Chapter 13: The foolish can only hasten their own demise
He stood in a corner, his white and gold suit gleaming as he brought a champagne glass to his smirking lips. He was elated at the current turn of events, and almost could not believe them himself.
The two most powerful Alphas that represented the apex of werewolf Physiology, were both mated now? Just as he was searching for a way to bring them down, the moon goddess went and dropped a golden goose in his lap; and not just one, but two!
The goddess must favour him, he mused, still smirking. He watched the table where Nox and the Jacksons sat, chatting animatedly with each other. Poor little things, they had no idea what was in store for them! A sinister smile bloomed on his face, his pink-coloured eyes glinting with malice.
"Alpha." a male voice spoke next to him. He looked down to find a small male glancing up at him.
"What is it?" He said, his voice cold and his tone clipped.
"I'm just saying that it's complete, we can begin anytime you wish." The man said, bubbling with excitement at the prospect of what was to come.
"Good. Let them have their fun tonight, after all, we can't possibly paint such a lovely banquet in red, now, can we?" He spoke, his tone mockingly sarcastic. His pink eyes shone with glee.
'It truly seems like fortune does indeed favour the bold.' He smirked, sipping his champagne.
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It had been two days since the banquet, and Aylin had been with her mate for both of those days. She had been given a few days off of training in order to spend some time with the Alpha, especially since they were newly mated and she had yet to be marked. She was currently seated in her mate's study, casually perusing a random book picked from her mate's shelf. It was a guide to all the species and known hybrids of the realm, with their characteristics and known weaknesses.
Scarlett was seated at her desk, perusing through paperwork with a focused calmness. Her serious expression fixed Aylin in place and she watched as her mate picked up a document and begun to leaf through it. Aylin's wandering eyes could not help but drift to the large but deceptively soft palms, trail along the long, sculpted fingers, and rest at the short, well-maintained nails. As Scarlett's hands moved, Aylin felt her cheeks flush, especially when Aruna commented on the appendages.
'I wonder how her hands would feel on us if she touched us where we needed it most...' Aruna began seductively, before pausing, her eyes widening cheekily.
'Our heat is in about a week, let's abandon the suppressants this time. I want to carry her pups, and you have the same sentiment, don't you?' Aruna spoke through their mind-link, her words tempting Aylin immensely.
Before Aylin could speak, however, Scarlett looked up, her violet eyes ensnaring Aylin, making her cheeks flush harder when she was unable to break free from her mate's gaze. Scarlett's lips curled up into a smirk and Aylin was suddenly flooded with the temptation of feeling those lips against her own.
A loud bang jolted Aylin, bringing her back to her senses as Duncan rushed in. Scarlett glared at him and Nier growled.
"Yeah yeah, you'll thank me for this later." He said placing a small stack of documents on the desk. Aylin had not even noticed that they were carried by him, too focused on regaining her senses.
Nox glanced at the documents on her desk, looking at Duncan; her eyes asking the question before her mouth opened.
"It's the report. The Cethins are back." Duncan said cryptically. Nox nodded and opened the documents, her eyes hardening with each word she read. She did not doubt the abilities of the Cethins, and the information here was something that nearly made her go back on that stand.
What the hell was with those cockroaches ? Couldn't they just leave her in peace? Nox sighed, placing her hands on her face in exasperation before speaking.
"Have you told the others about this situation?" Nox asked, looking at Duncan, who shook his head.
" I came to report to you first, Alpha." He spoke, standing at attention, ready to receive her orders.
Nox sighed again, turning her head to glace at Aylin.
Feeling the same, lava-like, burning hot anger flood her system, she suddenly craved blood. Nier stood, her large, imposing size amplified by her raised hackles. The wolf walked up to their mate in their mind link, reaching down to lick Aruna lovingly before Nier crouched in front of her, hackles raised higher, her teeth bared, low, threatening growls ripping through her throat, the defensive position indicating one thing; The desire to protect her mate.
Nox growled, sharing the exact same sentiment. These rats wanted to come knocking at her own front door? Very well then. She would re-demonstrate exactly why she got the moniker of Dark Valkyrie on the battlefield.
This just had to happen when she finally met her mate? It was too good to be true, and if the documents in front of her were a guideline to go by, it was a plan that was just introduced. She had no doubt whatsoever in her mind that the perpetrator saw them at the banquet and thus cooked up this silly scheme.
This meant that Delilah was in danger as well, so she would have to drag Jack into this whether she liked it or not. She had no intention whatsoever of getting her best friend involved in this mess, but she knew that the stubborn oaf would march straight to the frontlines for her sake, even more so that it involved his mate. Left with no other choices, she made her decision.
" Duncan, gather the Cethins, I want a detailed explanation other than the report here. Take them to my home office. No one else is to accompany us, Got it?" Nox said.
"Consider it done, Alpha." Came the reply.
