Hades rose to his full height, reverting to his human image. He looked at the five wolves before him and nodded for the leader of these to copy his very action. Nicolas hesitated a bit and transformed more slowly, kneeling on the ground with his head bowed. Looking into the eyes of an alpha that was not of the pack was considered a fatal offense and Hades could rip his throat out just thinking about it.
-Are the conditions ready?
-Yes alpha, all those who could be evacuated are hidden in a safe place, the former beta of the queen and current commander, awaits orders to start the revolt-
-You have thought carefully about all this, maybe you want to be the alpha and you are using me as an excuse to achieve your plans- the growls of the other wolves of the silver pack were heard in the air and the muscles of Nicolas’s back tensed , sweating slightly.
-I never had the intention of being alpha, I just want my pack to be as normal as anyone, that there is not so much misery and suffering, that the queen take power again and the times are as they told me, as they were when she led. I am not so delusional to think that a simple wolf like me can take such great responsibility-
Hades was silent for a few seconds. He did not know how these boys had been believed but of one thing he was sure. He wouldn’t mind having them by his side.
-Relax puppy- he approached and patted him on the shoulder looking at him from above- I have heard from your brothers how you are, I just wanted to see you to confirm if it was true that you were as correct as they counted-
Nicolas breathed a sigh of relief.
Hades, the benevolent, so they called him in other packs, that was the reason why they had placed their trust in him.
-My brothers?-
-They are fine, I left them with someone I trust, they wait in my mansion-
-Thanks Alpha Hades, I don’t know how to repay your gratitude-
-Don’t worry, your brothers are aware of what I want in return- he turned her back on him.
Nicolas raised his head worried, maybe it would be.
-If I defeat your father, his pack will pass into my hands, as well as his queen-
The lesser wolf frowned, but did not reply. The look of the wolf said everything, he had to trust him, he had to trust him. He prayed that history would not repeat itself.
***
Blood flowed. Multiple howls, growls, screams of pain, bites were what flooded the night under a red cloud. The silver herd was gaining ground, having infiltrated by surprise. They had encountered resistance that they had appeased with equal intensity. Most wolves only responded to alpha Rudoc because they had no choice, no matter how cruel their leader was, he was their leader unless someone challenged him.
Hades strode down the corridor with blood that wasn’t his running down the hair on his back and muzzle. The battle to enter the mansion had been intense, but the victims were only limited to being seriously injured. He had given explicit orders not to eliminate anyone, a killing without reasons was illogical and he had his methods of dealing with those who did not redeem themselves.
Nicolas was closely following him in a condition similar to his, plus a wound on his right leg that made him limp.
The older wolf smelled another alpha nearby. The very unfortunate had been confined in the royal hall with other guards. And that was the most important figure in the pack? Ironic river, in its more than 600 years and in all the disputes that it had participated, it had given its leg forward as the main defender of its pack. He would surely give that obnoxious canine a lesson in ethics.
He stood in front of the door of the royal hall with the son of his enemy at his back and three more wolves, his beta and his closest guards who had refused to leave his side, as dictated by the blood pact they had sworn to him.
The hair on his back stood on end as the door shattered and two wolves lunged at him. His two guards reacted quickly and stopped their attack by grabbing both of them by the neck in midair and holding them to the ground with difficulty. Three more dogs appeared before Hades and this time it was he who attacked, pulling him out of the way and knocking them unconscious. They couldn’t do much against an animal that outnumbered them in size, thickness, and strength by several numbers.
He felt Nicolas growl behind him.
Rudoc was standing in front of the alpha for a few meters. Three wolves defended him without moving from his place while another smaller wolf with brown fur kept at bay, with its tail between its legs next to the alpha.
Hades went on alert and pulled out his teeth showing them in all their glory. The gleam in the eyes blazed so brightly that the three guardians of their enemy lowered their ears and groaned away. The alpha of the silver pack was upset and knew the feeling it exerted on others, he was not at the top of the pyramid for pleasure, despite the multiple rumors of his good will.
He advanced towards Rudoc who ruffled every hair on his body in an attempt to appear larger and more menacing. The thick chain that held a rusty key was lost in the fur and was not gone unnoticed. His alpha scent was not as powerful as Hades’ and his height, barely reaching his snout but even so he pounced in attack, no one would steal his throne.
Both wolves became entangled in a fight of bites and scratches that left the others present at bay.
Only the strongest would emerge unscathed from that fight.
And many knew the result