ARIEL’S POV
This was it —the beginning of my revenge or the end of it.
I stood side by side with the son of the man I hated more than anything. We were waiting in front of a large wooden door that supposedly led to the throne room. The door was a large two-piece with a split down the centre. It had a moon carved into one side and a howling wolf carved into the other.
My heart was ricocheting inside of me. I could hear my ragged breathing deep within me.
This wasn’t the plan at all.
This entire trip to the Blood Moon Pack went south and it was all his fault. If I hadn’t met him, I wouldn't be on the verge of being found out right now.
“Is this how you plan to keep me safe, my prince?” I hissed through my teeth with sarcasm, “You’re doing a pretty good job at it.”
He turned to look at me with a sharp glare as if I had insulted him. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t been so stubborn and just listened to me, we could have avoided this mess. I am trying to help you here!”
“So your go-to plan is to take me straight to your father’s throne room?” I shook my head in disbelief, “I can see just how hard you’re trying to help me.”
He rolled his eyes and I could tell he was starting to get frustrated but that was just ironic.
I should be the only one here having any such emotions because it was my life that was actually in danger —not his!
If he wanted to help me, he should’ve left me alone.
“Look,” he started, “this is my Father’s territory and he gave us an order. We can’t just run away after that. He would know something is up and we want to avoid that. If you’d just give me a second to think and—“
He got cut off by the sound of the large wooden door opening. A guard walked towards us with a fierce look plastered on his face like melted honey smeared on rusted metal.
“Alpha Joharres and the Elders will have you now,” he announced arrogantly.
I couldn’t move at first. Stunned and frightened, I didn’t know what to do. If I was to enter that room, Joharres would recognise me in a minute. There was no way he would observe me for that long and not see the resemblance.
“Stay close behind me,” he said leaning close to me before strutting off into the throne room.
I had no other plan and so I followed behind him as he instructed. In fact, I didn’t make much of a plan before coming here. I just wanted want Joharres dead and that was all the plan I came here with.
I had no idea how I was going to do that. If I decided to go crazy and just jump on him, I would be killed before I got two breaths close to him.
I had no choice but to follow his son's plan —for now.
Walking directly behind him, I could see the way his full hair bounced off the hair as he walked graciously. I didn't even know his name but I couldn’t care less right now. We went to the same preschool and mentioned it earlier in the market square but I couldn't remember.
I was moving only on instincts and I would have to act according to how things turned out.
“Father, this is nuts!” he shouted as we got closer to where Joharres and his Elders were sitting. “I already told you, I let her win. She did not overpower me.”
I almost scoffed at his statement but I knew better than to let any sound pass my lips.
“Son, I do not care, neither do I want to hear excuses right now,” Joharres thundered back across the room, “Just put her in her place and give the elders and myself a good show while you’re at it.”
He stopped a few metres ahead of me and I stopped immediately too.
“Is that it? You just want a good show?”
Joharres and his Elders chuckled in response.
“Fine then.”
Fine? What did he mean? He wanted us to have a brawl in front of them. What was he doing? Was he insane?
Yes, we came here to fight but it was crazy. Joharres would recognize me and this would turn sour real quick!
Just then he turned around to my panicked face and mouthed the phrase, “I’m sorry.”
A frown covered my face as I tried to understand what he meant but in the few seconds that followed, I got the message loud and clear.
In a very swift move, he closed the distance between us and punched me across the face, knocking me a few feet away. I barely saw it happen but the pain shot through my body immediately.
“Atta boy!” I heard Joharres cheer from behind his son.
I looked up at him in anger but he looked calm and collected —dare I think, sad?
That was his problem, he has made his choice and all I could think about right now was beating him to death.
I scampered to my feet. I held my jaw and cracked it back into place. I could feel the blood trickling down my lips but it was nothing to what I was going to do to the fool!
“Is that all you got? you punch like a five-year-old!" I spat with venom dripping from my heart.
