Chapter 4

Damon's POV

“Are you awake?” Dathan and I shared a room, even though there were hundreds of them in the palace.

“Yes.” He replied in the darkness. “I can't imagine mom is making you do this. She likes you too much to send you down there.”

“She's also a little too disciplined. Even for her own good.” I replied to him.

“That's too true.” Dathan said. “You know, I once told Adrian that I wished she would just remarry, maybe have a life with someone else, other than just the two of us.”

“Why would you say such a thing?” I asked him.

“Well, Adrian's mom is married. And she's slept with almost every respectable man, father inclusive.” Dathan had no filters, and said things as they came

“That's enough!” I said. “Mom would do what is best for herself.”

“But she's too busy organising and arranging things sometimes, she forgets she is human and needs love too.” Dathan replied to me, headstrong.

“Well, she's half wolf.” I chirped, strapped my sword on, and put out my bedside lamp. “I'll be with you in the morning.”

With that, I left the main palace building which took almost twenty minutes. I can't describe what I felt as I traversed the normally busy and crowded palace, which was a shadow of itself at night. Quiet, calm and peaceful.

“Let's do this.” I said to myself as I headed to the servants quarters.

It was a multiple storied building, with little rooms, about four hundred of them. Some had always remained vacant, the ones on the top floor especially.

Like I expected, the guard was out of his post, leaving me to myself.

It looked like a pretty easy task, all I had to do was wait and watch, but even I knew it was more than that.

In reality, I was abating whatever funny scheme any of the servants have coming, saving the palace from their infiltration in the dead of night, and all those while trying to not get killed.

After all, it was a hybrid slave who killed my father.

I knew my mother wouldn't have left me out there all alone, there were guards all around, but hidden to me.

I took my position in front of the main gate that led into their building. It's the second time I was assigned to guard the servant's quarters, so it wasn't so new.

Eerie sounds floated in the gentle breeze. The night was a bit cold, and quite dark too. For some reason, mother always had the lights put out.

“Maybe I don't want to need people till they need me first.” A voice broke into my jumbled thoughts.

“While I agree with you, I also know that one cannot be too rigid with everything.” Another voice replied. But this one was quite familiar.

“Stop!” I said to both of them as they approached. It took all the strength in me.

“I see you've annoyed Luna.” Zathen, the one I hate the most said. He knew a little too much. But that was to be expected, he was born in the palace there.

“You are trespassing.” I replied, not paying attention to him. “May I ask what you are doing outside your quarters at midnight?” I asked him.

“It's not my quarters.” The older boy replied. “I'm Zathen, And it doesn't say “Zathen” on your raggedy ass gate.” He added.

Zathen had been rumoured to be a hybrid, I knew better than to challenge him, but I also had to enforce palace rules.

“You!” I said, pointing to the girl I saw earlier in the palace's main living room. “What's your name?” I asked her.

“Emily.” She stuttered.

“You'll be with me tonight.” I said. I wanted to prick the protector instincts in Zathen, make him feel defenseless, embarrass him in front of the girl he was obviously hitting on.

As if on clock, a full moon rose, unexpectedly. Occurrences like those were rare, almost once or twice in one's lifetime will the Moon have the rise at midnight. It meant something was up.

I began to feel a bit terrified, maybe it was Zathen, but I didn't show. I dragged the girl from beside him, and shoved him into the gates.

Zathen was older and strong, but I was taller, and more bulky.

“I'll give you something to always remember.” He said, as he turned right back, and lashed me across the face, just as I was about to bolt the gate.

It hurt so hard, I was sure he took a bit of flesh off me.

Emily shrieked, and retreated.

“What were you saying again?” Zathen asked, and before I could get over the effect of the last assault, he was on me, leaping higher than I ever saw anyone do, he kept clawing, and gnashing, and spitting, biting, tearing, pricking me all over.

I was too sure I wouldn't survive it, so I left my life to fate, and Moon Goddess.

“Zathen, please stop!” The girl said, trying to get between us.

The beast flung her so hard, I heard her body thud twice.

That was it!

I summoned all the energy left in me, praying my father looked on me from the Great Beyond. After landing a fatal blow to my chest, I grabbed Zathen’s hand, and his second came at me.

I held Zathen’s firmly in my grasp, and in a heartbeat, snapped his head off.

I didn't realise what happened till his remains fell at my feet.

Zathen’s was over, but not my pain.

My body burned like it was molten fire passing through my veins. The light of the moon seemed to pierce me, it hurt so bad I dropped to my charred knees, and clutched my head which felt like it was gonna pop in two.

I couldn't feel myself anymore. Like something primal had come over me. A raw screeching howl escaped my lips, and echoed throughout the palace grounds.

Next, I felt my bones come apart agonisingly, and my muscles tear apart, only to rebuild themselves stronger.

Then a second growl, deep this time. Furs burst out of my skin, long sharpened claws replaced my fingers and my jaw elongated into a snout.

The last was a deafening howl that silenced the night. I had my wolf! The world would never remain the same again.

Emily! I had to find Emily.

I ran in the direction I saw Zathan fling her, and there she lay lifeless, enveloped between the fence of the Servants Quarters, and an old coastal redwood tree.

I picked Emily up, damming all the consequences of leaving the servants unguarded, and ran with her in my hand, and my heart in my mouth towards the palace.

I was as wounded as could be only a few minutes ago, maybe it was the adrenaline, or the transformation, I couldn't feel anything anymore.

I was in the main palace under five minutes, banging on my mother's door with her new maid in hand. As soon as she obliged and opened the door to her room, I dumped Emily in her hands and ran back to the servants quarters to take care of Zathen’s body.

It was just an invitation to war leaving him lying there. Zathen was their sweetheart.

“Damon!” My mother called, but I was too fast, and too determined to stop.