"Alright men," I declare, straightening my shoulders and clasping my hands behind me. "Who detects the scent of their mate among the humans before you?"
At once, two of the infantry prowl forward. My knights make way as they step out of the ring impenetrable iron, one by one they stop at the edge of the river and kneel down on one knee in respect of their Alpha and king. The oldest one, no more than twenty with a scar over his left eye and white-blond hair, speaks first.
"Alpha King, my brother, Corus and myself detect the presence of our mates in this very clearing. Their scents are similar, that of wild irises, a sign they are twins." The infantry man's words elicit a single low snarl from behind me. The sound rough as glass, as if such noise has seen very little use.
I huff a single breath, turning around to face the black garbed humans, their faces covered by animal masks. I find two of them on the right side of the group, long red braids trailing down the front of their robes. Masks carved into that of twin cougars, sharp, bone white fangs attached to firm heavy jaws. I draw in a single breath, scenting the air and smiling as the smell of wild iris greets my nose. Emanating from these two humans, whose forms appear wraithlike in the gloom.
"You two," I say, crooking my finger at the red haired pair. "Come forward and remove those horrendous skulls." They both stiffen, spines straightening as they clasp hold of each other's hands. Skin paler than my mate's, unblemished save for jagged red lines trailing down to the tips of their fingers. Without uttering a single sound, the taller of the two heads over. Dragging their counterpart as if they were a child's rag doll.
From the corner of my eye, I see that none of their fellow humans dare move or comment. They simply stand there as leaves and roots crumble underneath the footsteps of the silent pair. As if only a great force could possibly make them break, and let loose the fear I smell emanating off their weak bodies.
As the pair reaches the edge of the bank, only a hands breath away from me, they pull of their masks and meet their mates with empty gazes. Identical feminine faces, rimmed with pale skin and eyes of black ochre. Almost as beautiful as my mate, but where she embodies the makings of a strong queen. These two, emulate silent statues, hollow entrancing forms that take all that one offers, without an ounce given back in return.
"Who are you, young maids?" I start, as I gesture for the two soldiers to cross to collect their mates. "It would be a wise gift for your mates, to hear you speak your names." My wolf growls in fury when I am greeted with two blank looks. One quivering slightly in fear, the other narrowing in contempt as they turn their gazes towards the one who has captured my soul.
"Tell us!" I bellow, grabbing hold of the contemptuous female before me by the chin. "Speak and answer your king."
"She can't," I hear my mate say, her voice sending my wolf trembling inside my head. "Neither of them can."
"Why?" I counter, forcing myself not to look at her beautiful face, and instead glare down at the red head with unflinching eyes.
"Their family was attacked when they were young children," my mate begins, elicting low disgruntled growls. "Leaving them as wounded orphans, with throats that healed but make it almost painful for them to speak."
I harden my gaze upon the human in my grasp. Debating whether I should hand her over to her mate and have him punish her for her insolence, or meet out the punishment myself.
"Tis...true...Alpha...King," a grating husk of a voice utters, drawing my eyes towards the other red haired human. Pain shows upon her thin face, dark bags under her eyes, telling of nights without the respite of sleep.
"Please," she says again, her whispering plead laced with a voice turned to harsh crumbling rock. "Forgive...her...my...lord."
Tamping down the my still brewing anger, I set down her sister. Quickly releasing my grip from her chin, and stepping back as the younger one scuttles over to her sibling. "Forgiveness must be earned human," I utter, clasping my hands behind my back as I level my gaze upon the females. "In order for me to give it, both of you must tell your mates your names. Unless you'd prefer to have my General beat it out of you."
Twin gazes of dark stone, glare at me in return. One threatening to turn into an inferno of flame, while the other gutters between fear and anger. They both know I never hold back on my word, all the humans living in my kingdom do. Ever since I had the last rebellion of humans utterly destroyed, their leaders given the punishment of the Blood Eagle, no one has dared question my words. Never even uttering the word liar or coward in my presence since.
"I...am...Celeste...my lord," the female with flaming eyes speaks, pain evident in her gaze as she forces herself to continue. Though her voice is ragged, strained, and almost weak, if not for the hatred laced beneath. Turning her head, she gazes upon the older of the two infantrymen before us. Their cloak hems wet from the river, drip onto the ground, while they stand shoulder to shoulder with evident longing in their eyes.
How she knew he was her mate, I do not know, except for how much hate she aimed at him while he radiated love and happiness towards her with a single adoring grin. A mark of glee that swiftly vanished when she opened her snarling mouth.
"And I...will never...be his...breeding...useless," she snarls, stopping just for a second to suck in a breath and release the next words filled with unholy venom. "Fucking...whore." Turning on her heel, Celeste marches back towards her fellow humans. Leaving her sister, her mate, and his brother in utter shock.
I am not aggrieved in the slightest, I expected retaliation from these humans. However, that could not be said for Celeste's mate who let loose a growl and made to run after her, but was stopped by her sister with an unnerving clam look upon her face. "She made...her choice," the female utters, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry...it wasn't...what you wanted, now I must...make mine."
Stepping away from the male, the human stops before Corus with a solemn air encapsulating her frame. The young, brown haired wolf takes her in hesitantly, no doubt wondering if she to will spout heinous and blasphemous words at him as well. Instead, she takes his tan hand into her pale ones, and gently places it onto her body, right above her heart.
"Unlike...my sister," the human begins, pushing through the pain that takes hold of her body for the price of speaking. "I...don't have...the strength...to deter...the claim...of my mate. I...give myself...freely to you."
The female's eyes widen as Corus smiles and picks her up by the waist. He twirls her around in a circle, their cloaks fluttering as he sets her back down and kisses her cheek. The female looks towards her companions, seeking reassurance from all of them, especially my mate, my darling Nyx.
"Be not afraid Aloutte," my mate says, as the feiry Celeste returns to the humans as she places her mask back on her stone like face. "Your choice is your own, and remember you shall never walk alone. Credere nemo, Manere Verum, Numquam obliviscar, Sunt hostes."
"Ego sequi umbras, Numquam ego arcu, Ad eorum unguibus," Aloutte answers, turning towards Corus with a small grin on her face.
"Don't worry," the female adds, taking his hand in hers as she leads him back towards the rest of my men. "Tis merely a...farewell...in the ancient words...of our people."
Once they have crossed, with Corus's stoned faced brother in tow. I ask again for more to come forward to claim their mate, and I'm thankfully rewarded with my three most fearsome and trusted knights.
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💋Just to add some fun knowledge, and sow some seeds of interesting theories. 😎
Latin Translation
Nyx's words-Trust no one, Stay True, Never forget, They are the enemy
Aloutte's words-I follow the shadows, Never will I bow, To their claws
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Forest of Lies
Manusia SerigalaA thousand years past, the world was run by humankind. But it changed, when countries became embroiled in a war that gave the werewolves the opportunity, to recreate the earth in their own image. Now humans are the lowest on the food chain, little m...
