by J. K. Jones
“Don’t distract me.” Haru chuckles. “I had this made for you. I want you to have it.”
Ryu gasps and stares down at the weapon. “No, I couldn’t.”
“Don’t insult me.” Haru hands it over to him. “It’s about time you had a weapon of your own.”
Ryu holds it, experimentally testing the weight by balancing the sword on his hand. It truly is exquisite. He’s not sure how to respond. It’s the nicest gift anyone’s ever given him. “Haru.”
“Don’t say it.” Haru crowds his personal space and kisses Ryu on the lips. “You’re welcome.”
Ryu blushes and laughs. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” Haru grins, then slowly peels off the front part of his robe, exposing his pale skin. “Is there any way you can make it more personal? Maybe I can make you forget all about your jackass Alpha.”
Chapter 18
It’s all fun and games until he’s caught. Ryu curses the heavens and the earth as the cuffs dig into his wrist. They string him up, the ropes chafing against his legs as the Alphas around him jeer loudly.
Fuck. He took a wrong turn, stole from the wrong councilmen, and now he’ll have to face his punishment alone. He’s been so many years at Imperator Yamamoto’s side, people began to notice things. Like how Haru dotes on him. Not as his live-in prostitute or his Omega captive but as his discipline.
He gifts Ryu with clothing, jewelry, things he’s never had in his entire life. Haru loves to bring him souvenirs from his travels or mementos of his meetings with the councilmen of the Blackfang Hounds. They even practice their swordsmanship together, and Haru is surprised at Ryu’s skill with the katana, so much so that he gives Ryu one of his own.
After files had gone missing or been duplicated, several councilmen were thrown in prison or executed for being caught in their vicious deceit. This is a problem for the rest of the men.
The richest councilmen keep their homes in the mountains, away from prying eyes. Haru often said, his intention of gathering information was to expose them and then bring order back to the Blackfang Hounds clan. Like the Filthy Claws, they were once revered; their strength could even rival the Thunder Hunters. Yet due to mass corruption within the ranks and Wulfun’s mad killing rampage, they fell to ruin. Ryu found himself enthralled with Haru’s patriotism, his devotion to his pack and clan inspiring at times.
What he didn’t know was that they would use it against him.
The councilman he stole from was waiting, watching as Ryu broke into his house and duplicated documents on his desk. It all happened quickly, and before Ryu could blink, he was surrounded by several armed guards.
They took him and beat him within an inch of his life. He’s a traitor. An exile. By the time the imperator finds out, he’ll be dead.
“Dorobō,” Thief. The guard derides. “Let’s see how you like the pits.”
-
The wolf pits.
Ryu cries out. His arm is at an unnatural angle as he sits in a crumpled mess on the stadium floor. The roar of the arena is deafening. The common people, filthy with dirt and grime, scream at the top of their lungs for carnage.
A fight to the death between wolves. The wolf pits. Ryu scrambles to the side. The concrete wall is close to eighty feet high and just as thick. There are several other wolves here, scared, malnourished, sickly, their skin hanging loose on their bones. Ryu takes a deep breath. What to do next? He can’t shift. He is cursed. Even the sickly wolves would be a challenge to kill. Their fur is inches thick, and their claws are sharp as knives.
Ryu knows he’ll die here.
It’s only a matter of time. He looks around. Several weapons lie on the ground. His heart jolts when he sees his katana. Ryu snatches it up, but spikes of pain shoot through his body. Fuck. He’ll need to set his arm.
The tournament hasn’t begun yet. The Blackfang Hounds are known for their sadistic practices and unethical rituals. Ryu glances to his right. Other wolves are cowering at the walls too, their bodies frail and broken. He even sees an old man who looks to be over seventy years old. It’s sickening. Bile rises to his throat, and he forces himself to calm down. Focus. Ryu should’ve known things wouldn’t last long. People always were suspicious of them. He only hopes Haru has gotten away safely.
The crowd dies down. Anticipation swells, and his heart pounds in his chest as the iron gates open.
