The Wicked Wolf

Book 2: Zero

The air around me changes and just as I twist out of the way, a claw pierces through where my head would have been, decapitating me if I hadn’t moved at the last second.

Well damn.

I smile despite the taste of blood, sweat and exhaustion in my mouth.

Three days.

This has been going on for three long days without rest. The battle felt it was never going to end, and it was far more difficult than what was originally thought to be.

Despite all that, adrenaline pumped through me like a drug, excitement and euphoria sparking my nerves, and making me feel more alive than ever.

The battlefield has always been where I belong. It was where I could breathe easily, think clearly and not care for anything but the win.

And I was good at that.

Winning.

It was the only thing I was good at.

I reached for the canines of the wolf that attacked me and with my other hand pulling at his jaw, I tore him in two. The sound is grotesque. Blood splatters all around, the thick wet liquid spraying all over me, but I don’t stop. I keep going until there’s a pile of bodies at my feet. When I looked down, I could barely even see my skin anymore, covered completely in grime, blood and occasional innards.

It is not a pretty sight, at least not for a Princess, but this was my life as a warrior in my father's army.

A commander.

His commander.

Werewolves aren’t a peaceful race. I blame it on the heightened emotions that come with being a werewolf. There is always something making another mad, and I was only happy to meet their anger head on.

“Rhys brat!”

I turned my head slightly and looked over my shoulder to see a woman bloody and barely standing straight who was openly seething at me.

One of these again.

There was always one. Or at times a whole army of them.

And they all shouted the same thing.

Frankly, I was a little disappointed in their lack of originality.

I squinted at her, getting ready to hear it all over again.

She stood tall, her eyes unfocused, probably because of the pain and exhaustion from this never ending battle. “You might hide behind the name of a King, and his face too, but you will always be a snake! A Rhys!"

As if I haven't heard that a million times before.

She points a crooked finger at me. "Show me just how good you think you are.”

“Sure,” I said with a shrug. “Just as long as you don’t cry or make a mess when I kill you. I always get in trouble for that. Something to do with prolonging the pain or playing with my food or whatever.”

Obviously provoked by my words, the woman screams, “You’re a monster! You’ll get what’s coming for you.”

I merely rolled my eyes as she charged forward, shifting into her wolf like all of them do and aiming for my head, hoping for a quick kill.

So typical.

So unoriginal.

Not that she could ever touch me.

In a blink of an eye she was upon me and I dealt with her quickly by weaving out of the way and punching through her chest. The feeling of her organs squeezing from the pressure of my hands was sickening even for me.

I was silently glad that Helios wasn’t here to see all this gore or hear their ramblings.

Because even as she went down, her life leaving her slowly and painfully, she kept on repeating her words over and over.

Rhys.

Snakes.

Never forget.

Our deaths are coming for us and that he’s hunting for me.

Whoever he was.

My brother always did have a softer heart when it comes to these things. And hearing her when that’s all we’ve ever heard all our lives will only make him feel worse than he already does.

“Princess,”

A voice called for me just as I decided to burn everything to the ground.

But that will have to wait, apparently.

I didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“I’m in the middle of a battle, Julian.” I said while ripping off another head to add to the growing pile at my feet. “If this is about the mess, I’ll fix it.”

My father’s right hand man merely stepped on the bodies at my feet to face me, stomping carelessly before shooting a knowing smile he always uses whenever around me. “We all know this battle has already been won. You’re just prolonging it. As you usually do when you’re having fun, my Princess.”

We both looked around at the destruction. Blood was everywhere and smoke was rising from somewhere, possibly burning whatever was left.

He wagged a finger in front of my face as if we were at home instead of the battlefield. “It’s not right to play with your food, Princess. I’ve told you this many times since you were young and in diapers, but you never learn.”

And just like I always did when I was younger, I gave him my most petulant expression. “Just a few more minutes. Let me at least chase the deserters.”

But already his men were at work, finishing off what I had left and cleaning up the area.

I watched them with a pout which I directed to Julian.

“Unfortunately, that won’t work on me today.” Julian pointedly looked away, knowing full well that he would give in. “You’re requested back to the fortress.”

“But I’m needed here.” I gestured to the battlefield, granted there wasn’t much left of it at that point. “Plus, I have another mission after this one. Tell my family I’ll be back before the end of the year.”

He tips his head forward in understanding. “Your brother needs you.”

I stopped immediately, dropping another werewolf carcass on the bloody floor. “I’ve been awake three days straight, Julian. Tell me. What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

“He’s getting married.”