Dark Twin Moon - The Beast of Darmaruk

Chapter 4:

Night has fallen over the world. A battered, bruised, and bloody Kayleb ran through the woods he hadn't visited in some time. But he still knew his orchard was nearby. Close enough to transform back into his erelion self - his humanoid form. He could hear the beast's heavy footsteps approaching behind him.

"Shit," Kayleb cursed quietly. He had hoped the trap he had built in the dungeon would have been enough to keep the wolf in its clutches a little longer. Instead, it only gave him about a minute's lead. Not even close enough to get what he needed.

Since he was already in crisis, he had no choice but to awaken the entire staff of his orchard, including Luke and Jason. Kayleb took a deep breath and came to a sudden halt.

"Luke!" He yelled so loudly that all the forest animals around him fled in fear; every small and large animal ran away, no matter how proud.

After calling for his first subordinate, he began to run again, knowing the beast was still nearby. He was running as fast as his legs could carry him. In no time, he could see the majestic building that was his home in this sprawling orchard. This was once nothing but barren and rocky land.

The first thing you could see was the anteroom: it had a round shape and walls made of crystal glass with a dome at the top. In the middle of the room was a tree that grew out through a hole in the dome's center. The hole was cut perfectly so that the tree itself fit through it. The anteroom was connected to the main building by a long glass hallway through which one could see the heavy wooden door leading into the building. The sides of the building are rounded at the height of the entrance door. The domes that form the tops of the front rounded portions of the building are divided by slender towers, which are easily dwarfed by the large round tower at the end of the main building.

Luke was already outside the building. The door to the anteroom was wide open.

"Luke," Kayleb called out to him warningly, "go get the-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw something running past him. Something large with an aura that reeked of bloodlust.

He watched in horror as the beast that had been chasing him all this time raced past him, straight in the direction of Luke, who stood frozen, his eyes wide and quickly filling with tears. Seeing his subordinate's frightened state, the same strange feeling he had felt the day before when his soulmate had betrayed him a second time passed through him. The pure rage that had enveloped him and brought a darkness upon him he had never known before emerges again. Only this time, he was overcome with that rage, with no thought left in his head.

He had only closed his eyes for a second, but when he opened them again, he had the wolf's throat in his grasp and held him slightly into the air. As he came to his senses, he was initially shocked but quickly realized this perfect opportunity. With a powerful push, he threw the wolf as far as his strength allowed him to. Since the beast did not attempt to adjust to its situation in the air, it fell hard to the ground. The cracking of his bones could be heard even hundreds of meters away where Kayleb was still standing.

But the lycan couldn't enjoy the younger wolf's pain for long. He immediately turned to Luke, still frozen, and called his name.

It took a second call of his name before Luke awoke from his frozen state. As soon as his green-blue eyes, shimmering like a valley in the morning sun, caught the emerald green orbs of his Alpha, he could see concern and nothing else.

"I know it's hard, but you must pull yourself together!" Kayleb's harsh tone surprised Luke. But it snapped him out of his daze anyway. "Come here, but cover your mouth, nose, and ears!"

Without arguing, he did as he was told. He pulled his shirt higher so no opening was visible except his eyes. When he came to stand before his Alpha, he felt strange, like something was entering his body and trying to tear him apart. But he just shook his head and pushed those thoughts away. Instead, he turned to his rescuer, who had already cut his wrist, took Luke's hands with his good hand, and formed a bowl with them. He twisted his cut wrist over it and let a considerable amount of his blood flow into it.