“There is only one winner here,” a voice says from above. It carries and echoes off the stone walls. “Only one will survive the pits.”
The crowd erupts in cheers. More wolves emerge from the gates. Their fur is matted. Huge twisting scars slice up their entire bodies. Most of them are in various states of deformities, with missing limbs and ears. Their eyes glow a pale red, and their flesh is filled with rot. His heart nearly breaks. They are rabid animals. These wolves are mindless killing machines, like the Lycans.
Dark magic.
Is it the same that caused the Lycans to turn? None of this makes any sense. Do these wolves come from the war? Nothing in this world can turn wolves into rabid, hideous creatures. Ryu swallows thickly, gripping his weapon tighter. He’ll need to fight and win if he wants to survive.
He prays a silent prayer to Vuneas for strength. The pain in his arm intensifies, but he’s had worse. He’ll need to be quick. There is no time to think. He’s had half a dozen injuries fighting with Sensei Musashi. This will be nothing less.
Ryu yanks his dislocated shoulder back into place with a sickening crack. Blinding agony shoots through his body. His vision whites out completely. The world turns, and he pukes violently over his shirt. He breathes through the pain. It’s time. Ryu grabs his weapon and staggers to his feet.
The wolves stand over ten feet tall, snapping their jaws menacingly.
Ryu knows the weakest points of the wolves—the underbelly, neck, and tendons. He will strike to kill. Ryu slices his katana, gathering strength from within.
Chapter 19
Ryu lies on his back. His vest is nearly torn in half as blood leaks from every pore. A mountain of corpses, bodies stacked one on top of the other, is behind him. Ryu tried to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. In the end, the old man died as he was crushed to death by a rabid wolf.
Blood trickles down his lip, and his body grows cold. He thinks of Haru. His calm face in the morning light. His soft smile. They were lovers, friends. He’ll miss him.
Ryu’s thoughts turn to Micah. His dark hair and smooth skin, a rare smile, paper-thin, as if it would vanish just as quickly. His heart still yearns for him. Can he hear him? See him now? Can Micah see what he’s become? A liar. A thief. A prostitute for other Alphas. Can Micah see what he’s done to him?
Rage claws its way into his heart. It makes his hatred burn anew. He is here because of Micah. He almost died because that bastard left him. He’s repulsed with anguish. Ryu will never see Amaya ever again. At that moment, he prays for Micah’s death. He prays violently in his mind that they will all die viciously at his hands.
He calls upon the dark gods. He keeps calling, even when the light fades from his eyes.
-
They dump his body into a ravine.
Haru will never know how well he fought. He’ll never know Ryu was captured. Ignorance is bliss. Ryu can see the end now. It’s marvelous. Wonderful even—to stop fighting, to finally be at peace. He wants that. He doesn’t want this pain anymore. The water pulses against him, rushing wildly as his blood seeps into the river. It’s a cloudy day. Ryu can see the storm gathering just off the ridge. He closes his eyes, picturing himself melting into the earth.
A light shines down on him.
It’s bright and beautiful. The light transforms, and the shapes of the trees take on a strange form. They resharpen into people, into the familiar faces of the Silvercrest Howlers. Micah is fighting wildly, covered in sweat and blood, with tears in his eyes as his clan burns to the ground. The light switches toward Amaya. Her body lies still and quiet in a river of blood
. A dream? A nightmare. The images flash like a movie across his vision.
He wants this, though, right? Doesn’t he want them all dead?
The last image is of Micah’s throat being cut. His body jolts and spasms before the light dies in his eyes. Ryu gasps, feeling like he’s being punched in the chest. No. He doesn’t want to see it; he doesn’t want to picture it yet.
The vision cuts out, and all he can see is blackness.
This is what the future will hold. A war is coming. Be the change.
The goddess. She’s speaking to him. Ryu opens his mouth, but he can’t speak. His throat is raw like sandpaper. “Please. What can I do? How can I stop it?”
What are you willing to give up?
He can’t think. It’s too much. For Amaya, he’ll give anything, die a thousand times just so that she can live. And for Micah, he’ll do the same. However much he hates him, he knows deep down he doesn’t want to see him dead.
