Blood Type R

Chapter 3

LUDOVIC'S POV

The hearth rumbled as the flames licked desperately for the sky above.

It rumbled so fiercely that Ludovic could feel it in his chest. It was taller than a house. Embers floated only to fall and disperse, sometimes onto exposed skin. It smelled like smoke and leaves. A drum rolled as the dancers beat their feet to it. Chatter and laughter laced throughout the crowd of two hundred lycans, males and females interlocked in each other's arms as younglings ran around to play. The golden glow of the fire and torches that surrounded them cast harsh shadows.

Wooden benches were strewn throughout, with four totem poles on either side of the main grounds. Each totem pole represented a season and had torches burning around to illuminate them. The grounds were paved with river rock and had stone walls along the pathways, stone stairs guiding the traveler. The grass was pristine and riddled throughout in an orchestrated fashion.

The humans that built the Reiger Commons built it with the same craftsmanship that they were renown for before the Final War. The main architect called it a "European City in the Woods".

Ludovich Reiger sat at his designated seat while watching the show. His throne was carved into a giant tree trunk the width of six men, the top of his throne pointed into the shape of pine trees, the ends of the armrests curved into the shape of a wolf's head. His chair had silver decorations, to show that the alpha could stand such a poison. The eyes of the wolves were silver, along with the moon that was at the top and directly over him. Silver owls lined the pine trees to symbolize that the goddess was always watching them, even when they couldn't see her.

His enjoyment of the show was interrupted when a female came over to him.

He first noticed her smell. It was of mint and pine, mixed with her personal musk. It riled him up as soon as he smelled it. With lycans, the smell of another was enough to drive two pairs into mating. Humans had visual seduction, and these creatures had scents and sounds.

It was nature's way of ensuring that they never forgot to f**k each other.

She had warm brown skin with silver hair and deep blue eyes. Her family line was said to be kissed by the moon hundreds of years ago. They were called the Frost Moon clan. To mate with a Frost Moon was the closest honor to mating with an alpha or beta.

Her name was Sava.

Most of the pack thought that Ludovic would choose Sava.

She was in a low bow, with her face parallel to the ground to show submission, her beautiful straight hair dangling and touching the dirt. She was wearing the traditional summer clothes for lycan females - a white, shoulder-less cloth top with a black beaded neckband that stopped beneath the breasts, paired with a white cloth skirt that came to the thighs and had a beaded strip at the hips. She wore golden decorations with blue gems that matched her eyes.

Outstretched hand presented him with a pendant. He examined it momentarily before reaching out to grab it. When he took it she looked up, her eyes awaiting him eagerly.

She knew her competition was an R. She was not pleased with this, and so she was trying everything she had to prove that she would make the better mate.

He looked at the pendant in his slightly dirty, rough hands to see it was of a wolf's head that was made of steel and hanging on a steel chain. He turned it in his fingers, which were agile compared to most. Ludovic was agile in nearly every way. Combine that with the infamous strength of a Reiger, and he was a force to be reckoned with. It's one of the reasons he got to his position.

He noticed that the eye on the wolf had a scar over it. He immediately recognized that as a symbolic representation of Aldric, his uncle and former Alpha of Reiger.

"I had this made for you, my moon. So you can carry his teachings with you wherever you go. Then one day, when you have your own younglings, you can have one made for them," she said. She had a soft voice that was also cutting. He was fond of it.

The males in Frost Moon carried these necklaces, respecting their elder males. This was a major symbol for her to be giving to him, and also a major sign of respect. Ludovic curled it into his hand and looked down at her, as she was still on her knees.

If he were to ever wear it, it could only be done as her mate.

She was bold. And he admired it. It was pure passion. His expression changed as he darkly looked at her with a sense of longing.

"Thank you, Sava," he said with a low, soft growl.

She ate those words as if they were the only source of warmth on a winter morning.

"You're welcome," she said breathlessly.

They stared at each other, the space between them begging for them to say more. Their chemistry was undeniable, and he had to admit that he adored the way she gave him this symbol. She was ready to welcome him at any moment. All he had to do was say it.

