Writers Note:
To all who enjoy The Marked Mate, I thank you in your feedback, likes, comments, and reads on my work. You are all wonderful, and I do hope you enjoy my new release "The Mistress' Order" as well as the re-release of Marked Mates side story: "King's Mate."
Cheers.
The Lands were quiet. Too quiet... even for King's liking. As he paced back and forth through along the narrow stream of water, the only source through the Lands, he watched the line of shrub with such intense sight. He made the others nervous by his movement, they all stared with him or watched him stride by side to side with his massive, long clawed paws, as if an impending doom was upon us.
The more pressing matter is the fact that he did not speak while he's pacing. Every time he turned around, nothing. Not even a look of assurance at us. King's massive head was picked up high, mane flowing like seaweed in the oceans' underwater currents. His mouth agate, baring his near-yellowed teeth lightly stained with blood from a recent kill a few yards away from the Pride.
The lioness' went about their day, human and lion form, tending to the cubs, cooking, crafting, sharpening tools, making clothes from the prey's skin and fur. Not daring to waste any part of the animal not because it is a rule, but because the Pride is taught that nothing is of no use to us.
'Nothing is of no use to the Pride and it's members.' King had embedded that phrase into our heads since we were cubs. Even the other male lions always come back from trek's with some type of item, whether it was from the human city miles away, or the wolves that had abandoned, threw away, or forgot of certain things, mostly scraps of clothing. Of course, to the older generation lions, anything from the wolves must be boiled in watered down elk's blood, which by itself is enough of a process since elk is a more or less a three to four hour track and hunt.
We must be ready, King spoke mentally as he turned to us, a scorn like mug on his muzzle, whiskers up and wrinkles present, The Wolves, they are preparing for us.
You're just paranoid, Your Majesty, A lioness who goes by the name Janiee spoke up. She is one of the Prides best crafters, making majority of what our home has, deer skulls for bowls, skins that make up our tents. Give her the bones, dried grass piles, skins, a few long pieces of bark and you'll have the best looking crafted bed in the Land, much like King's massive bed in the cave underneath the plateau.
In response to Jainee, he gave a snort through his leather like nose, I am not. I sense something, the ancestors are giving me a sign, a warning through the breeze. I know they are plotting something.
"Or maybe," Hunter spoke, one of the second oldest, next to King, male lions , "you're just looking for a reason attack the wolves. We understand the feud Your Highness, but attacking the wolves faction with no source or back up of evidence that includes them in our territory? You're asking for a war against them."
Our leader snarled at Hunter, giving him a defying, deathly stare as the protector lion bowed his head down in respect to him and walked away. Hunter merely walked to the edge of the water, phasing back to his human form while a lioness handed him a pair of gazelle skinned shorts. Fur retracting into his tanned skin, while his mane gradually formed back to his own black dreads that swayed to his right side and over his temple and ear. He stayed quiet after his remark to the King, and simply washed his upper body and face with his hands from the flowing, crystal liquid.
In the midst of all the conversation, I sat at the edge of a slate boulder, looking back and forth of those who spoke up in the royalties conversation. Even though everyone was dismissed from King, he stayed in his pacing movement for a few more minutes before speaking again, Hunter, let's go.
The other male picked his head up from his wet hands, frowning deeply at the King, who phased back to his human form and hurriedly went to the small, open cavern below the plateau.
Hunter scrambled to get to his feet, running past me and the others. We were all at a loss of thought to each other, not daring to speak up. Hunter being the only other male authority was able to speak at free will until silenced.
"Mighty, mighty King of the Prides, I do hope you're not preparing for sniffing about the wolves," Hunter skidded to a stop, his hands up as he stood in front of King, but easily stepped back whenever the other stepped forward.
His human voice, the rare sound to our ears, rough like a dark leather belt with a soft like velvet behind its vigor. The King of Lions spoke eloquently, "I am making my way to the dogs. If you want to stand by me, so be it. Against?" He then snorted a chuckle through his teeth. His fangs from upper and lower jaw present with his growing anger, his eyes fluxing from a soft blue to a blood, crimson red. The King's Fury. "You will not see the moon's rise."
Hunter swallowed the lump in his throat, looking briefly at the lioness and myself before back at King. Breathing in as much as his lungs could allow him, he did nothing but bow his head down, and stepped to the side. King, being nearly over a foot taller than Hunter, also stayed silent, staring his younger protector of the Pride down in dominance. The pressure of this display he had put in front of the rest of the Pride. I felt it, inside of my chest, my stomach.
