Odin's back was turned to Sirius as he gripped the wings of another fallen angel. The Valkyrie woman whimpered, helpless in his grasp, as he lifted her off her knees by the fragile, feathered appendages. His blade gleamed in the dim light, poised for another merciless strike.
But something shifted. The woman froze, the hairs on the back of Odin's neck prickled. He noticed the terror in the Valkyrie's wide, unblinking eyes as well as the other Valkyrie who all looked over his shoulder. He turned around confused.
With a movement too quick to be traced, Sirius had set Saoirse down and crossed the room. With a black-scaled hand, he had seized the Beta by the throat. Then, while the rest of his body still retained the appearance of a wendigo, he flapped his enormous wings and lifted the struggling man off of the ground. His black aura swirled around him like mist.
His crimson eyes burned with the fury of his beast, their dagger-like slits locking onto Odin with deadly precision; threatening the Beta's life as he looked at Odin with hostility.
"PUT. HER. DOWN." He snarled, anounciating each word individually. "THIS IS THE MAN WHO TRICKED ME, HIM AND HIS CALUDING SISTER, NOT THEM."
Sirius was struggling immensely to keep his beast at bay, even now as he allowed him to speak. The sensation of power became so enticing. His fingers —now wrapped around the beta's neck, squeezed a bit harder. His claws drew blood and his nose smelled it even from a few feet away as he held him out at arms length like a doll. His mouth widened into a sinister grin as his beasts desire overpowered him and his claws dug in further on purpose.
The Beta thrashed in his grasp, clawing at Sirius's arm, but it was as though he were fighting against an immovable mountain. Sirius's lips grinned further and he twisted his claws deliberately, savoring the sound of the Beta's strangled cries. Sirius fought to make the beast loosen his grip, but the beast was having too much pleasure.
"Ah! Let me go!" the Beta choked, his voice trembling. "Put me down!" He turned to Nanna, desperation in his eyes. "Help me!"
But Nanna merely crossed her arms, her expression cold. "I had no part in this," she said with feigned innocence, her tone dripping with disdain. She let her brother take the fall.
Odin, at last, dropped the Valkyrie, who scurried back to her sisters. His single eye narrowed as he turned to face Sirius, his booming voice cutting through the tension.
"And just what do you think you're going to do with that wolf, boy?"
Sirius's grip trembled. Sweat beaded on his brow as he fought against the overpowering strength of his demon. Every instinct screamed for him to crush the Beta's windpipe, to revel in the sensation of his prey's life slipping away. His claws flexed, drawing more blood, and his tongue flicked out, tasting the air. The scent was intoxicating.
Control yourself!!!! He cried out in his mind. The majority of his actions now were against his will.
"I'll crush him if you harm another one of your own," Sirius growled through gritted teeth. "They are not involved." He was trying to remind himself why he had picked up the beta in the first place.
"They are mine to command," Odin retorted, his voice cold and unyielding. "They know their place."
Sirius's vision flickered. A flash of static overtook his sight, his body shuddering as he wrestled for control. His free hand pressed against his temple as though trying to steady himself, but his beast laughed within him, its power growing stronger.
Whatever the beta had put into that blood, it was messing with his alertness. If he lost consciousness, he wasn't sure what his beast would do. Technically, his beast didn't have to sleep when he did. Saoirse said he had spoken with her once. The idea of losing consciousness here terrified him because then he would lose his diplomacy and might wake up dead somewhere.
"What's wrong with you?" Odin asked, his tone edged with nervousness as he watched Sirius acting out of character. He was no longer behaving like the gentle nervous boy from before.
Sirius's eyes locked onto the blood-stained cup nearby. His breath hitched. The coppery taste in the air mingled with his own saliva, and his mouth watered, desiring for more despite the danger. His maw widened, scales glistening as his beast began to surface. The battle wasn't just in the mind now, but his body physically began refusing to stay in the physical form he had chosen.
"This man poisoned me," Sirius rasped, his voice a mix of his own and the guttural snarl of his beast. "The blood in that cup—" His words broke off as he yanked the Beta closer. It had been the beta's blood. His body wanted to taste it again.
Sirius's tongue moved on its own, shamelessly dragging slowly across the Beta's neck. Something Sirius hadn't authorized his body to do.
The werewolf froze, he became momentarily paralyzed by the venomous properties of his saliva as it wet his wound. All of his pride wrestled with Sirius' venom which made him want to give away his blood. His face contorted with rage. Sirius' beast chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with malice.
"Sirius, control yourself!" Odin demanded, stepping closer.
"So, you'll punish the right person this time?" Sirius asked, momentarily regaining his composure before losing it again and taking another deliberate lick of the Beta's neck. His sinister grin widened. The beast was winning.
"Stop licking my father!" the older twin who was wearing a suit cried out, his voice breaking with panic. "Aunt, do something!"
She just remained where she was. "I haven't been colluding." She repeated what she had told her brother moments ago. She wouldn't involve herself if her brother could take all of the blame.
Sirius was beginning to sweat as he struggled to keep his grasp from crushing the betas windpipe. The feeling would be so satisfying to his beast. No! I need him as leverage!
He readied himself to insert his fangs.
Please! Don't do it!!!! Sirius cried.
Good. I like it when you beg. His beast answered smiling.
"I will punish the goddess and her brother later. I have more important things to be doing this evening and I've wasted enough time here." Odin chuckled. "I can't believe you think you can intimidate me. I am the god of war!"
Odin laughed almost hysterically.
Static flashed again, a sharp pain tearing through Sirius's mind. He teetered on the edge of losing control completely, his fingers twitching as he fought the urge to snap the Beta's neck. His beast didn't like being laughed at.
"Let him go, boy," Odin commanded, his voice steady but low with warning.
But Sirius didn't respond. With a sickening crunch, the Beta's body crumpled in his grasp, lifeless and limp. Gasps of horror rippled through the Valkyrie and wolves alike as Sirius dropped the body to the floor. Blood pooled beneath it, and the room fell deathly silent.
Sirius's beast let out a guttural laugh, its voice reverberating through the chamber. "ANYONE ELSE WANT TO CHALLENGE ME?" it roared, the sound shaking the very air. "I'VE BEEN LOCKED AWAY FOR CENTURIES—I'D LOVE A GOOD TUSSLE!"
"Attack him!" Nanna screamed to her wolves, her voice sharp with panic.