“Anything, everything. Please.”
Become my vessel.
Light burst from the sky like a sonic boom. It beams down, widening and then narrowing down to Ryu’s chest, piercing him like a sword into his heart. Light tears through his mouth and nose. It shines like the sun, healing the wounds and threading his flesh back together. Ryu screams. His body lifts off the ground as spiritual energy fills him. It’s so thick and bright his skin turns red.
Become the change.
Power surges through his being. His katana glows yellow and becomes an extension of himself. It hums and sizzles with strength. Hikari. The earth trembles and shakes as the sky crackles with lightning and thunder.
Ryu arches his back, his arms splayed out wide as he transforms into the vessel, into a Bloodhound. Vuneas infuses his body, gifting him with all her spiritual prowess and grace. A pack between a god and a wolf must be sealed in blood.
She descends from the sky, her armor thick and flawless, her spear sharp and pointed. Her face is shrouded by light, but her hair flows in the wind. She touches his face, her hands gentle, then takes his hand and brings it to her lips.
She takes one of his fingers into her mouth.
Ryu nearly chokes.
He trembles when she drinks his essence directly from his wounds, lapping at it with her tongue. A blood pact. She stops, then places her lips at the shell of his ear.
You are mine now. Drag all that’s dark into the light. Evil is coming. You will be the cure.
Everything goes black.
-
Ryu gasps awake.
Fear grips him like a pillow over his face, suffocating. Screaming, he scrambles to get up as quickly as possible and touches his body frantically. His clothes are soaking wet. He’s still lying in the ravine, but his body is otherwise unscathed. What the hell was that? His thoughts race as he grabs his katana and gets to his feet.
His memories hit him like a freight train. The wolf pit, Haru, the goddess—everything flies at him at once. Ryu clutches his head, groaning loudly. He made a blood pact with a goddess.
To save Micah and Amaya. He breathes deeply, letting the information settle over him. Evil is coming. He’s seen it with his own eyes in Kenyon. Darkness is brewing. The Filthy Claws are dabbling in dark magic.
He needs to stop it. These people don’t know what they’re dealing with, and if it spreads toward the other clans, it’ll cause mass destruction. He’ll need to start new, fresh, and begin his journey onward, starting in the Outlands.
No matter what, Ryu will be the change.
Chapter 20
The Filthy Claws
Fujisawa, ‘21
Present day…
Ryu comes back after midnight. He’s no closer to deciding than before. When he enters the room, the lights are off. Micah is fast asleep, fully clothed on the bed. Ryu takes off Micah’s boots and places them near the door. Micah must have been exhausted; he never had a chance to rest after their long journey to the Filthy Claws. Ryu puts his weapons away, takes off his vest, and crawls into bed beside him.
“Ryu?” Micah asks sleepily, his words a slur
“I’m here.”
“Don’t be mad.” Micah gathers him up in his arms. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t ever do that shit again.”
Micah is quiet for a long time, his breath slow and even. “Sounds an awful lot like you care.”
“Shut up.”
Ryu breathes in his scent deeply as fatigue overtakes him. It’s been a long time since he felt anything resembling peace. Even if he can only have a few more weeks of this, he’ll cherish it always.
-
Old habits die hard.
At least, that what he tells himself as he kisses Micah in the morning. It’s a tradition they have. When they first got together, Micah or Ryu would kiss the other one awake. It usually turned into ravenous lovemaking, but this time things are strange, divergent even. Ryu pauses, his lips hovering over Micah’s as the morning light streams through the window. The agony of the past jolts through him and nearly sends him flying off the bed, but Micah grabs his neck and drags him back into a searing kiss.
Micah kisses him, slowly and sensuously, as if he wants to drown in Ryu.
“Good morning,” Micah murmurs. The light catches his beautiful brown skin, making it glow.
Ryu can barely speak. He quivers, trying to understand how his life got so complicated. Micah pecks him softly. “I’ll shower first.”
Before he can respond, Micah climbs out of bed and walks to the shower. Ryu slumps back, passion racing through him like crazy. Shit. Is this how it was before? No wonder they’re crazy about each other. Ryu isn’t stupid. He knows what Micah is doing., teasing him and then letting him go. Ryu knows it’s only a matter of time before the winds change, his rut is triggered, and Micah fucks him into the ground.
Ryu sighs. Then what? Micah clearly wants a relationship. He wants a true mate. But Ryu doesn’t want any of that shit. He gets out of bed and puts on his clothes for the day. All this crap makes his head spin, and until he can make a decision and stick to it, he’s better off not thinking about it. Ryu waits for Micah to return, and together, they stroll to the mess hall to get breakfast. Afterward, they head to where the pack and General Sato are waiting for them.
“Byakuren.” General Sato bows. “She’s bound in the war room, awaiting your further instructions. We had to gag her…she, Uhm, kept shifting and biting the other soldiers.”
“Good.” Micah marches into the room. “We will see her now.”
Ryu follows closely, brow furrowed, unsure of what exactly is going on. Who is this person anyway? What role do they have in making amends with the Filthy Claws? Ryu can’t stomach any more surprises. The idea of mass immunization is a good idea, especially for the wolves that are going to war. However, for Micah’s plan to work, they need the Filthy Claws to be on board with it.
On a small stage in the middle of the room, a woman is strapped and bound. Her matted hair flies wildly around her scarred face as she thrashes and fights against her chains. The left side of her face is brutally scarred with claw marks etched into her skin, and she wears a black patch over her left eye. Her clothes are leather, black and sleek like spandex against her body, showing off her voluptuous shape.
“Enough,” Micah commands. He doesn’t step too close, but his voice is enough to calm her down. “Unbound her mouth.”
A soldier takes off the gag, and the woman glares up at them hatefully.
“Where is General Miah? What have you done with his body?”
She pits on the ground. “I won’t answer to you, swine.”
“Hoshi, you’ve been captured, and your rebel army is detained and dismantled. You will be charged and executed for your crimes against the Silvercrest Howlers. This is your last chance. Where is General Miah? What have you done with the Southern regiment survivors?”
“Kill me,” she snaps. “Another will rise in my place.”
Ryu doesn’t understand what the hell is going
on. Why do they need this woman? Aren’t they wasting time talking to her when they can find solutions to defeat Randolph and the Bloodhound Prince? Maybe she killed their reinforcements. General Hasegawa did say that the rebel army was hitting them on all sides.
“Have it your way.” Micah waves his hand dismissively. The soldiers grab her, ready to take her away. Her eyes widen, and she stares at him like she’s seen a ghost.
“Ryu? Is that you?”
He narrows his eyes.
“Ryu Suzuki?” she says louder. “My god. It is true. I didn’t believe it…but Kenyon was right. It is you.”
He inches forward, heart pounding in his chest. “Wait,” he tells the soldiers and holds up his hand. “Who are you?”
“It’s me.” She laughs, but the scars on her face turn it into a permanent frown. “Marissa.”
Chapter 21
Oh god, he never thought he would see her again. It’s been years since he last thought of her and Kenyon. The three of them together. Marissa used to take care of all the orphaned children in the neighborhood. She made sure they had first aid or food. At one time, she even set Kenyon’s broken bones. Ryu never forgot her.
She gazes up at him, battered and broken, as if her very soul has crumbled before his eyes. The Filthy Claws are defeated, utterly and completely, so why did they chain her up? Why treat her this way? It’s fucking barbaric.
They did the same thing to Kenyon and Arima Kihei. They take and brutalize, kill and destroy everything in their path. It’s all so sickening. What’s worse is that none of the clans lifted a finger to help.
Ryu steps toward her, but armed guards block him. “Get the fuck out of my way.”
“Ryu?”
“Release her.”
Micah regards him closely, then waves his hand. The soldiers unlock the chains, and Marissa crumbles on the ground, groaning in pain. Ryu shoves his way through and drops to his knees in front of her.
“Ryu.” Tears fill her eye. “Ryu. The gods have blessed me.”
