Wolves of Jupiter: Rise of the White Wolf

The air around the Pack is gloomier than usual today, but I have never felt more alive.

Everybody is mourning, walking around with lowered heads and sunken eyes. But I walk around with my chin high in the sky and my ears at full alert.

I should probably be mourning. Reef's death might be a form of vengeance for my mother, but Xander's accession would be a nightmare for me, and most of the members of this Pack, but I would worry about that later.

The Eclipse Pack has been in my family for generations. Passing down the Alpha title from one dead predecessor to a chosen descendant.

Twenty-five years ago, the moon goddess had made such a choice. And the most unlikely amongst the children of Alpha Triton, 'the Great Black Wolf', was chosen.

Callisto was just a girl amongst three brothers, and the youngest at that, yet, the moon goddess chose her, the moon goddess blessed her with the red eyes and made her the Alpha of the Pack.

Her accession was heavily frowned upon, and challenged. Callisto had to prove herself in the most ruthless of ways - killing all eight of her brothers. Those bloody duels came to be known as the 'Duel of the Kindred'.

Callisto was named 'the Red Wolf' afterwards. Many argued that it was due to her physical appearance, but all who knew the truth, knew that it was because of the blood she spilled - her own blood.

Eleven years after Callisto vanquished her brothers in a duel, the Mimas clan rose against her, right after winning her trust. They stabbed her in the back, dethroning her and stealing her Alpha position.

Reef Mimas, the man who had driven the knife through Callisto's heart became the Alpha after his great knavery.

Reef wasn't accepted by the peaceful and loyal Eclipse Pack, so he instigated his authority through tyranny and force. He had kept me, Crescent, alive for devious reasons, for reasons that would only serve to feed his endless ego - well, there is an end now, since he's dead.

He kept me alive to shame the once powerful Ganymede family. Kept me as a form of trophy to his treachery. But now my sole aim in this world is to make the Mimas suffer for what they have done to my family - anyway possible.

My ears twitch and turn to the side, it's picking up sounds. Mimas had made me one of the lowest in the Pack - an Omega.

He did that to humiliate me, making sure that I walked around with my tails and ears sticking out, and hanging in the air, if that's the little punishment that would affirm my breathing, I would take it without complaint.

"Poor Crescent."

The first voice penetrated my turned ear.

"She would probably suffer even more now that Xander is Alpha."

That was a voice from another woman.

"Xander might want to make her his play thing-"

I stop listening at this point. I want to revel in the death of Reef, I won't let the prospect of an even more tyrannous, obsessive ruler spoil that for me.

I keep walking through the pack. Everybody around me avoided me, as per usual, they always did that since Reef never wanted me to associate with the Pack members.

He was probably scared of me rallying the Pack members against him. Stupid if he thought that, because that prospect never once appeared in my 100 ways to kill Reef schemes.

The Pack members are too weak, too volatile and too submissive to fit into any of my devious plans.

Suddenly, someone shoved me hard in the shoulder. Sending me rolling in the dirt.

"Grrrrr," a murderous growl escapes from deep within my throat.

"Arrgggg," whoever it was growled back.

I raise my head to look at the face of a warrior in transformation. His, otherwise, humanly face is hairy and deformed - flatter than befits a human, but just right for a transforming werewolf - his teeth were jagged and in full display.

I jump on all fours, looking up at him from my depleted height. My nails crawl out, stabbing into the muddy ground and my silver hair gains thickness.

Reef might have made me an Omega, but that did nothing in corrupting my pure alpha-spawn blood. I'm still stronger than most of them in this Pack. And what better opportunity do I have than this to test my strength?

I see some of his bones move and reform as he progress into further transformation. I remain in my own state, tail stiff, ears erect, claws protruding and eyes a pitch black pit - compliments of being a Ganymede.

Fear flashes in his golden eyes, but he makes a stand. It's been over a decade since a Ganymede was seen in action, our uniqueness is, of course, now lost on them.

I make to spring up at him, to tear open his face. I make to bring him down to the same muddy ground that he had shoved me into, to send a bloody farewell gift to dear motherfucking Reef. But a strong hand clamps down on my nape, holding me in place.

The grip was painful, but did I welp? No. Showing weakness is definitely not something I enjoy participating in.

The warrior immediately goes back to his human state, a fear greater than the one I had seen in his face crumbling him to one knee.

"Alpha!" he utters the word with unnecessary stress and he bows his head low. Very low.

