Chapter 10

"Well well, what do we have here? Trespassers?" The wolf circles them slowly, his large black wings flapped once before they folded up. "You think you could come into my territory, and get away with it? Pffft, you're even more pathetic than I imagined," He paused in front of Winter, staring at her with a smirk. "However, It'd be such a pitty to waste a pretty female..." He lifted his leg so he could lift her head up.

"I'm thinking you could very well be spared, and let you live. But the dire wolf must go," He turned his attention to Dagger, going back to face him. "Tell you what dire wolf; you let the she-wolf stay here with me, and I'll let you go," Dagger snorted, "Over my dead body you ungrateful piece of meat. Hell, I don't even know who the hell you are," The male growled, pulling back his lips, exposing his teeth.

"I am Shyamal, Alpha of the Night Pack," Dagger raised his head and growled back. "And I am Dagger, Alpha of the Nightlight Moon Pack," Shyamal looked shocked, before he started to laugh. "You? Alpha of the Nightlight Moon Pack? That's impossible, they wouldn't allow such a beast lead their pack," Winter spun around, her teeth bared as she raised a paw and swiped his muzzle swiftly, leaving three long gashes along his cheek.

He stumbled back and snarled back at her. "You little brat!" Winter snarled, her fur puffed. "Shut up! What the hell do you know about our pack! And I happen to be half-dire! My grandfather was Nightlight himself!" Shyamal growled. "So that explains why his territory was vast and empty, because he let a dire wolf lead his pack," He shot a look at Dagger, who bared his teeth.

"You're species is nothing but trouble. Nasty, evil, merciless killers. How could one lead a pack that once had Nightlight as their leader?" "Because he isn't like his species. Not all dire wolves are bad!" Winter growled furiously. Shyamal pounced at her, grabbing her by her scruff. She yelped and before she knew it, her feet weren't on the ground anymore. "Winter No!" Dagger leaps into the air, snapping his jaws. They just missed her tail.

"Put her down!" He howled. Suddenly, he felt this horrible pain in his back leg. He looked down, and there was a wolf attacking him. He snarled and grabbed the wolf by it's scruff, tightened his grip and threw it into the trees. Another wolf came from the side, she flung herself at him, her teeth bared. Dagger side steps quickly, grabbing her by the neck.

He pinned her down tightening his grip on her neck. She howled in pain, but Dagger wouldn't let go. With a swift move, he ripped her throat out. Blood and tissue came free with it, he dropped it next to her bleeding corpse. Another wolf managed to get on his flank, biting hard. He snarled and turned his body, grabbed the wolf's left leg, and tore it off. The wolf howled and fell, limping away.

Dagger's eyes began to glow, smoke was coming from his paws. Winter looked in awe. "That's impossible!" Shyamal roared. Dagger looked up at his mate, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Where'd he go?!" A wolf growled. "Find him! Search everywhere!" Shyamal commanded. "As for you she-wolf, I have something planned for you," The sound of yelps and screams from below made Shyamal look down. He dropped Winter in shock.

She landed on the ground below with a thud, a cloud of dust surrounding her. When the dust cleared her muzzle was almost touching a dead wolves. She gasped and got to her paws. All the wolves around her were dead, either their throats were slashed or worse....decapitated. She could see fear in their eyes. Shyamal landed to the ground with ease, looking at his fallen pack members.

"You filthy mutt! Show yourself!" Shyamal snarled. His massive wings flapped a few times, he pounced on Winter, pinning her to the earth. "Show yourself, or your little girlfriend dies today!" Winter whined uneasily. Dagger...where are you?

Suddenly, A cloud of smoke surrounded then, making vision almost impossible. Winter could hear snarles and growls within the smoke. Shyamal kept her pinned, sinking his claws into her back. She winced and snarles. A enraged snarl hit her ears, then suddenly Shyamal was knocked off of her. She got up and turned to see Dagger pinning Shyamal by his neck, his face was seething in anger, his red eyes glowed intensely.

Shyamal choked under his grip, and looked back angrily. "You mess with my mate...you mess with me..." Dagger said coldly, he bent his head to his ear and whispers, "You should never underestimate dire wolves, it'll get you no where." He lifted his head and snarles opening his mouth, putting Shyamal's head in it. The winged wolf struggled to get free, but Dagger clamped his jaws shut, his teeth going into the based of his skull.

