Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 54

Kamau

This mission has gone to shit.

When the perfidious scoundrel offered to make us comfortable, I knew he was full of shit. If my Lēonion instincts are correct, we’ve been down here for three days. My wrists have gone numb, shoulders are screaming, but it doesn’t compare to what I hear there.

Her screams will haunt me for the rest of my days. More so than Styliani’s sacrifice. More so than my sisters…

The mindfuck of it all is that I’m helpless to do anything about it. Here I am, a few feet away from my mate, and can’t save her. With my exceptional hearing, I catch every aching breath, every crack of bone breaking. His sick laughter at her expense. I can almost taste her salty tears as she begs him to stop. The phantom echoes of her suffering drives me on the verge of hysteria. He doesn’t have the decency to provide a reprieve when “healing” her. His gleeful cackles send a shudder running up and down my body as he starts anew. Someone lets out a groan of agony. I turn and see Beta Jacques dangling beside me. Sweat coats his brows and he winces.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I growl. Surely he can’t be this weak.

“Just sympathizing with the little lass there,” he nods in Valeri’s general direction, “no one should have to go through that.”

I grunt in response, eyeing the perspiration steadily running like little rivulets. His once bright baby blues have lost their light, bags seep from under them. The Beta’s body hasn’t stopped shaking since they’ve locked us away.

“I may not know what it’s like to feel the connection of a pack like you, but I’m truly sorry for your loss.”

Beta Jacques barks out a rough laugh. “You think I’d grieve for that treasonous bastard? Joey was never one of us. The mutt was never worthy of sinking his teeth in my Alpha’s beautiful skin.” He guffaws darkly. “No, he was sentenced to death the moment he turned his back on my warriors. What I feel is different.”

And then silence.

Decaying roses waft in the air before the steel door opens and reveals a pompous Alaric, followed by two guards.

“My, how the mighty have fallen.” he starts. “For too long, you mutts have been on top of the world. Instead of grace and wit, you use claws and fangs like the unruly beasts your soul calls to.” he circles around us, yanking a chain of a nearby wolf, leering down at his face.. “But now? Now, you are where you belong: heeling at the side of the greater beings. It’s as it should have been. Not long now…” he drifts off.

Alaric turns towards my general direction. “If The Face Robber can have his fun, surely I can as well? Which will be my first victim today?” he then taps his finger. A small whimper comes from the back of the room. Alaric’s eyes twinkle with vile mirth. “Ah, yes. You, little wolf, will do.”

“No! Gods no! Please!!” the werewolf shouts.

Alaric gives waves a finger and the emotionless guards snap into action, taking the werewolf down from the chains. I growl silently at the sight. He chose him like a rack of meat in a butcher’s shop. When the guards pass by, I get a distinct scent of decaying roses, but with a hint of brimstone. I shake off the feel of foreboding.

Alaric is the last to leave. Whirling around, he winks at the rest of us. “Ta-ta now!”

*******

The howls of wretched werewolves howls overtake my little jailbird. She hasn’t made a peep for a day now. Unease creeps along the back of my neck. Every couple of hours throughout the day and night, Alaric has taken more and more wolves. The wolves never return either.

A small figure opens the door. Through the haze of suffering, I don’t make out much of the person, but I can tell that it is distinctly female through scent. She smells of the wild sands of Lēos. The female takes note of all who’s here, before closing it again. Her small footsteps echo down the hall with purpose. Another door creaks open, followed by a muffled conversation. How is she able to do that? All was loud and clear before her appearance. Now, I can’t hear a damn thing.

Few minutes later, the strange female can be heard power-walking back to where she came from. Valeri’s heavy breathing can be heard again…

Even though we haven’t cemented the bond, I can still feel her resolve…

There is this numbing emptiness that coursed through me. As if she welcomed what is to come to pass….

Soon… very soon I’m struck with frigid lightning. It hits me square in the chest, straight to my heart. I howl in agony as I feel an ice-cold blade cleaving my heart in two. Nearby screams tell me they feel it too. The soul wrenching terror that your mate is dying. The agony of not being able to prevent it from occurring. The murderous rage to extract revenge on this Face Robber. I, and her other mates, roar out our grief and anguish. I am nothing but a shell of the male I could’ve been -should’ve been- for her. As the edge of my vision fades, I swear I see the same grief-stricken desolation reflecting on the Beta and his packmate.

But why?

