Bardulf heard a crash from upstairs and paused his meeting with the strange newcomer. Beside him, Varg went rigid. The strange newcomer was also looking at the ceiling. The king knew if Philippa was in danger, Flik would get to her faster, but he didn't think it was anything to worry about.
After a long silent minute, Bardulf returned his gaze to the newcomer. "As I was saying..."
Another crash and Bardulf shot out of his throne and towards the stairs, Varg behind him.
Flik had only said the name before Seth morphed into his wolf and attacked him. He had to shove his chair away and shift into his own wolf quickly before Seth was on him. The lamp on his desk crashed to the floor, glass shards going everywhere. Flik strained against his friend's brute strength, barely able to keep his teeth away.
Something was not right, was the first thing that popped into his mind.
Gathering strength, Flik threw Seth off him and into the opposite wall, giving him a chance to regain his composure and make sure his Luna hadn't come out of hiding. She hadn't and he felt a little relieved for that.
Seth was getting up again, glaring Flik down with cold black eyes.
Flik blinked and mentally cursed himself. Seth was being possessed. He had a feeling that he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, which was Philippa. Flik didn't know why, but he couldn't let that happen.
"Flik!" he heard the king call out from somewhere inside the castle beyond.
Before he could figure out how to answer, Seth pounced. Papers went everywhere, the wooden floor beneath their paws creaked at the force of their bodies hitting it hard. Flik held back as much as he could, not wanting to harm his friend, but also not wanting to die.
He heard pounding feet make their way down the hall, closer to his office. Flik's mind raced. If Bardulf got here and saw Seth attacking him, he'd kill the man. He wouldn't understand. Flik needed to stop this before it got too far.
Suddenly, Seth was off him. Flik shook himself and looked around. Dread settled into his stomach as he saw Philippa peeking around the door from inside the wall. Seth had noticed and was going for it. Flik growled menacingly, making Philippa's bottom lip curl outwards, and her hurriedly shutting the door.
But not in time.
Seth managed to shift and stick his arm through the space between the door and the threshold, stopping the woman in her tracks.
"It's about time I had you in my grasp!" Seth growled and pulled Philippa into him.
The Luna looked at Flik for help, regretting coming out at the sound of Bardulf's voice. Tears were running down her face. She didn't even seem to notice how badly he was hurt due to her failure to listen to him.
A low growl sounded from the door and all three of them looked to it. Bardulf was standing there, his eyes fixed on Seth and Philippa, his body vibrating with cold fury. "Sir—" Flik started.
Bardulf held up a hand. "Seth, let her go before you have no hands left."
Seth gave a menacing laugh and held Philippa tighter, making her start. The King saw that start and tried to not lose control. Seth looked down at the woman in his arms, using one finger to caress her cheek. "But she is so delicate and fragile, Bardulf. Why should I let such a thing be put in danger of getting broken?"
Philippa kept her eyes closed as she secretly shuddered at Seth's touch. Bardulf had little control, in which was about to break. Flik sprang in between the three and looked at his king meaningfully. "Don't!"
"Flik, he has betrayed us!" Bardulf hissed.
"Trust me!" his beta pleaded.
Bardulf paused for a moment. Flik didn't usually interfere with Bardulf's decisions. But when he did, it was for good reason. The king straightened and took a deep breath, looking closer at Seth. His eyes continuously glanced towards his mate who he could tell was trembling, but he focused on what Flik was trying to get him to see.
"You know, after poisoning her, I thought for sure she was dead," Seth murmured. "But then both of you escaped and you had her with the doctor." Seth laughed, his hand going to Philippa's neck. "I tried to end it there too, only to have the little wench wake up the entire floor!" His hand squeezed, and Philippa's eyes were wide open as she gasped for breath. "Now, here we are! I can finally kill you!"
Seth had just finished his monologue when both Flik and Bardulf charged him. Seth only had time to spin Philippa's body towards them, shielding his body with hers, before the two men shifted. He was still choking her, still holding her tight, and she couldn't move out of the way. She closed her eyes again, waiting for death to take her.
Instead, she dropped to the floor, coughing and spluttering. A pair of arms lifted her up and carried her a few feet from the three wolves that were fighting. When she glanced up through blurry eyes, she saw Varg.
A thud made her look to where two wolves had the third pinned down. She sighed in relief at seeing a large black wolf being one of two on top of the other. She didn't see any scratches or blood, only shiny black fur that shone in the candlelight. Philippa smiled a little, no matter the situation she was in.
The wolf underneath the two bared its neck, surrendering. The black wolf wrapped his teeth around that neck and squeezed just enough to make the defeated wolf complaint.
Seeming satisfied, the black wolf stepped away and turned, amber eyes finding her in Varg's arms. He gave a low growl to the man, glaring daggers at him. Varg needed no further instruction. He gently set Philippa down on the floor and backed away, his hands raised in surrender.
The black wolf stalked towards her, eyes roaming her body for any signs of harm. When he found none, he looked back at her face to see it smiling. Her arms shakily reached towards him, her hazel eyes teary. The black wolf went into her embrace and nuzzled her neck affectionately. He felt her small hands bury themselves into his fur while her ragged breaths warmed his neck.
Bardulf shifted and pulled his mate into his arms, dismissing his state of dress. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.
She nodded, but her arms tightened, telling him more than she let on. She was terrified, but she was glad to see him.
"Let's get you cleaned up," he said, and without a glance to the two wolves still in the upheaved office, he carried her away.