ClaraWe headed down the valley, and I burst with questions. What was Khordon like? What were the werewolves like? Did they also adhere to the caste system like the Moonstone Pack? Was Prince Legiere seriously going to introduce me to the Dark Shade clan as his concubine? I wanted to ask all of these things, but the prince’s quick steps once again forced me to push myself to the finish line.The strange sensation of paved, stone roads hit my feet, and I was stunned to see beasts of burden like horses and carriages travelling along the road. Werewolves dressed in all manner of colors, leathers, linens, and even silks stared at my rough wolf form. Some of them even chuckled, and I bared my teeth at them. They quickly moved on, though I don’t know if they were merely scandalized or actually afraid of the foreign werewolf who could possibly be insane. I must have been quite a sight for them to behold, though the feeling was mutual. I scented the ooze of decadence and wealth dripping off t
Clara We wound our way slowly up the twisted stairwell with stone buildings, stores, and marketplace stalls infesting every step. The stone steps were massive, and hundreds of werewolves stepped down and up in a great mass of bodies. A cacophony of noise assailed my ears: werewolves barking, heckling, laughing, and bargaining all at the same time. I couldn't easily discern rank by scent, as perfumes, spices, sugars, and of course the burning stench of pipe smoke filled the oddly warm air. Sweat beaded down my back. The time was the autumn's harvest, but Khordon burned me like a midsummer's day. Werewolves held lacy parasols over their head to shield their heads from the unrelenting sun. Part of me thought these prissy Khordonian werewolves looked ridiculous, but another part of me wanted my own parasol to hide away from Diantha's rival, Soliere the sun. Prince Legiere snapped his fingers. The retinue all halted as one. He pointed at a stone stall at the side of the road, and I saw p
Clara “I’ll be there shortly,” Prince Legiere said. He turned and stepped toward me. He paused before me, and I realized he was quite tall and lean. I could see the taut muscle in his naked chest as he brushed a stray hair away from my eyes. There was no stink of pipe smoke, but instead, I caught hints of rich woody musk and amber. It wasn’t an entirely unpleasant smell. Our eyes met, and he bent down quickly. His lips brushed against my forehead in a strangely formal kiss. I was too surprised to say anything, and he nodded at the servant. “See you tonight,” he said. He waited for the servant to move further away, and he gave the lowest of whispers. “And don’t even think about heading out to your right, running down the corridor, heading up the southeast steps, and sliding away the false entrance tile hidden under the tapestry of a boar hunt.” He winked at me, and then he strode off to where the servant was waiting. I blinked and chewed my lip. Clearly, he wanted to show me someth
ClaraI saw all that I wanted to see. As quietly as I dared, I crawled back through the passageway. Once I was sure I was far enough from the room, I scrambled as fast as I could to the exit. I felt the tile with my hands, slid it open, and I leaped out of the exit. I bumped directly into another werewolf.“Sorry,” I gasped. My heart still pounded from what I had just heard. I stared at the werewolf who eyed me critically.It was the werewolf who called me a country bumpkin from Bragne. He was younger and shorter than me, but I could see that he had a lean strength in his body. His silver hair matched the color of his pale eyes, and he dressed in simple violet leather. A black cloak covered his head. I noticed the color of his darker skin, and I wondered if he was a Northerner.He glanced at me and the passageway I just came out of. “How did you know about this place?” he asked. His voice was surprisingly steady, and I wondered if he was angry or not.I didn’t know if I was supposed t
ClaraA cool breeze wafted through the windows. I drowsily stirred from sleep. Oddly, I felt incredibly comfortable and warm, despite the coolness of the room.Naked arms circled around my waist, and I felt something nuzzling my neck and cheek.“Soft….” Prince Legiere murmured in his sleep.I broke away from his arms with a start, and I realized that I was on the bed along with him. Did he carry me here? I wanted to smash another pillow in his face, and I grabbed a cushion to do so. I was about to wake him up, but then I grew fascinated by his sleeping face. His long indigo and silver hair were strewn about his face in a disheveled mess, but for some reason, it only made him look even more desirable. His long indigo lashes fluttered momentarily, and his jaw worked out some tension in his face. He was surprisingly muscled and fit, and I tried not to stare at how broad his chest was.He groaned and shifted to his side. His arms found me again and crushed me against his side. I gasped at
ClaraFelix pulled up his hood at the sound of my gasp and narrowed his eyes. He looked to the prince for guidance. Prince Legiere only smiled through his teeth at me and continued to smoke, as if it were just another day dealing with a sorcerer.“He has the Stigma and the Mark,” I said. Suddenly, I was unsure of myself. In the Moonstone Pack, or anywhere in Lycaneum, Felix would have been hunted, questioned, and burned alive. Sorcerers were burned, so that the Stigma would not spread to any other werewolf.I remembered Prince Legiere’s young betrothed. She too had the Stigma. Had there been an outbreak here in Khordon? Why hadn’t word gotten out about this in nearly every corner of Lycaneum? Is this why the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack wanted nothing to do with the Dark Shade? Did he hear about the sorcerers – werewolves who defied all reason and sought the arts of magic, at great risk to themselves and to everyone around them?“I’ve got the Mark,” Felix said coolly. “What of it?” Onc