Not like I expected him to truly help me but I realised that just like his father, he was not to be trusted. He had to die.
“Son! You have to shut her up!” Joharres cheered on from his throne.
I stood with my fists formed and stretched out in front of me. Combat wasn’t my forté, I knew that. But they didn't know that and I was not about to appear like a weakling in front of my enemies.
I fought the fool earlier, I could beat him again.
My enemy looked at me calmly then closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he rushed at me. This time he went for my stomach.
I pushed my body back just in time to lessen the blow to my stomach but this movement left my face unguarded and he did not waste his golden opportunity as he landed two rapid blows to my face. He was fast and I could barely keep up.
My face was starting to feel numb at this point. I staggered backward and struggled to keep my balance.
Pain shot through my nerves and my vision got blurry. I could see about three images of him walking toward me. I could tell my face was swollen and bloodied up already.
My heart froze as it struck me.
Was this it? Was this how I died?
I couldn’t even reach Joharres. I couldn't even avenge my parents.
And just then, I felt another punch on my face and my life ended. I fell and passed out.
MELVIN'S POVI came up with this plan at the last minute and I couldn’t let her know of it either. I was certain she hated my guts more than ever now but I could deal with that later.Right now, my worry and focus were on getting her out of there.I turned around to my despicable Father and his Elders. “Father, she has passed out. I need to get her to the healer.”My father and his men burst into loud echoing laughter like they had finished watching the best comedy show in all the lands."Father?" I called trying to get his attention but they just wouldn't stop laughing.Crazy lots. All of them.The sight of blood and violence was an art to them. It turned them on and increased their life spans!"Father!"“Fine, fine, get her out of here,” he finally replied as he turned to Elder Jon who was seated at his right hand.“I thought she would put up more of a fight. She carried herself like she had a chance,” he said to Elder Jon as they burst out into laughter again.I rolled my eyes and
ARIEL’S POVMy head felt heavy.I slowly opened my eyes and it took a few seconds for my vision to clear up. I stared cluelessly at the wooden ceiling that appeared before me.What happened? Where was I?“Welcome back to the land of the living.”I turned to see who had just spoken. At first, I was confused and didn’t recognize who he was. But as soon as I started to recollect what had transpired before I blacked out, anger slowly spread across my body.“You!” I hopped off the couch and launched at him. He backed away immediately.“Ariel, you need to calm down and listen to me!" He yelled with hands out to protect his face in case I made another sudden move. He looked back to make sure he didn't misstep as he continued to withdraw from me and I kept advancing toward him in a slow menacing way.He was the prey and I, the hunter.“What do I need to listen to?!” I yelled out uncontrollably at him, ”you nearly killed me!”He stopped moving and made the mistake of dropping his hands —that
MELVIN POVI had her attention now.I knew I had to play a wild card to snap her out of her impulsive behaviour. She was one stubborn beauty!She looked me dead in the eyes. I could tell I struck a chord in her with what I just announced.“Where?”“Where what?” I raised my brows playing dumb.She took quick steps forward, “where is he?!” Her voice pitched a little higher than before.I stood my ground this time around, “Stay.”She stopped moving but maintained eye contact with me. I could tell she was mulling over her decision but I already knew I had her in a tight spot. This was for her own good.“You want to know where your brother is? Then stay," I said calmly and then nodded rapidly, “my friend Jada already agreed to you crashing for a few days. We can save your brother.”I could hear her teeth grinding against each other. Oh, she hated that I had her.“Fine,” she replied, whizzing past me and back into the cabin.I sighed and threw my head backward. Ariel was such a handful.Af
