Heritage

Title: F&F:TAM 

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CHAPTER 3

Eyes of molten gold, raven black hair… It couldn't be. 

'Elara Everette.'

Scarlet didn't need to ask why. She knew the answer — the jealous mate needed to remove the stumbling block completely. 

"You."

"Finally figured out?" Elara repeated. 

Scarlet blinked trying to understand what she meant by that when her eyes widened. Relia was drugged. How…? 

The only time when she had taken anything into her system was at the party when she…

The memory of the celebratory feast flickered in her mind. Her mind raced back to the waitress at the event and her shaky hands. She vaguely recalled a strange taste in her wine — one that lingered on her tongue even now. The realization dawned on her with a horrifying clarity.

'That bitch knew what she was doing.' Scarlet cursed inwardly. 'How could I have been so stupid not to see this coming?'

"No need to think too much about it or feel betrayed. Dead men don't have worries," Elara's voice cut in her line of thought. 

Scarlet snickered. "The only one meeting their end tonight would be your wolves, not me."

"So much confidence for a walking dead." 

A dangerous glint flickered in Elara's eyes and the next second, her order boomed, "Kill her… ruthlessly."

The wolves snarled, making their way towards Scarlet. 

Quickly, she backed away from the car while taking a fighting stance but just before the first werewolf was about to leap, Scarlet lifted her gown and bolted into the forest. 

"Get her!" 

Elara's order was like a nightmare chasing after her. Just because her wolf was weakened, did not mean she wouldn't be able to fight, but Scarlet saved the last ounce of her strength for dire situations. 

She sprinted through the maze of trees, their growls growing louder as her heart hammered against her chest. 

Within a matter of seconds, they caught up to her. 

Three wolves leapt above her head, coming to stand in front of her path. She turned to the side, and the others quickly surrounded her. 

"I said kill her!" Elara thundered from afar, watching the scene with keen eyes. This time, no one gave Scarlet a chance. 

Panic surged through her. 

These were no ordinary wolves; their movements were too coordinated, and their eyes were devoid of the playful glint common to young wolves. They were hunters, trained rogue killers.

A searing pain erupted in her shoulder as sharp teeth clamped down on her flesh. 

A guttural snarl ripped from Scarlet's throat as she clawed at her attacker, the primal instincts of her wolf surging to the surface. 

But the fight was quickly draining her.

Another wolf lunged at her head. Scarlet evaded just in time, but soon she felt another set of teeth dig into the skin on her leg. 

"Urgh!"

Blood dripped down Scarlet's arm, mingling with the mud caking her once pristine dress. The taste of copper filled her mouth, a metallic tang that masked the sharp sting of fear. 

Uneven breaths slipped from her chest as she balled her fingers into fists.

The wolves, with their thick black fur stained by her blood, drew nearer; their growls seemed to distort into a single, monstrous roar.

Another searing pain ripped through her thigh as another wolf clamped down, its weight pushing her towards the unforgiving forest floor. 

Through the haze of pain, she saw Elara's cruel smile, her eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of victory.

Scarlet seethed. If she survived this, she'd never forgive that b*tch.

A third wolf lunged, its razor-sharp claws ripping through her back, sending a jolt of pain that stole her breath.

"Arrgh!"

Scarlet's vision blurred. She was losing a lot of blood and wasn't healing. Relia was too weak to do anything. 

"Relia," she muttered, hoping her wolf could hear her. "I'd protect…"

A guttural growl tore through the air, closer this time. The lead wolf crouched low, its scarred flanks and single burning eye glaring at her as its muscles coiled for the final, fatal blow.

Seeing her life flash before her eyes, Scarlet attempted to get up but failed miserably. 

She stole a small pin from her hair. If she was going down, then taking one of them with her was going to be a gift. 

But that one, she needed to be Elara. 

Finding whatever last strength she could muster, she called out. "Using others to do your dirty work. So typical," Scarlet scoffed. 