My eyes roll, returning back to its natural blue colour. My claws recede back into their sheath, and my heightened senses are dulled. My ears, falling and tail wagging - unintentionally.

Raising my head, my blue eyes meet a set of glowing red.

He got the eyes?

Xander has a menacing smirk playing on his face. His teeth and other features remain normal, all he was doing was showing off the red eyes. The eyes that I thought none of the Mimas would ever acquire.

"Someone's being a gritty wolf," he drawl.

I jerk my body to remind him of his hold on my neck. He releases me, and I scrawl backwards.

Xander got the Alpha's red eyes, Reef never had that, what he had was more of a distortion of the colour. The moon goddess had blessed Xander. Fuck you, goddess.

"She was walking around with her ears erect, and her tails wagging," the warrior hastily stakes his claim.

"Leave," Xander growled, and the man ran away, tail between his legs - literally.

Gingerly, Xander approached me, looking down at me where I sat in the mud. He oozed a certain power, one that hasn't been there before.

"Happy, ayy?" he asked, squatting in front of me. "Today is a somewhat joyous day for the both of us," he smirks. "Reef's gone," he leans closer to me, whispering in my ear. "There is nobody to separate us anymore."

I'm not sure what happened, but, one minute, I was on the floor, breathing in Xander's nauseating scent. Then, the next, I shoved him away, got on my feet, and ran away from him.

He didn't come after me. He could have, if he wanted, but he didn't. All he did was remain on the floor and laugh, the sound foreboding.

Most people would think that I'd feel sad, they would think that the normal reaction to my father's death would be wistful, mournful, or, maybe, reflective? But I don't feel any of those, instead, I'm happy.

Watching my father wither slowly as his life drained through his veins has been the highlight of my twenty-six years on this earth.

It is no secret that the man never liked me, and my scorn for him wasn't hidden either. He feared me - coward - he feared that I was more powerful than he was. He feared that I'd overshadow him, that my rule will lay waste to his own.

The man's biggest fear was he being forgotten. He wanted history to forever remember the Reef Mimas. He even tried instilling the nickname the 'Conquer' to his name, but the people went on designating him as the 'Usurper'.

It was this insecurity of his that led him to keeping Crescent away from me. His insecurities, his complex, that was why he made me stay away from Crescent. He kept her to degrade the Ganymedes, and just as nescient as he was stipid, he didn't see that humiliating a wolf of such pure blood wasn't a good idea.

I came up with the solution. Me! I approached him and asked for Crecent's hand in marriage. Marrying her, and taking her out of the mud would have turned the Pack to our side, they would have praised us for the action of good will. But Reef denied my request.

He told me that raising Crescent up would damage our reputation, and give her more power. Yet he went behind my back and tried to marry her.

It was after I realized his schemes that I understood. He didn't want me to marry Crescent, not because we'd be making her powerful, but because she'd make me powerful.

The people would be kinder towards me, and the moon goddess might shine her light of approval on me. Who would have thought that the moon goddess would have gone that without, even, the marriage?

My thoughts are distracted by the slurpy noise coming from in-between my legs, I had forgotten that she was there.

I watch as her head bobed up and down, taking my whole length into her mouth and pulling out again, all while sucking, and massaging with her tongue.

This is way more boring than I remembered it to be.

The wetness in my groin is starting to get on my nerves, she was drooling too much, and I'm not even feeling any of this.

"That's enough," I tell her with a scowl.

She raised her head and looks at me. The visual is so unpleasant, it makes my hands itch for action. Pummel her face in and make it more attractive - rearrange it to however I see fit.

"Should I leave?" her tiny voice asks - annoying.

I pull my pants up and wave dismissively at her. Leave before I actually do try reconstructing that ugly face of yours.

Without a word, she gets on her feet and starts moving out. I know, I know, I asked her to leave, but I couldn't help the urge to spank her bubble ass.

"Ah," she yelps. Not very much in pleasure.

She's just my plaything. All the Omegas are my playthings, that's with the exception of Crescent of course.

Shortly after the tiny girl walks out of the room, a warrior walks in.

He bows. "We have him."

Oh! Some excitement in my boring life.

"Bring him in," I smile.

Bowing again, he takes his leave.

My father's body is just starting to get cold, he's still with the Omegas who are cleaning him up and readying him for the grave. Can't wait.

No matter how cold he is, things that needs doing has to be done. And one of those such things was this one.

