It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. -William Shakespeare
I glanced around us. The cold stone walls were looming around us, chilling my bones. A bat's screeching sounded through the cave. Gentle crooning vibrated through the cave, thrumming against our bones. Vivianna stepped back, grabbing mine and Vincenzo's hands. Cassius swallowed, collapsing to the floor. My eyes darted to the right, where a young woman crossed her legs. "Cassius, bastard son of the king." she murmured softly, trailing her fingertips along his tanned flesh.
Vivianna glanced to the left, where two more women stood. "I wasn't sure if the Cannibalistic witches still lived here." she murmured.
"Leave, witch mother." the one closest to Cassius said. "We'll take him."
Cassius caught her arm and tossed her into the cave wall. "Do it, Vivianna, and I will hunt you to your end!" he growled. "Mate or not, I will kill you! One day!"
Vivianna grabbed our arms and teleported away from the prince.
~
I ducked quickly, away from a shouting Valentino. He gasped, crushing me with his strong arms. "Ara." he breathed. The combined force of Vince's and Valentino's packs was fearsome. They flexed their shoulders and howled in praise for their alpha. Vivianna stepped away, "I can feel it, the venom." she whispered, lightly brushing his fingers over my heart. "You have one hour, Fireblood. People will die tonight, and none will be me." With a blast of red smoke she was gone.
Vincenzo swallowed and shielded his eyes from the bright light that was Katerina. "What happened to her."
"She can't stop." Valentino gasped. "The spell, it's eating away at her life force. If you get too near the ground falls away at your feet, as if she's pulling everyone somewhere."
Vincenzo growled, "Prepare the safe house for the women and children. When they come for us," he shouted to his and Vincenzo's packs. "And they will come for us, KILL THEM ALL! Show no mercy, for you will get none in return!"
An array of growls rang through the clearing. I disappeared into the crowd of wolves, dreading the time they would shuffle me in with the females and demand I get to safety. He doesn't get to demand me, not anymore.
~
My head snapped to the sound of pounding paws and marching feet. Vincenzo laughed, throwing his arms out. "You think you can beat me?" he shouted. "Never! Axel, Titus, Tala! Even Ezra! You piece-of-shit betrayer!"
Ezra inclined his head, smirking. "I will rip your mates' throats out and throw their bloody fucking carcasses at your feet!" Valentino shouted.
Vince's gamma's face went slack at the sight of Tala. He glanced at the hundreds of wolves behind her, threatening his family, and his face hardened again. Axel laughed, gripping Astrid's hand. "You speak words of war to us? And expect us to surrender! Heads will roll, Vincenzo Erebus! And your's will just be one in thousands.
I shivered, drawing my flimsy shirt tighter around my body. Clouds were gathering on the horizon, drawing towards us. I breathed in the night air and stepped away from my place on the tall grass, stepping next to Vincenzo. His eyebrows drew together at my presence.
Tala snarled, "You have five seconds to join us, or you will die with the rest of them!"
I laughed, darting towards her army, slicing Tala's female gamma's head off with my claws. Ezra shook when he saw his friend's head roll in the grass. "Attack!" he shouted, lunging towards me.
I snarled, ripping into his arm with my claws. The army's collided in a massive blur of wolves and humans. Ezra shifted, pouncing on me with his claws. I shouted, hissing when he bit into my neck. Valentino's wolf threw Ezra off of me. He engaged in battle with the massive Canus.
I breathed hoarsely, turning to where I knew Astrid would be. Her blonde hair shone in the dark moonlight, almost silver. I gently held my hands out, dodging when wolves lunged for me. "Astrid, sister." I said hoarsely. "What happened to the little girls who played dolls together?" I begged, gesturing to the ongoing carnage around us, and blood-stained clothes.
She whirled towards me, striking my face with her outstretched claws. "They grew up."
I clutched the deep wound that would scar. Vince was fighting Axel and Titus, holding them back. Tala was nowhere to be seen. I groaned, clutching my heart. My breathing was more erratic, even as my knee slightly buckled. Astrid frowned slightly, glancing up at the dark sky. I yelped, rolling out of the way from lightning.
My eyes widened, "Lunas-sucking bitch." I snarled, knocking her into a tree. Kill or be killed.
My fire-tipped fingers grazed her cheek, branding my sister. She shifted quickly, white ears pulled back in a threatening stance. I shifted, walking slowly towards my sister. Fire licked at my fur, begging to be met with flesh. I sent the fire charging towards her. She whimpered and bumped into the tree, panicked. Howls flew towards me, outraged for the injury of their luna. I swished my tail back and forth, running under their legs and diving away from the wolves. I raced towards Valentino, landing on Ezra's back. I dug my white-hot claws into his back, dragging them down his body. He howled in pain, bucking me off.
I dove away, skidding to a stop when I saw Arcaen choking Axel's gamma.
I cried out in anguish and pushed a few more times. I kept pushing until one of the nurses laid their hand on my arm, "The baby is out." she smiled halfheartedly.
Why wasn't I hearing a child's cry? Why wasn't my baby crying. I gripped Valentino's hand tighter as the doctor and nurses screamed and gently pushed on the baby's heart. I understood what was happening. "No!" I croaked out in mortification. "Breathe."
My breathing was erratic, I pushed my legs towards the packhouse. I frowned when I saw two female wolves racing towards me. Kill on sight.
They howled at me, baring their marked necks. I glanced at the sign of Vincenzo's pack and sniffed the scents of a beta-female and gamma-female. They flanked me, pushing my body on towards where they knew I was going. I glanced at them, howling at the show of acceptance.
I had to find Tala. I had to rip out her heart in human form and show her how it felt. How it felt because of her actions. It all made sense now. The murderer. The queen. The manipulator. The dead.
~
I shifted quickly, glancing at the still-shifted females by my side. Their hackles were raised, lips pulled back in a snarl towards Tala.
"I knew you would come," she laughed. She was sitting in Vincenzo's chair, as if she was some sort of alpha. A mockery.
I sped towards her, wrapping my hand around her throat. The moment she commited the crime flashed through my mind.
I absentmindedly stared at the scores of paintings on the wall. I ran my hand along the intricate borders of the frames. I let out awed gasps at the stunning colors and pigment. I stopped cold when Tala gripped my arm. "I came here to talk, sister, not admire drawings."
I wrenched my hand from her grip. "So talk, Tala."
She grinned and held out two cups, "A drink, then? Lemonade, of course." she smiled.
I sighed and downed the cup of Lemonade. My stomach churned in protest. Tala watched me carefully. "Must be the pregnancy and cravings." she mused.
I nodded and kept the drink down.
"How do you live?" I shouted, ignoring the pains in my chests and her claws at my neck. I had her pinned by the throat, my hand ready to rip out her heart.
She had her claws poised at my neck, ready to slit my throat. No mercy.
I pulled the torn page from my pocket.
Spiritus Potion-Wolfsbane, Mercury, Eye of Newt, breath of a newborn calf-Dark-Steals breath, causes-
My breathing was more erratic. "How do you live knowing you killed my child!?" I screamed, shaking her body.
A/N: FUCK