The Howl of Claim | COMPLETED

L | F r e y a R u t h

Ange ( A n g e l )

His beast's gold eyes stare straight into my gold ones. Our beasts staring at each other with equal intensity.

Neither of us was going to back down.

In the background, I could hear wolves and Lycans fighting but I tune them out as I focus on my own opponent ready to sink his claws deep into me.

I knew that this time, there were going to be no distractions to stop our fight.

From the outside, I might look vicious, ready to rip him into shreds but from the inside, I was thinking of endless ways to escape this situation without either of us getting hurt.

"Darius, you don't have to do this." I for a moment had forgotten that we could still contact through the mind link. His mind link was open though.

He does not respond and for a bit second, I thought that he didn't hear me but then I realized that he had suddenly raised his walls up.

Then he attacked.

His clawed hand was aimed at my stomach and I swiftly dodged it and grabbed his arm Instead, flipping him over.

I was not going to hold back.

A grunt sounds from him and I move away, giving him time to stand up.

When he did, he roared dangerously and ran towards me - he looked like a wild animal, I immediately jumped away but he managed to scratch my shoulder.

His claws gliding on my hairy skin.

My beast yelped and jumped. I looked down at my shoulder which was dripping blood but already starting to heal.

That was the only good thing in this situation.

Darius lunged at me, knocking me on the ground and closing his jaw on my throat.

No! This could not end this quickly!

He cannot kill me! I cannot give up or the child inside me dies as well.

Before he could rip my head off my shoulder, I inserted my claws inside his chest - not too deep - and slid them up.

Darius pulled back and growled, taking advantage of his distraction and using the strength of my legs, I kicked him away and immediately stood up. Darius' beast landed a good 2 feet away.

That's right! I will not go down without a fight - even if it meant hurting Darius.

But when he stood up, it seemed as if he's had enough because the amount of foam that escaped his mouth made my eyes widen.

He had gone barbaric.

Darius charged at me with such speed that I could not comprehend when he reached me and clawed my face from both sides and then pushed me.

I fell on the ground and Darius raised his claw again - probably to kill for once and for all - but I roll away but then he was faster and clawed my back. I howl in pain.

It hurt! It hurt so much!

I stand up with struggle but Darius was having none of it and slammed me against the rock that he was once ready to smash Avalon's head with.

I am stupid to do this.

I shifted back to my human self with a hope that Darius' beast still acknowledged his erasthai in one way or another.

I wonder how I looked right now, all battered and bruised.

"Dai-rius-" I breathed, halting the claw that was about to ram my way, "Please, don't do this. I am your erasthai. If you kill me now, you will never be able to forgive yourself."

This was the only way- it was a risk I had to take. No other way was working.

I grab his clawed hand and placed it over my flat belly,

"If you kill this child, you better kill yourself then."

I was stupid to put his clawed hand on my soft bare belly but it was all worth a try.

"Come back to me, please." My breathing was ragged as I stared straight into his eyes, his golden globes blinked back at me.

"I can never live without you, I cannot hurt you so please, come back to me, to your child so we can together kill Kendrick and that Witch. Please, you are stronger than this, I know it."

His clawed hand started to move and my heart dropped and I was ready to shift but then I realized that his hairy claw hand turned into human skin.

I froze.

Unknowingly, my lips lifted but they were quivering. Quivering in fear? Happiness? I did not know.

"Darius?" He was back? Just by that!?

I noticed his lips lift up as he grabbed my hand and placed it on his cheek. If only I would've done this earlier - I wouldn't have to get all those bruises.

Sucks.

"I am sorry." My breathing fastened and I threw my arms around him, attaching his body with mine.

Not caring that we both were naked.

A tear fell from my eye involuntary as I hugged him tighter. I never knew I would miss this.

"I thought you were not going to come back, that all my tries were futile."

"I am sorry for harming you, I am. Also, I am never going to go back to that state, ever!" I opened my eyes, looking over his shoulder at the scene that I had forgotten all about.

The sight in front of me was of blood, dead bodies, and fighting beasts and wolves.

"Darius, we have to fight." I pull away and look him in the eye, ignoring the fact that we both were as bare as the day we were born.

Darius watched me for a second and then sniffed me, until a spark ignited in his eyes and he raised his mouth, letting out a loud howl - the same howl that he had let out when he had finally captured me and the day he had marked me.

What the fuck was he doing!?

When he was done, the fighting noises in the background had stopped for a small moment before they resumed.

I was grateful no one noticed us that much or more wolves and lycans would be coming our way.

"You are pregnant." I only manage to keep quiet, my tongue was tied. "Stay behind this rock, I'll deal with everyone. I have a plan."