"I need one more to come with us," he spoke, scanning the Lions who walked by his side for decades and decades, some have been around for a near century. Though they have spent all this time with him, none volunteered to step to the Kings' fighting side. They all knew dealing with the wolves would end only with their own pain, whether it be mentally, physically, or too much to bear to the point of death upon return with the wounds those dog fangs can inflict on us. A dogs bite is more powerful yes, but lions claws are just as equally powerful. It's a matter of who can use them more efficiently than the other in a flight, though, the wolves are fast snappers, we are just cunning pouncers.
And despite the turmoil that may come onto me, or my life in general, I stood up. The moment my feet made a sound on the ground before I could stand, all eyes came onto me. The world around me felt like it didn't exist anymore, and I am standing on a pedestal, spotlight brighter than the sun on me, with all of the royalties of this pride looking my way.
King Dezujki, Dustin, his royal highness who stood tall with his arms pressed firmly across his marble-like sculpted chest stared at me. Wrinkles presented through his furrowed brow before it was joined with a smug, sharp smirk, You choose to stand with me on a calling as this one?
How... defiant... of you, Alex.
The Alpha of Wolves' mental deep, brooding voice echoed inside my mind, as he approached me through the thick fog hovering over the grass. The silence of the woodland grew eerie, with no owls, mice, or any peaceful creature harmonizing their nighttime calls. Instead, bats, beetles, and crickets filled the air more, a sense of evil presence, a sense of him.
In the time we've spent, standing in the said woodland, miles upon miles away from the Pride Land border, I questioned Alpha, occasionally getting growls, snarls, and snapped at for certain questions. But, he once stood there for a few seconds, looking away into nothing as his eyes swirled like flames of orange and crimson. A color I have never seen in either of his forms. And for some strange reason to me, leads me to believe that he is a different wolf... an aura around him with this color is something I have never felt before in the time I've spent with him.
There is much I have learned of him...
The Alpha of Wolves is not chosen as Alpha, the same applying to an Omega, simply because of their gender, no. It's the strength of their Spirit. A werewolf more in-tune with their wolf nature, behavior, eating habits, all of a true wolf, their power becomes greater than those who surround him.
I could have had this option, many of us could have. We all could've worked for the top of the chain, the race for the Alpha or Omega name. But with the advancement of human kind over the centuries, the civilization, the industries, Wolf Packs around the world depleted.
Either trying to flee from the progression of human kind and living the rest of their lives as a our wolf ancestral spirit does; the woodland, the earth. Be human and wolf co-existential souls and have a pack to share that livelihood with
Or
Become a Lone Wolf, and live solely in your Wolf Form for prolonged periods of time, nearly as the Kaans do.
Even through all this time, the Alpha is the Wolf who has the spirit of no rest, and his pack are the ones who one by one began to come back into the wolf lifestyle with some human benefits. In return of the lodging, the protection, the freedom, and such to keep our select way of living under the radar, Alpha created the Moon's.
Why did you kill during the Moon's? I asked him, sitting beside him a few feet away, as he sat tall, hunched over and ears nearly flattened. The void-like blackness of his fur coat glistening off a blue aura from its shine as he turned his head to me, To be stronger.
How is committing murder of other werewolves make you stronger? It doesn't sound justifying, it sounds like our leader is a psychotic serial killer.
He gave a gruff like snort, Stripping the spirit of other wolves does not mean the spirit goes to waste. That would be just reckless behavior. His voice echoed, then my head felt heavy from the great presence of Alpha's voice in my mind, Since we're on the topic of questions.... what made you suddenly interested in attending one of my Moon's? Are you... craving for something? A perk of his eyebrow came through the outline of his fur.
I just wanted to see what the big deal was, I felt my chest burn warmly, Obviously it wasn't much of a big deal since I didn't win.
He picked his head up, looking down at me with the same glowing swirl in his eyes, colors piercing through the fog and hazy darkness of the woodland that only illuminated slightly from the moons light. His head rose with a snickering look to his wicked-like, wolfish smile. You carry an attitude well. This sudden confidence is different, very different from the squeamish, fearful Hannah I picked up from the beach.
He is right, I do feel more... in power. More presentable. Is it because of the Wolf spirit I now have? The bite? I feel as if my mind is connected to the mind of a fearless female wolf, one that would defend her honor, her courage, her actions against all olds and justify them no matter what the situation. Almost as an...
Almost as an Omega.... He finished off my thought. His eyes looking downward at me as he stood tall. My bite is more powerful than you think, Hannah.
