THE FEUD #1

EPILOGUE

ZELUS

It had been shockingly simple to slip past the horde of humans gathered around this crumbling mess of a city. Though there has been some improvement to the ancient dwellings, most of the city is uninhabitable. Especially the closer you get to the top of the hills, now overgrown with the seeds of nature. We cling to the shadows, like ghosts passing through the streets, a slight difficulty even with our years of intensive training. We far surpass the average height of a human man, their tallest equivalent to our shortest – usually an omega. Still, we achieve what others would deem impossible. The city still swims with bodies even at this hour. An oddity. It doesn’t take us long to find the well-guarded houses, reserved for the human nobility. The ones who had swarmed around their royals only this morning, now rested in useless ignorance or plot arrogantly in the shadows. She is down there. Unaware. Peaceful in her blissful faux safety. The hooded figure clings closely to the shadows of the night coated city. For all his efforts to remain anonymous his scent gives him away. I never forget a scent. His is especially revolting, twisted with the stench of alcohol. Perhaps he needed liquid confidence for our secret meeting. We invade his dark corner, forcing him to bend his neck to look at us.

“Well Duke, we are here, and we are listening.”

I cannot see the Duke’s face, but his voice says it all. He fears us and what the knowledge of his identity could mean for him. A traitor has many enemies.

“You know who I am?” He demands.

I grin wickedly, enjoying his rising panic, “I do.” I tell him. Pathetic piece of s**t that this human is, I still might have some use for him.

“Then this will be a lot quicker than I had hoped.” He says, trying to muster up some courage. It’s enough to make me want to rip his head off his shoulders and be done here. He carries on, “My offer is simple. I will give you the location of the princess and in return, if you should win the war, you will offer me and my family the luxury of keeping our way of life. You will ensure my family’s survival in every sense of the word.”

I glance at my cousin beside me, watching his reactions. I could tell that the Duke's outrageous arrogance gets his blood boiling. He would kill the Duke in a second if I gave the go ahead and he would enjoy it too.

“Do you have so little confidence in your royals?” I mock the second human traitor courteous of the first.

“It’s in this country’s best interest, as well as mine, to eliminate one of the Mace’s before we end up fighting on two fronts if you must know. And it doesn’t hurt to have an ace up my sleeve should things go sideways.”

The voice in my head echo’s my thinking. My inner being growls, He is a threat to her. Kill him! Kill him! Not yet. Not yet. She will be safe when she is with me and he can tell us where she is.

I cannot help the growl that slips from my throat or the flashing of my eyes as the beast tries to crawl its way out and destroy her enemy, “And what do you have against the princess that you are so willing to suffice her?” Perhaps I should just kill him and find her myself. It would be risky and take a sweet amount of time, but I’ve never shied away from a challenge before, I most certainly won’t stop now.

The Duke seems uneasy with my tone, perhaps because it's dripping with contempt, “With her being your mate, I assumed she would be the logical choice. A more compelling reason for you to agree to my terms.”

I c**k my head, my voice turning sinister, “And yet there is another reason.”

The cloaked man stiffens, wondering if he should be truthful. “She has created an obstacle that is affecting my plans. This is a win, win for both of us.”

“That depends on whether I even still want her.” I smile cruelly, making the Duke’s breath stick in his throat.

"You wouldn't have come all this way for nothing."

I allow his fear to choke him a few seconds more before I relent, suddenly eager to be near her as quickly as possible.

I chuckle, “You are right. You have a deal, Duke.”

His reeking breath comes out all at once as relief floods him. Giving me as sharp a look as he dares, he begins with something else.

“There is one other thing I wish to exchange.” The human man says hesitantly.

I raise a perfectly arched brow in annoyance already finished with him, “Do get on with it.” I snap.

“The King’s release for information on the next move of the South.”

I cannot help but bark out a laugh, “You cannot be serious.”

“This man is ridiculous, Zelus.” My cousin snaps at my back, his voice like ice.

“I am serious.” The Duke swallows.

I consider him carefully, letting the cold air flush my cheeks and lick at my neck before answering, “You tell me what you know, and I will offer new terms once I have retrieved my mate. They will include the release of the King. Have your prince agree to them by whatever means, and your king shall be released.”

Little does he know that the King no longer lives.

“Alright then.” He says, sounding pleased, obviously thinking himself capable of swaying the prince’s mind when the time comes. I hope he is right.

“You will find her two streets over, with guards stationed both around and outside her door. She will not be alone in the house either. Her companion is always nearby.” He warns. Pausing as if having second thoughts, the traitor finishes, “They attack at dawn, on the princess’s orders.”

A smirk breaks on my lips at that. Our little mate is a feisty one. He spends the next few seconds explaining the attack as quickly as he can. My cousin listens intently, soaking up every detail and committing it to memory. Finally, he is silent, careful to hold his ground as he waits for our next move. He knows as well as we do that his usefulness is finished. He might be of use again in the future should such a time arrive. We let him live to my cousin's dismay, I dismiss him with a wave of a hand and he scurries into the dark.

“Let us be done.” I growl, growing restless with the knowledge of an attack looming only hours away and her, only two streets to my left. So close.

“Be careful your mate doesn’t consume your mind, cousin. This is not a time we should be getting distracted, lest we end up like our parents.”

I dismiss my cousin's concerns, “Once she is in my protection and under my control, my wolf will be satisfied, and we can get back to business.”

A smile curling my full lips. How I enjoy the hunt. The anticipation and adrenaline that begins to pulse through my body as we near the marked house, taking in our surroundings from the shabby roofs. We move closer, like the predators we are, stalking those without the means to see or hear us coming.

But we can see them just fine.

The first three guards die without a word leaving their stupid mouths. My own mouth is hot with fresh blood dripping from my chin. The taste is a welcome surge of power. The next two guards stand in a well-lit area, closest to where she is. They see us coming only in time to raise their weapons before their heads are no longer attached to the rest of their body. The blackness swallows the colour in my eyes. No longer human and yet still I am a man, the fabric of my suit stretches to accommodate my growing size. The presence in my mind fights to join the fun, to unleash the pent-up hatred of their kind. My mind stills suddenly.

Except her.

Never her, I agree.

Shifting completely back into a human. I stretch my hand out to take the door handle which is cold beneath my hand. Gently I twist the metal knob, opening the sorry excuse of a door carefully so that it doesn’t make a sound. Inside lies my prize. Inside lies the rest of my soul.

END OF BOOK 1

*FROM JANMARA:

I am in the process of publishing this story along with the rest of the series on sss. It's also going to hopefully be available in paperback! Book 2 will not be available right away but I will communicate with you when it is being released.

CHECK COMMENTS FOR UPDATES ON THE SECOND BOOK. THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR READING!! Xx