TAKEN BY THE DEMON WOLF

Chapter3

A LOW GROWL:

ASHER:

"Who are you?" The beta warrior of the Black wolves pack asks.

I brought closer the flaming touch in my hand and took off the cloak that hooded my head, revealing my face. A mischievous smile spread across my lips, as the young man gasped in fear and struggled to say my name.

" He is here! The demon wolf has come! " He screams and runs off, alerting the others.

I howled, signalling my men to strike.

Sniffing in the fresh sweet scent of chaos as the shrill cries of their women and children echoes through the mountains, I watch as they skelter for safety.

It wasn't long before my men gathered the spoils and prepared to go home.

"My Lord!" one of my men, Mico, came running up to me.

Surprised, I signalled to the men behind me to halt.

"You are supposed to be watching the plains, why are you here panting like a mad dog?"

"My Lord," He pauses to catch his breath, "I was until I heard a scream. I went to see what it was to avoid an attack on our way home." He pauses again.

"And what did you find?" I ask impatiently.

"An almost lifeless body of a young wolf, My Lord.”

“You abandoned your post because of a dying wolf? How badly do you wish for death?!” My voice thundered.

“She has a mark of the blood moon on her neck, I thought it would interest you, My Lord” Mico drops to his knees and bows.

‘A red blood wolf?’

Murmuring starts to erupt behind me

"Silence!" I barked, "Are you certain about this Mico? Deceiving me will cost you your life, lad"

"Yes, My Lord. "

"Quick, take me there, we must get to her before anyone does. Darius," I turn to my right hand man. "Take the spoils and the rest of our men home through the path of the dry valley in case it is a trap. Eden and Ethan," I point to the Beta twins. "Come with me. Lead us to the red blood, Mico."

Mico mounted on one of the horses we claimed and we galloped down the plains.

"Here, my Lord" Mico stops in front of a body drenched in blood.

I steady the reins of my stallion and climbed down to inspect her.

"It is really a red blood in the flesh."

“My Lord, what do we do now?”

"Prepare a cart, she's mine now.”

Everyone lowered their heads as I strode into the city. Mothers rushed to cover the eyes of the little ones who were too young to know better as I made way to my chambers.

"My Lycan King, your presence is a delight to me " Elinor, my soon to be mate, welcomes my presence.

“Quick, get me Habo.”

She bows her head and leaves. I laid down the red blood on the warm comfort of my bed. She was getting cold, a warm bed wouldn't be enough.

"You sent for me, my Lord," Habo enters, "I heard it is a matter of urgency so I rushed here almost tripping on my own steps. Did you get hurt? The packs can't -"

"Only the moon goddess herself would dare to hurt me. I appreciate the loyalty Habo but it is not I who needs to be treated," I move away from the bed. "It is her."

Habo looks at me confused. He rushed over to take her pulse, his eyes widened in disbelief.

“A red blood?” He gasped.

“I smell her wolf, it is weak and struggling to live. It is only a matter of time till her meridians are broken, Can you save her?”

"At this state she barely has a chance. I have never seen a red blood, but I've heard stories of the red lotus plant on the wild wind mountain being able to heal a red blood. It will take three hours to make the journey, I am not certain she has that long"

"Go, take Darius with you. I'll find a way to stabilise her wolf, but you must hurry!.”

Habo quickly leaves.

I hear her wolf growl and prowl.

I pat her gently on the head, breathing softly to her face.

"Calm now, little wolf, you're safe. You belong with me now."

I feel her wolf slowly start to settle.

My wolf stirred,a low growl within me.

"What do you plan to do once she wakes up?" My wolf asks.

" I haven't decided, but she could a strong force to strengthen the pack."

" She's not one of us!" My wolf tries to come out.

"Not yet."

"Have you considered she could be a threat, Asher?."

"If she is, I will crush her with my own hands."

My wolf scowls at me.

"Have you considered the chance that she may want to return to her pack once she's healed?"

“Never. I'll bind her with chains to the walls if I must.”

A knock on the door interrupts and Habo ushers himself in looking battered with cuts and wounds all over his hands and face.

" What happened? " I ask, confused.

"We were attacked on the mountain, followed, now that I think of it."

"Who would dare to attack a member of the shadow pack ?" I muttered, baffled by the odds of it.

"We couldn't tell. It was foggy and windy, they had no distinctive scent. "

"And Darius?"

" Much worse,he got deeply wounded trying to protect my life and the flower.” He took out the plant from his pouch and immediately got to work.

The strong smell of herbs thickens the air

"Are you certain this will work?" I ask, even though I already knew the answer.

"Hopefully," Habo responds, carefully forcing in the potion through the small opening of her mouth, "I have done my part," He wipes off the sides of her mouth with a towel. "It is now left for the goddess to do hers if the red blood is fated to live."

My gaze flicked briefly to her face hoping to see an immediate effect of the portion, but nothing happened.

"Nothing is happening, Habo, why isn't she healing? " I ask, impatiently.

"My Lord,It might take some days for that to happen. I do not know if the herb is supposed to have an immediate effect but we cannot conclude for now. I say we give her some time, and the goddess too."

"How long?"

''Th–’’

We hear a low growling in the room, it is neither mine or Habo's. We turned slowly at the same time in the direction of the red blood—It was her wolf.