Slave to the Tyrant Alpha

Chapter Six - Blood and Flames

He’s coming.

Dense snow shifted from around me as we pressed forward with the heat from the hellfire burning into my skin and painting my cheeks an angry red, Atlas grunted from the pain as he shoved a burning piece of plywood out of the way and threw it to the side until it landed in a pile of burning rubble. Erratic sparks flew from around us at the impact and lit the remnants of foliage that managed to grow in the dead of winter, the stems of the frosted Winter Sow became alit with blackened embers as the flames spread from around us. My breath caught in my throat as a large raven-coloured wolf emerged from the flames with his massive paws crumbling the ashes from under him, I cringed as I imagined the pain he must have felt and yet I wasn’t distracted for awfully long.

“Alaïa,” Atlas murmured just low enough for me to hear.

I glanced up at him as I pressed my weight against his back, the seams of his once flawless white shirt were burned away and hanging on by a thread as he reached behind him and gripped my hand that had grasped for what remained of his shirt.

“When I say go, you run,” He breathed nervously.

The large wolf stared us down with crimson eyes dripping from bloodlust, the mesmerizing orbs lured me in. Dampened snowflakes clung to his fur as it stood on end along with his head and spine and revealed a mixture of both blood and grit, he reeked of death as the wolf's tongue hung out as if parched for sustenance and yet I knew it wasn’t water that he craved. I withdrew my hand from Atlas’s shirt and took a step back as fear spread throughout my body as the overwhelming beast towered over us, his presence made Atlas stiffen as he tilted his chin towards me slightly.

“Atlas?” I breathed nervously.

“Run!” he ordered without taking his eyes off the wolf.

“But…” I started to say uncertainly.

“Go!” He ordered as he pressed his palm into my chest and forced me backwards.

I gasped from the impact as I was thrust into a nearby snowbank and yet the fluffy snow embraced my frail body with ease as Atlas took one last look at me before turning on his heels and hunched over as he allowed the change to consume him. My eyes widened from fear as I realized he was activating the Asli curse, veins of silver and a vibrant blue engulfed his body as his once ivory flesh split at the joints. A ragged howl escaped his lips as canines tore through his gums and took over what had once been his teeth, the bones within his limbs snapped and crumbled to the ground as new ones formed and merged within his crumbling flesh to form muscular limbs coated by thickened fur.

“No!” I screamed as I instinctively reached out for him and yet all I caught were strands of white-golden fur.

Atlas whimpered as he fell to his knees, his fingers snapped backwards sprouting blood within the snowbanks surrounding us. He buried his hands within the snow beneath him and removed them a moment later to reveal strong paws with extended claws. Atlas stood on all fours in his wolf form with his white fur standing on end as he composed himself and used his body to protect me. I wanted to reach out and hold him as every fibre of my body screamed. He shifted into his wolf form knowing that he may never be able to turn back.

“Atlas,” I whispered, a sob threatening to escape my lips as his sacrifice ricocheted throughout my very being.

“Leave!” The beasts' voice echoed in my mind.

“You can't die,” I murmured under my breath as I lifted my weight from the ground and turned on my heels until I was running away from the impending attack.

I briefly looked back to see the two wolves charge at each other, the black wolf easily towered over Atlas's smaller frame. Within moments he toppled over Atlas and grasped his neck within his extended canines. Canines that bathed in blood, I could hear Atlas whimper as he struggled against the beast and yet I couldn’t help but scream as I heard a sickening crunch.

My scream filled my bones and reached the treetops, for a moment it seemed the chaos and fire around me seemed to stop as time itself stilled. I watched as Atlas’s blood pooled and seeped into the ground that was now his death bed. I wanted to turn around and take his lifeless form within my arms regardless of the ravaged beast towering over his corpse.

Anything would be better than feeling the empty void within my heart as the coolness of death crept up my spine and through my fingertips. I wanted to explode, I wanted to kill everything within my sight, but no one could stop the tragedy that had befallen this night. I closed my eyes and willed a piercing scream to erupt from my lungs and tear through my lips.

The mighty beast slowly looked up at me as he held Atlas's snapped neck within his jaws. His interest piqued as he willingly dropped the carcass onto the ground and placed his heavy paw before him as he began to make his way towards me. Tears shot to my eyes as I quickly turned on my heels and ran in the opposite direction. I was now the prey, and I knew that it would be impossible for me to outrun him.

The trees were alit with a fury ember as flames engulfed the leaves. Only the lost Forest could contain translucent leaves even in the dead of winter. Soon nothing would be left within their existence as the fire engulfed the ancient vegetation.

A crackling sound caught my attention as I looked up to see a branch snap from the base of the tree and head straight for me. The heavy fallen limb was engulfed in fire revealing a deep black and purple flame. I gasped as my body refused to move and cried out as the fallen limb collapsed onto me. Soon my soul was engulfed within the flames as the darkened fire burned away my flesh.

A/N: Follow me on sss for future updates -K.