Bucky Smith. The man whom my father had put in charge of sending Crescent with him to the grave. The inferiority complex that I talked about, that shit was really that strong. Reef set a man on Crecent's tail, giving him the assignment of killing Crescent once he was dead. I caught up with that little devious plan, and I've had his man in jail since I saw that he wouldn't make it.

Soon enough, the doors were opened again, and a man is dragged into the room. He seemed unconscious, his whole weight was held up by the two warriors who were holding his arms.

"Leave," I order the men.

As soon as the left Bucky's hands, he fell straight to the ground like a boneless piece of meat.

I reveal in the moment. Every moment they showed me how much more powerful than my father I am, was a moment worth cherishing, and this was one such moment.

Reef had underestimated my obsession with Crescent. He sent this man to watch her every move, and, when I wasn't fucking, or torturing, or hunting, or drinking, I was stalking Crescent. So, it wasn't really rocket science to pick up on a distinctive scent that was always about her. An unwanted scent, that I'm sure she too knew of.

"Bucky," I call his name gently. "What sort of disrespect is this? Won't you show respect to your new Alpha?"

Bucky jerks up. Carefully and painfully lifting his body off the hard ground.

"My Alpha," the words, accompanied by blood, come curdling out of his mouth.

"Ow! You are in terrible shape," I express my sympathy.

"Please," he starts begging without even a reason. "Please Alpha, let me go and I will serve as a loyal warrior amongst your ranks. I swear-"

"Shh, shh, shh," no, I'm not interested in hearing all his promises. He'd be dead anyway, so save him the trouble. "Do you know why you are here?"

"I don't know, Master," he forces himself to swallow down the pool of blood in his mouth. "You took me a week ago and didn't tell me why," he added.

I study him for a while. He looks starved, he's almost looking worse than an Omega at this point. His hair is outgrown, his face is so bushy, one would think that he was in transformation. The tears that ran down his cheeks were red, making it hard to tell if he was crying blood, or it is just blood from the torture.

"My father-"

"God rest his soul," the naive man interrupted my words with that useless, utterly, uncalled prayer.

My lips pull in a tight smile, then I continue. "He put you in charge of this one, very important job, do you remember?"

Bucky furrowed his brows in thought. That shouldn't be a difficult question, as an Omega trying to work himself up through questionable means, my father only entrusted him with this one.

"He asked me to kill the Ganymede girl after his death. The late Alpha had asked me to send the girl with him as a farewell gift."

I nod my head slowly. I don't even want to think about how he knew that my father was dead, he's been in confinement, yet he knew.

"Master," he says carefully, earning my attention. "Did I do anything wrong? I can kill her now if you'd let me, I know everything-"

My abrupt movement as I stand from my seat makes him keep quiet and whimper as my Alpha aura filled the space around me. Enjoying the look on his face, I bar my teeth, and make my eyes go red.

"Hail the moon goddess," he says, smiling a very red smile. "She blessed you with the Alpha eyes."

I could really roll my eyes to that sentiment, anyway, I raise my heavily clawed hand in the air. Keeping it there for him to see, so that he knew what was coming for him.

"Master-"

My hand went down fast on him, tearing some part of his face, and chest, but the deepest, biggest gash was left on his neck. I'm pretty sure I cut his windpipe with that one stroke.

I'm usually the type of wolf who enjoys killing his prey slowly, I feed on their pains, and cries of agony. But I don't have time for any of those now, I need all the time I can utilize.

I'd be getting married soon.

It is just the break of dawn, it remained dark around me, and painstakingly cold. I don't normally wake at this time.

Moving to sit at the edge of my wooden bed, I try to figure out the reason why I woke up this early. The only reason coming to mind is the pulsing headache that I feel within my skull.

Then another thing comes to mind. My senses are heightened as I feel the presence of a foreigner within my sensing radius - which, by the way, is a very large radius.

I tried to listen in, to hear if someone was approaching my shelter, but the noisy rush of the nearby 'Gal River' blocks that sense.

"Focus, Cress, Focus."

I try again, but to no avail. My eyes quickly dart around the textile walls of my shelter. Most of it is torn and open, the place isn't fit for a wolf to live in, but this was what the gracious Usurper, Reef, had to offer me.

He had the shelter made days after he decided that I'd live, days after I slept on the cold hard ground of the dungeon at the Pack House, my family house.

