Kano's Red Wolf

Kano's Red Wolf
Essence landed on top of Agatheia with a loud thud. Teeth bared, she growled in her face. “You have a lot of nerve rolling into my wedding reception with ashy ankles, and trash ass threats.”

Agatheia laughed. “You’ve gotten even more mouthy.” Throwing her off, she smirked. “I thought Johnathan fucked that right out of you.” Essence knew she was trying to get under her skin and throw her off, and she cursed under her breath at the fact that her words alone brought back the haunting memories. Agatheia grinned before striking her against her snout. “Look at you, all of this and you’re still just a little girl playing pretend like she’s a grown woman.”

Essence slowly backed away and shook her head. “Shut up!” she screamed.

“Ohh, why? Afraid that the alpha will hear? Afraid he’ll find out just how tainted you are? How disappointed do you think he’ll be when he finds out he married something that was only made to be passed amongst friends?” She paused in thought. “Then again, from what I hear, you two are quite the pair. You killed your father, and the embarrassment of having him killed his mother.”

Essence’s eyes momentarily shot to Kano, who was already covered in blood from his kills. He looked at her, and his mouth clenched in anger and hurt. The image of his face the night he found out about Emon replayed in her mind. As her wolf raged against her chest, she now understood the almost feral man that had shown up in her bedroom.

Essence breathed in deep, and returned her attention to Agatheia. “I’m not a thing, I’m a person, no matter how badly I was once treated. I am Blood Moon’s luna. I’m a dope ass mom, a great friend, and I will be an amazing wife.” Stalking towards Agatheia, she watched her movements before lunging at her. Tearing deeply into her leg, Agatheia fell in pain. Essence snarled. “Apologize to my mate.” Eye wide, Agatheia held her wound, trying to stop the blood from profusely pouring from it. Cocking her head back, Essence bit deeply into her other leg before shifting back into human form. She smiled, hearing her screams. “Apologize.to.my.mate,” she repeated, slowly.

The hairs on Kano’s neck stood as he looked at the animalistic expression plastered on his wife’s face. He took a step forward, but his wolf stopped him.

“Not yet. She’s protecting us. Her wolf has taken over.”

He understood. He’s seen it the moment Agatheia made the comments about his mother. The moment Essence locked eyes with him, and hers burned so blue, they resembled his own. The crack of bones filled his ears as Essence shifted again, stopping mid-way.“Get Kanon out of here now!” he linked to Cayden and Cayden ushered Kanon and Anastasia from the room.

Essence tore into Agatheia’s arm and pulled it from its socket. She tossed it against the bloodied floor, then faced her again. “Don’t make me say it again. Apologize to my fucking mate!” she roared in her face, and the entire room seemed to stop.

“I’m sor—”

Leaning in, the snarl on Essence’s face replaced itself with a smile. “I take it back; you’re not worthy enough to address him,” she whispered. A guttural growl pierced through the hall as she bared her claws and ripped into Agatheia’s chest. Her wolf in charge, her body convulsed as Agatheia’s blood hit her skin. Her grin broadened. “Well, on the plus side you’ll get to see Johnathan soon. Tell him, and Emon I said hello.” Agatheia’s screams rang in both wolf and vampire’s ears as Essence bit repeatedly, yanking her bones from her flesh. Feeling a large pair of arms around her, Essence let out a lethal growl. “Get off of me!” she raged and jerked free before continuing to dismember Agatheia who was no longer recognizable.

Kano whispered, “Essence, it’s me.”

She grunted and started to calm and he grabbed her again. She looked at him, her eyes turning back slightly. “I will not apologize,” she said.

“I wouldn’t ask you to,” he replied as he hugged her. “It’s okay. I get it, I promise I do.”

She didn’t want to see what she’d done, knowing it was so gruesome it’d stopped Blood Moon and the Clan in mid-battle. Turning her face, she watched as the vampires started to retreat. Her eyes stretched twice their size. “Look out!” she screamed as she saw one race towards Phil. The vampire clawed into his back, and Phil dropped to the ground and wailed in pain.

“Phil!” Ericka shouted.

“You motherfucker!” Phil said as he glared at the vampire. Wobbly, he stood, and Fontaine and Stephan quickly joined his side. Before any others in Blood Moon could get to them, multiple vampires flew to their clan member’s aid, causing the battle to ensue once more. Surrounding the three wolves, the vampires locked them in the middle, and Fontaine placed his snout under Phil, helping him remain steady.

The smell of burning flesh spread through the room, and the vampire screamed in agony before his seared body dropped to the ground.

“Thanks, Bren!” Ericka called out as she ran to her mate. Fully shifted, she jumped into the middle. Purple electric sparks covered her gold wolf, and she quickly made her way to Phil, no longer caring her full powers weren’t disguised.

“W-wha—” he stammered at the gold and purple of her eyes. “What are you?”

She closed her eyes and leaned against his body. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Your wound isn’t too bad. I should be able to heal it. Just hang on, okay?” Phil felt a warmth course through his fur, and his wound slowly healed. Avoiding the confusion and fear on his face she turned and saw Fontaine and Stephan staring at her. She nudged her snout at them. “You two cover your ears, and whatever you do, don’t listen. It will affect you the most because you’re mated to her.”

