenrir is a sick bastard who's bored wherever he is and is enjoying destroying lives. Fenrir has evil plans to make everyone kill each other off and Fenrir is burning everything.

And Audrey is dying. And Nathan is losing it. And innocent wolves are being murdered and Ralph is just standing there, stunned.

The Moore pack is angry. He can tell. His wolf is picking up on all of their heightened emotions and their struggles. Nathan's Kappa force is making them all suffer. He's taking them all through his own hell too. As Ralph watches, his brother rips into the throat of innocent Cane wolves who were only doing what they were forced to. They desperately try to defend themselves. They desperately try to escape but Nathan won't let them. Instead, he rips into their organs. He tears them to pieces, to shreds. He brutally destroys them.

Ralph looks back at Audrey. She's moved. Her head is facing him. Her eyes staring right into his soul and he can see her wolf calling out to him. She's breathing hard, barely keeping it together but in that moment, Ralph can see it. There's something there. There's something keeping her there. He doesn't know if it's her mate. He doesn't know if it's him. He doesn't know if it's Simon with that stupid blood bond. He doesn't know if it's even Fenrir himself. But in that moment, there's something there and Ralph sees it all.

His parents are reflected in her eyes. His grandparents and great-grandparents. His uncles and cousins are there too. And they all line up, one right after the other, all lining up right behind her eyes until they lead up to pair of blue eyes that are as bright as the sky and as deep as the ocean. Powerful, entrancing and numbing, these eyes are something important and Ralph sees right into them. He sees their thoughts, he hears their voice and somehow, deep inside of him, he knows he must accept things.

But right there, right in front of all of that, is Audrey. And she's staring at him. Helplessly, longingly and urgently, she's staring at him with all of her heart. And cursing Fenrir for his sick games, Ralph makes a decision that turns him into someone else completely. The entire Wolf Country, the entire world will never understand and they will never believe it. But Ralph Hastings is a monster and only a monster with Fenrir's blood can rule.

Ralph Hastings, unable to do anything else, still completely stunned and no longer able to see his sister the way she is, breaks down. And while Nathan is completely tearing into innocent wolves, Ralph comes up behind him. And while Nathan is sinking his teeth into warrior wolves, Ralph tackles him. And while Nathan, in a fit of rage, attempts to fight him off, Ralph sinks his teeth into his neck.

Nathan is done. Nathan is out. And all that remains is Ralph Hastings, newly crowned Kappa, newly crowned Wolf.

Author's Note:

This concludes the original first book. Be sure to follow me for updates on the rewrite!!! Sequel information in next part!