XADEN’S POV
MIDNIGHT IN THE CRESCENT PACK FOREST.
"Awooooooooooo!" An Alpha’s wolf howled in the distance.
Xaden, unlike most of the other wolves, was not in his wolf form.
He didn’t need to fight or become a wolf because he was strong enough.
He knew it would have consequences if he turned into a wolf.
Especially since he knew his wolf form was taking a toll on him.
As he walked into the forests, he could feel someone around.
I could smell a wolf in his primitive form.
Just as the wolf jumped on him from right above a tree, Xaden turned right in time and used his sword to slash him into two.
The wolf dropped dead on the floor.
And then two more came running at him.
He bent down on his knee and dodged the first wolf, then used his fist to punch it into the wall.
It cried like a puppy and fell to the ground.
The other wolf growled at him, baring its large teeth at him.
"Come on now." Xaden prompted
The wolf raced up to him, and Xaden bent down so much that the wolf could not tear or attack him with his claws.
Then he used his hands to lift him as he was in midair and haul him away.
The first wolf he had tossed to the floor came running to him, and then he grabbed it with its arm, and in a split second, he strangled it and broke its neck.
The wolf went limp.
Then he dropped it, and the other wolf hauled across and lay struggling.
Xaden walked up to it and dropped his sword right into its body.
It went dead.
Erik came running in his wolf form, then turned back to a human.
"Who are those?" Erik asked.
"I suspect three alphas who didn’t like me very much." Xaden responded as he nudged their bodies.
Erik sighed. "Well, the haunt has begun officially."
Xaden looked at Erik, who stood covered in blood.
"What happened to you?" Xaden asked as he cleaned the blood on his sword with the dead wolf’s fur.
"Company." Erik said. "I don’t like these games. It’s already hurting my back. This running."
"My Goddess." Xaden smiled. "What happened to you? You don’t desire the touch of war anymore."
"You’re the one who pulled me into this."
Erik said it pointedly.
Erik had been one of the most feared Alphas. His name had sent chills down people’s spines, but as the old story went,
He had fallen in love, married, and had a family. Then he decided that he didn’t want to fight anymore.
Xaden wished he could give him back what had been forcefully taken away from him.
The only thing that would appease Erik was Alpha Bale’s death.
He hoped that would satisfy him at least.
"I heard that Alex is leading." Erik said. "Turned the other Alphas against you."
"Who told you?" Xaden asked.
"A little bird," Erik replied.
Erik had strangled a wolf and threatened to take his heart out if he didn’t tell him what was going on.
The poor Alpha had given up everything in a split second, and Erik had rewarded him with a fast death.
"He is getting the other Alphas to be on you." He said. "They know you’re stronger than them, but Alex has promised them things, or they side with him against you. This is Alex’s only opportunity to kill you, and he will utilize it."
Xaden knew that Alexander would try something like this.
"So what do they do to clear the road for him? He gets ahead and finds the white elk." Xaden asked.
Erik shrugged. "That’s my best guess. Right now, I can’t tell who is with or against you. We’re in a forest filled with over fifty wolves who might all want to kill you."
Xaden put his sword in its sheath.
"Find as many allies as you can." Xaden said. "I’ll do the same. When they do, and they encounter each other, tell them to show the colors of their wolf eyes. That way, we know they are on our side."
Erik nodded and turned around. "You’re not turning?"
Erik still had no idea that Xaden’s wolf had become dangerous.
If he turned, then he might lose control of himself.
"I prefer to fight with my hands," Xaden said.
"And what do I do if I find Alex?" Erik asked.
"Just kill him." Xaden advised. "I’d like to get rid of him once and for all."
Erik nodded and turned away.
Erik stopped. "One more thing? Don’t die. I would hate to look for another Alpha."
Erik turned to the big, large, blonde-furred wolf and raced off in the distance.
Then Xaden went on his own.
He met about five Alphas on his way.
Three of them were already loyal to him and wanted to die fighting for him.
The other two he had to kill because they paid allegiance to Alex.
He repeated the instructions on communicating with the other wolves on their side, and they went on their way.
It was such a long night.
By about four in the morning, Xaden had probably met about twenty wolves.
He killed a good number of them and converted a number, too.
He had yet to meet Alex or the white elk.
Once he found it, he would be done with all this drama.
He kept walking and found himself in a place he had never been.
He was confused.
Was this part of his pack?
How come he has never been here?
It was a swamp and quiet.
The halo moon illuminated the water, and it glistened like a diamond.
It sparked so well.
And then he saw some flamingos going about.
Fireflies buzzed around, and then the crickets sang.
And then he saw someone in the lake.
Whoever it was had her back to him, and her hair was wet.
She stood in the water to her waist.
She was naked, and he could only see her back.
Her figure was magnificent, and the moonlight reflected on her.
He was fascinated by the beauty.
This creature stood in the river so much that he could not move.
As if sensing his presence, she turned around.
And to Xaden’s shock, it was none other than
Jasmine.