The Last Ruby Wolf - Live as a Queen or die as a Monster

Sienna's POV

"She went this way!" Someone yelled, running through the woods.

I kept running, ignoring the branches and tall grasses hitting my body. I panted, my feet getting tired.

I was tired, but I couldn't stop. If they caught me, then I was as good as dead. I rested behind a tree, trying to catch my breath.

"I see her!" One of the men shouted.

"Shit!" I groaned and continued running.

Please help me. Moon Goddess. Please. I didn't....I can't anymore. Please.

A sharp thorn from a plant scratched my knee, and I yelped.

"Goddamn it!"

"Find her!" One of the men yelled. They were closing in on me.

I needed more time. I couldn't face them. They would kill me.

"Dear goddess, what do I do?" I murmured, and closed my eyes for a second.

I transformed into my wolf form, it was the best chance I had now and I opened my eyes.

My wolf was a bright red with white undertone fur. My wolf was bigger than the regular teenage wolves and I started to run, howling with the moon.

Half of the men picked on my scent and they transformed also, dashing through the forest like mad animals. They were the Midnight Syndicate assassins. Some were humans, and the others werewolves like myself but they all had one thing in common. To get my head.

I should have never been found this quickly. I had been very careful, making sure to never stay in one place for more than a night. Yet, somehow, they had tracked me and worse I was weaker because of my monthly flow.

Someone must have betrayed me, but who?

I had cut all connections.

Who could have done this to me?

Their howls grew louder, making me shudder as I pushed forward.

I can do this. I just have to make it to the border. Faster Sienna.

They kept gnawing and I was beginning to lose my pace. I noticed them catching up by my side, snarling their teeth ready to dig into my skin.

The other men followed in their bikes.

How did they...?

My heart raced with fear and I charged myself to run faster.

Moon Goddess. I need help. Send me help, please. If you can hear me!

The men laughed, driving their bikes. "We've got you now."

One of them neared me stretching his hand to grab me and I snarled. He chuckled, and aimed again. When he couldn't get me, he brought out his gun, cocking it.

I had to act quickly.

Think, Sienna. Think.

My vision suddenly became blurry from tiredness. My lungs were tired, and I heaved, still pushing on as I ran.

Then I saw it, a crumbling structure hidden within the trees.

I created a diversion, halting immediately and the bikes collided. The wolves chasing behind pounced on me, but I dodged in time, and dashed to the other lane avoiding their claws and teeth.

My wolf tumbled down the grass and I dug my claws into the grass to slow my pace.

I hissed, feeling the pain hit my claw. The moment I stopped, I turned and continued running, grateful I had lost them. I kept running into the ruins of an old pack house.

I felt hopeful. I knew that would catch my scent soon, but I could lose them inside.

I kept moving, stumbling on the old packhouse, and entered. It smelt of decay and dust. The moonlight shone from the collapsed roof, and spread to the shattered furniture and moss-covered stone.

I stopped, resting against the nearest wall standing and breathed. I had less than a minute to rest.

I shifted back into my human form, panting. I was almost naked. Shifting into my wolf form earlier had torn everything. I was left in a shredded underwear.

Just then, I felt it. A presence. It was cold and terrifying.

I wasn't alone. I moved, looking around as quickly as I could trying to catch the strange presence.

Something moved behind me and I turned, but it seemed I was slower and a hand grabbed my throat, throwing me to the ground.

I let out a low growl, struggling against my attacker's chest. His scent was familiar, but he was covered from head to toe and wore a dark mask, just like his clothes.

"Let me go," I said, struggling to free myself.

His amber eyes turned darker yet softer and his gaze moved down my neck.

"You pervert!" I screamed, trying to get him off me.

"You can scream in the grave," he said coldly and pulled out a dagger.

I stared at him in horror, my eyes pleading to live.

"You should have kept running. It's fun watching you," he murmured.

My fingernails dig into his wrist, yet he didn't show any pain. "Go to hell," I cursed.

"Let me take you there first," he answered and raised his finger, his claws growing thicker and longer and he pinned me down, choking me with his other hand.

"Goodbye, Sienna," he said and I struggled under him.

His claws came down. I closed my eyes, but he hesitated.

A different howl came from our side, and we instinctively and slowly turned to where the sound came from.

From the shadows, a huge wolf appeared, clothed in thick dark fur. I felt instant fear, watching the strong beast appear from the door. Its eyes glowing, a strong gold.

"Oh, hell no," the assassin murmured.

