A/N: Trigger warning for violence, blood and gore.
Still sheathed in the invisible, deadly calm, Ethan strode out of the deserted hospital lobby into the frosty night. An iridescent moon hung high in the dark sky, full and heavy with Luna's blessings. However, the goddess' serenity failed to penetrate the chaos that seemed to have erupted with Ethan's arrival home.
Many vehicles in the open parking lot had disappeared while Ethan was still inside. In their place stood rows of amber-eyed Snow Pine warriors clad in their army-green fatigues. Stacked at least three men deep, their lines curved around the hospital, surrounding every window and exit.
Angry blue and red lights flashed from the police cars parked haphazardly to form a cordoned-off perimeter around the hospital. Beyond them, uniformed officers with white shoulder patches struggled to rein in a burgeoning crowd of inquisitive denizens.
"Stay back!"
"Move away from the line!"
"Go home, folks. There's nothing to see here!" The beleaguered cops screamed over their hushed whispers.
The vanguard captains barking orders at their warriors added to the chaos, hampering their efforts.
"He's out! He's out!"
"Blue Squad, cover the back!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Red! White! On me!"
Despite the flurry of movement around him, Ethan scanned the crowd with calm detachment. Almost lazily, his eyes roamed until they fell on the familiar figure whose portrait had taken pride of place in every library and school within the territory.
Ethan's blazing red eyes locked gazes with Alpha Ryden's calculating amber. The rest of the world fell away as a battle of wills ensued between them.
The oppressive pressure returned, filling his thoughts with dread and squeezing the very air out of his lungs. It was as if Ethan's only chance of survival was to turn tail and hide away from that ferocious gaze.
But just like before, his own beast rallied to his defense. The rage of his wolf burst forth like a geyser over the pack channel, bulldozing its way into the minds of every Lycan gathered here. Then, a deep snarl rumbled in the depths of Ethan's gut, churned by the pain and grief over his family, bubbling up with the force of a volcano.
Ethan let loose.
A heart-pounding growl thundered through the parking lot, shaking the ground under their feet and rattling the windows and doors of the building behind him.
Spectators and police alike screamed and scrambled for safety. The alarms of the few cars left behind went off, lights flashing in warning. Every Lycan flinched, and more than a few vanguards ducked for cover. For a brief moment, Ryden's eyes widened in shock before vicious rage contorted his face. "How dare you, you insufferable wretch! You will regret the day you were born."
Straightening his jacket, the alpha shoved his way through the ranks of crouching warriors.
Though not as tall as Ethan, Ryden was formidable in his own right.
His heavy mid-length coat over a black turtleneck barely hid the bulging muscles of his thick frame beneath. His dark hair slicked away from his face, added to his suave manner as he moved with the confidence of a seasoned hunter and the authority perfected in a leader. Calculating eyes and thin lips spoke of a streak of cruelty mirrored in his descendant.
His very presence threatened those who dared to defy him.
"Ethan Reyn, son of Charles Reyn," Ryden began. "You're a disgrace to your forefathers. You led the enemy to our doors! Brought the vampires into our midst to threaten the lives of our children and loved ones. You do not deserve the honor of trial by combat. As alpha of Snow Pines, I banish-"
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
Blooded Mate
Viễn tưởng[[MATURE CONTENT]] Pack, family, mate. Loyalty, respect, honor. These are the words that form the foundation of the wolf society. At six years old, Ethan had to choose between his Alpha title and his survival on the night of his father's death. As a...
