Chapter 12 - Mercy

"You may go." I said.

My smile was that of a child after he left. Finally, she will be free.

I turned back, hoping to see Father coming out but I did not.

I could not stay and wait for his arrival. I was much too restless for patience so I made the decision to take the lead instead. I found my horse and mounted it hastily.

I kicked it to full speed. With the air racing through my locks freely, my heart made merry in my chest as the distance between my mate and I closed with every passing moment.

Her face seemed to appear before me, beckoning me to come faster. To hurry into her arms.

Oh how pleased she would be when I break the news from my men to her, after they tell me she has been truthful since she arrived.

Is she waiting restlessly for her redemption?

I will not keep you waiting Ally. My dear mate, soon we shall be free together.

I arrived at the castle and sensed at once that there was something wrong. The guards were not stationed at their assigned post.

The castle was left unprotected.

I climbed off my horse with caution, my ears sensitive for any movement or threat.

The smell of blood wafted through the air, drawing my attention to the stains of blood on the ground.

A loud crash sliced through the dead silence of the night. My blood ran cold.

Ally! She might be in trouble.

Without a moment's thought to strategy, I dashed into the castle in the direction of the dungeons.

I had to make sure my mate was not hurt before any other thing.

Oh Moon Goddess, please let her be in the dungeons. Please let her be drunk with sleep and unscathed on the underground floors of the dungeons, I prayed to the Moon Goddess as I ran through the hallways.

Indeed the hallways were as empty as the entrance of the castle. And there was blood wherever the eye could see.

The castle, or even worse; the kingdom, was under attack. I could not think of who would attack us but I did not give it much thought.

I would wonder about that after I ensured Ally is safe. She was my priority.

Marla's scream stopped me in my tracks, reminding me that she too was left in the castle. My breaths weighed heavy on my chest and beads of sweat formed on my forehead.

I could not ignore her. She was human and vulnerable. Derrick would never forgive me if I stood for her to get hurt.

I looked before me, in the direction of the dungeons, longingly. I had no other choice. I had to ensure Marla was safe first.

Be safe my mate, I shall return for you.

Strangled by guilt and hurt, I turned and began to make my way to Marla. As I ran, I could not take my thoughts of my mate.

I was a fool for prioritizing the mate of another man over my very own and I knew that. But the situation called for that response and there was very little I could do but hope no harm befalls my mate.

Finally, I had reached Marla, but the sight that awaited me was almost too much to bear.

Marla stood before the doors of her chamber. She was bleeding from her arm, it looked like a scratch wound, but aside from that she was fine and the wound did not look too deep.

She wasn't what almost threw me in a state of disarray.

Before her, protecting her was my mate, Ally. She was much more bloody than Marla. I could not tell where her wounds were from because of how ripped and red her clothing was.

Bodies of wolves were littered before them.

My mate stood before Marla with a royal dagger in hand as she faced her opponent.

A wolf. It wasn't from this kingdom, I could tell.

My mate had her eyes keenly on it, waiting for it to make a move. I could have attacked it from behind but I was stricken with shock and indecision.

Marla looked at me, her eyes wide with fear.

"Zan!" She shouted, distracting Ally momentarily.

The wolf took its chance and jumped on Ally, biting into her shoulder and tackling her to the ground.

Ally's scream shook me out of my frozen state.

"Release her!" I ordered fiercely before charging at the wolf.

Before I could make it to her, another wolf jumped on me. I did not know where it came from, neither was I aware of its presence.

Marla shrieked.

I wrestled with its fangs as I tried to push it off me. The wolf clawed at me, trying to inflict whatever damage it could. As I wrestled with it, for a brief moment, I could see Ally grow weaker under her opponent.

I had to save her. And fast before it kills her.

Fueled with a new sense of urgency and anger, I managed to get a hold of the wolf's jaws and with one loud scream, I ripped its jaws open, tearing it apart. The wolf fell at my side, dead.

I began to get to my feet but my wounds held me back. I sat back down, grinding my teeth in pain. I turned my attention to my wolf in time to see her plunge her knife into the heart of the wolf that attacked her. She kicked it off her weakly.

She looked at me as she laid on the ground. She smiled a little.

"My Prince." She acknowledged with a small bow.

I scoffed.

"Zan!" Marla screamed, her finger pointed to something behind me.

Immediately a force crashed into me from behind, throwing my head hard on the ground.

My vision blurred and I began to feel dizzy but

I managed to turn around to face my attacker. It was another bigger wolf and it almost seemed to taunt me.

My body was weak and I knew I stood no chance against this wolf in my human form. I felt someone pull me back and before I knew it, I was in the arms of Marla.

My mate stood before me with the dagger poised before her.

Her stance was weak. She would have no chance against her opponent. And I was of no help in the state I was.

I had to shift. If I desired to save us all, I had to shift.

I got onto my hands and knees and willed my body to transform into my wolf form. I grunted in pain as my bones broke and shifted. Hairs grew out of my skin and enveloped my body.

The wolf attacked my mate with a jump but she managed to grab it by its fur and hurl it against the wall.

Her strength impressed me but it must have taken all her energy because she collapsed after she did so. She managed to sit up, but she was in no state to fight. And the wolf was not backing down. It shook its head and snarled before charging for another attack.

This time I countered it.

I jumped on it and pinned it to the ground. It snarled at me fiercely but I had it in death hold. I bit on its neck and pulled out the vein.

Blood spurted all over my face and the walls but that did not stop me.

I kept biting with no plan of stopping until its strength died along with it.

Then I heard another wolf charging at me. I was in a vulnerable position and I had little time to protect myself. I was game now.

Just as it leaped in an attack, another wolf countered the attack. It came from behind me,

leading me to wonder who it could have been.

The wolf I attacked had passed away and I could finally identify the wolf that attacked me.

I turned around to see a passed out Marla on the ground. My mate was not behind me.

I realised that my mate was the strange wolf that had protected me. I watched with pride as she killed the wolf she fought.

Her wolf had a stunning ash coat of fur. It was beautiful and I had truly not seen one like hers before.

She stepped away from the corpse before turning to face me.

She tried taking a step to me but her wolf fell.

She was exhausted.

And I wanted to be the one to revive her.

I barely made a move to her when my legs grew numb and I found myself too weak to move. I fell to the ground, unable to do anything but keep my eyes on my mate.

I watched as she slowly transformed back to her human form.

My eyes felt heavy. I could not stay awake any longer.

I did not know if all the threats had been eradicated but I had no strength left. I only hoped Father would return soon.

"Protect us, Moon Goddess..." I muttered before my body gave up.