Chapter 27: Wolf's Desire

The sky was clear, revealing every star, while the crimson moon, as red as blood, dominated the scene with an eerie presence. The purple crater reflected the moon's light, casting a deep darkened red hue over everything below. In the distance, a familiar shadow stood, observing and indulging in his obsession.

The memory of the airport tormented his mind. He recalled seeing his possession looking at another man with wide, surprised eyes—a look he had seen before and found sickening. His emotions churned like bile as he focused on that moment. He had been ready to kill that man the instant Alinta ran into the stranger's arms. Fortunately, she had escaped him, but for some reason, a lingering urge to eliminate the silver-haired stranger remained in the back of his mind. He knew it couldn't be a fated match; that was impossible. The only logical explanation was that it had merely been a fleeting attraction when she saw him.

"Dacian reported how she waved at him when the plane was about to take off," Onyx said as he listened to his person's thoughts. "I will rip out his spine!" growled the black wolf while pasting back and forth restlessly "How dare he look upon my female with his unworthy eyes!"

"It's not just him, remember Maggie's report about what took place at Mercurysburg Hotel," Bellinor hissed venomously.

"We need to make our move now, Bellinor. Our chosen has had her freedom for far too long!"

"If it was not for you all those years ago, Alinta would have been MINE NOW!" Bellinor bellowed with utmost hatred and pain, causing Onyx to retreat with his tail between his legs. "Oh, Alinta, my beautiful, beautiful Alinta," Bellinor murmured with a trembling sigh, watching her as she carefully navigated through the crowd, completely oblivious to his presence. He firmly grasped the vial in his gloved hands, preparing to sneak up on her from behind.

"You desire her?" an eerie voice echoed in Bellinor's mind, freezing him in his tracks. Onyx growled at the intrusion, but Bellinor stayed calm as he scanned the area for anyone nearby.

"Who are you? And what business do you have regarding my personal affairs?" Bellinor asked sternly.

"We have more in common than you know."

"And what is that?"

"We both desire the scarlet she-wolf," the voice replied smoothly.

"She is MINE!" Onyx roared. Bellinor appreciated his wolf's outburst but remained calm, wanting to see how the stranger would respond.

"Ever since I regained consciousness, I have been searching for her for the past few months, only to discover that she willingly came to witness my glorious return!" the stranger said warmly, ignoring Onyx completely. A tremor shook the earth beneath Bellinor's feet, but he was too absorbed in the conversation to pay attention to his surroundings.

"Your return?" Bellinor repeated, unsure of how to interpret his statement.

"Yes," the voice replied in a strained growl. In the distance, a light rumble of thunder echoed, and a flash of lightning illuminated the sky in a brief pink glow.

"Who the fuck are you? What do you want with MY CHOSEN?!" roared Onyx, jealous and ready to kill this wolf.

"I am Draven, the first deity created by the Moon. This perfect female was granted the last blessings from the Moon, and I wish to reap its benefits while indulging in the life of having a destined mate."

Bellinor's eyes widened in surprise. "My darling Alinta? One of the Moon's gifts? How so?"

"Since my disappearance, the authority of werewolf kings and queens has diminished. It was prophesied that a ruling couple would ascend to the throne, destined to govern all werewolves for eternity from the heavens. She is the chosen scarlet werewolf, the offspring of a werewolf mated to a god. Why do you think her coat shimmers in red and gold like flames, and she has two tails? Have you noticed that not all of her fur is ordinary but is instead made of glittering downy feathers?"

"Estelle, mated to a god?" Bellinor gasped in shock, starting to tremble in fear.

"Yes, a very powerful god, making our maiden even more desirable," Draven said sensually.

"A...and what is this gift you speak of?"

"The Moon has granted her the ability to transform into a lesser deity queen, once marked by her destined mate, the final king. This new king's purpose is to replace me. The Moon abandoned me and even tried to kill me. However, I am still here, and I will claim what is rightfully mine."

"That is impossible! Alinta has already been paired with a mate, whom she and her wolf rejected years ago," Bellinor said, confusion clouding his thoughts. This was all too much for him, and hearing how another was fated with her made him furious.

"That was a test, meant to appeal to her mortal side, and she passed it, like the true queen she is," the dark voice hummed admirably.

"Then…" Bellinor struggled to remain calm as he gathered his thoughts. "Who is this new mate the Moon has chosen for her?"

"I do not know who or where he is, but it was prophesied that his hair would be an illuminating silver, like the Moon. He is a lesser deity, with a human aspect. I do not understand why he has been hidden from me, but the Moon was foolish not to have taken greater care to conceal the woman from me."

"We saw that bastard! It was him at the airport!" Onyx exclaimed fiercely.

"Excellent. I will deal with him when the time is right. Now, are you willing to join forces by allowing a second wolf to reside in your subconscious? It would be in your best interest." Bellinor focused his gaze back on Alinta. He sucked in his breath when he saw her transform into her wolf and darted off.

"Breathtaking isn't she?" hummed Draven.

Onyx was drooling and running around restlessly, then barked, "I don't like sharing what is MINE!"

"She was never yours to begin with, but I can change that," Draven articulated temptingly.

Another man jumped in front of Alinta. Bellinor snarled fiercely as he assessed the situation, watching their body language. He was about to rush to her rescue when a voice spoke, "Halt. Accept my proposal, and I shall help you save her."

Bellinor's heart raced as Alinta ran out of his view. He wanted to chase after her, but something held him in place. "Let go of me! She needs us! This might be my only chance to prove myself to her!" he roared.

"How many times have you come to her rescue only to be rejected? Accept me, and you will become the most powerful and desired werewolf of all," the voice said eagerly. Another small tremor shook the ground, and Bellinor felt it beneath his feet. He looked down to see a large crack in the rocky surface. A strange glow appeared from the crack, and a black mist began to creep up his legs.

"You may refuse, but if you go now to save her, it might be too late. She is back in her human form, and the rogue is holding her down," Draven said calmly.

"Alright! I accept," Bellinor cried anxiously.

A horrifying laugh filled Bellinor's mind, and then another tremor erupted. The crack split fiercely, swallowing him whole. His scream echoed for a few moments during his fall, then came to a sudden halt. An explosion of purple light brightened the mountain, followed by an eerie darkness that engulfed everything the eye could see. Spectators in the distance cheered as if they were watching fireworks. They began to sing, hoping for more excitement until a massive cloud of black dust and violet static erupted with such intensity that even the keenest wolf's eye could not keep up.

All the spectators were blinded and immediately silenced, for their life force was drained in an instant, their bodies turned to black ash and ascended, disappearing into the night sky. There was only stillness for a few moments, when all of a sudden a large black mass shot toward the earth with a loud cracking thud. As the burned ash settled, it revealed Bellinor's new form. He appeared younger, more muscular, and larger. His grey eyes glowed with a subtle lilac hue, and his presence emanated a frighteningly pure power. He paid no attention to himself or the power he felt; instead, he closed his eyes, focusing on where his obsession was.