ARIEL POVIt was dark. I was back in my bedroom. My face pinched into a frown as confusion clouded my thoughts.I was supposed to be in that cabin back at the Blood Moon Pack. How did I get back here?I could see light sipping into the room from under the door. I walked briskly towards the door and opened it. The hallway was brightly lit —exactly how it used to be. I could hear the loud sounds of the video game coming from Aaron’s room. It made no sense. I looked from left to right wondering how I got here.I heard the water come on in the kitchen and I made my way there. My mother stood over the sink wearing the T-shirt I got for her.“Mum!" I hurried over to her and wrapped my arms around her tightly. My heart melted immediately.“Ariel,” she shrugged me off and stared into my face, “what has come over you?”She scanned me closely trying to figure out if I had finally lost it. “You see me doing the dishes, right? The same dishes I asked you to clean a few hours ago.”I stepped ba
MELVIN POVAfter my standoff with Father, I just couldn’t cool off completely. Even a cold shower couldn’t work its divine magic.I strutted up the stairs leading to the open verandah at the top of the building. I needed to clear my head and the verandah was the one place I knew never disappointed me. I could already feel the cool evening breeze as I got closer and I wasn’t surprised when I saw the door leading to the verandah open. I walked into the verandah and knew immediately who had left the door open. My mother stood at the edge of the verandah.“Mother,” I called out.She turned around from holding the metal railing, “Melvin?”The breeze was stronger and a tad colder than it was in the stairwell. My mum was finding it hard to keep her long black hair in place as the wind kept floating it all around her and in her face.I walked up to her and held her upper arm. “You needed some air?" I asked in a low voice as if speaking any louder could break her.“Yeah,” she replied. As usu
MELVIN'S POVThe night went on longer than necessary soiling my mood further.I could hardly sleep as I thought about my father and his sick beliefs. What he did to Ariel and her family was worse than any of the things he had done. I couldn't let him continue. I had to talk to her.I was certain that together we would be able to come up with a solution. A good plan to stop my father once and for all.People didn't have to live in fear anymore. Jada didn't have to stay so far away from the rest of the pack anymore. By the time Ariel and I were done, everyone would live in peace and harmony.By the time morning came, I was dressed and ready for the day. I stepped out of my room and headed straight to the exit."And where do you think you are going so early in the morning, boy?" My father's deep voice thundered, cutting through the room.My heart squeezed as the rage I felt all through the night returned. I clenched my fists and turned to him with a forced smile plastered on my face."Go
MELVIN'S POVJada and Ariel walked a few metres ahead of me. I was far less excited about heading back into town than they were.Usually, a trip to the market was always one of my favourite things to do but not today. Today, my attention was divided because all I had been thinking about was getting here and talking to Ariel about what we were going to do next and I already had a handful of things —crucial things— to suggest to her.Jada suddenly turned to me. “Hey, pretty boy,” she said, snapping her fingers in front of her to get my attention, “pick up your pace. We don’t have all day!"I groaned and moved my feet faster.“Stop your whining,” Jada said, turning away from me, “unlike you, some of us have to work.”"Some of us are not daddy's boys..." Ariel chirped in and they shared amused glances.They continued walking —still ahead of me— but not as far apart as it was a moment ago."I didn’t even know you worked," Ariel stated, looking up at Jada.“So how do you reckon I survive,
MELVIN'S POVAriel closed her eyes as if to calm herself and register what I had just said. She opened her eyes again and said nothing. I could tell she was thinking hard about this.She wasn’t so hard to read, after all, I thought with a smirk on my face.She got up from the couch and turned around. She took a few steps before turning to face me again, “Fine.”Then just as quickly as the words left her lips, she disappeared into the cabin. She needed training and she knew it too. This was war and her A-game had to be more than excellent if she wanted to win.I heaved a sigh and crashed back into the couch. I clutch my stomach as it growls in protest. I frowned. The close run-in with my Father at the market made me forget for a while that I still hadn’t eaten anything.“Jada!” I called into the cabin, “I’m starving!”“We have some leftover Spaghetti and meatballs from this morning,” she responded from within the cabin almost immediately.That worked for me.I got up and hurriedly ma