Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

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Master Arcade waited until it was dark enough as he dashed out of the fortress, walking in the shadows, deep into the woods.

The night was young, cold, and dark, the moon was nowhere to be seen as he stopped at regular intervals, dodging the pack members that were going into the fortress.

After the invasion from the rogues, Max had suggested some members of the pack be under surveillance at the night.

Master wore that same black cloak and gloves he wore the day he killed the alpha.

His heart was heavy, he thought everything had fallen into place, but the presence of the Luna has ruined it all.

He got to the hideout of the rogues which is a big cave. The rogues at the mouth of the cave observed him, when they saw it was just him, they let him in.

He took a wooden fire torch from its stand and walked deep into the cave until he got to a clear opening where other rogues were.

"I expect good news, Master Arcade!" He heard a familiar voice at his back and turned to face him.

It was Nile, the deadliest of all rogues and the leader of them all. The four claw marks across his face depict how stubborn he has always been.

"Nile" Arcade hissed out.

Even if they were on the same side, Nile and his ugly face always intimidate him.

"Tell me"

He spoke with his harsh voice when he noted the anxious look on Arcade's face.

"The Alpha lives!" 

"What?"

Nile's voice rumbled like thunder in the cave, Arcade flinched and took two steps backward.

"You were supposed to use the silver blade on him, Arcade! You had just one role to play, and you failed!!" 

"I did! I used it twice on him. I would have sworn that I watched him die!" Arcade spoke.

"My men! They died for nothing! The Alpha lives!!" He scattered what was in front of him and turned to face Arcade, his eyes glowed like a flame in the dark.

"Alpha Creed is just too stubborn! After the great wound, I gave him at his lower abdomen, I did not expect him to be alive!" 

"Neither did I expect him to fight that fiercely with that injury. It shocked me to see him in his wolf form with that great wound" Arcade said.

"I am tired of staying in this hole all my life! We have to take over Mountain Howl Pack!" He barked and started pacing up and down the place.

"I also want to be promoted. And the promise still stands, you and your kind help us take over the pack, and you all would have a place in Mountain Howl with you being the new Beta of the pack" Arcade assured him as he stared at the way he would stare at a plague.

"Then, we would attack. I believe the alpha would be very much injured and would die soon. I doubt he would survive the wrath of the silver blade" Nile spat out restlessly.

"We can't attack"

"And why is that?"

"They would suspect there is an outsider. We have to wait and pass through due process. Besides, as long as the alpha is alive, a new alpha can't be crowned" Arcade said bitterly.

"Then, we kill him!"

"The alpha is with the witches!!"

"What? What happened?" Nile stopped pacing up and down as he stared at Arcade in confusion.

"It is a long story. It has nothing to do with the rogues"

"With the alpha in the black woods, we can't attack" Nile spoke calmly for the first time.

"Yes, I know that. That is why we would wait for him to return. The luna would return with him in seven days and it is up to me to finish him"

"You better do your part accurately this time"

"Of course, victory would be ours at last" Arcade faked a smile as Nile nodded at him.

"I will relay this to the rogues, they have been curious to know the outcome for the past three days" Nile said as he watched Arcade, wandered out of the cave.

*.*.*

A few wolves stood at the pack as they waved the luna goodbye. She smiled looking at them, hoping she would be strong enough to withstand the task ahead of her.

"Good luck, Cora" Max said to her as she smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, I'll need a lot of that"

"I wish I could come with you, luna" Kira spoke, breaking down in tears.

"I wish so too" she replied and took a long last look at them, she met the gaze of Cohen who just nodded at her.

She replied with a sad smile and darted out into the woods. The members of the pack stop there, watching her leave until she finally walked out of sight.

Cora had just a tiny bag that contained a bottle of water and some other stuff she might need.

She had walked for close to three hours as she sat down under a tree to rest. She looked around the unfamiliar forest and noted that she had left the protective coverage of Mountain Howl. She was alone now and has to be on alert.

"What do you want?" A feeble voice spoke as she stood up immediately, her fangs were out and she stood at alert.

"Oh, what is a lone wolf doing in the black woods?" The voice asked again as she kept looking around.

"Show yourself!!" She yelled but was replied with a burst of annoying laughter.

"Forgive my manners, I forgot I still had the invincible spell on" the voice said and was followed by some words of incantations.

"Videri donec oculos!"

An old woman in white apparel, with a white hoodie over her head, holding an old staff appeared as Cora was taken aback.

She instantly let out her fangs and was ready to pounce on the threat in front of her.

"What do you want from me?" She asked the old lady in front of her.

She held a basket with different herbs and Cora did not like the looks of her.

"I should ask you that, wolf girl. You are in my territory" the witch replied.

"I am looking for Azura, the ageless witch" she announced as the old lady frowned.

"And what do you want Azura for? 

"That is none of your business, old lady. Would you take me to her or not?" Cora had no time for pleasantries.

"Azura has no time to attend to any wolf, young lady. I would advise you to leave here as soon as possible before other witches notice your presence here" the old lady spoke and started walking away as Cora frowned.

"And who are you to judge? You have no right to say who Azura would want to see or not want to see!"

"Go back to your pack, young lady. Azura would never give you an audience!" The old lady kept walking as Cora rushed to her front, blocking her path so she would not move an inch.

"Why do you think she wouldn't give me an audience?"

A brief silence followed as Cora was slightly impatience.

"Because I am Azura!" The old lady stabbed the tip of the staff on the soil as she changed into a young, beautiful lady with red hair.

"No way! How did you do that?"

"It's called a cloaking spell! Now, leave!" Azura started walking away as Cora stood devastated.

She instantly has the feeling that Azura would surely help her.

"I can't leave! I need your help!!" Cora chased after her as she stopped walking.

"And why should I help you? Your kinds banished us to the black woods for over a decade!!" 

She started walking away as Cora ran to her front, blocking her path again.

"Please, I need your help!"

"And I said, no!!"

She made to leave again as Cora knelt in front of her. That action of hers made Azura stop and looked at her with great intent.

"I am Cora Creed, luna of the Mountain Howl Pack, I promise to do whatever you want if you help me. Let the moon goddess bear me witness and seal my fate by this vow I have made this day" 

Azura stared at her in surprise and saw the desperation in her eyes. Having the luna of Mountain Howl Pack do whatever she wants is something huge and rare.

And this was exactly what she needed to take the lingering itch of revenge on the wolfdom.