There's been little to no reconstruction since then. Just me filling in some holes, and blocking some leaks in the room. Speaking of leaks, that was what woke me up, a drop of water on my nose, I'd have to fix that later.

My senses are heightened again by unforseen danger - I so much hate the feeling of foreboding, it's not fun.

Deciding to act on my instincts even though I haven't gotten an actual prove of danger yet, I walk to the table directly opposite my bed. Removing the top layer of the table, I reveal to myself an array of weapons.

Carefully, I study the weapons laid out in front of me. They can hardly be called weapons, they are mostly kitchen knives, and other sharp objects that I have collected and redesigned - some, supernaturally so.

The more familiar scent isn't here today, just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before even that day.

The presence that has been with me for over 5 years now, I can't feel it anymore, somehow, I miss that presence. It felt much better than this new one.

It's the scent of the spy that Reef had put on me. I'm not sure why he did that, but I was always at alert for whenever he does approach me, that day never came, I guess it might never come.

My ears pickup the break of a twig. That could either be an animal, my old companion -I've gotten so used to him that I call him that - or it could be from the new presence that I felt.

Closing my eyes, I sniff around, hoping to pick up his scent, but I'm greeted by a strange one instead.

I picked up the knife to my far left, long and donning a decorated steel, I hold it close behind me, avoiding any contact between the steel and my skin. I wait patiently, anticipating what's next.

Doing more sniffing around, I noted that another distinctive scent wasn't with me today, and that's the scent of Xander. He's been stalking me for as long as I can remember. But not even he is here today.

More twigs break, and the scent becomes stronger, just this time, it's not just one person approaching my shelter, and these people remain alien to my nose.

The shelter has little to no doors and windows, so whoever they are, they would be barging in on me.

My ears go erect instantly, and the claws in my other hand extend. They will be at me, any second from now.

The first person attacks, and I dodge with ease, he came crashing down on my table, taking the table with him - that's the only one that I had, motherfucker.

Instead of using my claws, I pounce on him, holding him tight in places as I drove my knife through his head. Silver, Jove, and coated with wolfsbane, he didn't stand a chance.

The other two attack me simultaneously, and I evade all their attacks without breaking as much as a sweat. I have been a cooperative weakling for as long as I can remember, but I knew that there was a price on my head, I just didn't know when and where they'd come for me. I guess I know now.

Both men stand on either side of me, panting and growling. Both of them have glowing eyes. One has the regular yellow, while the other has blue, the telltale sign of his transgressions.

Growling, they both charge at me at the same time. All I had to do was step out of their way, and they collided with each other. There are a lot of advantages to being small and quick.

Still using the knife, I lodge it at the head of the sinner, killing him with that blow.

I might have taken a lesson or two on how to effectively kill a werewolf. There is a reason why I'm keeping the extent of my powers a secret, it's to be a surprise to the Mimas once I was ready for them, yesterday was a mistake, and something inside me is glad that Xander came when he did.

The knife being laced with Jovian steel is a great advantage. Jovian weapons are the deadliest of weapons against a werewolf - although they have the effect of an ordinary kitchen knife on wolves with my blood.

Only a Ganymede can make this special steel. Cast a black eye on a regular silver or steel under a full moon and the steel turns just as black as the wolf's eyes.

Due to some unknown deformations in my own powers, it didn't turn an absolute black, but it has these very beautiful black stripes along its long length. I just didn't know that it would be just as effective.

One strike to the brain, and the blow serves just like decapitation, frying the wolf's brains in seconds. Before they can even think of trying to heal themselves, which they can't do.

"Arrrgh."

I hear the other one growl.

"Are you sure you don't want to make a run for it?" my voice crawls out in the most venomous way possible.

The voice wasn't insensitive enough, but my eyes slowly going pitch black gave me that look of fear that I wanted, the one that I have imagined so many times on another person.

Deciding to ditch the knife, I charge at him, and he charges at me too. He goes full war wolf while I remain pug.

In this state of transformation, his strength matches mine, but the fear deep within his bones wouldn't allow him to make precise attacks.

I evade all his attacks with ease, he kept on bouncing about my shelter, ruining it further.

Once I was bored of his stupid display, I pulled out a sword and targeted his neck, striking with all the strength that I could muster in pug mode, the slash sent his head rolling, and his body falling limp.

Getting rid of the bodies would be hard, but I'd try.

I have to.

I can't have them knowing that they are keeping, and feeding a ticking time bomb.