Vengeance With A Pride

A few days back

The motion of the chiming bells was the only sound that could be heard in the otherwise serene room. Einar kept staring at his locket which had all of a sudden lost all its glow. His demon had never showed after that fateful day. What surprised him though was that his wolf was eerily calm as well. Like the absence of a peculiar someone did not affect the animal at all. How was it possible?

He took a deep sigh and dejectedly lowered his locket from his hand “Is it necessary?”

“Yes it is.”

“I am not ready..” Einar slowly turned his head to the left “How can I betray Callan.”

Garrick scoffed and sighed in defeat. It had been the same conversation for the past several days. Garrick was sick and tired to argue with his best friend to make him understand that the pack came first. He tried his best to help him forget the green eyed man but he failed every time. It was as if Einar was completely intoxicated by the charms of Callan. It was frustrating for Garrick.

The beta stood from his place and looked at the muscular man with concern. “You have done that already. It is high time Einar.”

“My conscience is refusing to do this.”

“You have to make things right before going to the kings palace.”

A long silence followed and Einar slowly raised his head with hope in his eyes “Will he be there?”

“No he wont.” Garrick shook his head in disbelief “Stop talking about him already.”

“It has been a month. I haven’t seen him.” A small water drop rolled through Einar’s cheek as he pleaded Garrick “I want to see him. Just a glimpse that’s all.”

“We have talked about this Einar. We did this for a cause. The probable reason he is not showing himself is because maybe he doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore. Maybe its time that both of you moved on with your respective lives.”

The words broke the man once again and he returned to his indifferent, vulnerable state. “I feel so empty..”

Garrick felt sympathetic towards the pathetic state of the muscular man. “What have you done to yourself!”

Einar’s once sculpted body had lost its sheen. The warmth of his face was long gone while it was as if he had forgotten to even smile. Einar was a real mess.

“Everyone in the pack is worried for your health. You have already lost a lot of weight. I am done lying to the entire pack! What more reason should I give for you to not step out of your room?”

“I don’t want to go. That’s final.”

Even before Garrick could argue any further, his nostrils were attacked by a familiar scent. He narrowed his eye brows to recall the person and upon realizing who the man was, a small smile formed on his face. A swift knock on the door diverted the friends attention to the door as Garrick stood on his feet and met the stranger with a tight hug.

Both the men exchanged pleasantries and the stranger looked at Einar with delight and an equal surprise. The stranger had strawberry blonde hair while an inferno spewing axe was tattooed on his muscular neck on both the sides. He went ahead and greeted Einar with an embrace.

“Hello Fenwick.” Einar said with a weak smile “It has been a long time.”

“Hello Einar. You have changed a lot. I almost could not recognize you. Alpha Ragnar told me that you were sick so I came to check on you.”

“I am fine.” He gestured a hand towards his body “My family just has a habit of making a fuss about nothing.”

Fenwick raised a brow “As you say.”

An uncomfortable silence followed and finally it was Garrick who took charge “So are you ready for the annual meeting of the alphas.”

“It is my first year as the alpha.” Fenwick smiled the brightest “I am ready.”

“Is that why you are so excited?”

“Not exactly.” He turned his shoulder to the left as the conversation was now being held between Garrick and him “I have found my mate. Her name is Debrina and she works in the royal palace.”

“I think I’ve heard this name somewhere.”

The man nodded “You must have. She is one of the four personal maids of the princess.”

“Beatrice?”

Fenwick smiled with distaste and again nodded “I met her on the last day of our training and that was the day I found Debrina following the princess with a tray of fruits.”

“Why haven’t you claimed her up until now? What took you so long?

“You know how Beatrice is. She loves to possess things. If her eyes feast onto something than she has to have it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Debrina has been her obedient maid since a long time. Beatrice doesn’t want to give up on her prized possession. She has to have her at any cost. She wont easily let her go.”

“That is really unfortunate. So what are you going to do now?”

“I have had talks with my father and some other alphas. The woman cannot keep my mate away from me for long.”

“This is really insane.” A glint of hate and disbelief marked Garrick’s face “I pray for every soul who comes in contact with her. If she likes someone than there’s definitely nothing the person can do. I mean she is the princess after all.”

“Sheldon, Blaxton, Carnelia they all have been victims. All trapped by the princess for their qualities. However there has only been one exception.”

“Who is it?” Garrick asked with curiosity.

“I don’t recall his name but the princess calls him her ultimate prize. He has been the only one to refrain himself from falling in the trap.”

“He definitely must have a stronger alpha wolf to deny the princess.”

“That’s the point.” Fenwick giggled “He isn’t a wolf. He is just a human.”

“That’s impossible!” Garrick’s eyes widened “Why does a royal blood is so engrossed with a human?”

