Metas sat in front of the two offending scouts that had so foolishly come out here in pursuit of hunting either of them - but more importantly, his Luna. His golden eyes were cold and uncaring as malice took over his usual good nature.
"Well. Any last words?" he asked without a shred of care in his voice.
The grey wolf whose hip had been essentially shattered didn't have anything to say as he had gone into a quiet shock from being dragged here by the back of his neck like some pup. The other however, had opted to walk in his mortal form to make it easier on himself.
"You shouldn't have run away. You might want to blame everyone else - but where were you to protect your family - to protect us?" the black and white male argued. If he was going to die, he would go out telling Metas exactly how he felt.
"I didn't run away. I was protecting my mate, and planning to challenge my father at the right time. Unfortunately, someone beat me to it. Tell me, would you suspect the quiet person, or the one flapping their gums about their plans? This is the problem with our current mindset. You all think that violence is the only answer, when it is just one of them. I had plans prepared to ensure that not only would I be able to take my rightful place - but everyone would know. The fact others think so lowly of me is an advantage. Look where you are right now - in front of me and defeated. All because you were loud and boisterous."
"It doesn't matter what your plans were - no one trusts you now. You've abandoned the colony, and you've abandoned your bloodline all for a mate. You are either in a toxic infatuation, or you're a cuck--ngh"
Metas didn't have to take that, and he wouldn't. His foot came forward and knocked the man backwards into the side of the woods that looked completely dead and grey.
The magic barriers between each territory wasn't just for marking their boundaries - they also ensured that one realm couldn't affect the other through means of nature. It had happened once a very, very long time ago when humans were still around, and it nearly destroyed every living thing on the planet.
After the war was over, the pacts made, and the magical lines drawn to prevent that from ever happening again - things slowly got back to normal for everyone but the humans, who were hunted to extinction. Now, they mainly used the barriers as line-markers and nothing more.
As soon as the black-haired man stepped foot onto the unholy ground that belonged to the demonic monsters of the world, he could instantly be seen losing his life force.
His skin greyed and withered inwardly as though someone were sucking the air out of his backside like a vacuum sealer. His eyes sunk into two dark holes, and his hair turned white, and then faded out of existence.
His flesh and bones even disappeared into ash as literally every single morsel of his being had been consumed.
"Do we want to push this guy in there too?" Jyriah asked and looked down to the silent grey wolf.
"I would suggest we don't, sire. Do we want to give the vampires a taste of our blood? They might want more if they do," Joss advised.
"Yes, you're right. Toss him into the demon realm as well. We've never had quarrels with them. Plus my best friend Vincent from Protea has a thing with Kalinda. Keen as always, Joss" Metas agreed and spoke warmly now that the two intruders had been dealt with.
"I do believe we're done for the night. You can stay, or you may go back to the colony. Whichever you prefer," Metas announced and turned so that he could pull Myranda into his embrace fully. Her cuts and bites needed healing, but she at least had started the process herself.
In all honesty - maybe he just wanted to kiss her wounds and hold her to his warmth a little selfishly.
"Are you okay?" he asked to his Luna tenderly.
"Yes - are you alright?" she answered softly, and the mimicked his caring tone.
"I think we should sleep here for the night - all of us. Otherwise, they'll tie us to the disappearance of those two fools," Joss said with a hard sigh. He did not want to sleep in a cave out here in the wild. He wanted to sleep in his nice warm bed, but sense was sense.
"I want to take a walk with my Luna for a bit. Make yourself comfortable. Remember to walk upstream from far away, please" Metas instructed.
"No problem," Ajax answered for the rest of them, and gave a soft bow.
"We'll see you in a bit," Lara said softly, and offered him a wave. It was clear she was a bit shaken up by Metas' actions.
*******
They were both silent as they plodded along next to the river's edge. They walked the opposite direction of the cave they slept in, and didn't stop until they came to a small lagoon that had carved itself a little pool by the rushing river.
"Metas...." Myranda started softly, and reached out to touch his back. She could feel a darkness weighing on his shoulders, and it bothered her.
"I'm fine," he replied instinctively.
"I wasn't going to ask that. However, I know you're lying about that anyway. I can tell you aren't fine" she said softly and began to help him removed articles of clothing that were dirty and torn.
"Ah. I apologize."
"You did what you had to. There was no way we were going to either bring them to our cause, or keep their silence. Keeping them as hostages were just mouths to feed. Your decision was a hard one, but the right one," she reassured him and kissed small scars and bruises he had collected over the past few days.
Metas took in a long, deep breath and found himself feeling more and more at ease the longer his mate kept her warm hands on his back and shoulders. "It was not something I wish to do again."
"I could tell," she started and moved around in front of him and ran her eyes up and down his chest for any wounds or marks. "Which is why I wanted to sit here and console you before we did anything else. You're a large and strong wolf - but you are still a vulnerable one because you aren't a beast or a monster."
Her words made him smile a little and he helped himself to scooping her up into his arms and kissing her lips briefly. "I love you, my Luna. Thank you for being at my side."
"Thank you for being patient with me. I have never been so happy in all my life as I have the last few days," she replied after her giggles died down from his actions.
"Really? Even with all this?" Metas asked as he set her down and moved back her torn shirt to where a deep bite mark was bright red on her shoulder.
"Absolutely," her affirmed.
"Here, let me help you. You're wounded," Metas offered and returned her actions from earlier until both of them could enter into the gentle, deep water of the lagoon without having to walk back freezing in the wind when they were finished.