Sharp sting comes across my face. My bleary eyes meet amber hues. His mouth moves, but the words are made unclear by the clashing disturbance occurring outside of here. A powerful boom reverberates, dust fills the air, forcing a dry cough from my lungs. The collared male performs a few hand signals -hands forming fists, touching and then a breaking motion, followed by him pointing to the ceiling. I give a weak nod and he responds in kind.

He lifts a small hammer-esque tool and chips away at the chains bolted to the ceiling. I look around and see others with the same spiked collar helping my allies and the wolves down from their predicament. A few minutes later, I’m dropping to the floor like a bag of potatoes.

The yellow-eyed male struggles to help my bulk frame to my feet. “There you are, big guy,” he grunts. “We’ve gotta hurry. Not much time before they come back with reinforcements.”

I shake him off and head towards Eros and Daxter. They seem okay… on the outside. Their eyes match my own -empty, cold, and ready for blood. A throat clears, and the lanky male taps his foot in impatience.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but you’re not the only one that needs rescuing.”

Beta Jacques stalks up to him, head cocked to the side. “Who else are you trying to play the hero for?”

The stranger rolls his eyes. “A friend. Did any of you see them here? He gives an awkward laugh. “She’s got quite the mouth on her...”

A growl escapes my lips, my claws lengthening. “And what of her?” I’m still not thinking clearly.

Eros strolls up next to me, crossing his arms. “Yes, what of her?” he purrs.

Daxter brings up the rear. The werewolves hesitate in the back, feeling the tension in the air. The stranger stands his ground, defiance in his eyes. He finally releases a sigh, caving in.

“She offered her…self in exchange for the safety of us hybrids. It made me sick to allow that to continue while we stayed in the comfort of one another,” the male sighs heavily, his shaky hands combing through his hair in distress. “Listen, if you could please tell me where-”

“She’s dead, dammit!” Daxter storms up to the male and points an index to his chest. “She’s dead because of your cowardice! You stole my goddess’ light! She is no more, and for what? You’ve come too late!” his voice warbles at the last part.

The stranger stumbles backwards, slowly shaking his head in denial. “No...” he whispers.

Eros pulls Daxter back, giving soundless words of comfort. My eyes replace the Beta’s. His eyes shine with unshed tears, but his resolve is equal to mine: we can’t afford to succumb to grief. We have too much at stake.

Find the source. Fight the darkness that threatens the mainland. Grieve later.

I face the other werewolves in the cramped room. “We have two goals tonight. Find the source that keeps the barrier up on this fucking island.” my voice comes out strong and thunderous as a storm. The room echoes the sounds of slavering wolves, murderous mates, and struck strangers. They quiet down when catching my eyes. It’s a hair-raising moment. Filled with anticipation of freedom and bloody revenge.

“And we will paint this island crimson.”

***********

Valeri

There is this jagged, empty abyss. It’s beautiful and chaotic. Consuming the stars and the planets with cathartic grace. It swallows the sound of life, the joy of sight, the wonders of sensations, and the decadence of taste.

The off-beating organ that lies at the center of my chest is no more.

The emotions it held are gone like dandelions coasting the winds.

My lifeless body moves like a leaf in the river-spinning, drifting endlessly with no destination. I attempt a smile while entering the maws of the Great Abyss. Seeking chaos in the unknown.

The deeper into the chasm I fall, the colder I feel. Ice seeps in like spider-like veins.

Before I plummet further into the dark pit, a light shines from above. I’m jerked to a stop as if the light itself halts my descent.

“Helena…Helena, come back…” a melodic voice pleads in my ears. It is like sinking into feather pillows; safe and heavenly.

The streams of light lifts me out of the gaping jaws, and thrusts me upward. Flashes of images blur past me. Distorted figures form and I see my past flicker in and out of my vision. The depictions wind down and a sea of vivid green fills my sight. I’m hurtling towards it at an unsettling speed. I let out a breath of relief as the light threads set me down gently on the cool grass.

Cumulus clouds glide by and cool air gently caresses my skin. Gem colored flowers sway with the wind surrounding me in comfort. A willow tree stands off in the distance, and if by intuition, I’m drawn towards someone swaying easily back and forth within its strong longer limbs. As I inch closer towards it, I realize how ginormous the willow tree actually is. Standing strong at seventy feet it easily holds a lady, who I mistakenly thought was an object, as she swings in serenity.

