"Alpha, we've located the enemy's camp, our men are prepared to begin the march at any time." Gamma Magnus reported, marching into the ongoing strategy meeting.
Leander rolled the mapped on the table and slid it into its case, "Have them mobilized, we leave at the crack of dawn."
Magnus bowed to the alpha, before leaving to relay his command to the warriors.
Leander reached for the sheathed sword on the table, and hung it on his belt, earning a raised brow from Beta Lycus. "You never use that sword in battle, will Alpha Draven be the one to die by your precious sword?" He taunted.
He recalled how Leander broke a warrior's finger for touching the sword, sending a harsh reminder of it's value.
Leander marched out of the tent, with Lycus following strictly behind. "Select strong warriors and stay back to guard the camp." He ordered.
Lycus jogged past the busy camp, struggling to keep up with Leander's fast strides.
Staring at the Alpha's broad back and long legs, Lycus wondered if Leander's strength and blessed build was because he was a golden Alpha.
Finally catching up, he asked, out of breath, "And what about that slave boy, why did you bring him along?"
When Leander didn't answer he went on, "He is weak and won't survive the snow-"
"I am well aware of that." Leander cut him off, approaching the horses.
Lycus frowned, "You had me fooled. I thought you had finally accepted him when you gifted him your mother's necklace."
In a low grunt he said, "It's just a trinket, the boy can keep it."
Lycus twisted his lips, "Still, won't you even check on him once, he is your-"
Mounting his horse he said, "It was his desire that led him here and his resolve shall be what sustains him. Whether he lives or dies depends on his will." Then, rode off.
"Beta Lycus! He's gone!" Bertha, Luk's only companion cried out.
He looked over his shoulder, to see the old woman struggling against some warriors holding her back.
He raised his palm, and the unreleased her. Bertha ran over, falling to her knees.
"Beta! Luk is nowhere to be found! She cried, her face full of sand.
"What?!"
"How is he?" Draven asked, stepping into the tent, his sights immediately set on the flaccid body stretched out on a mat.
"He barely has a pulse, he might not make it to morning." The healer said with her palms stretched forward over his bruised and battered body.
"Alpha, let's bury the body, it reeks of illness, I'm afraid it might spread." The healer voiced out.
Draven lowered himself into a squat, his eyes scanned the boy's shriveled blonde hair, his long lashes and the stitch line behind his left ear.
He reached for his hand.
"Alpha! He's dirty!" the healer rebuked him, yet Draven ignored her words and picked up his wrist. His jaw hung low at the tattoo located just below his palm.
"Don't kill him." Draven said, setting his hand down.
"We will be putting him out of his misery."
"I said, no." Draven cut her off.
The healer argued, "He's just a slave-" her words were cut short when Draven grabbed her by the neck, lifting her feet off the ground, bringing her fearful eyes to meet his piercing gaze.
"The boy remains untouched, do I make myself clear?"
"Y-Yes! Yes Alpha." She screamed, kicking her feet against the air.
Draven retraced his grip, letting her fall to the ground. He spared a glance to the boy, his eyes softened.
"Report about him only to me." Draven instructed.
He furiously marched out of the tent, only to be greeted by sunlight peeking out of the horizon. The ground quaked beneath his boots.
"They're here." He yelled in realization, alerting his men throughout the camp.
Charging towards his tent, he cursed, 'How did I not pick up on their scent earlier?'
As he slid into his battle gear, Draven could not help but wonder how the enemy troops had pinpointed their exact location.
What about the lookouts?
Why was no alarm raised?
He placed his questions on hold as he marched out of the tent, expecting to see his men geared up for the battle.
However…
"What the hell?" He widened his eyes at the sight of more than half his warriors sprawled on the ground, coughing up blood and struggling to breathe.
A fowl stench emanated from them, as their blood soiled the earth.
"Alpha!"
"Help us! Alpha!"
Draven held a warrior to his chest, "Who did this to you?!" he cried out.
"A-Alpha," tears streamed down the warrior's face, "It burns." He said, right before he choked on his own blood and died in Draven's arms.