“What are you talking about?” Stephan murmured, and then his body stilled as a sweet, harmonious sound filled his ears.

Ericka linked to Essence and Kano, “Tell Blood Moon to plug their ears and don’t remove their hands no matter what! We’ll explain later!” Quickly linking Ericka’s instructions to the entire pack, Kano and Essence covered their ears.

“What is that beautiful sound?” one vampire asked, as her body rocked slowly.

Letting down her bun, Brenda ran her fingers through her hair and walked into the middle of the circle. Dropping her glamor, she showed the pure white of her hair as it danced like snakes around the frame of her face. She swayed seductively, her lips unparted, yet sultry wisps called from her body. Ericka joined her side and gave her a simple nod. Brenda’s gold and purple eyes locked momentarily with her mates. A small tear fell down her cheek the moment Fontaine and Stephan looked away from her. Every vampire in the room slowly surrounded her, and she smiled, regaining her focus. “Do you want me?” she cooed.

“Yes,” they said, dazed by her magic.

“Good,” she whispered, and Ericka moved swiftly, making sure her fur touched every female vampire. So enthralled by Brenda’s siren call, they didn’t realize until it was too late.

“Keep still,” Ericka demanded, looking around at the women whose bodies were immediately locked in place.

“I can’t move!” a vampire screamed, and Ericka giggled.

“Potent, I know. Right on contact,” she said, winking.

Brenda’s face hardened as she glared at the male vampires. “All of you are nothing but pigs,” she seethed. Wails of agony permeated the sky as their bodies contorted into gruesome pigs. “Anybody want bacon?” she teased, her sinful voice dazing them once more. Shifting, the purple electric sparks around her wolf glowed through the room. Moving as Ericka had once done, the contact of her fur caused each pig to explode. “Let’s wrap this up, Eri!” she shouted.

Nodding, Ericka lifted her snout in the air. “Drop dead!” she shrieked, and every female vampire fell to the floor and took their last breath.

Quiet filled the room as every member of Blood Moon removed their hands from their ears. Eyes wide, they stared at the two wolves.

“What are they?!”

“They’ve been among us the entire time!”

“I can’t believe what I just saw.”

Hearing the murmurs, Ericka and Brenda moved closer to one another in fear. They heard the massive steps of their alpha and looked up to see the hard lines on his face.

“Get in here, now!” Kano linked to his brother. Seeing Cayden enter, he pointed his snout at the two wolves.

“What the—” Cayden gasped, and he joined Kano’s side.

Terror coursed through Brenda and Ericka, and they accidentally shifted into human form. Shaking, they dropped to their knees in front of the large red wolf and put their heads down into submission. Ericka held onto Brenda tightly, shielding her from whatever was to come. She whispered, “W-We were going to leave. We just needed to stay until our work was done, but I promise you, w-we’re leaving. We know that being here brings danger, and we would never want to do that to you all, especially you, Alpha. You’ve been so kind to us. You’re strong and smart and you’ve done so much already.”

Brenda looked at him with teary eyes. “I promise we’re leaving… just please… don’t kill us. We can hide. No one will ever know we’ve been here. We haven’t been seen, and we can make sure we aren’t seen again.” Kano immediately shifted into human form as his mind, completely shell-shocked, tried to process the haunting words that fell from their lips. Leaning down, he grabbed them both and made them stand. Neither Brenda nor Ericka could understand the storm plastered in his eyes, and afraid they’d offended him, Brenda whispered, “Did we say something wrong, Alpha?”

Kano closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, finally understanding so much. He now knew why his mother had sobbed, and why his father had looked at him the way he did at the town hall. It wasn’t out of shame of him, but of themselves. It was their shame that they had been a part of destroying what they had once vowed to protect. It was the shame in themselves that had left them silent to the torment of their son. It was always their curse to bear—not his—but it was up to him to break the cycle.

He stared at the ceiling momentarily before looking down at the terrified wolves. “No,” he said, embracing them tightly. “You’ve said nothing wrong, except that you were leaving. You are not going anywhere. This is your home, and you both belong here. Thank you for what you have done today.” He turned to the pack. “And anyone who feels differently shall be the ones to leave. I meant it when I said this is a new day in Blood Moon. We’ve grown. Let’s act like it.” His voice authoritative, he watched as each pack member bowed in submission.

“I think they’re cool as hell!” someone said, causing others to agree. “Not scary as fuck, cool—like you Alpha... no offense,” the man said bashfully. “Just cool, and I have no objections. They’re our family and we’re theirs.”

Brenda and Ericka looked around at the wonder on their pack members’ faces. Lips trembling, they sobbed lightly and gave Kano another bow of appreciation. “Thank you, Alpha, for giving us a home,” they said together.

He smiled as he lifted their heads. “I didn’t give you anything. I meant what I said. Blood Moon is your family, and you two truly belong here.”

They smiled at him, and then their faces paled. Looking around frantically, their hearts broke all over again, seeing their petrified mates dart from the room.