"But I-"

"Please, you should also think about the growing life inside you. There should be clothes behind that tree, wear them and stay behind this rock, I'll be back. For now, I'll pretend to be with Kendrick but will secretly kill his men. Don't go anywhere!" And he left.

I watched him shift and tear straight through a random Lycan.

I looked down at my hands which were scratched but still itched to fight, never the less, I did what he said and ran towards a tree in the back where no creature came since they were all occupied.

Thank god - luck was finally on my side.

I immediately pull on the shorts and the tank before going back to the rock. My cheeks throbbed and I hoped whatever bruises I had on my face body would heal faster.

I cannot stay here.

I watched all the people I knew fighting out there, risking their lives for each other and me. I cannot just stay here. My child will fight with me - even if it has hardly started to develop yet.

I watched Marco as he fought two Lycans at the same time while being quite beaten himself. Then I tried to find Kamri and spotted her and Keith fighting with their brother.

Darius was nowhere in sight.

Avalon and Klepto were fighting a dozen wolves and Lycans as well.

As for Ace and Asher, both were also entrapped between rogues but it looked like they were doing just fine.

Everyone was willing to give up so much! All for me and this pack!

What I also noticed was that everyone was in a bad state.

I cannot stay here.

Guess I'll just join Marco.

Just like that, I jumped and ran towards Marco. Pulling my claws out, I swiftly separated ahead of a Lycan, he immediately dropped to the ground.

"Thought you would need me, Lycan."

"Huh, I was doing just fine on my own," Marco spoke through mind link and I scoffed.

"Oh shut up," I mumble and watch as Marco easily throw the Lycan on the ground and rip his head off clean.

"We make a pretty good team, don't you think?"

Marco's beast looked at me and tilted his head, "Maybe we do."

I smile and then point towards Avalon and Klepto, "Let's help those pair of kids as well."

"Yeah." Marco and I sprint towards their direction and make an awesome entry by jumping in the middle of them and ripping a couple of rogues together.

It was like a scene from a movie.

Even though I wasn't shifted, I was doing just fine. I just hope that Darius' doesn't see me.

In minutes, the ground is littered with each one of them and we stood victorious in the group surrounding Avalon and Klepto.

"Want to join Ace and Asher?" I ask while pointing in their direction but then I notice that they didn't need our help since they too had defeated their enemies.

I felt pride rise in me.

But then, a Lycan ran towards Ace and punched him in the air, causing him to go flying and disappear into trees.

"Ace!" I call out in surprise.

"I'll deal with him." Avalon mutter and run towards them before poor Asher was also yeeted across the ground.

Fuck!

I looked around, Marco and Klepto had also gone to help some other pack members of Asher who were also facing Lycans made by witches.

Speaking of witches, I looked around for Meredith.

She was nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for me?" I turn around only to be punched straight in the face, I move a couple of steps back but recover quickly and claw the witch's face.

She screamed and a sadistic grin took over my face.

"Fuck you," I mumble and jump over the witch, punching her in the face constantly and soon ripping her head off.

"Not quite right." My eyebrows knot and I find the dead Meredith under me disappear and the real Meredith walking out from behind the tree with Kendrick.

My eyes widen and I stand up, looking back at Kamri and Keith who were also fighting Kendrick but if he was here then that one was . . .

"Clone. That one you killed was a clone." Meredith said and I moved forward to teach her a lesson when Kendrick raised his hand.

"Now Meredith."

"As you wish." And the earth started to quake again - or was it just me?

It was not the earth! It was me- and the others.

My body was shaking for control but it was impossible over this magic. My body started to move on its own accord and was on my knees and hands.

Others followed soon afterward - thankfully, everyone was half-dressed.

Keith, Kamri, Marco, Avalon, Klepto, and Asher, one by one acquired the same position as me. Kneeling on the ground in front of Kendrick and Meredith.

"Meredith Love, why don't you call Darius as well." Meredith nods and says something because of which a half-dressed Darius steps out from behind a tree and comes to stand right beside Meredith.

I look up at him to find him already looking at me. Darius winked and I released a breath of relief. He was still himself.

Still himself.

"You all killed my men mercilessly, now, I get to decide your fate," Kendrick said wickedly and took a step forward, stomping his foot on Keith's hand and kneading it.

Keith groans in pain and when satisfied, Kendrick steps back.

"Let's start from here," Kendrick stepped towards Asher.

"I thought we were friends, we helped you but when I contacted you, you ignored me."

"You are a fucking bastard Kendrick!" Asher spats out.

"I am deciding to keep you, in my dungeons and taking over your pack."

"No!" Me and Asher say together but Kendrick just laughs, "Be patient Freya, I am just coming to you."

I don't say anything because someone my lips are sealed tight - that fucking witch was playing with me - and Kendrick walks to the next person, Klepto.