Shyamal's head dropped to the soil, blood flowing from the open wound. Dagger huffed and slowly, the cloud of smoke disappeared, and he returned to normal. Winter just stood there, her mate had killed an entire pack, on his own. How is that even possible? Dagger turned his head to look at her, his muzzle dripping in blood.

He just stood there and looked at her, his eyes downcast. Winter slowly approached him, keeping her eyes on him. When she was inches away, she placed her paw on his. Dagger looked away from her, not meeting her gaze. "I know... I'm a monster," he said lowly. "I wasn't going to say that Dagger. I'm-I'm just shocked..." She studied him for a moment. "What was that?"

Dagger sighed softly. "That was the other secret I was going to tell you. That's my power, you see... I'm not just any dire wolf, I'm a rare and exotic one. My kind are born with powers, but we don't get them fully until we come of age and have earned it. I'm known as "The Smoke" because I have the ability to create smoke and vanish within it. That's how I killed these wolves so quickly,"

His body shook with tension. "I never use my power until I absolutely had to. And this was one of those times. However, it has side effects," "What do you mean by 'side effects?' Will you die?" "No! No...the power consumes me, like I'm in a strangers body...a different mind. Sometimes I can't control it, and...well you can see what happens," He turned his head to look at her, his face twisted in dismay.

"I didn't mean to kill the whole pack, I just wanted their leader dead. But I was overwhelmed with rage, and the effect took over me," He paused for a moment, reaching out his paw and pulled Winter close to him, burying her into his thick black fur. "I couldn't lose you Winter. You're my best friend, my mate, my soul. You're my everything..."

His voice cracked, and he whined softly. "I'm sorry you had to see that," his voice hoarse. "This is all my fault, I'm so sorry baby..." Winter was touched by his actions, she never seem him this way. He was so truthful and loyal, all she could do was growl softly. "You have nothing to be sorry for my love. You were protecting me, that's nothing to be ashamed of," she pulled back from his grip, raising herself onto her back legs.

She placed her front legs on his chest, making it to where she was eye level with him. "You won't lose me Dagger. No matter what happens, I'll never let you go. You're my heart and soul. I love you with everything I have, and nothing will ever change that," she leaned her muzzle close to his, feeling his breath on her lips. She saw his eyes flicker for a moment, but then he broke the gap between their muzzles.

His kiss was soft and gentle, leaving butterflies in Winter's stomach. He broke their kiss, leaning his forehead onto hers. "I love you so much Winter, and I promise I'm always here..."

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"This has my nerves uneasy, nothing feels right about this," Star says to Zara. They had finally reached Slash's territory, but there was no patrols or guards at the border. When he first arrived here, he could smell guards everywhere, but now there wasn't any wolf around. "I agree with you, this doesn't feel right. Almost as if they're all in one place," she sniffed the air, her paw raised elegantly. "I can smell them farther in the territory, but something tells me it's not okay,"

Star smelled the air too, he was surprised he could smell every wolf. All wolves had a different scent, he could smell everything. But then a far familiar scent hit his nose. The scent was earthy and sweet, almost calming. "Nikita..." "Who?" "Nikita, one of my pack members. Well, she's not just a pack member. She's my mate,"

"Why is she here? Is she spying on them?" "No. She was in this pack... Slash is actually her father. The last time I was here, she was beaten and changed in a cave. That's when your pack killed Chase and captured me," Star's face twisted as he said his fallen packmates name.

"Why would her own pack treat her like that?" "Because she joined mine for a better life, branding her a traitor. She joined us when she and I were pups, I had the biggest crush on her from the moment I saw her. I have to get her back, one way...or another,"

Zara studied him for a long, cool moment. She didn't know how he felt but he was her brother, and she wanted to help him. "I have a plan that will make us less noticable," Star looked at her, cocking his head to the side. "You see the trees?" He looked up and saw that they were tall and dense. "If we move through the trees, We'll be able to maneuver in and out with little noise. Plus, they won't be able to smell us,"

Without hesitation, she jumped up, her claws grabbing the trunk of a tree as she climbed up. Star was amused by how nimble and agile she was. He followed her movements as best as he could, finally reaching her. Up here, the forest floor was a long way down. From this height, injury was more than capable. "Come on," she whispered, hopping onto the branch of another tree.