“Sheldon says that he is like no other. His beauty exceeds the entire male population of the royal palace. He says that he hasn’t seen a handsome man as such before.”

“It is strange. When did Beatrice met the human? She never visited the human settlement as far as I know.”

“Debrina told me that the princess met him by accident on the Stowe lake. He was playing with his were-bear friend back then.”

The mention of the were bear caught Einar off guard. “What did you say!”

He had been a passive listener to the entire conversation. However his interest now piqued since he was suspicious and in a way sure of the person who Fenwick was referring to. A slow but raging anger was building up inside of him. Fenwick was feeling tensed by the dominating aura of Einar which was growing all of a sudden.

Calm down Einar. This may not be what you think.

Garrick’s request diverted Einar and he took long breaths to calm himself “Please continue.”

Fenwick looked strangely at Einar and then at Garrick but he deduced the reason for Einar’s mood swings was because of his health. He slightly shrugged and smiled “The boys were around sixteen I guess. The princess and her crew stopped by the lake for some rest when she heard the laughter. This intrigued her and she went closer to look at source behind the melodic laugh. Debrina says that Beatrice behaved as if some spirit had taken over her body. She stepped inside the water and even before anyone could realize it she launched herself on the boy..”

Einar gritted his teeth “When you say launched herself..”

“She tried to force herself on him..”

It had been there; the burning rage in his gut. The light flames of his anger were slowly gaining momentum. And when he hard the last sentence Einar’s mind was ready to be blown. The anger in him bubbled and he growled with his might. He stood up from his place and smashed the window with the power of his fist.

Garrick was at his side the next moment as he tried to calm down his best friend. Fenwick on the other hand was confused by the abrupt behavior of Einar “Relax. Why your being so angry?”

“I am sorry.” Einar kept his eyes stern “I felt bad for the boy.” Though it was hard for him to hear any further Einar willed his mouth to speak “What happened next?”

“The princess wasn’t letting it go. She clung to the boy like a magnet. His body was decorated with claw marks and canine bites. She was ready to devour him then and there. Ultimately it was the were bear friend who finally succeeded in separating the both. He slashed open the neck of the princess and saved his friend’s life.”

Einar’s eyes were turning its color from the normal brown to the devilish red. He wanted blood. He wanted to sever the head of the princess from her body. Garrick didn’t knew what he was supposed to do. He cleared his throat in hesitation and diverted Fenwick’s attention to himself “Did she try something of this sort again?”

“Not that I know of. King Stanislas knew about the incident and he was pissed. Ashamed at the fact that his own daughter would stoop so low. He punished her as he deemed fit. However we all know the princess. Beatrice made it her mission to have the boy all for herself one day.”

“She still wants him?”

Fenwick nodded “She does.”

“Do you happen to know the name of the boy?”

“Debrina did tell me his name.” Fenwick squeezed his eyes as he strained his brain to recall the name of the boy “Let me think.. uhh.. It was Coulter.. uhh no uhm.. Clinton.. uhmm no no Carren..”

“Callan.” Einar said with an unknown expression.

“Yes exactly.” Fenwick grinned childishly as if he had solved the puzzled “His name was Callan.”

The side of Einar’s lips curved and he sternly looked at his best friend with determination. “Garrick lets pay a visit to the king. We have to attend the annual meeting of the alphas after all.”

****

After coming out of the changing room Beatrice stationed herself in front of the large mirror. She sat on her seat and frequently dabbed her face with the silk napkin. She carefully accessed her blouse to fit in the artificial cups so as to make herself look large. Just as she was about to apply the beauty lotion on her face her hands slipped and she gasped in horror. She turned around in a jiffy and asked in surprise “What in the world. How did you.. Why are you here?”

Einar folded his hands behind his head and rested his body on the bed of the princess. He smirked a little at the frightened state of the lady “That’s certainly not a good way to welcome your guest.”

“What do you want Einar?”

Beatrice looked all around in trepidation and rolled her eyes a bit. Her movement was interrupted by the sudden laugh of the muscular man “Stop linking your guards. They wont reach you. They just cant.”

“What have you done?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Why are you here Einar?”

The muscular man landed his feet on the ground and looked at the princess fiercely “I need answers.”

“I am not obligated to answer anything to you or your pathetic father. Leave my room at once.” Beatrice went closer to the door and tried to open it. She used all her strength but the clanking knob was refusing to release from its knot. She shouted in frustration “Debrina.. Dorothy.. Howard.. Are you all dead!”

“No one would hear you.” Einar giggled with a devilish look on his face “All of them are busy with the annual celebrations. Besides you live in the farthest corner of the palace.”

