He is the Bad Wolf

THE NEW TODAY

The Pit turned out to be a kind of modern coliseum, it was completely surrounded by glass walls and electric spikes around the edges. In this way the fighters could not escape, and the audience was not in danger. The audience was a mix of werewolves, fairies, and a few humans.

“This is barbaric.” Sia stared in disgust from her booth in a VIP area, reserved for the bidders and The Countess’s special guests. “How can you be okay with this?” She almost vomited when one of the fighters swung a heavy ax in the air and with great precision the blade wedged itself between his opponent's pectorals. The man gave an animalistic cry and staggered backward, his feet tangled in chains and he fell onto his back. He begged for mercy raising both hands, tears cascaded down but the audience roared in despair. The audience's thirst for blood was more powerful than this poor man's will to live.

“It will end soon.” Caden assured her and in no time the man’s head rolled away from his twitching body. Everyone roared. Some in despair, others in pure joy for having won their bets. Others simply were satisfied. “Took him long enough.”

“Why do you people do this? Do they not feel remorse and pain to see how they kill each other among your same species?” Sia didn't understand why people liked to enjoy someone else's pain. Seeing blood stain everything around them. Didn't these people have a conscience? Didn't they have a soul? Not even the devil himself would be so cruel as to force his people to fight to the death. Right?

“It is what it is.” The lack of emotion in Caden's voice was driving her crazy. He didn't seem to mind. As soon as the coliseum began to empty, some men entered the battlefield and shackled the winner and dragged him out. They broke the loser into several pieces, Sia in horror let out a scream when she saw how they tossed the remains of the dead fighter in a black plastic bag. “Relax, would you? It’s not you being thrown into the bin.”

“You said I could be!”

He grinned as he relaxed on his seat, crossing his arms behind his head. “Did I now?”

“It was a lie?”

“Not really.”

“So I can end up there.”

He frowned at her, probably annoyed. “You ask way too many questions.”

“What’s the point of doing this? Why force them to fight?”

"You have spent a lot of time in Morpheo's arms." Caden sat up straight and turned in his seat to converse with her properly. But she noticed the hardness in his eyes. “Many things changed in the five hundred years that you remained underground. Wars, genocides, groundless trials, unforgivable crimes. The apocalypse caught up with us and took us by surprise, destroying everything in its path. The era of humans in power ended and now they are nothing but garbage, some of them knew how to adapt and grow under all the crap that surrounds us.”

“The wolves are in charge now?”

“The wolves? Are you kidding?” As soon as he saw that she was serious he laughed cruelly under his breath. “It is true that wolves control much of the territory of what remains of the planet, however there are other species with which power is shared.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his soft curls. “Vampires are a problem; they are the cause of all this misfortune. What you have seen today is nothing more than our attempt to survive. Many do deplorable things to get some food and a roof under which they can sleep without worrying about being attacked.”

“Killing one another is what’s deplorable!”

“No. Giving them a chance to survive and aspire for a better quality of life is nothing but honorable. They choose to fight to do and be better. If the public falls in love with them, they will rise and eventually will no longer have the need to fight for their lives.”

“Perhaps you should be the one rolling on the dirt and blood to prove your point.”

He smirked at her condescendingly. “I have and now I am here.”

“You lie.” Sia gasped out of shock. Even though she didn’t know anything about him she couldn’t imagine him killing another wolf in such a brutal matter.

"I have earned my place in this pack. The Countess has rewarded me for my effort, integrity, loyalty and passion for my people. Make no mistake about it, because I can still tear that cute little head of yours from your body in a flash if I so desire but I will not do such thing because that would not please the Countess.”

“You speak as if you love her.”

“That’s none of your business.” He snapped. Sia glared at him under hooded lids. She wasn’t about to let this filthy animal intimidate her.

“What would happen if you were to displease her?”

“Nothing good.”

“Are you afraid of her?”

“Fear is a very powerful fuel. However, I do not fear who has protected and showed me nothing but kindness.”

“Because fighting to death is incredibly magnanimous.”

“At least no one has ripped my heart out. Your arguments are invalid, witch.” Sia flinched.

Arguing with Caden had made her momentarily forget Gideon and what he had done. She realized that she couldn't spend every minute of her life hating him or plotting against him. He is alive. He is alive and I ... What am I doing here? Sia got serious from one moment to the next. “What am I doing here?”

“You wanted to see The Pit.”

“No, no. Why am I alive again? Who has dared to fool the God of Death and mock him by bringing me here after all this time?”

“The Countess warned me… she said you’d ask me this.”

“She did? She’s so very wise.” She scoffed. It was only natural for her to know the motives behind her sudden resurrection.

“Watch your tone, especially when speaking about her.”

“What am I doing here?” Sia’s patience was at the very limit. She either got her answers when she demanded them or would end her own life right here.

“The Countess would like to help you.” Sia raised her brow. Her expression must have displayed skepticism for he smiled catching her off-guard. “I believe you have unfinished business with a wolf named Gideon.”

And suddenly a shaft of light hit Sia behind her head. Her muscles tensed, the air completely leaving her. There was water clouding his vision. Is it raining? “I knew he was alive. Tell me more.”