The Curse of the Tainted Blood

Introduction. The world is filled with evil people. Living in the part of the world unknown to humans—one that is hidden beyond the vast forest, or masked beyond the cities, I had seen many that could fuel someone’s nightmare. While I do not like dealing with anything gory, or one that would force me to kill someone—it is my job. “Please,” the human begs, the same trembling voice that I had heard an ample of times. Blood dribbled from his mouth, as he tried to pry me away from him. He couldn’t even move my fingers, let made me let go. With his feet struggling from below him, I looked him dead in the eyes. The look of horror, dread, and anxiousness was there. I had seen that look so many times, but I never felt anything. Was it because I knew what they had done to people? Or have I really lost the sense of my emotions? “Soul.” A familiar voice called out to me. I didn’t need to look back to know that it was my brother, Steven. Even if I knew what he wanted to achieve, I simply did not follow through. This human ruined the lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands of my kind. He doesn’t deserve a clean death. “Soul.” He said again, this time with a point in his tone. Before he could reprimand me further, I did what I was told. I cracked his neck in half. They had f****d up the second they decided to inch closer to my land. Nobody had made that mistake the second I was appointed as the leader of the pack—but for some reason, they still thought that they could pass through without me personally dealing with them. “Can you just get it done and over with?” Steven muttered, clear exhaustion filled his voice. As my eyes met him, I could see physical annoyance in his face. Simple emotions were so obvious in him that I could read them so well. And yet for some reason, I feel like mine was stuck in something that doesn’t let anyone read it. “Soul, they’re humans. It is easier—” “I wanted him to suffer,” I said, looking at the man who is now lying on the ground. When I was young, I used to feel remorse when I was ordered to harm someone. I had spent days crying to myself when I first killed a marked red—a creature deserved to be distinguished. Now, I couldn’t even bring myself to feel anything when stepping of a corpse that I had killed with my bare arms. It seems like I am truly broken. “Sister,” Steven called me for what seemed like a thousand times, those blue eyes were filled with anxious and worry—not for himself, or the people. But for me. “Are you okay, Soul?” “Where are the prisoners?” Slowly walking to the path were we had left the werewolves that these humans were exporting, I spotted a number of 10. It was little than what other packs used to catch, but it was still surprising that many of our kinds were breed and bought by humans. We are treated like animals, and we couldn’t even fight back to claim what was ours. We’re only allowed to intercept when they crossed our paths. It’s a f*****g joke. “Do they have packs?” I asked the black hair man who was checking the list. Nathaniel Porter—my beta. He usually isn’t allowed to leave the pack house when I am out, but he needed to check if these prisoners were kidn*pped, or simply breed and would be disposed in a later date. Nathaniel shook his head. “I don’t think so. Some were not breed within their organization—so I am guessing they were neutral red. Enslaved to breed new numbers, or simply be auctioned off.” This is why I say humans are evil. All of the prisoners are broken, with their face drenched in tears and face that all asking for salvation. I can’t offer my pack as their place to rest or stay, but I am allowed to give them shelter until we get more orders from the palace. “We should—” I paused, nose twitching as I could a scent of something. In a place where both blood, sweat and the traces of nature are dominant, it would be impossible for me to catch any other scent. Unless it’s my mate. Looking around the area, it was impossible that someone had tresppassed again. I had seen everyone in my pack—so it couldn’t be them. Looking at the seven men who are beneath me, I wondered if I was sensing this right. Is it truly possible that I had finally found him? “Luna?” Instead of answering my beta, I simply squatted down to their level. Four people met my eyes, only to look back down. I could see that those were newly added to the collection. Leaning in slowly, I try to match their scent with what I had sensed earlier. It was extremely hard to catch it, as their clothes had touched different scent to dispose of someone tracking them. “Soul, what are you doing?” Steven asked, clearly confused. I simply halted his steps before he could move to me. While I know that I wasn’t making any sense to my people, I needed to find it. My wolf seemed active, and the second I caught the strange smell of lavender, I locked eyes with a black-haired man. His head was hung low, arms fully laid on the ground as if he was kneeling before me. Like someone was offering their respect to a God. “You,” I said, and I caught the way he flinched by the tone of my voice. I did not like that they had ruined my mate, enough that being called would be enough to spook him. While I know that I needed to deal with the whole thing, I needed to confirm if he was the real thing. It was embarrassing to admit, but my wolf adores an ample scent. There is a chance that he had touched a lavender on his way here, hence the scent that gathered in his shirt. It would not be impossible, since I could smell a lot of what he was wearing. Touching him to feel the sparks would be enough, but I do not think that it is good to touch a maltreated werewolf. I am not afraid that he would hurt me, but he could hurt himself. After all, my wolf could verify if he was my mate if our eyes locked. So with full conviction, I ordered. “Lift your head.” As if on command, every one of them did what they were told. It didn’t last a second before they all moved it back to the ground. Everything seemed like an unconscious habit from them, enough that I am worried. Even if they did not want more than a second to look at me in the eyes, that small second of submission did make me catch the appearance of the man who I wanted to see. In the split second that I had met my eyes, my wolf had recognized him as his. He truly is my mate. The man would not be aware of this, as knowing one’s mate by locking eyes is a skill for those with Alpha blood. “What’s your name?” A hand reached to my shoulders, patting them slowly. “Stop scaring them, Soul.” “I was simply asking questions.” “You’re a Luna, standing before a maltreated set of werewolves and you reeking of dominance. Not only that, but your voice had always made it seem like you are barking orders. Give them a chance to breathe.” For the first time, I grew conscious of how I was acting. The man was shivering under the pheromones that I was releasing. I wasn’t sure why he wasn’t meeting my eyes when I know that he could smell my scent. Is this man defective? “Bring them back for now. There is a shelter available for them,” I said, slowly standing from my place. My eyes looked at Nathaniel, who was close to barking orders from the warriors. Yet before he could, I pointed to my mate. “Bring him back to the packhouse after he’s done cleaning.” “Of cou—huh?” I knew that they all know what I meant with the order, so I did not bother explaining. Steven followed me as I head back to the pack. My wolf is still tingling on the inside, excited to meet the man who was destined for us.