Taurus

Prologue

The leader who organised these underground matches slipped away. Again. But his office was impeccable. Cold. Harsh. And it screamed old money.

The sofas were made of the finest leather and the table of the best oak. Dim yellow lights gave this room a softer touch, but he knew how it might be when its owner was here.

There were no attempts to take the books or the electronics when they left. As if the information stored there was not worth protecting.

Taurus had been behind this leader for a year. Ever since he owed Libra one and ever since Libra found that the leader was involved in the drug business. Minoya.

Had it been a normal drug, he would not have cared so much. But Minoya was developed from the scales of ancient beasts that resided in Star Sea. One of the most ancient spaces in the universe.

Jarred whistled next to him. "This is a fine treat."

Following his friend's gaze, he looked down. The office was built in the highest and in the darkest place. It had no walls, but one-way glass that reflected light so skilfully that no one among the thousands who were below knew there was a place like this.

The main chair where he assumed the leader would have sat was halfway between the glass window and the table. And next to him, three steps lead down. Ten smaller tables with computers were there.

Fia stopped her wheelchair at the edge of the stairs. "Why did he want so many computers?"

He frowned. "Ten teams, right?"

"Huh?" Jarred asked.

"Ten big teams," he said. "Ten teams who always made it to the end."

Fia inhaled sharply. "It's match-fixing?"

The Second Warrior shrugged. He might have cared about it if Minoya was not involved.

The female next to him sat on the chair and twirled it. He raised an eyebrow at her. What are you doing?

She stared at him right back. Silver irises shone in the otherwise dark room. They don't know?

He shook his head. It's better if less people know, Virgo.

Virgo was not supposed to be here. She was investigating the rogues who had invaded the capital and took down the Royals. She was supposed to be somewhere else. But her investigation brought her here. Why were they all connected?

She stood up and looked down. "It's lively down there."

Of course, it would be lively. The rising star was participating in this fight. Someone who had never once lost a fight. But even in the standards here, this contender was a kid.

Barely seventeen. Barely an adult. Yet he was there in the ring, fighting life and death matches as if he was made for it.

Virgo inhaled deeply. "You're right. He is a kid."

The distance and the lack of light were not a problem for both of them. The angle may have been.

He may be young, but he was taller than his peers. A strand of his grey hair fell over his face as the werewolf before him slumped on the ground.

The kid calmly wiped the blood on his hands on his pants and went to his corner.

"You're going to sponsor him?" Jarred asked.

He nodded. "Yes. He is a kid."

Compared to the calm faces of Jarred and Fia, his sister was restless. She clenched her fists and stared down as they cleared the body.

Taurus... she began. There was a faint tremble. That werewolf was under the influence of Minoya, wasn't he?

Yes.

And this kid won over someone who took Minoya?

Yes.

He is not a normal werewolf, right?

He is a hybrid. Werewolf with a bit of vampire blood.

A normal hybrid can't do what he did, Taurus!

Should he tell her the entire truth? Virgo... he defeated Nox on that ring.

Who is he?

The Warrior who represented the Light of Moon did not answer, for the entire arena was shouting his name in glee, "Lupus."

*******

Yes, I changed the prologue.

I took a long break from writing and it was not intended. I am doing my internship and it got extremely stressful in the past few months.

I am rewriting Taurus.

Until then,

~Quill