Star was amazed at how he could easily see everything from up here. I should've thought of this sooner...the smell of wolves was getting stronger, and soon a few wolves came into view. They were sitting in a circle, and in the middle was Slash. The Mad Alpha still looked the same. Foamy mouth, evil crusty eyes, and his booming voice echoed in the forest. "You are all stupid fools! How could you let her escape?! She was useful!"

Star looked confused. Let who go? "It's wasn't our fault Alpha! She tricked us!" A wolf spoke up. Slash whipped his head and grabbed the wolf in his jaws, shaking hard. He released the wolf and then smacked them with his massive paw. "It is your fault! You shouldn't have been so careless and pathetic!"

Slash howled in pure anger. "You let that weak and worthless piece of meat go! And now we can't plan our attack!" "She was your daughter Alpha! How could you even talk about her that way?! Or worse, have us beat on her?!" Another wolf barked. Star's heart stopped. Nikita...she escaped...Slash went to snap back but another wolf got in first. He was bigger than Slash and easily more powerful. He grabbed the wolf and swiftly through them into a tree.

"You will not snap at your leader that way! Know your place!" Star instantly recognized the wolf. He peeled back his lips and quietly growled. "Axe...." Zara looked at him confused. "You know that wolf?" "He was in my pack. Dad banished him and he joined Slash for revenge..." Ace stood tall and proud, no wolf met his gaze. "Thank you Beta," Slash growled. "At least one of you is loyal! Slash padded up to Axe, who nodded his head. "Beta, go out and find that traitor. Once you do don't bother bringing her back. Kill her where she stands..."

Star was seething in anger and hate. How could that wolf have his own daughter slaughtered? It made him disgusted. "Yes Alpha!" Axe bolted off without another word. Star followed him with his eyes, something inside him snapped. "Star no..." He heard Zara say, but anger already consumed him. He hopped from tree to tree, keeping Axe in his sights. His body was getting more heated, and his eyes were cold and hard.

He saw Axe pause, and he stopped moving in the tree. He remained motionless, the only thing moving was his eyes. Axe sniffed the ground, touching the soil with his nose. "Found you..." He broke into a run, and Star followed. Axe slowly came into an open clearing, where he heard his voice boom. "I know you're here Nikita! No use in hiding. Come out and I'll make your death quick!"

Star got into a tree just next to Axe. From his vantage point, he could see that Axe also had foam around his mouth. Slash infected him...just great...Axe howled with rage. "I won't ask you again! COME OUT!" Star saw movement from the corner of his eye, he looked and slowly, a she-wolf came into view. Her sandy colored fur was covered in bite marks and cuts, and her ocean blue eyes were full of fear.

"Nikita..." She slowly went to Axe, and stopped just a few feet away from him. "Good girl...now, any last words?" Nikita whined softly. "Nothing I half to say to you..." She replied coldly. "Very well..." Axe lifted his head and bared his teeth. Star jumped from the tree, landing on Axe's back, sending him face first into the ground. Nikita yelped in shock. "S-Star?"

Star looked at her. "Nikita get out of here!" She hesitated, her paws frozen to the ground. Axe snarled intensely, flinging him off with ease. Star hit the ground, sending a cloud of dust. Axe stood up and shook himself, turning himself to face the young wolf.

"My my, how lucky am I? Not only will I be able to kill the traitor, but also an alpha's son. This is quite the treat," Star stood up and snarled. "You won't get the chance Axe! What you're doing is treason! You should go down to Hades and become a Hellhound! It's where you belong!"

Axe snarled back, giving him a challenging glare. "The only one who deserves to be a Hellhound us your pathetic excuse of a father! He's not a true dire wolf, and he never was! Our kind are capable to take whatever we want! And he goes and become allies with the weak grey wolves!" The fur along Star's back stood straight up, he could feel his body heating up again.

"My father made the right decision to become allies! Dire wolves need to change their ways! All you do is take what you want, whenever you want, and you kill without reason! You know Axe, I'm surprised you even lasted this long, even your pups will grow up hating their selfish, murderous, and weak exuse of a father..." Axe lifted his head and howled in pure rage.

"You filthy brat! I'm going to make you eat those words!'