We're dead.

It gnarled, baring its teeth and I shivered. If I moved now, I might have a chance of escape.

"Get off," I ordered, but the man wasn't moving his hands. "Please," I begged.

The black wolf took a step and I screamed. "Get the fuck off!"

The Cursed Alpha

Kieran's POV

I noticed a red wolf running through the woods. I had been scanning the area, getting ready to hunt when she passed.

I sensed she was a female and followed her. Her fur was unusual and I was intrigued. Loud roaring and howls greeted my ears. Different bikes riding with the wolves.

They were chasing her. I sensed her tiredness and transformed into my wolf form.

Unlike the others, I moved quietly even though I was fast. I was larger too and watched in awe as she easily got away from them, making them crash and collide with each other.

I stood at the top of a hill hiding behind the shadow and noticed a clothed man enter the ruined packhouse. He looked just like the assassins chasing her and I waited.

Next, she ran in, and I heard her groan with a fall. I ran towards the building and snarled, getting their attention.

The man already had her pinned to the floor and his claws raised to slash her throat.

I stopped forward, ready to pounce on him when a huge wind pulled him off her, sending him crashing through the rotting table.

He groaned, and I stayed still. My eyes moved between them. She looked at her hands. I felt a rush of energy coming from her.

What the hell was that?

She sat up, and I saw her face.

Sienna

My mind twirled, staring into her eyes. She looked scared, the second she spotted and stood up. Her legs shook and before I could understand what she planned to do. She ran.

I turned my gaze to the groaning man, he was recovering. He was a werewolf after all and he snarled, his fangs growing.

I had no use for him, and I ignored him chasing after the young woman. She didn't stop, and continued running.

I could catch up with her, and I increased my pace. She seemed to notice and transformed back into her red wolf.

I growled, chasing after her. She was fast, a lot faster than I had expected. She reached the edge of a cliff and halted suddenly.

I cornered her, trying to approach her, but she was too scared to notice. I stepped closer, and she moved a bit, almost falling off the cliff.

I had to act fast, and lunged at her, pushing her away from the edge of the cliff. She hit the tree, falling unconscious.

Had I hit her too hard?

***********

"You should have killed her the moment you saw what she was."

Darius's voice cut through the heavy silence like a knife, sharp and irritated.

He turned dark eyes towards the unconscious girl lying in the holding cell. I did not flinch. Instead, I leaned against the cold stone wall, folded my arms, and watched the girl responsible for putting the entire pack into chaos.

"I have no interest in spilling any blood," I answered.

I didn't tell him who she was exactly.

Sienna.

The last Ruby Wolf

Her wrists were chained, silver cuffs gnawing into the skin.

Even sleeping, her human form jerked, restless. Tangles of dark, unkempt strands stuck to the sweat-beaded surface of skin, and the rise and fall of the chest were shallow gasps. She was much too thin. Too fragile like a wolf about to break.

And yet, nevertheless, she held power.

Power I hadn't expected. Power I couldn't ignore.

Darius took one step closer, keeping his voice hushed. "You're hesitating."

He wasn't mistaken.

I should have killed her by now. That is the Shadowfang Pack's rule. Ask not, kill. But something did not sit right about this one. The Midnight Syndicate did not kill their foes until after they questioned them. If she were their foe, she'd be dead by now. And if not, the devil himself only knew what the devil she was.

I pushed against the wall, leaning towards the cell. Shadows from the iron grating were falling over sleeping features. "I'll handle this," I growled.

Darius scoffed. "You had better."

"Who is the master here?" I asked, looking at him. He shrunk back, raising his hand in surrender.

"You are, Alpha. Just be careful, will you? You're too kind," he added, and walked off.

The sound of his steps ringing through the dark halls of the underground cells.

I exhaled gradually, releasing the strain from the muscles around the base of my neck. This girl wasn't some ordinary Syndicate escapee. How she'd resisted, the way her ability flailed about; it wasn't coincidence.

It was dangerous.

I unlocked the cell door and went inside. The smell of blood and the stench of the old stone hung heavy over the room. As the instant I crossed the threshold.

I undid the lock on the chains on her wrist and ankles.

Sienna stirred. She gasped for breath, the hands closing into weak fists.

I crouched beside her, waiting for her lashes to open.

And she did. Her amber eyes met mine. They were wild and resilient.

Then, without hesitation, she attacked.

I caught hold of her hand, slamming her down on the floor with my hand. She moved again, and I pressed her down, keeping her still with my other hand on her neck. It wasn't enough to choke her, just keep her in place.