The princess gulped. Fear was evident on her face, moreover the look on Einar’s face exuded evil like he had a hidden motive to be here. Beatrice took short gasps of air and with a withering confidence she said “Your threats don’t intimidate me Knight.”

“We’ll see.”

“What do you want to know?”

Einar stood from his place and held a small metal container in his hand. He looked at it with an unknown interest however his mind was wondering somewhere else. He kept his face stoic and with indifference he asked “What is your relationship with Callan?”

“What are..”

“I ASKED YOU A QUESTION.”

Einar angrily threw the metal glass right behind the shoulder of the princess as she shuddered in disbelief. Her terror gasps were completely ignored by the angry man as he kept gawking at the woman with anger. Beatrice on the other side was somewhat relieved. The actions of Einar would certainly garner attention of someone passing by and it wouldn’t be long before help arrived, she thought.

Beatrice took a deep breath and with a dramatic change of her expressions she smiled at Einar. “Well there is something special between us. I just recently discovered that he is my mate.” She smirked.

“He is what?!” Einar looked at her with disbelief in his eyes. Beatrice was lying. He carefully examined her and realized that her intentions towards Callan were not good.

“My mate.” Beatrice giggled at the astonished open mouth of Einar “I was shocked as you are. Callan was shocked too but he knows what an honor it is to be the other half of the royal blood. He is thrilled.”

“I bet he is.” Einar gritted his teeth “Is he ready to settle down with you?”

“Yes he is. He loves me deeply; he cares for me. He accepted the bond with open arms the moment he knew about it.”

“And do you love him?”

“Of course I do.” Einar narrowed his eyes even further. His patience was hanging by a thread as he kept fisting and un-fisting his hands “I can be anything he wants me to. The moment I laid my eyes on him I knew I had to have him. And look at the coincidence! I was paired with him as his mate. He will mine after today.”

“You are bluffing..” Einar scoffed.

“My father will be officially announcing about our union later in the ceremony.”

Einar looked behind his shoulders as he tried hard to restrain himself. His mind was trying to force him to choke the lady to death. However he breathed a few calm breaths and looked at Beatrice with determination “What can you do for him?”

“I can do anything for him. Kill someone if they come between us.”

Einar huffed and giggled “I think the same.”

Beatrice kept looking at Einar with suspicion. It was just a matter of time before the royal guards would enter the chamber to confirm the safe status of the princess. Beatrice smiled for she had to entertain the muscular man for a few more moments “You still haven’t told me your reason to intrude my privacy.”

“Do you want to hear a story?”

Beatrice’s smile faded and she looked at Einar with confusion “No I don’t have..”

“I always knew that I was different from my peers.” Einar intervened “Strong; dominant; ruthless; powerful. Owing to my demon and my wolf, people around were fearful. I liked that in a way. Then came the day of the dragon incident. I am sure you must have heard of it.”

“Yes I have.”

“Not only did I realize how powerful I was but my life was turned upside down for I met my fated one. He was standing right there. His hurt face was making my heart weak. I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t understand it; I couldn’t deduce those new emotions for him. For the next two years I pretended that he didn’t exist but the irony being that my days were incomplete without seeing him.”

“Why are you telling me all this?”

Einar pretended as if he hadn’t heard the woman and sat on a chair “Then the attack happened and I was out of control for the first time. I realized that his presence was the trigger to my violence. So I decided to be away from him and I was. Calm and quiet in a different territory. He was away but I wasn’t happy. There was silence all around but my mind was in a storm.”

“You are making no sense.”

Einar slowly raised himself and turned his back to the princess “The laws of our nature dictate that a wolf would go berserk in jealously and revenge. It was way harder for me. I couldn’t bear to see anyone who looked at him with love, lust or even compassion. The slightest gesture of affection would be the cause of my ire and why wouldn’t it be? Why should someone stare at him? I don’t give permission for that. HE IS MINE.”

At that very moment realization struck her face. Up until now the story which Einar told had a mention of a male as his mate. The fact bothered Beatrice too much as her brain stopped functioning for a moment “Your referring to your mate as a ‘he’; does that mean Rosaline is..”

“She is not my mate. She never was.”

Beatrice’s eyes widened. A storm of anger grew within her “You have made a mockery of our laws! Wait until my father hears this.”

Einar laughed “Do you think you will be able to tell him.”

“What do you mean?”

A faint red mist had slowly started appearing out of nowhere. The fog engulfed Einar completely and with passing time it was becoming more prominent and more darker. Einar turned again as his once brown eyes were completely red. He devilishly smirked at the frightened lady “I have been quiet; patient for a long time. I endured everything for the sake of my mate for I wanted him to be safe. I realized when people knew about him he would be the easy target and so I was denying him up until now. But my assumptions were wrong. People are lurking for him, they are desirous of him and I don’t approve of it. I have realized my mistake. I will rather spend the rest of my days with him than letting him get hurt by people like you.”