If you know that, then why did you pick me up from the beach? I asked, almost nervous to ask, as if I was questioning his judgement. Which I would never, I just want to know the theory behind his decision. Alpha has told me he does things that seem unreasonable for an acute reason. But why for this?
He did not answer. He simply continued to walk ahead of me, where I picked my pace up to match his speed. An easy paced trot eventually landed us at the edge of the Inhabited, where the brush grew thick to mark the border between it and the Pride Lands. The stench of felines, dried grass, cat piss, and dead animal carcasses laced the air as soon as we hit the brush. Alpha wasted no time in clearing the jump over the border, his paws hitting the dried sand. I followed soon after, my eyes scanning the horizon for any movement, but in the dead of the night like this, it's almost impossible, even for him, to spot a still-moving, prowling lion in this tall, yellowed grass.
But Alpha didn't seem worried; in fact, he seemed... neutral. It gave me the sense of cockiness in him. He must think he knows he can overpower the lions, all but their King, who would prove to be quite a challenge for him. The King of Lions is no enemy to be taken lightly, his hatred of Wolves goes deeper than the depths of hell itself. Many times the King has plotted to overthrow Alpha, and claim the woodland as his, making the dogs slaves to his royal feline family, but of course, as many times as he's plotted is as many times he stepped down from the idea. Solely to not lose his Pride in the process. To lions, a defeat in battle ruins the Kings name and reputation.
In other words, he's a pussy, and I don't mean that as a joke.
Alpha simply trotted again forward, through the grass that stood up to his shoulders and my neck. I followed, not daring to make any noise other than our pace. We moved quickly only when the wind blew as to match the sound of the grass rustle, and hide our passage through the enemies territory.
How are you so calm... walking through the cats territory like this, Alpha?
Why are you so tense, Hannah? Just because you are in enemy territory does not mean you stay tensed up. That's a waste of energy, and that is your first lesson, His fur swayed gently in the wind, hinting the silver glisten in the moonlight. His head turned slightly to the left, hinting a star-like shine for a second of a fire red color, almost as if a torch was freshly lit.
Isn't it a good idea to, how's the saying go, 'keep your guard up?' I asked, raising my head up from its prowling like state.
No. You keep your senses alert, not your guard. To remain calm, vigilant, and peaceful in the part of the mind we use to communicate like this is true power. The cats are the ones that keep their guard up, it is why they prowl, why they stalk. It is a complete waste of the spirit. He then suddenly stopped, looking at the edge of the Pride Lands where Abandoned stood, the yellow grass fading into dead, grey like shreds and dried, cracked grounds. A dark looking wasteland.
We are here. He exhaled slowly, the heat of his breath showing through the sudden cold that brushed over us as soon as we passed into the Abandoned.
I followed after him, nervously overthinking of the possible beings that live in this part of the land. There were always rumors and evidence that another wolf roamed these parts, a powerful one. The female pack only dubbed him as Trespasser, or Noire Ombre, the Black Shadow.
He is not to be your concern at the moment Hannah.
Can you stop picking into my mind? I'd like to have one thought in peace, I snorted a scoff through my nose as I looked around the area. Strong, greyed oak trees stood tall and thick, but not a single leaf on any, while fallen logs spread everywhere and scabs of grass picked through the cracked ground.
It's your own fault I can hear you. You think too loudly. A wolf of this power must learn to silence their thoughts by silencing their mental anxiety. You are scared, nervous, uneasy, and that must not be shown. It is a weakness, get rid of it.
I frowned and just looked down at the ground, nearly bumping my head into Alpha's tail. He stopped walking, and looked up at the crumbling hill before us. Alpha knelt down on his haunches, jumping over a story high to a ledge, where his back paw slipped but recovered quickly. Rocks fell down, causing a small rockslide to come down. He looked down at me, his eyes still glowing with the red flames as before, Get up. He then jumped up again and disappeared at the summit, his tail gracefully weaving as he walked away.
Great. A completely vertical cliffside with edges that barely fit three paws on each edge. He makes it look so easy with the effortless maneuvers he just made. Kneeling down as he did, I pounced to the first edge, both my hind legs slipping off as I held on with my front paws. I could feel the slate edges scraping against my stomach. Damn it, I better get up before he sees me like this. My back paws clawed at the cliff-sides wall, my arms shaking for the strength I used to get over just this one edge.
Why are you taking so long?
I'm trying okay!
Alpha's head poked over the edge, I heard a snort come through his nose, A cat could've scaled this by now.
