Dark Before Dawn

“Chapter 5: Vengeance’s Curse,”

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The cold stream water splashed against my face, but it did little to calm the storm inside me. My wolf, always restless, had been fighting me all day. Last night's sleep had been filled with bad dreams, leaving me tired and on edge. I usually had good control over my animal side, but today it felt like a losing battle.

I'd been searching for my brother for two long years. Every time I thought I was close, the trail would go cold. It was like chasing a ghost, and my patience was wearing thin.

"Alpha Dark," a young warrior called out, keeping his distance. He knew better than to get too close when I was in this mood. "Captain Draco says we're ready for you."

I stood up, my full height towering over the young wolf. He quickly looked down, the smell of his fear hitting my nose like a punch. I hated that smell, but I was used to it by now. As I walked past him, I gave his back a gentle pat, trying to show him he had nothing to fear from me. He wasn't my enemy.

Following the sounds of voices, I found Draco in a small clearing. His face was hard, a long scar curving around his head like a cruel smile. He had the rogues - wild wolves who followed no pack - lined up on their knees. Their bodies were already healing from the beating Draco had given them. My wolf growled inside me, hungry for blood.

I walked slowly in front of the rogues, breathing in their fear and anger. "I'm not feeling very nice today," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "Tell me where my brother is, and I'll kill you quickly. If not..." I smiled, showing my teeth. "Well, I can think of some very painful ways to make you talk."

One of the rogues started laughing, and soon they were all howling like crazy animals. It was always the same with these guys. They never learned. I looked at Draco and nodded. He knew what to do.

Draco pulled out his favorite weapon - a silver whip. With a flick of his wrist, it wrapped around the neck of the rogue who had started the laughter. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the silver touched the wolf's skin. Draco yanked hard, and the rogue fell forward, choking.

"Let's try this again," I said, looking at the other rogues. Their faces had gone white as they watched their friend suffer. "Who wants to tell me where my brother is?"

No one spoke. Draco pulled back the whip, and the rogue leader gasped for air.

"You and your friends are traitors," the rogue snarled at Draco. Then he turned to me. "You're fighting a battle you can't win, Alpha," he said, mocking my title. "Your brother is leading us into a new world. We're evolving."

I knew what he meant by "evolving." It wasn't about wolves and humans living together in peace. It was about becoming a monster - half wolf, half man, always hungry for blood.

"That's not evolution, shitheads." I growled. "That's extinction. You'll destroy everything."

The rogue's eyes narrowed. He wasn't really a wolf anymore - just a puppet controlled by my brother. "Right. Your little mate thought the same thing before Nikkolas got her," he said with an evil grin. "But she learned the truth, didn't she? They all do when he shows them real power."

My warriors growled at his words. They didn't like to be reminded of our lost Luna - the one good person among us. But the rogue had made a big mistake. My vision went red as my wolf pushed against my control, wanting to break free.

"That was really stupid," Draco muttered behind me. He knew what was coming.

Before the rogue could blink, my foot connected with his face. The sound of breaking bones was like music to my ears. Blood poured from his nose, soaking into the dirt. I knelt down, looking at the damage I'd done. His dark eyes stared back at me, full of hate.

"Nikkolas is coming for you," he spat.

"That would make my job a lot easier," I said. I grabbed his broken nose and squeezed, pulling him to his feet. He screamed in pain.

"Hey, Draco," I called, still staring at the rogue. "How many wolves does it take to send a message?"

"Just one, Alpha," Draco answered. I could hear the smile in his voice.

I let go of the rogue and turned away for a moment. My wolf was going crazy, begging to taste blood. He hadn't been this out of control since before I met Lyra. With a frustrated sigh, I spun back around. My claws sliced across the rogue's throat, and blood sprayed everywhere. It wasn't enough to satisfy my wolf, but it helped a little.

"Three left," Draco said behind me.

I looked at the remaining rogues. "Who's going to be the lucky one to escape? And who's going to end up as food for the crows?"

They looked at each other, confused for a second. Then they scrambled to their feet, changing into their wolf forms. They ran into the forest, thinking they could get away. My warriors tensed up, their own wolves eager to hunt.

Draco stepped up beside me. "Another dead end," he said.

I took off my shirt and wiped the blood from my face. "No, I got plenty of information," I told him. Draco looked confused, so I explained. "My brother is building an army. He's going after the weaker packs. And now I know he's planning to come for me again."

Draco nodded, understanding. My brother thought taking my mate would break me, but all it did was make me colder, more dangerous. I had nothing left to lose. I was already headed for hell, and I planned to drag my brother down with me.

"Happy hunting, boys!" I yelled to my warriors. I threw back my head and let out a howl that echoed through the trees. Around me, I heard bones cracking as my warriors changed into their wolf forms. Their howls joined mine, and then they were off, racing into the forest to hunt down the escaped rogues.

As I listened to the sounds of the hunt, my own wolf stirred in the darkness of my broken soul. Soon, I promised him. Soon, we would have our vengeance.

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TO BE CONTINUED.