Zytha's Grudge

Alpha Keegan was discontented.

Growing up, he'd been told by his father that some measures had been taken to avert the threat. A lot of people believed that. 

But Mortha seemed to think differently. 

"I had been hoping she was dead, Alpha. But I know what I saw - she is alive. The one that carries the blood."

Keegan sighed. "You've said these words before, Mortha. Two years ago. Do you really believe she is alive?"

"Oh, I do! But I do not know where. We must make haste and carry out precautions to ensure she doesn't bring harm upon us."

Seconds bled into a minute as Keegan regarded her words.  

"I doubt she is here in the North, tho. Zandov would have sensed her already." Kalaril chipped in. 

"That is correct. But it doesn't change the fact that whatever danger she causes will affect us all. We must act carefully, Alpha."

Keegan nodded. 

"Thank you, Mortha. I shall take this up to the courtroom for discussion."

"I pray only for success, Alpha." She dipped her head. 

Turning around, she exited the room. 

****†****†

Sunlight, fractured by a thousand leaves, dappled the forest floor as the pounding of his horse's hooves stirred the slumbering earth.

Ulric rode right to the very spot he knew he'd find her. In plain sight, it was empty.

Dismounting his horse, he blew three sharp whistles in a coded sequence. And few seconds later, the lady he was there for came out of her hiding.

Ulric's heart lurched in his chest, stolen by the sight of her. 

She had a veil around her face but lowered it when she confirmed it was him and he was alone. Ulric could see curiosity eating her up.

"I had thought you'd come yesterday." Her voice was laced with impatience as she inched towards him.

"I know. Forgive me. Matters of my family held me captive," Ulric lied.

He was Malkar's younger brother, hence a prince and could go anywhere he wanted. He delayed by a day to reach her because he just didn't know how to face her.

"So, tell me. How did it go?" She asked at last, blinking hard afterward.

He could see the storm of terror churning in her eyes, reflecting a fear that ran bone-deep.

"I am sorry, Zytha. There was nothing I could've done to save her, not when she had the attention of every single Keeper in the Pack, including Zandov." His eyes mirrored his pain as he responded.

"No!" The word ripped from Zytha's throat, a raw cry of pain. 

Swiftly, Ulric pulled her into his embrace, his hand threading through her long, raven hair.

He shared the same height with her. He was tall, and so was she. She had very long sleek hair he'd always enjoyed stroking when they were together. Except now, he had to stroke them to console her.

"How could they kill her!?" She sobbed, her voice muffled against his chest. "Just how?! Her only crime was being a witch. She never harmed a soul! We only meant to stay a while, to gather what we needed, and then leave! How could they be so cruel?!"

Ulric's heart ached for her. Nerfetiti was her only sister and the person most precious in the world to her. He knew her death was bound to break Zytha.

The two sisters had arrived the North few weeks ago and made sure to stay in the fringes of the Northern territory where they could not be sensed by Zandov. According to Zytha, they were there to get some rare plants that only grew in the North.

Apparently, Nerfetiti delved deeper than she should have and happened to catch the attention of Zandov. That was how she had been captured and executed.

Ulric had to ride for a whole day to meet Zytha at the spot where she'd been hiding at the outskirts.

"I am so sorry," His voice dipped to a murmur, nuzzling his nose against her hair.

Suddenly, Zytha ripped herself from his grasp, her eyes blazing crimson.

"No. I will not let this go," a sharp edge crept into her tone. "My sister didn't deserve to be executed like an animal, all for the power that coursed through her very veins! She brought no harm during her stay here, yet they snuffed out her life! I shall have my revenge. I do not care what I have to do. But I shall bring death to the ones who condemned her to death. Your Alpha and the damned witch hunter! I shall not rest until I have their blood on my hands!"

A cold dread settled in Ulric's stomach as he heard the icy threat simmering beneath her words.

"Zytha..." He tried to reach out to her, but she took a step back like his touch had become repulsive.

Ulric halted, surprise settling between his brows.

"You should go," her voice clipped, devoid of the warmth it once held. "From this day on, your Pack is my sworn enemy. And when I have my vengeance, you will not be spared."

Ulric huffed in disbelief. "So, I have become a stranger to you, have I not?"

Zytha lowered her gaze to the ground. "We were strangers until six weeks ago. You had no idea I was a witch when we met. Otherwise, you might have been the first to blow the whistle on me."

"But that did not happen, did it?!" Ulric half yelled, going forward. "You cannot deny that we feel something for each other. The things we have done together... I do not regret falling in love with you, Zytha."

Zytha looked up at him. "You should. Otherwise, you are foolish. Our feelings are useless when we are worlds apart. And maybe it is my fault for not keeping my distance in the first place."

Her words stung hard at Ulric. Her beautiful face which had charmed its way into his heart now held so much hate. 

He clung to the desperate hope that it was simply grief, a storm that would eventually pass.

Zytha turned around to leave.

"Zytha!" He called. "I... I am sorry, alright?! But you can't just leave like I was nothing!"

"What in Hecate's name will you have me do!?" She whipped around to face him. "My sister is already dead! Do I have to wait here, a sitting duck, until your witch hunter finds me?" Her eyes were cold and unfeeling.

"I will leave, Ulric," she declared, her voice ringing with a terrible finality. "But be rest assured that your people shall pay for what they took from me. I swear on Nerfetiti's memory."

With that, she disappeared into the dense foliage. And this time around, Ulric's weak body could do nothing to stop her.