"That bitch killed my sister!" Meredith snaps and Klepto snorts, "Yeah, I did. It was fun." Klepto groans as her hands start to twist and she screams.

Klepto didn't kill her, I did but she still took the blame.

"I dare you to say that again."

"Meredith Dear, you can have her if you please. Kill her if you want."

"I will, gladly."

In this all situation, I felt bad for not being able to do anything.

Kendrick walks to stand between Avalon and Marco, "Hmm, You both can be my second and third in command when I take over or you can be made by force by magic just like your King."

No one says anything.

It was like if a trial was happening as if our final destinations were being decided - maybe they were.

Kendrick then moved to Kamri and Keith, "You both were family to me, and what you did!? You betrayed me, your own flesh and blood."

"That bitch killed my other sister." This Meredith held a lot of grudges for sure.

"Sure, you can have her too after I am done with them."

"I would rather than be called your brother." Keith mutters and Kamri adds, "A brother like you is no brother of mine."

"You little piece of shits!" Kendrick lands a kick on both of them and Marco growls in a warning. No other words are exchanged between them.

Marco had a murderous gaze - even though I couldn't see him, but I knew.

Kendrick then finally comes to stand in front of me.

I am grabbed by my neck and pulled up in a standing position,

"I believe I gave you an ultimatum."

"You did."

"Well, what have you decided?"

"Go fuck yourself!" A punch is landed on my cheek and I stumble a few steps back but he drags me back. My eyes move to Darius who looks constipated.

He was trying his best to control himself.

"Unfortunately, I am not accepting that as an answer, Meredith, if you would remove the bond between them."

Meredith gives a sadistic smile.

"With pleasure." A tingling starts on my neck and I wince. My eyes move to Darius once again who also looks in pain, grabbing his chest.

"No-" I whimper as the pain starts to increase,

"Get the hell away from her!" From somewhere, a bruised Ace jumps on Meredith, stopping her in the middle of the spell and claws at her chest.

"Kendrick!" She screams and I am dropped on the ground, unfortunately, the spell she had over all of us that held us captive still remained.

But I was relieved to see Ace alive.

I look up to see Kendrick grabbing Ace from the back of his neck and clawing his hand inside Ace's chest and grabbing his heart.

"No!"

"Ace!"

Screams and shouts chorus around but no one is able to do anything.

"Thank you once again for not being like your brother," and Kendrick is about to rip his heart out, Darius jumps in, breaking Kendrick's arm.

Kendrick screams and the breath that I was holding escapes my lips.

God!

Ace is dropped on the ground with an open chest, bleeding on the ground. He would die at this rate but the witch beside him was not doing well either.

"Darius."

"Kendrick." Both men speak tauntingly at each other.

"I knew there was something wrong when you were not fighting Freya." Darius gave a sarcastic laugh.

"It seems like the history is going to repeat itself but this time, I will wrap the story up completely." Darius snaps and charges forward, punching Kendrick in the gut.

"This for everyone you have hurt!" Darius elongates his claws and slashes him across the chest.

"This is for almost killing my child and mate!"

Darius inserts his hand inside Kendrick's chest, "And this for all the lives you have taken. Farewell." In one swift motion, Darius pulls his beating heart out.

Kendrick's body immediately falls and Darius drops his heart to the side.

We all only watch - since that was the only thing we could do.

"No!" Meredith gasps as her body starts to tremble.

She somehow manages to stand up but drops back down when a pale Ace breaks her neck.

Immediately the magic that we all were tied by was broken and I regain my position.

We all watch as Ace falls to the ground.

"Ace!" Asher and Klepto are first to grab his body and I follow after.

"No, brother, please. You cannot leave!" Klepto weeps and caresses her brother's skin. "Please."

"I love you both." He coughs out. He was not able to heal that easily by a Lycan's attack.

"Ace," I whisper as I kneel down.

"I am sorry once again Freya, I hope you have forgiven me for betraying you." My eyes widen.

"Shut up! Shut up! No! I won't forgive if you leave like this, someone grabs the paramedics!"

"Freya." A voice calls but I don't listen.

I am about to stand but Asher grabs my hand and shakes his head.

I look back at Ace who had already closed his eyes. The other Lycans had already woken up from their sleep put by the witch and now surrounded us.

"Ace-" I whisper, "- I forgive you." A small smile forms on his lips, I might've imagined it - but he was limp, dead.

I stand up, unable to tear my gaze from the dead Ace. Look away!

Look away!

I finally turn around and look back at Darius.

"He is gone." My voice breaks and Darius takes me in his arms immediately.

The war was temporary but the wounds were forever.

...

Hello Wolfies ♥️

This was the last chapter!

The epilogue will be after it! I hope you enjoyed!

Love you guys.

P R O Q U E E N