Chapter 7

• LUCIEN'S POV
• The sound of the shrub rustling under their feet echoed in the silence. They marched in unison, crickets chirping and howls hooting. When Kaleb told him that they would be going deep in the forest, Lucien hadn't imagined it would be like this.
• "Oh, fuck!" Joan cursed beside him, pulling a large bug from her arm and squishing the insect between her fingers, "This is the third one already."
• She complained. The other soldiers were beginning to get agitated as well, he could hear their murmurs of complaints. He wasn't immune to the thicket either, once or twice a thistle managed to snag his arm and leg.
• "Kaleb!" Jerome, his other right hand man, barked beside him, "Are you certain we're headed in the right direction?" There was a light sheen of sweat on his bald head and his bushy brows were furrowed together.
• Kaleb had a look of unconcern, "I did warn you lot that they were hidden in the forest," He snottily responded.
• Lucien shot him a scowl and Kaleb pursed his lips, looking away and pretending to observe a leaf. Lucien scoffed underneath his breath, they'd been walking around since first light and now, the sun was almost high up in the sky.
• He was starting to think maybe Kaleb's warning about leaving the pack alone wasn't misplaced after all. They would have to stop and rest soon, but judging from the scenery, he doubted there was any chance for them to lay. The shrubs were either poisonous or discomforting.
• "Look!" Jerome suddenly cried, pointing towards something, "Isn't that smoke?"
• And he was right. Just a few miles from where they stood was a black cloud billowing in the air. Lucien's heart leaped in excitement and he turned to look behind him,
• Gone were the expressions of weariness, his soldiers were smirking with anticipation of what was to come. He nodded his approval and turned towards the road,
• It was time.
• Kaleb was right after all, there was a village situated in the madness of the trees. It looked nothing like he'd expected and Lucien had seen a lot. Either their Alpha had trust issues or he preferred the quietness of life but everything, including the buildings, appeared too mundane.
• What raised his suspicion was the barrenness. There was no single soul on the streets, even the houses looked empty.
• "I can't believe we bet an hour for this," A soldier snorted from the back, "We'd be done in seconds."
• A whisper of laughter swept through all of them, Jerome shaking his head in amusement. Lucien ignored the comment, if there was anything he learnt during the years it was never to ignore even the smallest of men.
• Sometimes they wield the most strength.
• "There's no sign of life, my lord," Joan murmured, observing the area with agitation, "What if they fled already?"
• Lucien scoffed, his eyes flashing, "Cowards, couldn't even manage to put up a fight."
• He lifted an arm, signaling for them to follow quietly. They slinked out of the bushes and made their way into the empty streets.
• "My Lord," Jerome's low voice called and he nodded without giving him a look.
• Lucien stopped walking, watching as the soldiers dispersed into the houses. His ears perked and he could hear the sound of doors breaking and glass shattering, yet no sign of life.
• Could it be possible that it was an ambush?
• "What do you think?" He grumbled, looking over his shoulder to see Kaleb standing by his side, "Do you believe they planned an ambush?"
• Kaleb slowly bobbed his head, "It could be possible-"
• "There's no one in the houses, my lord," Jerome reported, standing by his other side, "We've checked everywhere. What do we do?"
• He raised a single finger in the air and shut his eyes, willing his wolf senses to come to play. His ears quirked, detecting the distinct shuffling of feets heading towards them.
• His eyelids snapped open and a wicked smirk curled on his lips. The two men must've caught it because their eyes lit up in surprise,
• "They're here," He announced gruffly.
• He was rewarded when two unfamiliar faces made an appearance. One was a dark haired male who bore the aura of an alpha, while the other a blonde stood protectively by his side.
• "Don't go any further," The dark-haired one warned, iris flashing a deep black colour, "If you take one more step, you'll regret it."
• His wolves had gone quiet, all of them waiting for his command but he decided to have a little fun with the men before the others would come.
• "Alpha," Lucien quirked in a condescending tone and mock bowed, "I must say, I'm truly hurt you didn't write back to me. You made me come all the way here just to listen to your response. Isn't that a bit harsh?"
• Jerome snorted beside him. Joan smirked and the soldiers chuckled amongst themselves.
• The Alpha's eyes flashed in warning, "Leave. You're not going to find what you want here," He growled.
• "You-" Jerome snarled and he raised a hand, throwing him a glare and clicking his brow, "I apologize, my lord."
• Lucien returned his gaze to the men and stepped forward. The blonde, who he assumed to be the Beta, stepped in his path and blocked him.
• He cocked his head, smirking, "Move."
• The blonde squared his shoulders, leveling his stare and Lucien chuckled, shaking his head,
• "Pathetic."
• The blonde flashed his canines and Lucien swept forward, swatting him away like he was no more than a fly. The force of his strength swinging the Beta towards the wall and smashing him into the bricks.
• "You know the kind of alphas I hate most," Lucien flashed his glare to the man, stepping forward to dust the pad of his shoulder, "The ones who pretend to be upright. And you, Allister, reek of it."
• Lucien knew his eyes had turned to a bright crimson shade, judging by the look of terror on Allister's face. The man had turned completely pale.
• "H-Ho-How do you know my name?"
• Lucien lifted a brow, "Take a guess."
• His shocked expression morphed into hatred, Allister's snapping together,
• "You demonic rogue! Get out of my pa-"
• A beastly growl ripped from Lucien's throat and what happened next swept by in a blur. His clawed fingers wrapped around his neck, lifting Allister from the ground.
• The alpha writhed helplessly in his hand, his eyes bulging out with each second that ticked by.
• "No," Someone protested and Lucien's head turned to see the Beta racing towards him.
• Before the man could reach them, Jerome swung into action, slashing his head off of his neck in one clean move. Allister made a warbled noise that sounded like a cry,
• "You beast!" He sputtered, tugging at Lucien's wrist, "It might not be now but one day, you'll definitely meet your end."
• Lucien would've been moved by his curse, however this wasn't the first time he was hearing something like this and yet, he thrived every day. Although, he knew his penance was long overdue, the moon goddess had probably not decided on a fit punishment.
• His ears picked up a noise from the distance and when he looked up, he spotted a crowd of men running towards them, some of them had shifted into their wolf forms.
• He released his hold and Allister dropped to ground like a sack. Lucien signalled for his men to get ready and they marched forward, snarling and ready for combat.
• Lucien's scornful glare fell on the male on the floor, he was struggling to catch his breath.
• "I think your wish will come true someday but before that," He smirked wickedly, "I'll first have to have fun with your people."
• Allister's eyes widened in horror and he shakily rose to his feet. He gaped at the men racing for him in the distant and croaked.
• Lucien watched as he spun around, lifting a warning finger,
• "If you dare lay a hand on-"
• Lucien was bored of his repetitive threats and did what his wolf wanted from the moment he set sight on the prick.
• His movements were swift; He slashed at his throat, blood sprayed onto his face, Allister choked and grabbed his neck. Lucien didn't stop there, he attacked again and struck a final blow, his claws dug into Allister's chest, twisting and wrapping around the beating organ. He tore out the heart in a single breath, more blood splashing on him,
• Allister made a final sound of pain, the light in his eyes dimming as he dropped down dead, a pool of blood rapidly gathering underneath his lifeless body.
• Lucien's nose crinkled at the sight and he let the beating heart fall to the ground, muttering without remorse,
• "This is why you shouldn't have run your mouth."