Submit to the Beast? Never!

4:I can

Luna Lilith stepped forward and walked up to Fenris. She gently held her partner by the arm. "Darling," her voice was calm as she started speaking, "the moon has reached its peak. The ritual needs to be done. She’s already purified, throwing her into a cell will make her unclean. You also know that the bloodline depends on—"

"The bloodline depends on an Alpha whose word is final!" Fenris cut her off in pure rage, throwing her hands off him.

Lilith’s brows arched, her feet moved her backwards. She was stunned; he had never thrown her off like that, and never spoke to her like that in public. Her eyes instantly darted to Elder Silas and Valerius. The two elders nodded their heads, signaling her to calm down.

"The law of the ritual is an ancient law, Alpha," Elder Silas started. "You can’t risk the pack’s future because of your ego. Besides, your wife is pregnant; the ritual is important more now than ever—"

"One more word from you," the Alpha barked and in an instant, he blur-stepped and was now right in front of his uncle. Fenris’s long claws met Silas’s throat. Silas stood there shaking with his hands at his side. Fenris had never attacked him before, he usually gave him a warning.

He was now breathing fast, his wolf coming to the surface, demanding to s***h someone—anyone who dared, but Fenris knew he needed to calm down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before glaring at Valerius. His nostrils flared wider and wider with each breath he took to calm himself. His wolf flashed to the surface, changing his pupils to a sharp red. Everyone kept quiet, immediately bowing their heads.

"Now do what I asked you to.” Fenris turned to the guards.

The guards immediately moved, seizing Irene’s arms and dragging her to her feet.

Valerius and Silas exchanged a look. Elara looked at her grandson, then Lilith and her eyes glanced down to Lilith’s pregnant belly. She sighed and a crease formed on her forehead.

***

It was real. Irene thought as she huddled in the left corner of the pit. She pressed her back against the walls and closed her eyes, all that came to her mind was the way Fenris had blur-stepped. A second ago he was by the altar, next second he was standing right in front of another person.

And those claws. She bent her head as she remembered them. They were clearly claws. Those claws were something extraordinary, nothing like she had seen before.

She looked around the pit, her eyes darting from one wall to the other. Her shadow brought back a memory of Fenris in her mind, the way his eye had flashed into a different color.

She rubbed her arms rigorously, as if it would change the reality of the situation.

"I'm really here," she whispered, the words catching in her throat. She still couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that all those stories she had read about werewolves & lycans were actually real. "I'm in a werewolf world?"

"I'm in a werewolf world," she whispered, her eyes darting around the space. She bit her lip furiously, desperately trying to anchor herself.

Outside the heavy gates of the pit, Taome’s fast footsteps echoed as she ran towards the guards.

"Please?" Taome’s voice broke as she pleaded. "Please let me give her water. She’s not a member of this pack, she doesn't even know the rules."

"No," one of the guards grunted. "Move along woman," he hit his spear into the ground. "No one goes in or comes out."

"Please," Taome pleaded, grabbing the guard's hand. "She’s going to die. I don't think she's eaten yet. Please, just one minute, I’ll be quick—"

"Don't get me pissed!" The second guard stepped forward, his shadow looming over her. "The Alpha is in a terrible mood today, so except you want me to give him reason to throw you into that pit, you had better skedaddle out of here."

"Pleaseeee," Taome dragged, her voice fading.

"Don't piss me off!" The guard raised his spear to her eyes. "One more word from you and I'll toss you over the edge to join her in the pit."

She flinched, her breath hitching as the man’s hot breath landed on her skin.

***

"Alpha," Kena bowed as he approached Fenris who was standing at the window in his room.

"Yes, Kena," Fenris turned away from the moonlight he had been enjoying.

"Alpha, regarding the ritual. The moon has already started its last rise. We don't have time to waste, in less than 48 hours we would lose our opening. If the girl woman is not brought out of the pit and purified before the moon's peak, the moon goddess will be infuriated. And the pack will face very dire consequences. The pack's fertility and protection will be turned."

"Mmm," Fenris hummed, anger running through his chest as he closed the distance between them. "Where’s the other woman they brought with her?" he suddenly asked.

Kena blinked, momentarily thrown off guard. "Was it not two women that were found disregarding the curfew?" Fenris continued.

"Urh… But Alpha, you ordered for the other woman to be released," Kena said, his words tumbling out slowly as he wondered what exactly was on Alpha Fenris’s mind.

"Well, I want you to go tell the guards to capture her," Fenris said. He started pacing the length of the rug like some restless wolf. "After all, she was out on the night of the pilgrim curfew. I want her brought back to the chambers and prepared for the ritual."

"What?" Kena’s jaw dropped open. "But—But Alpha, that woman is Taome; the daughter of the former Chief who was banished. The Council will not accept her as a sacrificial lamb—"

"The Council will follow my orders!" Fenris’s voice roared, echoing off the walls of the table.

"Are the elders or their offspring above the law in this pack?" Fenris’s voice rose, his eyes were at a full glare. "Did she or did she not break the curfew?"

"Yes— yes— but my lord?" Kena stammered, lowering his head quickly to avoid Fenris’s glare. "I know they’re not above the law, but— but she’s the last standing member of her entire family line." Kena’s tone softened and fear laced his words as he continued, "You banished her parents, beheaded her cousins, uncles and aunts. My lord..." he bowed his head further in fear. "If we sacrifice her, her entire bloodline will be wiped out forever. You know the rules my lord—," he swallowed cautiously, "it’s against the pack’s foundational rules to extinguish a lineage."