Everyone seemed to be on a stand still as their attention was shifted to Elara who remained far off. 

"It seems Rhys found himself a lousy mate," Scarlet added, biting more than she could chew. 

She knew provoking Elara would do her no good but what she wanted was to have her close by. 

Not wanting to prove Scarlet true, Elara's pride took a hit and within seconds she was standing close to the big wolf stalking Scarlet. 

The speed was something Scarlet hadn't fathomed. Was she too weak or did Elara possess a speed too powerful for an omega?

"See?" Elara raised her brow, daring Scarlet to utter any more curse words. 

"Doesn't change a thing," Scarlet snickered. "Kill me, if you can rather than dishing out orders like the lousy omega that you are." Scarlet's lips curled upward in a sickening smile seeing the anger in Elara's eyes. 

She hit her weak spot. 

Indeed she was lousy. Cunny yes, but lousy nonetheless and less powerful than Scarlet. 

"Fine. I'll grace your death wish. Rhys doesn't want you alive too." 

Her fingers extended into sharp claws as she closed in the gap between them, her black cloak spreading out behind her like a dangerous dark knight. 

Just as she lifted her hand ready to land her strike, Scarlet moved with agility, aiming for her eye. With one strike, she sent the pin deep into her left eye. 

"Aaaaarrrh!!"

A deep gruttal scream tore through the night as Elara stumbled back, blood gushing from her injury. 

"Kill the bitttcchh!" she ordered through pain. "Rip her apart!"

"Umm…" Scarlet clamped her lips shut the moment a claw slashed at her back. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing her screams again. 

The pain coursed through her body, deep.

One!

Two!

Just as she was about to succumb to the overwhelming odds when the big scarred wolf lunged at her throat, a bone-chilling growl echoed through the clearing.

The wolf froze mid-leap, its head swiveling towards the source of the sound. The rest of the pack followed suit, their predatory gaze shifting from Scarlet to the shadows of the forest canopy.

A powerful wolf, a blur of silver launched itself at the nearest attacker, sending it flying with a sickening thud.

The other wolves hesitated, taking steps backward, momentarily stunned by the sudden arrival. 

It took a stance in front of Scarlet. It was a wolf, but unlike any Scarlet had ever seen, bigger, faster and more deadly. 

Its silver fur was the color of moonlight, shimmering with an otherworldly glow. Its eyes, however, were pools of molten gold, burning with a ferocity that rivaled even Elara's.

It snarled, a sound that sent shivers down Scarlet's spine.

None of the other wolves had a chance to run when it lunged at them, teeth barring into their skin, tearing and killing on the spot. Within minutes, all the wolves lay whimpering in defeat at the feet of the silver-furred wolf.

On seeing the change in tides in her favour, Elara needed no soothsayer to tell her she was going to be the next if she didn't take quick action. 

She backed into the darkness of the forest canopy, taking to her heels without looking back.

Dead bodies lay all around Scarlet, but that wasn't what fazed her. Her saviour wolf snarled, ready to chase after Elara, when a feminine voice called it to a stop.

"Let her go!" 

Soon the shadowy figures drew nearer, coming to Scarlet's line of sight. She swallowed, unsure of what to expect. 

Slowly, the wolf transformed, her silver hair cascading down her back and front as her skin glowed under the moonlight. 

Standing before Scarlet were three women, their features obscured by the moonlight.

"Who are you?" Scarlet rasped weakly.

The women kneeled before her, their voices soft and soothing. "We are the Sisters Guardians," they chorused. 

Scarlet's brow furrowed in confusion. Sister Guardians? What were they talking about? She had never heard of any such thing.

But that wasn't it. Together, their heads dipped when the lady in the centre uttered, "Forgive us for coming late, Princess."

'Princess?'

As if sensing her worry, the second lady added, "And you, Scarlet, are the descendant of the dragon king's lineage — next in line for the throne."