She turns towards me with a small smile and a nod. “Good you made it, but we don’t have long-”

“Where are we?” I interrupt. “What is this place?”

She shakes her head. “Things never change, do they? You are just like her.” Giving a small giggle she leaps onto the soft grass with quiet grace. She towers over me by six inches, dark black curls bound in a halo hairstyle, with skin the color of a beautiful deep umbre. “Listen carefully for what I’m about to tell you-”

I begin to tap a finger to my chin. “This feels veerrryyy familiar… I can’t quite put my fing-”

“Helena!” she shouts. “We really don’t have time!”

I hold my hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. What did you have to tell me?”

She sighs dramatically, a small grin graces her lips. “I see your memories have returned.”

“Yes they have. Why did I lose them to begin with?”’

“Oh,” she chuckles awkwardly. “We thought-” she frowns at the sky. “-it would be a great idea to intervene.” Thunder rumbles in response. “But clearly that isn’t the case.” She mutters.

I shake my head in confusion. “What do you mean…?”

“Due to your very nature, we thought it best to introduce your mates.”

“Due to my nature?” I say aloud. And then anger surges. “What makes you think I’d want MORE mates? Did any of you SEE what happened the last time? Better yet WHERE were you when I became the sacrificial lamb of 2015?”

The young female stands her ground with each verbal lashing I give, but her eyes betray her true feelings. Her dark brown eyes look beyond me, holding a sense of terror. Just as I’m about to open my mouth and ask her what the hell she was looking at, the smell of a campfire rises. A dark haze fills the air, turning I notice a small fire forming at the base of the Weeping Willow.

Her eyes never stray from the tree. “Helena, you must calm down.”

“Calm down?! Tell me something, what was your endgame here? What did you hope to accomplish?”

She looks up at the sky and whispers something akin to a prayer. I let out a snort. She rolls her eyes in response. “Mates are supposed to balance you. Keep you grounded and sane-”

“I’ve gone this long without them. I’m sure I can go a while longer.” I snarl.

“It isn’t just about you. If you stray, it’ll upset the balance-”

I take a threatening step towards her. “Does it look like I give a fuck about some world peace? I wouldn’t give two shits if the world wound up in flames.”

She looks taken aback. And then crestfallen out at my outrage. “I’ve been here for so long that I forgot what it’s like to be…”

Broken.

At my expression she adds, “I don’t see what goes on down on Earth. I fulfill the duties of I’m tasked in the name of Ayla.”

My anger, and the flames surrounding the tree, simmers. It isn’t her fault there are back-stabbing mates in my life. “Is that why I have this eye?” I ask, pointing to the Eye of Ayla.

“Yes,” before I can query about it she adds, “and it will be of use much later.”

We begin to walk deeper into the woodland. “Soooo, is this heaven or something?” I could really get used to this. Exotic birds weave in and out of trees. Prey animals chitter-chatter to one another reminding me of a cheap Bambii film.

“It’s an in-between of sorts.”

“Purgatory then.”

She hums in agreement. “Helena,” she starts. “Would you like to stay? I wouldn’t blame you if you do. But let me show you what will happen if that answer is ‘yes’.”

We stop at a small pond. The young female waves hand in slow motion over the water. Figures take shape and sounds form in my ears. The first depiction shows the world shroud in darkness. Shrieks fill my mind with suffering. My pack flee from their homes, carrying their young in their arms. Shadowy monsters lash out and attack any who dares stand in their paths.

The vision changes to a bloodied dreadlocked warrior cutting down unseeing enemies with bodies filling in his wake. His eyes are unfocused. Another image takes over the second one. A lone male leans back in a chair, his gaze listless as he slices his pale skin over and over again. The vision becomes distorted, changing to yet another male. His caramel skin darkens with a sickness I can’t describe. He drinks away at himself with tears in his eyes. Someone reaches over to reach for a half-empty bottle of liquor. His ice-blue eyes clouded with guilt and grief. I grow nauseous as more and more visions amplify.

“Stop it, stop it, stop it!!” I scream, putting the palm of my hands to my eyes, rocking back and forth.

“I’m sorry, Helena. This is one of a dozen possibilities if you decide to stay.”

“What can I do to prevent this from happening AND avoid my mates?”

“Your presence alone will place a balance in the world once more. Right now, they are walking into a trap trying to defeat a force they cannot see. Your beta included.”

I release a small gasp. “No…”

“What will you decide?”