Head For The Prize
1840 Words
Chapter 13
RATHGAR’S POV
The forest was a graveyard of shadows.
I had run for hours, my lungs burning, my claws tearing through the underbrush as I followed every fading scent, every broken twig that might have been Luna’s footsteps. But the wind had stolen her trail, leaving nothing but the mocking rustle of leaves.
I should have held her strong. I'd hold her, perhaps not strong enough but where in the world sake would she have gone to in the space minutes.
I wondered why she'd run and I was deeply worried!
I couldn't remember hurting her despite having the chances to.
All my hopes to finding her went down the drain.
I had failed her. Perhaps, she'd failed herself for walking away from me. I was the only one capable of protecting her.
"Poor girl" I muttered and tirelessly walked towards the direction of my home.. I needed some rest as it was late in the night..
I walked quietly — every footstep was as calm, ,gentle and soft as the hand of a new born against the soil. Avoiding unnecessary sound of dried leaves on the ground.
Then, came her scent—Ezra. She hadn't gone. She was lurking in the woods tracing my scent.
Her sharp ability to catch scents in distance made my liked her. She became my beta after the demise of her father who was supposed to guide me as a young alpha..
She is beautiful with sharp golden eyes and curly hair. Her tiny wolf was my point of humor about her.
"Rath!" She called as she sprinted faster in my embrace.
"Why haven't you returned to pack house? I thought I asked you to return home" I asked curiously and pulled away from her.
"You'd said so but I can't leave you behind knowing well that you hadn't returned home yourse." She shuttered as if she was scolding me.
In her everyday judgment, I was doing too much—Reckless— since I became an alpha. She would laugh to my joke and occasionally scold me if I do something she dim wrong but she had never disrespected me. Not anyone of my pack dare disrespect me in my presence.
"You're are you alone, where is Lira and Luna?" Her word came like a knife against my chest.
"I don't know what happened, Luna ran away and I came here looking for her. Did you by any chance caught her scent.?" I asked as though I did something right.
She looked at me with so much anger and expression was still requesting for more answers.
"And Li....Lira?" I stammered.
"My jaw clenched. I left her with him... With Kieran" I replied.
"You can be serious right now. The cursed alpha who had once betrayed Luna in the worst way possible. What if he hurt her? What if he left her and she bleed out." She came hard. Snarling at me.
I knew that was a huge mistake from my end but Kieran won't dare hurt her. He seemed to have sympathy for her.
A snarl ripped from my throat. I slammed my fist into the nearest oak, the bark splintering under the impact.
I should never have let go of Luna’s hand.
But the cave had collapsed, the force of it throwing me to the ground, and when I looked up, she was gone.....Vanished like smoke.
Now, dawn bled across the horizon, painting the world in shades of gold and regret.
Lira noticed my remorseful expression and held my hand without uttering anymore word which might lead to my anger. She knew how to control and handle my emotions.
The battle was over, but the war wasn’t. Cyrus was wounded, not dead. Kieran had Lira And if he had Luna,
No!
I wouldn’t let myself think it.
With a final, frustrated growl, I bolted into the night toward home and Ezra followed behind.
---
The Shadowfang packhouse was eerily quiet when I returned. Warriors lingered in the courtyard, their faces grim, their wounds freshly bandaged. Dain the warrior head stood at the top of the steps, arms crossed, his usual smirk absent.
“You look pretty bad alpha,” he said as I approached.
"How many casualties?" I asked, ignoring the comment.
"Just a few and most are recovering" He responded sharp.
“Any news of Cyrus?” I demanded.
Dain expression darkened. “Gone. His forces retreated after the cave collapsed. Rumor says he’s licking his wounds in the Ironfang stronghold.”
I exhaled sharply. Good. That meant Luna wasn’t with him.
But then, where?
Dain studied me, his gaze flickering over my torn clothes, the blood streaked across my arms. “You lost her.”
It wasn’t a question and I didn’t answer.
His jaw tightened. “And Lira?”
My silence was answer enough.
Dain swore under his breath. “You left her with him?”
“I didn’t have a choice,” I snapped.
“There’s always a choice.” His voice was low, dangerous.
“If anything happens to her.... ” Angrily, I cut in....
“You think I don’t know that?” My control frayed, my wolf surging to the surface.
“I’ll tear this kingdom apart to find them both. But right now, we have bigger problems.”