He blinked and looked away, to which she immediately backed up in respect and returned to her family. Ludovic could see them all watching, and he purposefully ignored them.

He did not like to publicly display any affection or favoritism.

He and Sava had grown into a likely pair over the last year. She was beautiful, she was fierce, she had a great family line, and they got along well. She went out of her way to do kind things for him, and he cherished when a female showed such passion.

Ludovic drank his mead as he mindlessly turned the pendant in his other hand. One of his betas approached him not too long after that. The beta named Erik positioned his head in the same way that Sava did. Ludovic hummed his permission in one of the friendliest growls that lycans could omit, save for their even softer sounds that was used for family.

Erik rose and sat on the shaped stump to the left of Ludovic. To his right was another empty stump with more extravagance.

"Did you hear about Booker?" Erik asked.

"No," Ludovic said while watching Sava dance with her cousins. He enjoyed watching her move, her limber body was graceful and yet wild with the way it thumped to the drums. He has danced with that body before, and he has lied with it as well.

It's been four weeks since he f****d anything. That was a part of the problem. Part of the mate selection ceremony was to remain abstinent the month prior to viewing the potential females. The desire for the other had to be raw.

"He was killed. His whole family," Erik said lowly.

"What," Ludovic said and his eyes attached to Erik, the blood that was rushing south halting completely.

"The vampires did it. A revenge kill, or so they called it. They sedated them with wolfsbane, tied them up, adults and kids, hung them upside down, slit their throats, and collected the blood to drink later at dinner," Erik said with disdain.

Ludovic's hair from the nape of his neck traveled down his spine to reveal his hackles. Even for Alphas or Betas, the hackles were hard to control. His pupils began to blacken his eyes, but it quickly returned to the pale gray in an attempt to control himself.

"They then took the bodies," Erik continued, his disgust laced in his voice. "And they put stakes up their asses and put them outside Gengrove, for all the lycans to see."

"That's an act of war," Ludovic hissed with a bitter grumble.

He squeezed the pendant and growled aggressively, scrunching his face in a threatening manner, his eyes falling to Sava. She looked up at him, always glancing in his direction, and saw the dark glare that he was giving her. Well, he wasn't giving it to her, but it existed on his face never the less. She looked at him with concern before a primitive look took her eye.

She liked when he was aggressive.

Goddess, what he'd give for a good hard f**k right now.

"Yes, it is," Erik agreed.

"Why do they want war," Ludovic demanded and looked to Erik. "This could be as messy as it got with the humans. We are f*****g tired of slaughtering everyone. At this rate, I have half a mind to declare an eradication of the leeches, and to get Ingram behind it."

Erik nodded. "I am aware, Ludovic...I am aware," he said and let the sound of the happy lycans exist before continuing their somber conversation. "But they are growing bold and we cannot ignore it. Riona is gathering her pack and is thinking of attacking the vampire family."

"That will only solidify the act of war," Ludovic said. His first instinct was to protect his people, and a hostility of this degree was the last thing that would protect them.

"Most definitely."

Ludovic contemplated this, a heated expression gripping his face.

He was not happy with this news. Not at all.

These were actions that one could not take back. To engage would be to wage warfare that they haven't seen in nearly a hundred years. His grand-sire had worked so hard to bring about this peace.

He thought to Booker and his family.

"Fine. Then it has to be done. I cannot control the world, only lead these lycans the best way that I can," Ludovic said and took in a breath, exhaling while saying, "They were of her pack. There is no point in having a pack if you don't start a war for those within when they are brutally maimed, even the omegas. Otherwise, you are just a bunch of rogues banding together."

Erik nodded to agree with Ludovic before he continued his bleak tone, "They will come for Reiger. They will want to kill the younglings. They are teenagers now. They are no longer pups. They will be able to do serious damage in just a few years. Hell, they can do it now. Even if they aren't weapons to win a war, they are weapons that any enemy would hate to fight. We can't pretend that by stocking up on R's we aren't passively declaring our own stance. It's obvious we are trying to ensure our place of power."

Ludovic took in another deep breath through his nose, his naked chest rising before he scooted his rear into the throne to straighten his back. He wanted to leave this event so he could let off steam.

