Pack Wars

Chapter 4 - Opening Her Eyes

The entire crowd of terrified witches stood with their eyes locked onto those of their apparent intruders. Their apparent leader stepped forward to formally challenge the entire Coven.

The werewolf with the gruff voice leading these intruders was known as Delta Wren, one of the more feral and incredibly dangerous members of the pack. Aside from popular belief that he was in fact crazed, Delta Wren did not seem to understand the meaning of either mercy or compassion. He would quite often leave blood and c*****e in his wake.

And that was what made him so good at what he did.

His silver irises slowly moved from left to right as he took in the crowd. His tongue darted out hungrily to moisten his stubble-covered lips as both sides of his mouth curved insidiously upwards.

“So, who’s the Shepard to all these sheep, hmm?”

He gestured with an upward nod of his head towards them as his hands both moved to rest on his hips impatiently.

“Who’s in charge? I will not ask again...”

Sensing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, the Council members quickly prepared themselves to defend their Coven by silently slipping through the crowd.

They were headed toward the werewolf intruders when the unthinkable happened.

Wren surprised everyone as he suddenly lunged forward.

His massive claw-like hand grasped one of the closest witches to him by the throat, a young brunette named Natalie Cooper. Within the flash of merely a second he had pulled her back in against his chest as she screamed out in terror.

“No, no please!”

The panicked young witch reached out for her fellow witches as the Delta tightened his grip around her throat, causing her to gurgle in pain.

“Wait!” came a sudden voice from across the room.

This caused everyone to turn around in surprise and lock eyes with him as he approached.

“Don’t harm her, please. I’m the one you want.”

The other council members seemed mortified as Master Harold held out his hands in surrender, slowly stepping through the crowd as they parted allowing him to do so.

“Harold, no.” Lady Celeste warned pointlessly as he continued forward anyway.

Delta Wren narrowed his shimmering eyes with caution as the elderly man slowly continued to approach him and his pack members.

He eyed the robed figure up and down warily.

“You are the leader of this Coven?” Wren questioned with disbelief.

“Yes, I am Master Harold. I am the one in charge of this Coven and of its witches.”

Harold gave a single nod as he spoke.

“Please, if you’ll just release the child, I’m sure we can work this out amicably.”

As her throat was being slowly strangled Natalie suddenly chose to fight back.

She tried to cast a defensive enchantment against her captor, whispering softly with what little breath she had left as she lifted her hand only slightly.

“Endanus Actia-”

“-Na-ah… we’ll have none of that little one…” the Delta warned with a sneer.

Wren leaned in over her shoulder, squeezing even tighter against her windpipe and almost crushing it inwards.

She gasped for air, her brows furrowing with fear as her hands grasped at his elongated fingers in a desperate effort to free herself. He had blocked off her entire airway.

She could no longer breathe!

Master Harold immediately halted upon noticing the desperation in her narrowing brown eyes. They looked across to him as if pleading for his assistance.

“Let her go, please. She’s not the one you’re after...”

Master Harold suddenly froze, as did the other council members at his apparently accidental confession. As soon as the words had slipped from his mouth Harold wished he could have taken them straight back. His eyes widened upon realising just how stupid he had been.

“Is that so?” Delta Wren growled sadistically.

While maintaining an incredibly tight hold on Natalie he continued while smirking insidiously.

“Then by all means, point me to the right one.”

Master Harold could now visibly see that Natalie’s face had turned a new shade of purple from a lack of oxygen. Her eyes slowly began to flutter closed. She was mere seconds away from losing her life.

He needed to do something!

“Please, you’re killing her!” Master Harold demanded.

His brows furrowed with serious concern.

“Just tell me what it is that you want! I beg you!”

“Oh, I think you know...” Wren taunted confidently. His brow was now raised in challenge as his grin widened with a sense of power.

“Quickly now, she doesn’t have much time left.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you, just release her!”

“Harold no!” came the angered voice of Lady Miradene from behind him.

“You can’t!” Lady Sabitha added, equally worried about his choice to confess what he knew about Zara.

The Delta’s hand suddenly opened and poor Natalie proceeded to flop down towards the ground. She was unconscious but at least she had managed to escape with her life.

“Very well,” Wren smirked.

“Let’s have a talk then, shall we?”

-

After what felt like the longest walk ever, Xandaar continued to lead Zara along, deeper down into the belly of the castle.

It was at that exact moment that Zara suddenly felt hesitant.

This was uncharted territory for her. Never before had she explored this part of the incredible structure that was Castle Mooreswell.

It had always been ‘off limits’ to all witches, accessible only to the Masters and Ladies of the Coven’s Council.

But here she was, being escorted by their very own Grand Master deep down into such a sacred place...

Why?

Why was he taking her here of all places, especially during one of their emergency lock downs?

Even through all of this, she knew one thing was for certain; she wanted answers, now!

Coming to an abrupt halt right in the middle of the corridor, Zara frowned as she suddenly spoke; her frustration clearly evident in the tone of her voice.

“Ok, I think we’ve done enough walking… I’m not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what the hell’s going on here?”

Hearing her sudden demand, the Grand Master also froze mid-stride and let out an irritated sigh before he rolled his eyes and then turned around to face her.

“Zara, we don’t have time for this-”

“-I don’t care!” she shot back angrily, crossing her arms across her chest in defiance.

“I’m not going any further. Not until you tell me what the hell’s going on here! Where are you even taking me?”

“I told you, we don’t have time-”

He froze.

Xandaar's words ceased mid-sentence and his eyes widened considerably as he appeared to peer right past her at something… behind her?

Seeing his expression; one of fear, Zara frowned in confusion.

She felt her adrenaline beginning to surge, sensing immediate danger.

“Zara, get down!”

At first Xandaar’s frantic shout had startled her, but from her many years of experience in various combat training, Zara immediately obeyed his command. 

She crouched down onto one knee and lowered her head.

And just in the nick of time!

Emerging from the shadows behind her was an already shifted werewolf baring its sharpened canines.

With its incredibly long black claws aimed outward, it went to pounce on Zara from behind.

Instantly lifting his arms out in front of himself, Xandaar sent a powerful energy blast hurtling through the cool night air.

The energy had a bright purple hue to it and crackled loudly as it moved.

In what felt like slow motion for her, Zara turned her bowed head to the side and watched as the glowing blast of energy flew over the top of her.

It sparked brightly as it hit its intended target square in the chest causing the massive, hairy creature to yelp and fly backwards into the adjacent stone wall.

Turning to glance over her shoulder Zara watched in disbelief as the creature’s body hit the stone wall with a heavy ‘thud’, causing the wall to crack in several places.

The werewolf suddenly dropped down to the floor in a mangled heap.

Her eyes were wider than saucers now, her mouth agape in disbelief at what she was seeing.

“What the f**k is that!”

She turned her head to face Xandaar once more and instead came face to face with his outstretched hand. He now stood over her with an intense gaze, waiting for her to take his offered hand.

“A werewolf...”

His current tone showed just how serious he was.

“We must move!”

Zara reached out and took his offered hand, still in a state of apparent shock.

She was instantly lifted up onto her feet and then pulled along through the corridor after him, deeper into the castle.