She gasped, not looking away, and didn't try to beg.

Interesting. Stubborn and hot headed.

She bared teeth. "Kill me, or let me go."

I raised an eyebrow. Why would I kill her?

"Brave for one who'd just gotten their ass kicked," I mocked.

Her pulse thundered beneath my grip. She didn't flinch, or cower.

Fascinating.

I released her, and she stepped ahead, stumbling slightly before recovering herself. She brushed the corner of her mouth, frowning up at me like a caught wolf. "What do you want?"

"Who says I need anything?" I asked.

"You didn't kill me. So, you clearly want something," she replied.

I could have said a thousand things. Answers. Loyalty. Submission.

But instead, I smiled. "You."

Her breath caught for a moment, but she quickly covered the lapse by adopting the sneer. "You're crazy."

I leaned in close, close enough for the breath from my mouth to gently caress against the skin. "No, little wolf. I'm the only one around here using their head."

She struggled, glaring at me with hatred. "If you aren't going to kill me, then what? I'm not playing your games."

"I have no interest in killing you, yet." My voice dropped lower. "I want you to be my mate."

The words hung like a hotwire between the two of us.

Her lips parted, incredulous expression passing over the features before hardening into something sharper. "What? No! Go to hell."

"You seem to be in it, darling," I mocked.

I chuckled, stepping back from her when she swung a fist towards me. She was quick, but clumsy and wasn't strong enough.

I caught hold of her wrist easily, keeping it against mine.

Then I felt something.

A jolt. An explosion of something hot and electrifying coursing through veins the instant our skin touched.

The blood rage inside me grew. The curse placed upon me all those years, started to crawl out.

No, damn it. Not now, stay back. She didn't do anything wrong. Stay in.

The animal in me began clawing to the surface fighting for control.

For a moment only until I could comprehend its implications.

Her lips parted and her eyebrows folded together. She felt the same energy, but only I was losing control.

I tightened my grip, ignoring the beast.

The blood fury abated.

Sienna's eyes widened in shock, and she squirmed, trying to get away from me, but I didn't budge.

"What the devil are you going to do?" She asked, horrified.

I stared back at her, and forced the blood rage back to the depths of hell. "I am going to show you destiny."

"Huh?" She voiced, and let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "You're crazy."

I loosened my hold on her slightly. "If you'd prefer to survive?" I asked. "Then you will stay here. With me."

Her chest heaved and dropped. "I told you already. I reject your offer."

I smirked. "Then, you leave me no choice."

I released the grip around her wrist, watching the flinch, cradling the wrist protectively as if scalded. "You're not leaving this packhouse alive unless I say so."

Her gaze snapped towards the door, her thoughts racing. "I don't take orders from you."

"Try me," I warned.

The silence felt heavy with latent violence. I could sense the battle in her eyes, the part of her that wished to rip my throat, but she was never getting that chance.

I turned, moving towards the cell door, but stopped and glanced over my shoulder.

"You have until morning to make your choice," I said softly but sternly. "You can remain here as my mate...or you can leave here as my captive."

She didn't react. I left her alone, closing the door behind me.

Ronan's POV

"She should not have survived."

The words rang through my head while I sat in the Syndicate's war room, blood hardening over the tear in the sleeve of my jacket.

Dorian Maddox, the enforcer for the Midnight Queen, paced the room, his sharp, hawk eyes slicing through the silence like the edge of a knife.

I felt the weight of his eyes upon me but did not flinch. I never did.

"You had one job, Voss." He said this softly yet menacingly. "Kill the girl. Bring back the proof. But instead, you come back with a useless excuse of her disappearing into the lands of Shadowfang. Care to explain?"

A muscle in my jaw convulsed. "She escaped."

Dorian's lips twisted into amusement, though his eyes were not amused. "Escaped?" He leaned against the cold steel table dividing us. "You're the Phantom Wolf, the Syndicate's greatest assassin, and you expect me to believe some starving girl overpowered you?"

My silence did the talking.

Dorian exhaled through the nostrils, the deliberate expulsion of frustration. "The Queen will not like this."

I resisted the urge to sneer.

Like I did not know that.

The Midnight Queen did not accept defeat. She ruled by blood and subterfuge, her reach went far beyond the walls of the Syndicate. If, even for one moment, she suspected that I'd hesitated to kill Sienna or she had gone by choice. I'd be useless and gotten rid of.