If Riona was leading an attack, then this meant that Ludovic inherited bloodshed at his feet.

"We need the younglings protected more than they are now. I want to speak with them tomorrow about this. They need to know. I want three betas with them at all times. Delegate that schedule however you see fit," Ludovic commanded.

Erik straightened his back as well. "So, when is the R coming?"

"Oren said his brother Roman was on it," Ludovic replied.

The two lycans grew silent as the dancing turned to a casual play, the drums beating now only to supply background noise. Ludovic continued to watch Sava. With the R coming, it made Sava even more desirable - something he probably could not have. He did not like that. He was the alpha. If he wanted something, he would have it, especially if it referred to matters of his personal life. He grumbled at that thought. He fought that duty, every day. He knew he would have to give in to it eventually, despite his contrary desire.

"You know you have to choose her. The R, not Sava," Erik said.

"Only if she agrees to it," he said, still holding fast to his own morals.

"What do you mean? You're an alpha. Take her. You don't need her permission."

"You're right. I am an alpha. I shouldn't have to force it at all. And I won't. It either will work, or it won't."

"You could be throwing away the R younglings. We need them if this vampire s**t continues to rise."

"She will go to one of the betas if so. All of Reiger is a family at the end of the day. If the pups aren't mine, then it is not the end of the world."

"Yes, but Sandra believes she can transfer the R to you, only if you are mates though."

"I appreciate the insight, Erik, but I don't want to have to budge on it. You choose that person for life. I've bounties on my head just for being an alpha and an apparent war brewing. I've got no interest in wasting what I've got with a person who doesn't want to be here."

"Once she is your mate, she won't know any better."

"That makes it worse," Ludovic said cynically. His temper was clearly growing short.

Erik shook his head. It was his job to press the alpha, even when the alpha didn't want him to. "I don't get it, Ludovic. This would solidify your position., and yet you'd give it to a beta."

"Goddess gave us free will for something," Ludovic sneered.

"Then why not just turn us all vegan?"

A sound escaped Ludovic's mouth that is between a smirk and a growl, "I don't think any pack would follow me if I commanded them to be vegan. I serve my lycans, and I always will. Reiger gets everything of me, I don't want to give it my own den as well." Ludovic's eyes were threatening.

"I hope the R takes to you. It won't haunt you now, but the beta that gets her will challenge you eventually," Erik continued to press.

"Good. It's been a while. I am getting bored," Ludovic retorted, tired of this conversation, as if he had not thought about this before.

"Well enjoy the boredom. It's about to end, no matter what."

Ludovic resonated on that and realized that Erik was right. No matter what, this time of peace was coming to an end.

Ludovic's passion sobered up as he realized the happy faces before him, even Sava's, would not remain so in the near future. It's what made him a good Alpha.

He knew when to see the forest for the trees.

"We should host a feast with Kalfa," Ludovic began with a less intense tone. "Have the lycans go on a hunt to provide the meat and drink whatever mead we want. I agree with you, Erik. This peacetime is coming to an end, and that's the primary focus here. I suspect it will be a long, tumultuous war that lasts for some time. The humans should celebrate as well."

"You're f*****g soft for the humans," Erik said. That was a harsh criticism, no matter the rank of the lycan that he spoke to.

"Have you looked in the mirror lately?" Ludovic asked, his eyes dry of any emotion.

"What?" Erik asked, his brows furrowed.

"You look like a hairy, dirty human," Ludovic pointed out casually before taking a sip of mead as he refused to break eye contact with Erik.

Erik and him stared for a solid thirty seconds before Ludovic continued, "We were all humans at some point before the goddess gave us her powers. To treat them as vermin is a mistake. They don't need to sleep in our territory, but we don't need to be in constant strife with them. We can coexist and not interbreed. It's something so many seem to struggle with."

Erik looked down and Ludovic was happy to see him consider this. He thought it was a waste of energy to hate the humans with such animosity.

The two men watched the fire and the dancers in silence for some time.

The sound of a large truck approaching interrupted Ludovic's thoughts, the headlights of the vehicle in the distance like the moon itself split in two and was hovering over the ground with speed.

The R was here.