Adversaries

CHAPTER 2

RAIZEN'S POV

I lifted the glass to my lips, savoring the moment before tipping it back and pouring the last of the drink into my mouth. The liquid burned its way down my throat, a sharp but welcome sensation that only fueled the fire inside me. I was annoyed.

I slammed the cup down onto the table being careful not to break the fragile thing, the sound echoing in the dimly lit room. Salvax looked at me with a steady gaze, his expression unreadable but his posture tense, ready. The thrill of the chase and the danger lurking in the shadows made his eyes lit up. I knew that because I felt the same way. It has been so long we had a squabble with the Canines.

“What are we doing for the rest of the day?” he asked, as he began to arrange the table and gather the scattered papers. His hands moved with a practiced ease, straightening the disarray that had taken over during the period of my absence from the work room.

I paused for a moment, watching him. The day looked like it was going to be long, and I couldn't let it be a waste, after all there was a lot to be done. This was a rescue mission. Our men were still held as hostages in their little merchant village.

“What could be more suited for a rescue than training?” I replied, a hint of mischief in my voice. Rising from my chair, I stretched briefly, feeling the tension in my muscles. With a final glance at the tidy table, I turned and headed for the door, eager to see how the rest of the day would go.

In the quiet solitude of my private training ground, we moved in sync and coordinated speed. The loudest sounds were our steady breaths and the hard scrape of our feet against the ground as we constantly leaped towards each other. We had our claws out on our least dominant hands. Every movement was deliberate, calculated with the wooden knives in our more dominant hand. The aim was a quick kill of the enemy. He engaged in a fluid exchange of strikes and parries, it felt like I was losing my edge at combat.

"You're getting rusty, Raizen!" His knife weaved past me, making his attack look more intense. I growled at the obvious insult. Salvax had missed deliberately.

Meeting him midway in his next attack, every clash of wood was met with equal swiping of our claws against each other. His wounds healed almost as soon as they were inflicted.

"You're just lucky to be using me in sharpening your skills. Now, count how many more times that you would have died by my hands" I smirked as I landed another strike.

Salvax and I spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon training. So indulged in our session, we didn't pay attention to the distinct clicking of heels as a person approached us in the arena. The scent was very familiar. In my distraction, Salvax landed a heavy punch that sent a mixture of blood and saliva flying out of my mouth.

"Raizen!" El-Sha Quinn, my best friend from childhood screeched as soon as she laid eyes on me. Her light green eyes, caught the light as she approached. She was dressed in a tight dress. Fashion must be really evolved over the last hundred years because her corset dress was almost resembling an undergarment, because her breasts threatened to set themselves free.

"You look different, El-Sha" I said with caution. She used to be so conscious of her body because the other kids often called her fat. Now, standing in front of me was an elegant lady with a very seductive figure.

"Oh, Raizen. I missed you!" She smiled just seconds before wrapping her arms around me like glue. I instantly felt uncomfortable.

"Get off of me," I said sternly. Since finding my mate, I hadn't been able to hug any woman. It should have been different since she was dead but that was hardly the case as I was still very much irritated with hugging El-Sha.

"Oh, sorry. Alpha Raizen, it was just surprising to see you after almost 100 years?" She looked at Salvax who had gone to sit on one of the benches, giving us space.

"Indeed, it has. What happened to you?" I was not interested in having a conversation to catch up on lost times. I wanted to fight, beat and be beaten until I could be sure of my victory.

"What do you think?" She did a full twirl, showing off her body. "I've got the body and stamina now to match my exceptional mind, or match a very fit Alpha."

"Stamina?" I raised a brow. The walk to the bench was unseemly long.

"I could show you," she smirked. Her face, marked by a lack of innocence, betrayed a worldliness that few women could match. It was her sharp wit that truly made her presence unforgettable as my friend. Her smirk showed that she had really just thrown an invitation to her bed at me.

"I won't ever want to know, El-sha. You probably became stronger than you were before." I tactfully steered the conversation away. I could tell that she noticed. She was not a dull person. She was a formidable female wolf. An asset to our Claws Pack in fact.

"Hello, Salvax." She greeted. He eyed her red heel shoes and red dress. Even though they were flat heels, it still added to her height.

"Coming back from the circus?" He asked with a straight face. That made me laugh.

"Not funny!" She scoffed.

"Don't pout. You aren't really hurt." He said again before getting up.

"Where are you going to?" El-sha asked.

"I have pack things to take care off." He replied before bowing to me.

"I'll get things ready, Alpha!" Then he was gone

"Get what ready?" She asked.

"We're going for battle tonight." I answered her before walking out. She followed close behind.

Nightfall couldn't come soon enough.

***

Nightfall had finally arrived, the moment we had all been anticipating. The air was thick with tension as I stepped out of the pack house. Before me stood a formidable group of about fifty men, each one prepared for the hunt ahead. At the front of the line up was Salvax, my Beta and second in command. As I approached, the men bowed deeply in unison, a gesture of respect and allegiance.

"Brothers, tonight we stand on the edge of a great battle! Tonight, we do not fight as individuals, but as one pack—unbreakable and unstoppable. The Canines have nothing on us but their endless provocation. Let the night echo with our triumphs, and let Damora learn what it means to challenge this pack. Together, we will help the southern merchants to feel safe again!" I shouted. My thirst for vengeance was leading me.

"Shall we head out?" I asked Salvax, confirming that he has briefed the men on our plan of action. Rescue, knock out a few and scare Damora a little.

"Let's head out!" I announced.

"Wait!" El-sha called out. I turned to look at her as she joined us, wearing combat boots.

"What are you doing?" I growled. She was obviously challenging me. I had strictly asked her to remain in the pack.

"I'm coming with you. And you can't stop me!" She flashed her wolf at me.

"What right do you have?" I growled, authority flowing out of me in waves. Sensing my rising anger at her disrespect, she bowed her head in submission. That displayed reduced the intensity of my anger. El-sha was acting different now. She was more daring.

"I'm sorry, Alpha Raizen. I thought it would be a chance to release pent up anger from that last war, when we lost dear Alo..." She said but I didn't let finish her sentence. I growled at her trying to rub open old wounds.

"Join us then." I commanded as we set out.