"Good. After that, assemble the warriors of the pack in the hall. I'll make a few calls then see you and the Cethins in the office." Nox said, motioning for Duncan to leave. He bowed and left, leaving Nox with the role of informing both her mate and her best friend about the recent turn of events.
She sighed, grumbling growls sounding from her chest as she inwardly lamented. She hadn't even gotten an opportunity to take her mate out, much less claim the girl, and here you were telling her that she had a guaranteed bloodbath coming to her door? She was livid!
She would've gone on a rampage and obliterated some of the camps whose co-ordinates now lay on her desk if it were not for her mate. Aylin had walked over and placed herself in her Alpha's lap, curling her body with her arms around Nox's neck, offering silent comfort to the Alpha. Nox wrapped her arms around Aylin, sighing in defeat. In their mind link, Nier calmed, her hackles lowering, as Aruna licked at her mate's fur, nudging and squeezing until she proudly settled herself between her mate's paws, yipping in delight. Neir lowered herself slowly, careful not to hurt the proud little omega beneath her as she settled, engulfing her mate in a protective circle of her body, content.
Nox subconsciously did the same, caging Aylin in her arms protectively, reassured to have her mate in her arms, safe and sound. She vowed once again to keep it that way, finally getting the resolve to call Marcus and inform him of the situation. She would give Jack the chance to protect his own mate; it was the least she could do for him.
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Marcus was seated in his study, dealing with pack matters that he had postponed due to the banquet nonsense. His mate lay on the couch next to him, breathing softly, absolutely exhausted. He had let the omega sleep due to all the assistance she gave him prior to the banquet and even after it, wearing her down .
He smiled, watching her sleep for a moment; his documents forgotten. It was in this daze that he felt his phone buzz, and he picked it up without glancing at who it was.
"Alpha Jackson speaking" He spoke, his tone cool and professional.
"Jack, this is serious, I've got no time for your roleplay." An exasperated female voice rang out, making Marcus blink in surprise. What was Scar doing calling him this late in the night?
"What's wrong, Scar?" He asked, noticing the frustration in her voice.
"The Cethins' report just came in." She paused, continuing; "The rats just made their move. It's a lot worse than we were expecting, Jack." She said, sighing, angry growls rumbling through her throat. He stilled, concerned. If the report was causing the usually easily irritated but rarely angered Scarlett to act like this, things were dangerous.
"Please go on." He said, standing up and heading to his office window, observing the night sky and the pack territory below him.
"Remember the premonition I told you about?" She asked.
"Of course, we learned our lesson from ignoring it once." He said, his gaze hardening at the memory of the bloody massacre that ravaged through the lands, nearly taking most of his pack with it if it were not for Scar rushing to his aid that day with hefty reinforcements.
"This one is worse than that one. " She said with certainty, sending a cold shiver down her best friend's spine. He was shocked. It was worse? Worse?!
How in the moon could that happen under their noses? From the sound of it, they did not have much time to prepare, but it was thanks to Nox's warning during their dinner that they had at least alerted their allies, warning them of imminent danger. Gathering warriors was thus not an issue; but Scar seemed apprehensive, almost unsettled this time. Was there something she wasn't telling him?
"Scarlett." He spoke, his tone serious; "What are you not telling me?" He said, his tone hardening in concern. She paused for a while before speaking.
"Aylin and Delilah are the targets this time... the war is a distraction." She spoke slowly, giving him time to let the information settle in.
Nox knew her best friend. When they had fought in wars together in the past, he had rightfully earned his name as the Blood Demon. It was a terrifying moniker for such a childishly playful man, but the man on that battlefield was undoubtedly the Blood Demon in a truer sense than those who actually contained demon blood in their veins.
He had swept through wolves like they were made of butter, always tearing out the arteries in their throats with deadly accuracy and precision. His sinister, pleased, wolfish smirk evident, even as blood dripped from his golden brown fur and coated his teeth as he tore through more wolves, was what got him the moniker. It was a testament to the terrors he brought to those who dared raise a paw against him.
Marcus's blood ran cold as he glanced at his sleeping mate, feeling the farmiliar feeling of the white-hot anger that rose in his chest. It was wrath; an emotion he had felt just once in his life, when Scarlett had shown up on his family's doorstep. It was anger at the family that dared claim to carry her noble blood in their veins, anger at the council who claimed to have her interests at heart; anger at the world that dared kick her when she was low.
This time, it was anger at the thought of any creature, be it a mosquito or a werewolf, that dared try and lay its filthy paws on his beautiful mate. Granted, neither of their omega mates, be it Aylin or Delilah, were delicate or weak, as their appearance might suggest. However, that did not mean he would tolerate even the mere thought of anyone harming his mate.
"When is the meeting?" He spoke, the devilish glint in his eyes and his voice of steel the only things that hinted at his state of mind.
He was going to bathe in the blood of his enemies soon, and he would enjoy every damn second of it.
Since they invoked the devil, it was only fitting to pay a suitable price, no?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Azalea_Silver
Azalea_Silver I don't think I've ever done a perspective on Marcus, but what do you all think?
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