PIECES OF WAR

Prologue

A bolt of lightning slashed across the darkening sky, its energy felt as if it was the anger of the Goddess tearing down from the heavens. It seemed to brighten the darkness that blanketed the battlefield, it was almost a beautiful sight if it wasnt for the carnage. The air carried the stench of blood and icy prickling chill of rage. The howling wind carried the pained screams and howls alike across the blood-stained field, cluttering with the bodies of the dead and the dying. Dodging left and right, wolves attacking at all sides, there was no time to pay attention to the stinging pain vibrating through my battered body. It's been hours of fighting, the pack link rippled with the pain of the dead and the dying as they are torn from their life here on Earth by the jaws of another wolf.

This was never meant to happen; the war has taken so much from us all and here we are still fighting and killing one another. A howl ripped through battlefield, causing a chill to run through my body. My fur, which was once a beautiful glistening white, was now dyed  red from those who have fallen at the dooming fate of my teeth. It wasnt just the blood of my fallen opponents, but the blood leaking from my own wounds like a steady stream. A chilling thought occurred to me briefly, I knew the eyes of those whose life I took would haunt me for the rest of my life if I made it out alive. I was knocked sideways, hitting the ground I rolled, making sure I was quick to get up. I bared my teeth at my assailant and a thunderous growl ripped through my chest, causing those of lesser bloodline cower away from me. This was a war started over bloodlines and power after all.

A voice screamed my name, one I knew all too well, through the pack link and fear impaled my heart, 'Amory!', Carson screamed, the pain he was endearing ringing clear to ears it fell upon. Spinning I took off, shoving through wolves that came into my path, no matter if they were pack or not. I came to a halt at a numbing sight that wasnt too thrilling. I was met with a towering wolf with fur black as night and eyes the bluest, I've ever seen. The stench of blood was not enough to hide the addicting smell of pines and cinnamon that wafted to my nose. I momentarily paused as if I was froze in time, but it all changed when I heard a pained cry, from Carson who laid behind the one wolf who I was supposed to love indefinitely. Carson let out a cry as a cowardly wolf jumped upon him clawing for his throat, which Carson fought back weakly, having lost too much blood. I lunged for the dominating wolf in front of me in effort to get to my precious cousin. The male wolf that was my soulmate didn't expect my attack and we went tumbling, fighting to be the victor, life was at stake.

After brutally clawing and tearing at flesh the male landed below me and my jaws wrapped around his neck. A snarl ripping through me, just as I was about to end the life of the wolf that was my mate an angry crippling pain slashed through me like the lightening was doing to the sky. A close family bond has been severed and a life taken from this Earth. I fell back, my fur receding as waves of pain and agonizing grief coursed through me. Just as I became aware who was lost, I felt another more physical stabbing pain tear through my torso, looking down a knife was lodged into my side. I stumbled back on unstable legs, grasping the knife that was lodged deeply. I snarled out viciously as I looked up at the attacker that put it there, only to gasp at who I saw. Betrayal ripped through me as a hard fist met my temple, causing blackness to take over my vision.

The Alpha has fallen.