"KENA!" Fenris shouted, blur-stepping into Kena’s personal space. "Uhm… uhm...?" his growl vibrated loudly from his chest.

"My lord?" Kena stammered, pressing his chin against his chest.

"DO. AS. I. SAY!" Fenris hissed, flashing his canines with each word he said. "And, Do. Not. Question. Me!"

"Yes, my lord," Kena replied quickly, his voice barely audible. He quickly bowed, retreating as he did. Fenris’s eyes bulged, widening in anger as he slammed the table.

***

Taome felt a shadow flicker behind her. She turned her head to look and

“Who is there?" she snapped, her voice trembling from frustration. "Why the hell are strangers just popping in here?" she muttered under her breath.

"Who is there?" She asked again as she swiftly grabbed her iron poker, wrapping her hand around it, she instantly charged into the room, ready to swing at whatever was hiding in there. "Come out!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, her body vibrating with the scream. "I said come out!" She shrieked, lunging forward with the iron poker, but a hand instantly grabbed the poker.

"Let me—" Before she could complete her scream, two more guards ran into the room and grabbed both of her arms, pinning them behind her back.

"Let me go!" Taome shrieked, kicking the men's feet with her legs. "Why are you doing this? For God's sake I've done nothing wrong!"

"You were out on the night of the pilgrim curfew!" one of the men grabbing her stated, tightening his hold around her arm. "By the Alpha's commands, you're under arrest."

"No— No, no—" she shook her head in disbelief, "but he released me! He released me!" she shouted as she kept kicking her feet frantically. "You can't do this, my father was a chief... You're breaking the law!"

"The Alpha's word is the law!" the guard shouted, shoving her forward into the cold night air. "You will be sacrificed to the moon goddess."

***

"Disobedience is a CANCER!" Fenris screamed, his voice slicing through the humid evening air. He paced above the stage rise, his shoes thudding against the wood as he walked.

"You all must—” He pointed from one person to the other, moving his fingers slowly amongst the crowd. "You all must always remember that a pack is only as strong as its obedience." He paused for dramatic effect, glaring between everyone. "WE ARE NOT animals, and I will not tolerate anyone that dares to behave like one!”

Voices began to rise, the young pups were getting anxious.

"Some wolves amongst us believe that our laws are just suggestions. They think they can cross the borders, break the curfews and suffer no consequences..." Fenris rose his head high, everyone was silent now, then he suddenly snapped his fingers.

Instantly, the heavy grind of wheels filled the once silent gathering. Everyone parted as two massive wooden crosses were wheeled through the gathering to the center of the square. The square went silent; not a single wolf dared to breathe loudly, at least not with the sight right in front of them.

Bound to the crosses were two people, their heads covered with blood-stained sacks. They jerked against the ropes that bound them, and their muffled screams spread fear across the square; the bodies continued to jerk against the cross, terror vibrating off them to every wolf present.

Alpha Fenris stepped down from the stage podium, walking slowly towards the crosses. He unsheathed his claws with a huge grin on his face.

"SKRRRRRRRR—" the screech of his claws against the cross echoed in the gathering.

"Behold wolves!" Fenris shouted, his voice filled with glee. "This is the price of disobedience!" He shouted, and with a sudden violent jerk, he ripped the sacks off their heads.

"Whoa!" Irene gasped as the cold air hit her face harshly. Her eyes darted wildly across the square until they landed on the cross beside her.

"Mmpm!" her heart broke as she saw a tear-stricken Taome. Her fingers instantly shot out, straining against the ropes in a desperate hustle to reach for Taome—the only person she knew in this world. Taome's eyes grew wide as she realized what was really going on—she was being offered to the moon goddess because the Alpha wanted the strange woman dead by his hands?

"Ha ha ha ha," Fenris let out a laugh, looking away from the women and at the Council members.

"I’m hoping that this sends a clear message to everyone of you," he barked, a foul smirk forming on his face. "That I, Alpha Fenris of the Gimow Pack will stop at nothing to ensure that justice and discipline is served." He smirked and immediately turned his head to face the women.

"You, Taome, daughter of the banished Chief Shane, since you have broken the sacred pilgrim curfew, you’re no longer a member of this pack, you’re now a vessel. You will be sacrificed to the moon goddess at the peak of the moon!"

"What?" A voice echoed from the crowd.

"Is he really going to sacrifice the last of her line?” Another voice muttered.

"Isn't that against the Pack’s rules?" Someone else said.

Taome instantly started kicking her feet, causing the wood to rattle; her eyes begged the crowd, growing wider, teary & anxious by the second.

"Mmpm—" she tried to plead, but only her muffled voice filled the air.

"And you," Fenris turned to face Irene, his jaw tightening in anger. "You infiltrator! I don’t know which pack you came from, but you will not be granted any mercy. You will be taken back to the pits to starve until the earth reclaims every single dust your skin carries!"

"Fenris!" Elara’s voice broke from the line of Council elders. She marched straight to her grandson, stopping right in front of him. "You CANNOT DO THIS!" She challenged, stretching her hand to touch his cheeks. "You’re overstepping your bounds, you have no right to extinguish an entire bloodline. NO one has that right!"

Fenris held his grandmother’s hand, then he smirked as he looked into her eyes, pulling her hand away from his face. "Oh, but I think you’ll find out grandma, that I definitely can!"