His eyes narrowed. “Like what?”
Before I could answer, a voice cut through the tension.
“Alpha.”
We both turned.
One of our pack warrior, Nathan, a grizzled veteran with scars from a dozen battles. He stood at the base of the steps, his expression unreadable.
“You need to hear this,” he said.
******************
KIERAN’S POV
Lira slept beside me, her breathing steady, her wounds finally closed.
I should have been relieved but Instead, my skin crawled with restless energy.
Selene was out there! Alone! Remembering.
And my father, who care!
A twig snapped outside the castle walls.
I saw it and I was on my feet in an instant, my claws unsheathed, my body shielding Lira’s sleeping form.
This curse of mine — the abomination that made me monster, had its advantages.
My sense were shaper than any other Alpha’s. My vision could pierce through the darkest night, my hearing could detect the slightest effect of sound.
As he approached the entrance, I waited by the door —if its danger, I attack unless otherwise.
His smell was so familiar that I reckoned immediately.
It was Eldrin, one of the oldest hunters in Ironfeng territory. His weathered face was grim, his hands raised in surrender.
“I’m not here to fight,” he said.
I didn’t lower my guard. “Then why are you here?”
Eldrin’s gaze flicked to Lira, then back to me. “To deliver a warning.”
Lira stirred behind me, her voice groggy. “Kieran…?”
Eldrin’s eyes widened slightly at the sound of her voice, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he exhaled sharply.
“I know I shouldn't be here neither am I supposed to be talking to you. Looking from the point that you're an outcast. But I came here because we believe in you and also believed you deserve a fair judgment. Of course we, because Oldman Hewitt—the pack historian— sent me to you. Not every member of the pack hated you.. I'm pretty sure you didn't curse yourself and the way Your father—Cyrus treated you was unjust. You are our hero and we love you" He lemanted catching his breath hard.
I could sense the tension and shift in his emotions—from rush of adrenaline to the irresistible energy to speak his thoughts. I could hear the frantic pounding of his heart but I waited, letting him conclude..
"Eldrin, thanks for your kind words but I don't think this is the right time for you to come by to let me know your undying love for me otherwise you have something more important to discuss" I muttered energetically and watched as he trembled..
"Of course my lord, I'm here to tell you something quite important and worrisome to my hearing and to that of the elite of our precious pack. So, I was instructed to tell you" He muttered and his eyes darted around in fear—using every means to avoid direct eye contact with me.
"May I hear what happened or what message you wish to deliver" I demanded, not letting him catch a long breath
"My lord, this afternoon, Oldman Hewitt overhead your father having a heated argument with Garrick your former Beta over a letter he read." He said and stopped to catch his breath.
"Continue, what letter" I asked impatiently.
"The letter was from Garrick's mother— the late wife of the former warrior head about his paternity. Garrick found the letter in Alpha Cyrus's private chest couple of days ago when he went to pick something for him for his treatment." He lamented and I was a bit confused and curious.
"What about his paternity? Everyone knows he is the head warriors son. Or is he not?" I asked.
"Up until today, I believe the same thing, just as you do. But it's all lies conceded by your father and his mother. Garrick is your father's son and your father knew that all this years" He said and I felt like I have just heard a joke.
I laughed not because I found it funny but it was ridiculous. Garrick as my brother was a joke of the century. I looked at Eldrin, confusion was written boldly on his face because I laughed. At first, I thought it was was a prank or something to win a favor from me but as he continued I realized that he was been serious..
"Garrick demanded a public apology from Cyrus and requested he was made the Alpha’s heir —The one to succeed your father because he felt you were no longer in the picture. As I was told, your father agreed to his request but he gave him a condition" He muttered and shrugged.
"What condition?" I asked more eager than ever.
"Your father dutied him to bring your head to his feet before he could proclaim him the heir. So, as we speak Garrick and some of his warriors are on the hunt for your head." He said in conclusion and exhaled..
My head became a prize to be won. After he banished me from the pack, he still want me life.
I could be cured and might have lost my values but I'm not daft nor weak. I'm a consequence no one should ever pray to cross paths with. I'm terror itself. The curse in me could make me a Beast if need be.
This one time, I felt I should do something to make them fear me more for the Beast the call me.
"I'd be waiting for him to try" I muttered and a cast one terrible glance at him before he made his way out..
- Writer
