Chapter 11 11
Aaron's Pov
The hunt was over. At least that's what I thought.
The forest should've been quiet but it wasn't. I could still hear the faint snorts of horses in the distance. Every Alpha in the court should've returned to the castle by now, but my instincts told me something was off.
I had barely taken a step into the clearing before three silhouettes lunged at me.
Fucking bastards.
I met the first one with a fist that cracked his jaw. Sent the second one flying with a kick that sent him crashing into a tree. I was about to kick the third guy when he managed to scrape his claws across my arm.
“How dare you?!” I caught him by the throat.
The man choked, trying to pry my hand away but I only tightened my grip, making him wheeze for air.
“A - Aaron, please…”
“So you know how to beg for your life.” I growled angrily. “The aim of the hunt was to find a creature and kill it, not TARGET AN INNOCENT STABLE BOY!”
“It wasn't my idea!” He struggled to speak. “It was Alpha Adam’s.”
“So you prefer obeying Adam to your own king?!”
“No… no. Adam said we were only…”
“Testing me?” I threw him aside like a rag doll. “If you can cheat at a hunt, you can cheat at anything. And one thing about me is that I don't tolerate traitors.”
The others scrambled to their feet, trying not to look at me. None that it mattered to me. I wasn't here to teach boys how to be men.
I turned my back to them and said. “If you want to survive tonight, you'll go home now before I forget you're one of my people.”
They didn't say a word. Not when the moon was this full and my blood was raging hot. They fled into the trees like the cowards they were.
I exhaled and rolled my shoulders. I needed to get home.
Suddenly, I felt an odd presence and reached for my sword.
“Easy there, little brother.” The voice drifted from behind me like oil on water.
I released my hand from my sword and turned around.
Adam stepped into view, dressed in the hunting gear he hadn't earned. He flashed me a charming grin I wanted to so desperately wipe off his face.
“I saw your little scuffle,” he said lightly. “It's really impressive. I didn't know you still enjoy making a display of your strength.”
I met his eyes. “I don't play with dominance.”
“But you play,” he countered. “Always have.”
“I don't play with lives.”
Adam's smile tightened. “Ah… how noble of you to say, considering the lives you've already taken.”
A muscle ticked in my jaw but I forced control into my hands. Adam always wanted a reaction. He always did.
“What do you want?” I snarled at him.
“Nothing,” He shrugged. “Just checking on dear little Aaron, you know, making sure the curse isn't chewing through you yet.”
“LEAVE!”
“Gladly,” he backed away, the smirk still playing on his lips. “But Aaron?”
I didn't answer.
Adam's eyes glowed. “You must've told your Alpha to beware of you but you, dear brother, should beware of ME.” Then he turned around and left.
Something inside me wanted to grab him and hurl him down a cliff or better still, kill him and make all my problems go away but I didn't. I can't listen to that voice. Not right now.
I exhaled softly and turned to leave and that was when the ringing started.
At first, it was faint. I ignored it, thinking it was some animal cry or a cicadas until a high, piercing shriek tore through my skull and I staggered.
I pressed my hand to my ear to muffle the sound but it was useless. The shriek wasn't coming from outside. It was inside me, vibrating against my bones and nearly blinding my vision.
“Fuck… not now.”
My knees hit the ground and a loud growl left my lips. In the next second, claws pushed through the skin of my fingertips, the pain searing through my old wounds. I clenched my teeth to dull the pain but I tasted blood.
My breath came faster, and more ragged. Heat crawled under my skin
“Aargh!” The growl ripped from my throat and my eyes burned. I could feel my body begin to shift.
Oh no.
This can't be happening. Not here. Not where she might see.
I slammed my back against a tree, to stop the transformation. My shoulder screamed in pain but the pain was good.
The ringing intensified and my claws dug into the tree, ripping through the bark. It wasn't working.
The leather vest on my back snapped into two and I growled. It wasn't working. The transformation was still on-going
I slammed my body against the tree again. I punched and kicked at it and even rammed my head into it. I can't let anyone see me like this. I have to stop it.
The impact rattled every bone in my body and I bit down on another growl.
“Control. Control. FUCKING CONTROL.” I repeated the mantra as I fought the curse inside me. But the damned curse wasn't listening.
I felt an odd energy swirl in the air and lifted my gaze to the sky. Of course, that's why.
There was a growing red around the edges of the moon. It was faint but the crimsons bled into the silver.
The BloodMoon was coming.
Another spasm tore through me and my knees hit the ground.
Fuck! Not now!
“Stop…” I slammed my fist to the ground. “Just stop! STOP!”
I reached for whatever humanity was left of me and clung to it as fast as I could.
No one should see me like this. Especially her.
Odette's face flashed through my head. Her voice, her addictive scent, the feel of her lips against mine. My raging heartbeat slowed as I recalled glimpses of her. But even thoughts of her weren't enough this time. The claws kept growing and so did the fur on my skin.
“Odette,” my voice broke when I said her name. “Stay away from me.”
I gripped the tree trunk until the bark shattered in my hands. I wasn't going to lose myself when I'd barely had her.
With one final deafening roar, I rammed my shoulder into the tree so hard it splintered.
Pain slammed into my shoulders but slowly, the ringing dulled.
The claws retracted, my pupils stopped dilating and my breath became normal.
Relief washed through me and I clutched my chest. The transformation has stopped but one thing was clear. The BloodMoon was still rising and soon… I won't be able to control myself. And if Odette was anywhere near me then…
I shook my head. I can't let anything happen to her.
I struggled to my feet and reached Caesar through my mind-link.
“Your Highness,” he answered immediately.
“Make sure Alpha Liam, Drake and Silas are punished. They broke the rules so break them.” I ordered.
“Yes, sir.” He said. “Anything else?”
I hesitated but eventually asked. “How is .. Odette?”
“Her wounds have been tended to and she's fast asleep.”
“Good.”
“Is something wrong?”
“The BloodMoon is rising, Caesar. I need to be in the dungeon before it does.”