Dorian pushed the table back and folded his arms. "You now only have one last chance. Mend this, or you will leave me with no option."

He left without another word, his steps echoing through the hallway.

I remained where I sat. My eyes stuck on the gloves around my hands.

My fingers trembled, recalling when I'd held her in my arms. How her breath hitched. How her eyes seared mine, filled with something I could not define.

And the way my body, although trained, disciplined, and ruthless, had betrayed me.

I had caught her when she tried to escape and froze when I looked into her amber eyes. She took the chance, striking me with energy I hadn't expected.

That alone would have provided cause for my rapid return and reporting of the anomaly. But I hadn't.

I had lied.

And I did not even know why.

I couldn't tell what she was anymore. She was a wolf like the rest of us, but different.

The scent of blood and charred wood lingered about my clothes when I stood up, the ache from the strength of the blows from her pounding through my muscles. I needed answers and I would get them.

There was only one place where you could find them.

**********

The Black Moon Witch

The chamber smelled strongly of incense and rot. Shadows crawled upon the walls, twisting into strange shapes, as I entered deeper into the innermost part of the Midnight Syndicate.

Isolde Morwyn sat in the middle, in her black dress, staring at me with her silver eyes.

She always looked ancient, and I wondered how old she was, even if she looked thirty.

"Ronan Voss," she said, rotating the glass of dark wine around her slender fingers. "I fear you caught me by myself."

I ignored the sarcasm laced in her tone. "I need some answers."

She smiled, slow and knowing. "And what makes you think I have them?"

I clenched my fists. "Because you know everything." The last word meant to be a mockery.

She chuckled, leaning over slightly. "Your flattery will not succeed, wolf. But, your desperation? Hmmm, That is much more interesting."

I stepped in close, keeping my voice quiet. "The girl. Sienna. She has something about her...something different. Do you know what she is?"

Isolde's smile did not fade, but her expression shifted a bit. "Ah, that girl," she said quietly. "It's a pity you're asking now. So, I take it that you've only now remembered."

My heart raced, as the air felt heavier.

"Remember what?" I asked, taking a step forward.

She took a sip from the glass of wine very slowly. "Some things need to be buried for good."

I grabbed the table edge, my frustration unraveling. "Stop talking like you're trying to send coded messages, and just tell me what I want."

She set the wine glass aside, her fingertips trailing over the edge. "You need to leave this alone. If you dig deeper, you will not like where you find yourself."

"I don't care," I answered.

She studied me for a very long moment, then exhaled heavily. "Very well."

Rising gracefully, she approached me but turned to the bookshelf and pulled out a book.

She turned the pages and then picked another, sweeping the collection of worn books and scrolls aside with her hands.

Finally, she settled her eyes on the one below, withdrew it from the shelf, and walked to me.

"Read," she whispered.

I hesitated for a moment before picking it up. The paper felt fragile under my hands. My eyes scanned the printed letters, and my breath caught.

A list of names

Sienna's was among them.

So was mine

My grip became tighter. "What is this?"

Isolde's voice was soft, verging on pity. "A chronicle of the lost."

I was confused. She was speaking in parables and I hated it.

Couldn't she talk like a normal person for once?

Miserable witch!

"What in the devil's name is this supposed to mean?" I asked.

She touched my wrist lightly, and suddenly, my brain split apart.

A flash of crimson. Squeals of terror. A girl's laughter, vibrant and bright, soon got consumed by fire. She screamed, and then the moonlight shone brightly transforming her into a wolf covered in flames. She didn't look hurt.

I ripped my hand from her grip, gasping for breath. "What the hell was that? What did you do?"

Isolde's expression could not be read. "I showed you something you lost."

I backed up my racing heart. None of this felt right. But it felt real.

"You have the option now, Phantom Wolf." She said, "Forget everything, remain loyal to the Syndicate...or remember, and tread your chosen path. I have to warn you. It's hard."

I didn't answer. I couldn't.

Because deep within, I also knew what I'd do.

***********

Shadowfang Territory

The night wind felt chilly, scented by pine and ice, when I squatted by the border of Kieran Wolfe's property.

I shouldn't be here.

But I could not leave.

Through the heavy woods, I caught sight of the packhouse, a bigger building than I'd imagined. It was fortified and protected.

And then I saw Sienna from the window, sighing. She had no idea I had attacked her earlier in the abandoned packhouse, but I couldn't bring myself to kill her.

I had to try now. I skillfully hid from the bodyguards and kept moving towards her room, making calculations.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps.