50 thousand humans and over 20 thousand wolves reported deaths had just been announced. More unaccountable, not just wolves and humans, other species too have lost their lives due to the savagery of Orion.

The world I have grown so attached to with the humans is in chaos and all look to me to do something, what I am currently doing is just that.

Snapping the last neck of the thin dark creature who I saved for last so he could witness the death of his fellow Orion follower's deaths, I watch as his lifeless dark orbs dull I release the disgusting from my wolf's hold and leave the body with the rest.

"Kane, today is a good day for us, only 5 of our troops lost their lives today." Lucas says as he stands beside me.

I nod as I take in his appearance. He looks exactly like me, adrenaline consuming us, the thrill of the kill is our nature and for true wolves, it drives us to go further. Lucas would make a fine Alpha after all this is over, I look forward to that day he leads his own pack.

"Good work today." I say to him as he looks at me with a shocked expression.

"You feeling alright? You never complimented me before." He says with a grin and puffed out chest.

Yeah, I have not. Until I met Sora I was distracted, even to Lucas who has become a very good friend, possibly the only one I could speak openly to.

Rolling my eyes. "Piss off."

I look over to the north and my army is stationed throughout the hills and I have never seen such a sight.

Currently, I have 50 thousand with me, many stationed through the world all having a direct line with commands from me and a few I have trusted to command on what to do and when.

"Word came that Aeyon is firmly pissed at you." Lucas says with amusement to which I snort.

I'm sure Aeyon is.

We have killed a lot more of his than he has of ours. It is only a matter of time until our paths cross and I bury him in the fucking ground in an unmarked grave.

I will take my sweet time breaking him until his inescapable death.

"When did you hear from Larson?" I ask as we walk through the camp as everyone packs to leave the arena and go onto the next.

"An hour ago, he's in the Vale Kane, Aeyon is right where we want him."

I nod. Yes, he is right where I want him to be. I could end this war tomorrow but I can't, at least not yet.

"I want the location of that rat by the end of the week." I leave no room for 'but' as I turn and leave.

Today has been adequate, to say the least. I would be more pleased to have Braum's lifeless corpse beneath me but soon... soon I will have him, he can run but he knows I will find him and when I do, I would not be surprised when I do he kills himself.

He has slaughtered families of all races in his path, my group and I are hot on his trail but the slimy cockroach escapes each time. Many of those with me want him more than Aeyon, as much as Aeyon is a problem, Braum is the real brain behind this takeover.

Without him Orion has no leader, they will go back to the darkness from which they came. Then I will find them all and rid their dark magic from this world.

Sora can see how much the demon side of me comes out with the mention of his name.

My beautiful kind and caring mate still sees so much good in a beast such as myself. I know she is upset with me over the pup I had by the throat and other times I may have let mine and Dex's possessiveness get too much.

But the feeling of other wolves looking at our mate, it sends a deadly thought through my wolf and me and we see red, she's our mate.

It has been three days since I've held my mate. My mate who is carrying our pup... I did not think this would happen for me, I had given up long ago but now I have a chance at a future with my mate and pup, I will do the unspeakable to protect them, even if it costs me, my soul.

I would do anything to keep them safe.

*****

The days are short and the nights are long.

I can't remember the last time I slept.

Oh yeah.. five days now, with my tiny mate wrapped in my arms.

Haunting visions of black eyes staring back at me as if they can see right inside me. It makes me even more pissed off each time I hunt and kill Aeyons followers. The blood on my hands grows in days and the effect of war is heavy on my warriors.

My wolf's fur is sticky with dark crimson blood and my paws are filthy, pieces of flesh beneath me as I swallow hard and bite into the neck of a fae who had tried to run after I witnessed him killing a member of a neighboring pack.

Today is the last day in these parts as we head back to the gate. Word has reached me that Orion followers are on the run back to 'base' Larson has an insider who is feeding us Intel. I cannot trust that Intel completely but I mustn't ignore it.

Aeyon is going to surrender for his life. Braum is nowhere to be found and the news does not sit well with me.

"What are you thinking about?" Lucas asks beside me as he walks beside me as I lead the group back home.

"Braum."

Lucas hums. "Me too. Wherever he is.. he will not go down without a fight, he is a coward but I never underestimate his ability to show teeth."

I snort then shrug, I glance at general Marcus Knoxenberg as he listens quietly beside me. For a human, I have come to trust his leadership.

"The fucking spineless mutt will soon feel my pistol down his throat." Marcus spits out as grips his side weapon.

I snort as Lucas cracks out in laughter. "What can such a tiny thing do? Don't you humans carry anything bigger?" Lucas asks amused.

Marcus gives Lucas a look of disgust. "It might look small but it gives a kick."

Lucas laughs out even more as I just sigh at his childish behavior while I hide my amusement in a scowl.

"Enough." I bark out. "We are close to the border."

"SHIFT!" I command through mind-link to all wolves.

"You know the drill, stay the fuck out of my way and keep your eyes on the lookout." I say to Marcus as he nods and eyes his men.

The humans are very weak towards Orion creatures at night, dark magic works best at night, which leaves us open to attacks. I command a shift to protect the rest of our group and our supplies and the injured.

I command my scouts to spread as we reach the point. We call it moon crossing because of how bright the moon looks in this area. With each wolf shifting one by one I watch them run in both directions into the forest trees as I sense the fear of some humans.

Shifting into my much larger wolf I growl towards my group as I stand on my four legs tall, intimidating and deadly.

Yes, they fear me but trust me. That is enough for now.

With each passing minute, we make our way through moon crossing with no problems other than some sightings of humans who are looking for shelter, they join us as they follow me back to Deepwater.

"I miss mate." Dex whines as we get closer to Deepwater's border.

I miss her too. I miss the smell of her scent, the small bump in her stomach. The way a hint of pink goes to her cheeks when she gets mad at me for something, I even miss her constantly moving in bed as we sleep.

How I crave a fucking bed that is not a folded one made for a human man's body.

"Alpha, Larson is up ahead waiting at the gate.. you are not going to believe this." A pack scout says through mind-link.

I don't reply as I take off in my wolf form, leaving the group with my beta I make a quick run for the gates of Deepwater.

What could it be now? I just want to fucking see my mate and sleep.

With the steel gates of Deepwater in my sight, I see the figures of the guards out front as I make my way towards them.

They open the gate and bow to me as I ignore and run straight to the pack grounds.

Deepwater has changed in this past month. The grounds are taken by my army and it is definitely more lively than it was before.

Shifting back to my human form I grab a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt as I make my way into the packhouse.

What the fuck is going on?

Generals, leaders, and my mate are here. Everyone who is important is in this room but I only focus on the image of the hunched-over fae who has weapons and snarling wolves surrounding him.

Aeyon Grinmorte.

"Alpha king, he arrived here not more than ten minutes ago, alone." Desmond says as he bows to me.

Desmond makes himself useful and steps aside before I shove him out of my way.

I stand in front of Aeyon who looks terrified for his life as I glare down at him, my vision red and I know Dex, my wolf wants to shred him apart if not for the intoxicating smell of my mate.

"I came here to talk truce!" Aeyons measly voice says to me as he looks up at me in fear.

I raise a brow. "Truce?" I say quietly.

I glance at my mate and she looks at me in fear for what I am thinking of doing right now. I hold my hand out for my mate which she gladly takes, her touch instantly calming my thoughts of ripping him apart go away.

I hold my mate into my side as I glare at the pathetic excuse of a Fae. "I have won, there is no truce Grinmorte, you sealed your fate when you murdered thousands upon thousands of innocent lives for your own greed!" I snarl out as my voice gets louder.

He shakes as my voice booms around the room. I go to turn and leave with my mate before he yes out. "W-wait! No! I have Braum!" He screams as he begs. "My family's life for Braum! Please! I do not want any more bloodshed, Braum has made this go too far! I only wanted the crown! P-please, have mercy!" He cries out.

I pause and then kiss my mate on the forehead. Her eyes tell me to listen, to be calm.. that she is here.

I kiss my mate on the lips. "I will see you in a minute." I whisper against her lips as she nods slowly as she glances at Aeyon as he cries and begs for my mercy.

She swallows hard and nods her head as a guard and Lucas escort the room. Leaving me with the rest of the others in the room.

"I say we just get it over with and kill them all!" A leader from the north spits out in hatred.

"Filthy inhuman creature!" Another person in the crowd yells.

"ENOUGH, LEAVE US." I fiercely growl out at the room as they become silent and begin to leave the room.

I do not watch them leave as I kneel in front of Aeyons pathetic body is kneeling on the ground, shackles on his arms and legs.

"Today I watched a mother hold her child as she was burnt to death by dark magic, she tried to shield her child from death." I say glaring at his face stained with tears.

"Braum knows he cannot escape me, as do you so do share why I should give you mercy when you offered none to that mother and child."

His eyes widen as he gulps down hard as I stand back up. I rip the locks that hold him down off and I grab hold of his neck as I walk him outside the packhouse.

A crowd has formed and they all call for his death, for justice for loved ones he murdered.

"MURDERER"

"HOW COULD YOU! BURN SON OF THE DEVIL!"

"KILL HIM KILL HIM!"

The crowds get louder as I drag him through the crowd as he tries to make himself smaller but its impossible.

He cannot escape what I have in store for him.

Everyone in Deepwater now knows where I am going as I drag Aeyon up to the stage.

On stage stand Cole, Lucas and Marcus.

I shove Aeyon to the floor as pack warriors tie him to the ground on the stage.

A sword of house Black is passed to me as the crowd becomes silent. I step behind Aeyon as he shakes with dread, by now he knows begging is useless. His crimes are not to be forgiven by anyone here or anywhere else.

"You are to die by beheading for your crimes of terror." I start addressing him. "Do you have any final words before I send you to your maker?" I say as I glare at the man before me.

His family once aligned with mine, sworn to protect and serve the crown only to soil and disgrace it.

The years of terror from the Grinmorte family will come to an end tonight.

"N-no, I do not.." Aeyons weak shaky voice calls out.

I peer down at the man before me and I take a deep breath as I look at the faces of my people. Ones of mixed emotions, dread, sorrow, loss, mourning, happiness.

I lean down. "Braum will be with you soon." I whisper in his ear.

I stand up as I grip my sword and get into position.

With a swift swing of my arm, the sound of his bone in his neck connecting with my sword can be the only sound heard for a mile.

The crowd is silent and my heart is beating from the sound of the crack of his bone and the sound of his head falling from his body.

I look up to the full moon and I drop my sword.

My wolf takes over and we begin to howl to the moon.

We howl for our lost family members who gave their all to protect their pack, I howl for the innocent and most importantly I howl for my people, for showing strength in a time of sorrow.

With the sound of my people joining me and the cheer of the crowds, I feel something I have not felt in a long time.

Peace.