Their forced luna
Chapter 33

Zale

I was pissed about having to abandon my plans. But Ares had shifted inside of Bo to protect his ass.

Why?

I looked past Bo and a strange woman, I'd replace out whoever the fuck that was later. My sights were focused on the creature striding towards us. "Bo, get your ass inside now," I snapped.

It's not like Ares gave him a choice. My wolf forced Bo to jump through and I nodded to the guard, watching the magic climb up until the barrier was complete. I turned back toward my enemy and grinned. "Well, aren't you an ugly fucker. You look like someone locked you in an oven." His skin was stretched tight across his skeletal frame. His flesh was blackened with bloody crusted cracks across his face.

"You," the voice boomed around me.

I lifted a brow. I hadn't felt this type of power in ages. Not since the last Prime walked this land. "I'm in a good mood, turn around and leave and you can walk away."

The thing grinned at me. Its teeth were blackened and sharpened like a predator's maw. "No, Prince, your life is the one that will be taken today. Your walls will fall, and those inside slaughtered except for our women." He pointed beyond me. "You will give me back my promised bride."

What the fuck was going on here? Other wolves didn't know of the Prime status, not unless they'd been in contact with our people and that had been forbidden for ages. "Careful," Ares growled in my mind. "Something isn't right, he nearly killed Bo. We should retreat until we know more."

Retreat? My wolf had never suggested retreat. It wasn't a word that normally existed in our vocabulary. "Once she took a step into my kingdom she became mine, and while I have no plans to defile her, I've got plenty a pack member that needs a good woman. She'll be well taken care of."

"Kneel!" Boomed the voice. "You dare to defy me?" His words bounced around me and the air turned crisp.

"Fuck," Ares growled in my mind. "He's casting that spell again."

The urge to drop to my knees washed over me. But I wasn't about to bow to anyone. No one was above me. I was the Prime.

"Be still!!"

The words sank into my skin. My muscles locked. It got hard to breathe. Blood dripped from my nostrils and I growled deep in my throat. Whatever witchcraft was going on wouldn't be able to hold me.

"Even a Prime is no match for me." He laughed at me. "Oh wait, you're not quite a Prime yet. Your father was far harder to kill. You and your Kingdom will be over and all because you became greedy and took what belongs to my pack."

"Father?" I demanded through clenched teeth. My tongue and lips were the only things able to combat his spell.

"Let me tell you a story, Prince."

Great. I was going to be told a bedtime story by a crispy critter and I couldn't even put my hands over my ears. Maybe I'd stumbled into hell somehow.

"Long ago the Prime Alpha ruled over the land. His territory stretched from ocean to ocean and no one dared to stand against him, that is until the day he had his first pup."

This was agony. Maybe I could bite my tongue off. Would the spell wear off if I tried to kill myself? I could draw from my mates to survive.

"He had a wizard too. One he promised that pup to when she came of age." He chuckled and coughed, the raspy voice crackling. "That pup was your mother, Prince. It took me time, but after you were born I attacked. I took her just like she was always meant to be mine, and when I was done with her, I killed her in front of your Father. The coward ran and formed this Kingdom of yours."

I stopped contemplating ways to break the spell, my attention laser-focused. "Why are you telling me this?" I growled. Funny, it was getting easier to talk now.

He laughed. "Isn't it obvious? I wanted to see the pain in you before I do the same thing to you. I'll take the Luna back, use her, and give her back to my Alpha. I'll take her daughter as my own until I get bored of her and give her to the rest of the pack as a reward."

I cocked my head. The mark on my neck burned, setting my skin and heart on fire.

"Now!" Ares ordered.

We shifted.

"What?" The wizard stumbled away from us, almost falling over his feet. "Impossible!" He wasn't smiling anymore, now only fear was etched into his face.

I grinned, raised my head up, and howled. The urge to chase overcame me. I couldn't hold back. I raced at him, eager to see what smoked blood would taste like.

"No! Stop!"

Even though his voice echoed around me it didn't stop me this time. My mark from Amanda burned hot and all I could focus on was it. I jumped into the air and the wizard threw his arms up a blood-red orb in his hands. I couldn't stop myself and I collided into a shield far too similar to the one that protected my people. The wizard reached in to his flowing robes and pulled out a glowing white blade and slammed it into my side.

Pain rolled over me.

"You're going to die," the wizard promised with his crackling voice. "The Alpha won't even have to see you. You're nothing, Prince, just like your parents. Your line ends here."

"Get up!" Ares screamed at me, pushing all his power into the command.

I got back up, blood leaking from my muzzle. I didn't know how badly I was injured but he had hit something vital. But I wasn't about to give up. I lunged at him again and the shield once again blocked me.

"I'm sorry, Zale," Ares growled in my head. "We have to get Bo help or we're going to lose him."

My wolf didn't give me a chance to answer him. Instead, the beast circled back as a surge of arrows were fired overheard at the creature. My people were offering me a way to return. I wasn't about to waste it, ran for the shield and jumped through it, landing on the other side on the cold snow. I rolled into it my paws giving out beneath me as blood turned the snow crimson red.

This wasn't over, I'd attack again and when I did, I'd be a full Prime.