The Royal Beta

Ch. 15 - Blood Wolf

Chapter 15 – Blood Wolf

This had to be a quick mission. It had to be. She didn't have all the time in the world, even though she wished she did. But they had to die now more than ever. This game of hide and seek had been going on for far too long.

Last time they got lucky. The severity of the snowstorm had thrown her off their scent. But she wouldn't let it happen again. She wouldn't let them get away again. Filthy rogues. The Blood Wolf growled at the mere thought of them while she continued to try and sniff them out.

She caught their scent soon enough and dashed after them. They were on the run, but she knew that if need be, she was able to outrun them. It wasn't long before her teeth settled themselves in the hind leg of one of them. She bit down hard and the wolf let out a whimper. He tried to wrestle her, but he was no opponent for the Blood Wolf. This was child's play. But deciding to show some sort of mercy, she chose to make it a quick death instead of dragging it out.

He had been nothing but a low rank – the runt of the clan of some sorts – the leaders wouldn't be that lucky. They had another thing coming for them. They would know what they'd done and it would cost them severely.

The Blood Wolf chased the other wolves who'd used her distraction with their comrade as an opportunity to make their grant escape. The first two were caught easily. She had bitten them in the legs to make it harder for them to run away. The two tried to come at her both at once, but the Blood Wolf expected that and used their uncoordinated attack against them by moving around enough so the two wolves were actually biting into each other's fur by accident, instead of both taking a bite out of her left flank.

The wolves yelped, but recovered quickly to try and strike again. The Blood Wolf dodged the attack of the amber coloured wolf and in the same movement turned to attack the silver one. She snapped her jaws at the silver wolf while clawing at their face, blinding the wolf in the process. But because of the advanced healing of wolves, the Blood Wolf was well aware that the injury would only be temporarily.

She used the advance she had on the silver wolf as an opportunity to bite into the neck of the wolf, but instead of immediately ripping its throat out, she send it flying against one of the trees where she heard some of the bones of the wolf break. This would give her some time to disarm the amber coloured wolf first because that one was still agile and walking.

The two still standing wolves ripped into each other's throat but it was clear that the Blood Wolf had the upper hand. The fight had been decided before it even ended. The Blood Wolf got in one good bite and the amber coloured wolf was done for, bleeding out to death.

She turned to the silver wolf to see its breathing had slowed dramatically and it sounded heavy. Just hearing the wolf struggle to breathe had her feeling like she had trouble with providing her longs with oxygen, too. Even without the Blood Wolf killing it, the silver wolf would not survive for long. Before dawn rose, the silver wolf would have taken its last breath.

So now she had a decision to make. Would she kill it and end its suffering? Or would she refrain from taking its life directly and wait for the severity of its injuries to catch up to it? The silver wolf looked at her with pleading eyes and the Blood Wolf reminded itself that she would be merciful tonight. At least to these two wolves. So giving into its pleas, she walked over to the silver wolf and put an end to its suffering.

She threw her head back and let out a long howl. It wasn't a victorious one. Rather a mournful one. The Blood Wolf was getting tired of this. For years on end she had searched for this rogue clan. But now that she had the chance to end them, she felt exhausted to the bone. Now that her goal was within reach, did she wonder: had it really been worth it? And: was it still worth it?

She didn't know.

But she was too close to give up now. When the job was done, she decided, she would quit.

Her howl was responded to by an unknown wolf. That had never happened before. But she did not have the time to dwell on it. She had to finish this so she could rest. She was only twenty years old and she felt like she was about to die of old age. But it was just that, a feeling. Physically speaking she was as healthy as a horse – or rather... a wolf.

And so she took off further into the forest. Chasing those that had chased her nightmares for a long time now.

She didn't waste her energy on chasing the lower or middle ranks. Even as they tried to hold her off did she make the fights quick and easy. There was no time for games. Not tonight. And then she encountered their main leader.

He had expected her, crouched down in a defensive pose. Growling and snapping his jaws at her to warn her and keep her at bay. This was the main offender in the Blood Wolf's book. The evil mind behind everything. And he needed to die.

But sometimes things aren't as easy as you'd like them to be.

She fought him endlessly. Dodging and attacking. Snapping her jaws. Growling loudly. But the red wolf knew how to stand its ground. They were almost as equals. Almost.

But things came to an end for the Blood Wolf when a second leader showed its face.

I apologize that the chapter is somewhat short. Hope you're having a nice weekend. And that despite everything that's going on in both the world and your personal life, you'll be able to enjoy the little blessings.

Lots of love,

Charlie