I growled at him once I got up, and jumped to the next edge easier this time, the same with the next four, eventually making it to the summit where Alpha sat next to a extremely large, naked oak tree. His dark fur making him blend with the equally dark surroundings of the Abandoned.
Whatever you do, you are not to lose your posture, your composure, and your wolf's mental stability, He mentally spoke to me, his voice broodingly echoing in my head, heavier than before.
Why are you telling me this no— and suddenly, I stopped. My mental state became blank, my heart jumped as my wolf spirit screamed throughout my body: THREAT.
Emerging from the shadows and through the mist, a trio set of sliced pupils came through, the middle pair being equally flamed red as Alpha's. A deep, growling purr flowed through the air as he, the bane of the wolves existence for centuries, prowled from the shadows with his protectors at each side. The King of Lions.
He kept his stare solely on Alpha, who did the same back at him. The King's protectors, one male of a smaller, skinnier nature than his leader, and a female of a broader looking stature than most she-lions. Both their eyes looked back and forth between me and Alpha.
The wolf spirit inside of me twitched my body to lunge and attack, my claws grew and dug into the ground, ready to kill.
KILL. KILL. KILL. THREAT. EVADE. KILL. THREAT.
My mind filled with ravenous thoughts, my maw began to salivate as my teeth grew more. The power of Alpha's bite gave my spirit the strength to grow my wolf side, preparing to kill the opposing faction.
You are to stand down, NOW! Alpha snarled viciously at me, his maw snapped as his teeth bared greatly through his wrinkled, deathly growling muzzle faced my way. Immediately the spirit died, and I returned to my normal self, but my heart still raced.
The King purred coolly, sitting down on his haunches as his protectors stood with their heads bowed and paws spread ready to pounce at any given second a few feet behind him. Alpha simply sat tall, broad shouldered and head upward as he did not even blink the Lion's way. Making direct eye contact is a sign of dominance to the wolves, and Alpha dared not to break it.
You should better command your dogs, Alpha of Wolves, The King's voice scraped in our minds, almost sounding as a heavy accent to us.
And you should better care for your own pride, King of Lions. Alpha snorted, overlooking the mangy styled fur and mane the lions carried on them. They did seem like they have been through numerous fights, and not bothered to clean themselves up.
Scars and blood are meant to be worn after a victory, it shows our power and deadliness to all, The Kings whiskers flickered as his maw gave a smug smile, a fang exposed, which Alpha's ears flattened against his skull once he saw the cat's teeth. Exposing your fangs to a dog is a sign of aggression, but the cats weren't aware of this, so he did not move.
And where is our third guest of honor, tonight, King?
They will be here shortly. Their stench has been adamant in my Pride Lands, more than you and your packs' own.
Alpha growled under his breath, and immediately the protector Lions growled back at him in unison. I flattened my ears and gave a stare at both of them, instinctively protecting Alpha from their disrespect.
A third guest though, who is this? There has never been a third in these lands. It has always been just the wolves and the lions. The humans city has never counted in our world, they were simply a distraction for us, to get away from the Wolf lifestyle here and there. We did not bother them, they didn't know we exist. The same applying for the lions. But for there to be a third faction?
My ears twitched to the right, hearing a pair of footsteps emerge as well as the sound of rocks crumbling away. A single pair, and nothing else. Lightly hitting the ground as if this being was nearly floating in air. The sound of a cloth scraping against the slate ground came after, and then, light humming. Their singing a tune, a long low voweled one.
"My my..." a feminine voice of a smooth, velvet nature came through the air as a tall, slender woman came through the shadows.
The Lion and Alpha both stood up and backed away a few steps, they both gave a low emitted growl as she came closer to them, speaking again, "Well isn't this just grand. The Dog's of the Woodland, and the Lions of the Savannah. Our greatest creations come to life."
Her body, slim and slender in an all black with gold outline outfit composed of spandex like material. Her skin was like white marble, nearly glowing in the darkness as her eyes were brighter than the golden sun itself.
Alpha and King did not speak a word, they just stood on guard in front of her. She just looked at both of them, including me, from head to toe, examining us as if we were an item before she gave a slight chuckle, her pearl white teeth equally as glowing in the dark, exposed what she truly is. It was clear to me, she is apart of the third faction... her teeth gave her away faster than we could run, the canines and the ones next to them of her upper row of teeth are thick, long, sharp as katana swords. And the more she opened her mouth, the thicker and longer they grew.
Alpha... I thought to him, is she a...
She is a vampire, Hannah. His mental voice seemed frightened and uneasy, the first I've ever heard his voice this way. Do not move, or she will kill you...