Taming the Wolf Prince (Re-uploading Edited Chapters)

Chapter 7 A Man Named Red

It was strange to think that, earlier in the day, Winter had never seen more than a slither of someone else's blood before. Nor had she ever heard a real scream of genuine terror. Now, the image of red splattering was carved like a knife wound into her mind, the sounds of screams echoing like a ghost pacing aimlessly within her brain.

It wasn't just the wait for those grotesque sounds, the signal of his demise, that made each second feel like she was suffocating -- it was also knowing that so much had been sacrificed for her own survival, yet she was still unable to carve her destiny with her own hand.

She wondered what it was she should do. She was at least smart enough to know that throwing herself between the two wolves would accomplish nothing but break Tamer's heart after all he'd done to keep her safe. She wondered if instead the best option was to run, to at least try and continue on with his desire rather than just stand there and do nothing.

Snow began to drift peacefully from the sky, speckling her dark hair with glitter. Ironically, the Maiden of Ice Flowers was frozen, eyes clenched as her nails dug into her skin. It took a lot of effort just to open her eyes. Face the gruesome scene she'd let play out before her. She heard the sound of blood trickling onto the snow; she was convinced Tamer was dead by now -- perhaps her own dissociation had blocked out the sounds.

Putrid nausea stuck in her throat, she separated the cracks in her fingers.

Red. It was dripping on the snow, splattering like a bloodied sun. It poured down his fist; he'd moved without her even hearing -- silent like a predator.

The sight she was met with was not the one she was expecting.
Still in human form, Red stood with his claws stabbed into the scruff of the black wolf's neck, yanking it so it dangled but a breath away from Tamer's face.

Tamer's face paled as blood slowly dripped upon it. His eyes were unblinking as he stared into those rows of open teeth like they were a deep, dark abyss.

"Hey." Red's voice was eerily quiet. His face was statue-esque. He gave a stiff, almost mechanical looking tilt of his head, like a puppy channelling a strange sound. The shift was almost jarring; there was absolutely no emotion on his face until a sudden fury consumed him like a solar eclipse. "Who gave you permission to kill Tamer, Xavier?" The gentle tone of his voice didn't match the anger in his eyes. "Father would be upset with me if I let you kill your brother without interfering."

Red flung the great beast aside with the strength in his human arm alone.

"Besides..." Red's tongue trailed slowly over the blood over his hand as there was a great crash behind him. He heaved a lavish sigh and his lip curled to a crooked grin, fang sticking out on one side."If you killed Tamer when he was in a weakened state, it wouldn't be any fun now would it?"

Tamer remained frozen. Even with the threat of death removed before him, a new wild-card took its place. The harsh tremours of breath escaping him were no more at ease.

Red extended his arm towards him. He beamed, sharp teeth as white as the moonlight twinkling behind him. He shifted from anger to supposed kindness way too quickly; she could very clearly see that anger still lingering pointedly in those eyes. Despite how endearing it was, the kind of smile she could lose herself in like a pleasant dream, it did not reach his eyes.

"Here, let me help you," Red said quietly.

Tamer growled as Red went to touch him.

Anger scrunched Red's features and irritation flashed in his eyes. His stare lingered with Tamer's for a second before he gave a very long blink as if trying to draw attention away from it.