SHATTER

Chapter Six

Third person POV:

Ringing. That's all Raines's ears heard as the male Alphas roars reverberated off the room's white sculpted walls. The room became hot with rage and everyone could feel it. Simple pack wolves itched and howled with no other choice because their Alpha was upset, so they were upset.

          The room slowly burning in reckless anger was being matched with wolffish testosterone. Raine could feel the power of the Alphas trying to seep into her skin, it prowled around all of her veins, pores, and senses, trying to find a way in and over power her. The audacity of these wolves. They wanted her to submit; she would never. Raines team tensed up behind her ready to attack at any moment if given the word from their leader, regardless of what King Charles said. They may serve the crown but their loyalty will always be with Raine. Always. However, Raine showed nothing—she did not flinch or shake. She was stone. She was an unbreakable wall of rage and insanity. It would take a lot more than a couple of screaming males to make her cower. Not even the King could make her kneel anymore and he knew it. Raine kneeled only out of respect and not obligation. Raine always stood strong in the face of adversity and that would not stop today. Alpha be damned— she was captain of the Royal guard and unbeknownst to them—The Kingdoms beast. She would not yield.

"This is the person you have sworn in to protect us? She is female?"

"This female has invaded my lands and you have allowed it!"

"Where is her mate?"

"Look how far we have fallen! A female is to protect us! Can she even defend herself?"

The voices. So many voices. Raine felt the beast inside crack an eye open at the chaos. She felt it stretch its legs and prowl around her senses. The Alphas continued to try and pound their dominance on her. The beast inside of her hated challenges and hadn't been out in years—it was starting to get restless. If Raine were to unleash her demon, if only for a second, she could...No! Raine slammed against the beast in her mind. She pushed and pushed it back into the cave that it crawled out from. There would be no unleashing today. No bloodshed. No tragedies. No massacre. She will not yield; not even to her beast.

         Raine could feel pressure under her skin again. It didn't help that her mate was searing a hole in the side of her face. She had seen him and the rest of her past when they first walked through the door. Time had not done them well. Raine released several deep breaths trying to cool the heat under her skin. The beast was howling with rage. If anyone looked close enough they could see the tips of her ears turning sharp at the tips before transforming back. If Raine took the edge off of her beasts rage with small transformations here and there it calmed down the pressure in her mind. She was like an active volcano ready to erupt at any moment. But she still pushed and pushed at it. Her internal fight was causing a sharp headache to form in her eyes and temples.

As if sensing the brewing conflict in Raine, the prince moved easily towards her, taking he took small steps to get to her right and he leaned slightly on her body. "Feel me. I am here."  The prince mentally pleaded with her and her beast to calm down, no need for a massacre today. He looked at her out of  the corner of his eyes, begging her to feel him and spare him a glance.

            Raine felt the presence of the prince next to her and matched his eyes. Her eyes flashing icy blue and his yellow. The prince brushed his fingertips along the backside of her hands, which were down by her sides. This action was covered by the folds of Raines cloak. To the audience eye, the prince stood next to the general as a sign of respect. Unbeknownst to them, he was trying to keep her from shredding them to ribbons of flesh.

          It was a small gesture that brought warmth to both their hands and was at least effective. It had been recently that Raine noticed the beast slightly responded to the princes wolf—not in a submissive fashion—but in understanding. It was an anomaly to her and one that she had spent many restless nights pondering. Raine could feel the beast slowly crawl back into the cracks of her mind, as if the beast had lost all interest in the pathetic common wolves below. She swore she could hear it grumbling.