Brotherhood

Chapter 28

Amy watched in fear as Favian and Geric began circling one another in their wolf forms, snouts pulled back, teeth bared, and menacing growls ripping from each of their throats. The terrifying part was that one of them would be dying today, only one of them spared, and Amy hoped with all her heart that Geric would be the one to survive.

The whole entire camp had gathered to watch, even the humans who stood back just a little bit further than the wolves. If this was a customary thing, fighting to the death, she didn't like it one bit.

Her breath caught fearfully in her throat as Favian made the first lunge, sinking his jaws into Geric's shoulder before Geric twisted out of the hold and began circling once again. Amy held her hands tight to her chest, hoping with all her might that Geric would be the one to come out on top.

When Geric pounced and began ripping at Favian's throat, Amy jumped a foot at the black wolf's yelps, not able to look away in fear that if she missed a single moment, then all would be lost in an instant.

Favian retaliated by slashing Geric hard across the chest, hard enough for blood to gush out of the wound, instantly matting Geric's beautiful black and white fur. Amy pressed a fist to her mouth to keep herself from screaming. Both wolves were bloodied as they began circling each other once more, never breaking eye contact. Again and again in her head, she prayed that this would be over soon. She couldn't handle this for much longer.

As the battle intensified and both wolves were a bit more bloodied and slow with fatigue, many of the onlooking werewolves had changed into their wolf form and began pacing back and forth anxiously, letting out growls or long winded howls into the night air.

The two began attacking again in a mass of black and white fur, moving so swiftly that Amy almost had a hard time following their movements. Her heart beat fast in her chest, each beat filled with even more fear and dread than the last. She hadn't expected the fight to last this long. Both wolves were very evenly matched.

Amy let out a shriek as Favian pounced on Geric, pinning him to the ground. Her eyes widened in fear as Favian bore his sharp, gleaming white teeth and was about to chomp down on Geric's neck to end it once and for all, but out of nowhere, Geric reached his leg up and gauged his claws into Favian's chest. Favian yelped in pain and stumbled backward. He didn't even have time to find his bearings before Geric lunged again and sunk his sharp teeth into the black wolf's neck.

As Geric threw Favian's limp form onto the ground, Favian whimpered and whined, his ears flat against his head as Geric slowly approached, limping gait after limping gait until he stood right above Favian with his head held high. Even then, Amy held her breath. She felt joyful that Geric was the apparent winner, but she knew that the fight wasn't over yet until one of them was killed.

Geric picked up a spear with a silver point between his teeth and seemed to hardly give it any thought as he plunged the spear straight into Favian's heart. The black wolf writhed and clawed and howled and then he became still, the only part of him moving was short strands of fur as the wind blew through it.

All the wolves surrounding them began howling in triumph, bowing to Geric as he passed, his limp starting to fade with each step that he took. Through the excited, submissive howls, he glanced over at Amy and her heart immediately soared. But when she started toward him, he shook his head, stopping her in his tracks.

One by one, the wolves circled around Geric, recognizing him as their Alpha, as their leader. They bowed to him and he bowed back, and even though his face looked pained and his breathing labored, he stood his ground. All Amy wanted to do was rush toward him and engulf him in a hug, but still, he shook his head at her before he started running with all eighty-two wolves running behind him.

Amy watched them go with a heavy but relieved heart, knowing full well that they'd be back. She didn't know what they were doing, but he'd be back. He'd always be back.

"Wolves are strange creatures, aren't they?" her father asked as he stood beside her. "I don't think I'll ever understand them, but I assume this means that we have their full support."

She nodded, her tears pricking in her eyes. "I would sure hope so, Daddy. This kingdom means more to Geric than anything. I know he would dedicate his very last breath fighting for Colmar. He would do anything to see the kingdom prosper."

The king chuckled and led her toward his large tent with a hand to her back. "That's quite the man you've got on your hands. He's a king through and through. Perhaps I judged him wrongly."

Amy's heart soared as she sat across from him at his war table that had a map and figures to represent them, the wolves, and their enemies from Minnings. "You don't really mean that, do you?"

Shrugging, he said, "Perhaps, perhaps not. Only time will tell."

Several moments passed by in silence as they both were caught in their own thoughts. Finally, the king was the one to break the silence.

"You know what they say about you, right?" her father asked her quietly as he thoughtfully moved some of the pieces on the board in front of him, indicating that the enemy has made another advancement. Continuing without glancing up at her, he replied, "They're calling you the Werewolf Princess. Your people adore you, Ameline. If anyone can be a rolemodel for them, it would most certainly be you."

Amy stared at her father as if he just said something outlandish. "But father, I thought you said that I was crazy."

He chuckled and finally raised his gaze to meet hers. "You certainly are crazy, but without the wolves, I don't think we'd even have a remote chance at defeating Minnings."

"If we win this," Amy said animately with wide eyes as she leaned toward her father, hope blossoming in her chest. "If we win this war, what will happen to the wolves?"

"I still don't like them," the king growled. "A hundred years of tradition are not forgotten so easily."

Shaking her head, she grasped her father's hand, her eyes pleading, trying to make him see it how she saw it. "I hope your mind can be changed about the wolves. But keep in mind that I did promise all of them amnesty. They will be protected from their past misdeeds."

Letting out a sigh, her father smiled softly. "As it should be. When you're on the throne someday, you shall be a force to be reckoned with."

Amy let out a laugh that seemed to turn more into a relieving laugh than anything. "I sure hope so, father. I sure hope so."