Clara“I’m not bathing with you.” I glared at him.“Oh?” said Prince Legiere. He began to undo the black laces of his trousers, and I turned away just in time before he pulled them down. His breeches flew across the room and landed in a crumpled pile in the corner.“Well, then I’m afraid that you’ll have to go without a bath the entire day. You see the servants listen to me only, and boiling water for baths is tedious work for them. So if I say to them that if Lady Clara wants to take a bath, she’ll have to wait the next day.”My ears flushed in indignation. “You wouldn’t dare. I need a bath right now! I haven’t washed for nearly three days, and I feel revolting!”Something tickled my neck, and I swapped his hand away.“What a terrible shame. Then you just stand there facing the wall like a prisoner marked for execution. Ah, here they come.”Werewolves came through the door holding wooden basins of steaming hot water. There were so many servants that it was like a procession. They cam
ClaraI tried not to hiss as I dipped into the steaming hot water. The bath was boiling – much hotter than I was used to. Back when I still lived with the Moonstone Pack, I took quick, utilitarian baths. I often used the leftover water from Sisley’s bath or even Gerald’s when he wasn’t a lieutenant yet in the Allied Hunters. I would pour the water into a tiny wooden basin and squeeze my body inside. The water would be dirty and lukewarm, though I was grateful for any hot water at all. It was that or bathing in the river. Many other werewolves on the low end of the caste had to do this; it was just another thing to be ashamed of.Here the bath water gleamed with pale milky pink, green, and purple colors. It was like someone had stolen the aurora borealis in the night sky and deposited it into the bath. The scent was incredible – sea salts, subtle florals, citrus, and spice. They mixed into a fragrance that healed my anxious mind.I closed my eyes but kept the towel close to my breasts.
Clara Deanneth’s fingers twisted away the white fabric covering my pussy and squeezed lightly. “Don’t…” I gasped. My hand flew down to his wrist to push him away, but that was of no use. Deanneth clicked his tongue. “Felix, dear,” he said sweetly. “Clara’s being a little spoiled princess, and she doesn’t know what’s good for her. Why don’t you keep her hands busy?” Felix, half-conscious and half-drugged, took my hands and pushed them high above my head. I squirmed. “S…stop, Felix.” I begged with a moan. My own body betrayed me. O could feel the warm sweet juice gust out my clits under Deanneth’s gentle touch. “There you go,” Deanneth purred. Felix circled around, and I saw his erection rising ever so higher. He held my arms down, and his dark brown cock slapped against my cheek. I yelped. I couldn’t help but be fascinated by the throbbing veins in Felix’s shaft. He was young, but he had a shocking girth to him. Veins bulged out from his cock, and for one insane moment, I won
Trigger Warning: This chapter contains explicit sexual content involving drug, physical violence and threesome. Please read at your own risk. Clara “Stop.” “Hush now. You’re a grown adult, aren’t you? At least, that’s what you always try to tell me. Take your medicine in silence.” I heard a piercingly loud lash, and a groan of pain. My mouth felt like it was full of wool. Dread filled me, but I could barely move. Drunkenly, I tried to get a bearing on my surroundings. I felt dizzy. Another loud lash, and I recognized the cadence of the sharp intake of breath. It was Felix. I opened my eyes, and the sight that filled my eyes made me want to shut them tight again in fear. I was in a dungeon of some kind with dark red stone walls. A stone fireplace with gargoyles dancing around the sides flickered with a dull, orange light. In the shadows, I saw a completely naked figure chained to the wall. His dark arms were raised high above his head, and he knelt on the ground. The smell of b
ClaraI rummaged through every single cabinet and chest that I could find in the Pavilion. So far, I had collected two waterskins, two leather bags, a suitable warm outfit made of wool, and a fur-lined cloak.“You’re crazy,” Felix said, but he had done his own search of the Pavilions. He had in his hands several rolled up maps, a compass, and more warm clothes suitable for the cold fall.“Agreed,” I said.It lightened my heart just a little to know that Felix was going to join me, despite all his protestations. “You said that Prince Legiere was going to be busy for several days with the Councilors?”“Yes. If there’s any good a time as ever to make a break for it, it’s now,” Felix agreed. “You heard what Bruess said, right? That he might attend the council meetings, if Emperor Deanneth decided that he didn’t want to?”I nodded. “What was all that about?”Felix shoved several maps into the large bag that I tossed to him. “It was a pretty big threat. He’s not allowed to go the council me
