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“Stop!!”

A thunderous voice resounded in the air, shaking the entire ship for a moment as it sailed across the seemingly endless water around it. The Moon was full, high in the night sky, providing very little warmth from the freezing waters.

“Get down from there, I will not ask again, Omega,” the same powerful voice said again.

It belonged to a man in his early thirties with a muscular build. His long hair was a mix of black and white colors, and his eyes glowed a dangerous crimson. They were fixed on a young lady with a sickly physique. 

The coldness of the sea made her skin very pale and one look at her was enough to know she hadn’t had a good meal in a terrifyingly long time. She was standing on the rail of the ship, staring at the vast blue depths beneath her. She had her hands fisted into a ball and her back turned to the man behind her. 

“Alpha Rex, I don’t want to die,” she said in a low whisper as she slowly turned to the man behind her.

Tears gathered in her hazel eyes, threatening to fall out any second. She swallowed hard.

“Then come down, please.” Seeing how fragile she was, Rex calmed his tone. 

“No.” A tear fell down her left eye and she turned to the sea in front of her. 

Rex began to walk to her slowly, his eyes fixed on hers. A few paces from her, he noticed the knife in her hand.

“Merciful Goddess, forgive me.”

Just as Rex took another step, the young lady brought the knife to her neck and with a swift slash, slit her throat with it. Rex fell to the ground on his knees as he watched the lady’s body fall to the sea. Every nerve in his body was aflame with anger. He fisted his hands and drove his clawd into his flesh.

“That’s the sixth one this week,” came the voice of an old lady behind him. “At this rate, the entire pack will be dead before the next Moon.” 

“At least, it’s a quick death. Better than starving to death,” added the young man beside her. He had short black hair and was less brawny than Rex.

“Ethan-”

“Don’t Grandmother! Just don’t!” the young man threatened, shutting the old lady up. “It’s been five bloody months since we set sail. We’re on the brink of starvation without a clue where we’re headed on a ship that’s falling apart. I turn around and see nothing but the damn sea. When is brother going to realize we’ve been abandoned by the Goddess?”

“Abandoned? The Goddess would never abandon her people. I don’t want to hear you say those words again!” the old lady warned with absolute seriousness in her voice.

Just then, Rex got up and turned to both of them. 

“He’s right.” His eyes had an even brighter crimson glow in the darkness.

“When we were forced out of our home, I swore on my life that as Alpha, I would restore the prosperity of the Crimson Flame Pack. With or without the Goddess’ help. We’ve lost nearly a eighty of our brothers and sisters to this accursed sea. I’m done waiting on the Goddess to save my pack!”

The old lady opened her mouth to speak but a look in his blazing eyes and she thought better of it. Rex walked passed them both, heading below deck to his chambers. In all her life, she had never seen Rex this angry. She feared what his next move would be. The frustration and desperation in his voice were frightening.

On getting to his chambers, Rex took off his shirt, knelt on the ground with a knife by his side, and closed his eyes. In silence, he stayed that way for an entire hour, breathing in an erratic rhythm. When he finally opened his eyes, they were pitch black. Rex picked up the knife and carved a sigil on both his wrists. Scarlet blood rushed out and with his gaze fixed on the sigil, Rex found himself saying three words he never thought he would say in his lifetime;

“Hades, come forth!”