"Hey! Hey!" Draven's desperate calls was drowned out by panicked cried cutting through the camp.
"They're here!"
"They camp has been breached!"
The sound of loud gallops and war cries swallowed the warning calls. Draven pulled out his sword and got into a defensive stance, protecting his camp.
The enemy's horses all came to a halt when Leander raised his hand, his sight set on Draven.
Leander took a glance at the camp's state, then raised his voice, "Surrender! And I will grant you a merciful death." Leander offered.
Draven laughed but his eyes were laced with rage, "Is this how the golden Alpha wins his battles?!" He pointed his sword, furious, "Through deceit?!"
Magnus, Leander's gamma jumped off his horse, and charged at Draven, "Filthy bastard!" he swung his fist, but Draven caught it and effortlessly snapped his wrist!
"Aaaargh!"
A small gust of wind gathered around Magnus, as he dropped to his knees.
The warriors jaws dropped to the floor. They had witnessed their Gamma singlehandedly conquer packs, yet, all it took was one attack from Draven to leave him completely helpless.
Draven gripped harder on Magnus' wrist, making him yell louder than his men's painful cries. "I'll kill you! I'll slaughter you all-"
"That's enough." Leander's said, gripping Draven firmly by the wrist.
Leander's sudden appearance caught him off guard, he tried to shake off his grip, but his vision blurred and he suddenly felt weaker.
Before he could process what was happening, Leander pried his fingers off Magnus and flung his body across the camp!
Draven tried to stand, but a sharp pain filtered from his chest, rendering his legs limp.
"My legs-"
Leander appeared in front of him and lifted him by the neck, choking Draven.
"Say you surrender and-"
Draven spat on his face, cutting him off. "Kill me." He grunted, watching his bloodied saliva run down the sides of Leander's face. "I dare you…bitch!"
Leander's lip twitched, his muscles tightened around Draven's neck, forcing him to cough up blood.
"Surrender!" Leander snarled.
Using his last ounce of strength, Draven contracted his muscles into a mocking grin, and mouthed the words, "Kiss. My. Ass."
"Haa." Leander sighed, then cracked a punch to the center of Draven's face, knocking him out instantly.
He flung his body at Magnus, "Bind his limbs, I'm taking him as prisoner." He ordered.
To the rest of his men he charged, "Loot everything! Save for the women and children!"
Draven could feel his body being moved, but he had no strength in him to resist, his senses hazy, his body numb and unresponsive.
Due to this, he became aware of the situation from the enemy's chatter.
The pack was raided, warriors slain, and women and children taken as slaves.
They had just arrived at Moonblood, Leander's territory, and his body was moved to a dungeon, underground and bind in heavy shackles.
Heavy footsteps approached his cell, he raised his weary gaze, to Leander, standing right in front of him.
"I acknowledge your strength, surviving five days on the brink of death is admirable." He unsheathed his sword, "As a reward, I shall slay you with this blade."
Draven narrowed his eyes at the sword holster, he crinkled his brows, trying to figure out why Leander had it.
"You-" he tried to say, but Leander slashed his chest in one move, creating a spray of blood!
Draven fell with a heavy thud, his blood trickling onto the dungeon floor. His strained gaze watched Leander's boots walk away, and it made his blood boil.
"I…swear to…the goddess…" his rasp voice groaned in pain, moonlight shone on his body from the lonesome window in the dungeon.
He grinded his teeth, and swore vengefully with his last breath. "I will kill you…Leander!"
"Stop! He's already dead!"
Poorly dressed she-wolves begged, trying to stop Bertha from pumping Luk's chest.
In tears, Bertha pleaded, "Weren't you going to make the Alpha accept you? Wake up!"
Some she-wolves were crying in the corner of a small, dimly lit room, while the rest tried to stop Bertha.
"Please!"
"No more!"
"It's already been two hours-"
Bertha kept pumping, "Wake up! Wake-" her cry was cut short when Luk suddenly opened his eyes…