XXII

Maximus didn't know what to think. Her powers? But her powers can not help her fight this gamma. What is she thinking? Selene could see Troy, Gen and Ben standing next to their alpha, all with eyes full of surprise. She mouthed an I'm sorry to them and turned her focus on the wolf in front of her. She didn't dare move.

Kassandra launched at her, jumping in the air with her claws ready to strike Selene. She avoided her by moving to the left. The wolf ran to her at speeding light, too fast for a human to see any movement. Still, Selene dodged her attack. She started sobbing harder.

„Please. Please stop." All the packs were watching the scene in front of them. Their future Luna Queen was crying, afraid of the fight? That was no behaviour fit for a Luna. Her close friends looked at her with scrunched eyebrows, not understanding what she was doing. For a second, Selene set her eyes on Maximus. Please forgive me.

„Please. I don't want to hurt you." Wolves were stunned at her confession, some started laughing. This frail girl, a human, hurting a werewolf this size? And a gamma no less. Kassandra stopped her movements and gazed towards the elders.

„You have to fight. A challenge to death can not be declined or stopped." Their words were intended for Selene and she knew she had to follow the rules. Still, she tried. As a final warning, she locked eyes with the wolf.

„You can stop this. The Goddess does not approve." Infuriated by her words even more, Kassandra's paws hit the ground in a sprint. So much tension, so many whispers. On a final note, for herself, Selene looked in the sky and closed her teared eyes.

„Forgive me" Nobody knew what happened, why she spoke such words. Maximus figured out her whisper was intended only for the goddess to hear, perhaps even her father.

Two feet in front of her, with her jaws opened, Kassandra was ready to dive her fangs into Selene. All of a sudden, the massive wolf put her front legs deep in the ground, haltering. It was surreal, an image worth only for the gods themselves. Selene had her hands stretched to the sides, like she was waiting for a hug. Everyone was stunned at her actions.

„Alpha, what is she doing?" Troy was feeling the bond between them hard right now. Maximus set his hard eyes on Selene. He didn't know either.

A second was all it took for Selene to open her eyes. They were silver, glowing, like the moon. All pack members gasped at the sight. She began whispering under her breath, like chanting a spell. The winds blew harsh all of a sudden, but it was like silver dust whrithing around her body. Her raven hair swirled behind her, showing the contrast between her locks and the wind. Selene, with her hands in front of her, moved them upwards and the ground shook. Brown roots sprulled around Kassandra, as if engulfing her in a sphere.

The wolf was struggling to break them, biting and growling, but there was no escape. Selene took slow steps forward. She was feeling like a puppet, controlled by her power, her movements not her own. She only saw the blood of the wolf calling to her. In front of the trapped wolf, she brought her hands inwards, the roots following her moves, wripping around the werewolf harder. She was struggling to breath, but Selene could only see the want for death. The packs were fidgeting, looking at the new commotion.

A hand softly grazed her cheek. Leaning into her ear, whispering.

„Moon, stop. This is not you." Maximus looked at her silver eyes with an expression of pure agony. She looked epic for him, powerful, from another world alltogether. But he knew she would never forgive herself for killing this helpless she-wolf. „Selene, love, come back to me."

Just as fast as the wind came, it all stopped. The roots retreated back within the ground, the wolf falling limp, still breathing. The air turned calm again and Selene's eyes regained their blue colour. When she saw Maximus before her, she jumped in his arms, relieved.

„Shh. It's ok moon."

„This is outragious!" One of the elders screamed. He jumped from Selene's right, slowly reaching for the knife tucked in his belt. Maximus had his hand around the man's neck in an instant, holding him in the air.

„You dare touch my mate, your Queen?"

„King.."

„Silence!" Maximus's voice boomed. „No one touches my Queen." His fingers squized the air out of the elder, his eyes bulging, red. He squirmed around for a second and then went limp. Maximus let go of his neck, the body falling on the ground with a thud. Without a second look, he put his hand around Selene, softly dragging her closer to him, touching her temple with his nose, breathing in her scent.

They both held their heads high, watching the crowd of shocked wolves. The pair looked regal. It was like they were wearing translucent golden crowns on their heads. You could almost see them. Nothing could compare with their aura of power. One by one, the Kingdom of Erebus bowed before them. They were indeed paired by the Goddess, as there has never been before a more magnificent, imperial couple.