“What..” she gulped in fear “What does any of it have do to with me?”

“You are the reason why I am here in the first place.” The red mist was making the appearance of Einar more intimidating and deadly. He didn’t leave the eye contact with the lady as if he was hunting his prey. With every one step Einar took towards the lady, Beatrice would retreat two steps back.

Einar growled in anger and Beatrice stopped in her movements “Your gazing at something where your eyes don’t belong. I feel sick and suffocated to share the same space with you.”

“I-I haven’t done anything to you.” she heaved deep sighs and lowered her head in submission. In a way her wolf was asking for a truce as the radiant domination was too much for her to handle.

“You have.” Einar growled with authority and grabbed the coiled hair from the back of her head. He firmed his grip and raised the lady from the ground. He gritted his teeth and spoke venomously “You are after my mate and my wolf doesn’t like it a bit.”

At this point of time Beatrice was scared for her life. Her body was floating mid air, her eyes were wide while the pain which Einar was causing was too much to bear for her. However she realized the truth and the biggest mistake of her life as she spoke in a broken voice “You.. You..Mean..”

Einar grabbed the trachea of the lady with another hand and tighten his grasp “With every ounce of energy I always try to remain calm, try to breathe serene so as to not make my wolf angry. I wont do that today. I will let you feel the extent of his wrath.”

****

The hall was decorated in a manner fit for the royal celebrations. People mingled all around while some danced to the melodic tunes of the orchestra. The wolves were in a competition to outshine each other as it was a show of their power and supremacy over the other.

Ragnar on the other hand looked concerned since he was unable to locate his beloved son. Since the time they had entered the arena Einar somehow mysteriously vanished out of sight. Neither Rosaline nor Zelda knew about his whereabouts. He entrusted the task to look for Einar to the beta of the pack.

However his main concern right now was the devil of a man who was approaching him. Ragnar wiped the tension lines from his face and bowed his head “My king.”

“Hello Ragnar.” Stanislas acknowledged the alpha and the ladies of the pack and asked them to stand at ease.

“It is wonderful to see the representatives of the blue moon pack today.” He roamed his eyes “Where is your son?”

Ragnar smiled weakly “He went out with the beta since he wasn’t feeling well.”

“I did hear that he was having health issues. Maybe all the pressure is too much for him. Who knew that a strong alpha like you would have a weak a son like Einar.”

Ragnar along with Zelda and Rosaline bowed their heads in shame. Though the words were hurtful but it was a fact that Einar was going through some issues which indirectly cemented the belief that he was incapable to handle the pack since he was incapable to handle himself.

Stanislas smiled with a smug look on his face. He knew he had the upper hand here “Your pack will be our close allies from now on I hope.”

“We are at your service my king.”

“That you are.” Stanislas scoffed “I heard that you went to the seers.”

Silence followed after the sentence. Ragnar could not believe how the sensitive information had reached the ears of the king. He looked at his mate in surprise who mirrored his expressions while Rosaline looked equally baffled as well. Ragnar looked at the king and nodded “Yes my king.”

“Did it serve the purpose?”

“Yes my king.”

“Well don’t worry Ragnar.” the king chuckled “The curse of your pack will be my liability from now onwards.”

Ragnar squeezed his brows “I don’t understand.”

“Callan Justus Ashton will be staying with us hereafter. He is the mate of my darling Beatrice.”

The news shocked Ragnar and his fellow companions. He couldn’t believe his ears. it was huge news owing to the lineage of the royal blood and of course the mystery surrounding Callan’s future. Stanislas words if real were the exact opposite of what the seers had told the alpha of the blue moon pack. But how was it possible? Did Callan really have a mate? Was the humans future tied to the royal palace? What did it mean for the blue moon pack going forward?

All these questions troubled Ragnar. However even before he could react to the news, he heard a loud thud and the umbrella of chandeliers came crashing down from the roof. The entire hall was filled with screams and horrified gasps. The room was painted in red as blood spluttered and decorated the floor. People were shocked to their core. Most importantly it was the king who seemed affected the most.

Stanislas growled in agony and ran hastily to the middle of the charred glass. He kneeled besides the unmoving body. He cradled the head of the figure and mourned in pain. He cried and called for his daughter but she was not responding. The body was stationary. Beatrice was dead.

In the midst of all the confusion and chaos it was Ragnar who stood horrified in his place as he saw his son standing at a distance, aloof from every eye . The bloody red face of Einar was smirking a devilish smile while the red fog which engulfed him was now growing darker and darker with a dominant aura.

********