Clara Felix and I quickly hurried out of the Coliseum. I was grateful that there were only small streams of werewolves leaving the place. I looked over at the sandpit and saw werewolves piling up bodies into a mass pyre. The stench of their burning bodies truly repulsed me, and even the werewolves burning the bodies had to cover their noses with heavy cloth and scarves. I hesitated at the exit and remembered the horrors of going through that giant stone passageway, but Felix took my hand. He reassured me, “It’s fine. Most of the werewolves are gone by now. Just a couple of drunks.” “And dead bodies,” I said, looking at the lacerated naked form of an Omega shoved in the corner. I felt sickness and hatred burn inside me as I stared at his pathetic, bleeding body. He was younger than Felix, and I wondered where his parents were. Probably gone, or they didn’t give a damn what happened to their child. However horrible the Moonstone Pack was, their cruelties could not even compare to t
Clara Heat and murderous rage emanated from Deanneth’s body. The sheer focus of his thoughts terrified me. The words came clearly to my mind, and I knew that he never let me leave his side. If I was more stupid, I might have said something particularly grating or sarcastic at that moment. But this time was different. The words howled into my mind, and I recoiled as if he had struck me physically. I looked in confusion at his beautiful face, and there was not even a single wrinkle or brooding frown that betrayed the boiling hatred within him. He continued to smile sweetly at me, but his grip around my chin tightened as he forced me to look at him. The sheer shock of his fury winded me. All this time, I took for granted that he desired me and that he was just a playful flirt who whored around. Now, I felt within him nothing but a dark abyss that pulled me deeper and deeper. “Let go,” I said nervously. I tried to free myself, but Prince Legiere’s grip grew even tighter. Felix, of
DeannethI headed out to the seats where my half-brother was. Crane pushed his way through the crowds in front of me, and Dellatine stayed back and guarded my back. They weren’t necessary. The moment werewolves saw who was coming their way, they froze. Then they bowed subserviently to me. Many of them leaped out of my way to give me space.This was pure power at its finest. I didn’t even have to look into their eyes. They took one look at my gray-and-black claws, and they knew who I was and why they had to get the hells out of my way.One could get drunk on this kind of power if they were stupid, like my father. I don’t think he even knew what was coming when I crowned myself as Emperor of the Dark Shade. Unfortunately, there was only a need for ONE Alpha on the throne. Not two.I kept my face as emotionless as possible, but I smiled inwardly at Bruess. He played too much of a dangerous game with me. I saw him now, speaking with Clara with such familiarity that it made my heart race.
DeannethThe Coliseum and the games were boring as usual. The Councilors droned on and on about certain policies that I had to enact, and they asked me so many tiring questions that I want to just toss them off the building. Of course, I had to remain calm. I answered every single one of their questions about the attack on Clara. Lord Hector and Lord Velant did not even believe that a vamp had attacked her, but Mistress Orias had visited Clara when she was still sick. She had seen the bite marks on the girl’s neck, and she had smelled the foul stench of vamp blood.Mistress Orias knew that the vamp threat was real. I sneered to myself. How fitting that the only intelligent werewolf of the bunch was in my brother’s pocket. By the time the tournament was over, she would dutifully send some small messenger bird to Bruess’s tower to tell him everything.I didn’t care. Let these insignificant Elites do what they must. I took a deep swig of wine straight from the bottle. Goddess, I needed s
Clara Prince Bruess nodded at the two of us, and he held up his hand covered in golden chains. A small pup came and set down several comfortable cushions against the stone steps. Felix and I sat down next to his raised red couch, and several werewolves swarmed us with trays of iced drinks and fruit. I heard something bubble and saw a long bronze contraption with a hose connected to it. The glass vase at the bottom frothed with white smoke and bubbling water inside. Prince Bruess held the hose in his hand, and he slipped the end between his golden muzzle and into his lips. He inhaled deeply, and spicy sweet clouds of unda escaped from his lips. Like peas in a peapod, I thought. If the two princes of the Dark Shade would stop squabbling for two seconds, maybe they would recognize how absurdly similar they were. Prince Bruess held out the end of the hose to me, and I was about to decline. Felix took the hose, and he put it in my hand. There must be some unspoken rule of courtesy that
ClaraAs I watched the Coliseum fights, I understood why werewolves were willing to kill themselves to get in. There was a heady atmosphere that stirred my pumping blood. Warriors of every size and race fought down in the sandy pits. I saw creatures that I had only seen in books: monitor lizards, tigers, lions, and panthers. The Coliseum wasn’t just a gladiator free-for-all. There were circus acts of skilled acrobats leaping in the air, knife jugglers, and jesters. Drummers kept a steady tempo that thrummed throughout the entire stadium, and musicians blew trumpets when a fighter triumphed over his opponent.I could feel the roaring crowds pulsate like one living, breathing being. There was no rank or caste here. We were either fighters or spectators. Entertainment and the thrill of the fight drew us all together. Some fights truly tested the limits of the werewolf fighters, and I found myself gripping the stone seat as I watched. When two Allied Hunters fought, it was like they were