Barbarian: Chapter Three.

‘It smells like sewers’

That was the first thought that came to Caierre’s mind as he slowly opened his eyes. The room was almost pitch black except the little light that found its way through the half sized window.

He touched his head that was spinning, his body felt like he was hit with a brick. Awful!

‘Adrian’ he called through the mind link, but there was no response.

‘Adrian’ Caierre was now on his feet, trying to find his way to anything that looks like a door in the pitch black room with the little light, though it was useless because he ended up tripping over something or somebody.

There was a rattling sound, and the door was opened. Allowing light to flood into the room, that’s when Caierre had seen what he tripped on.

A man that seemed like he was in his eighties, his face was shrunken. Eyes stared at the ceiling without blinking and his mouth was pale blue or purple- or in between.

‘Oh goddess’ His heart deep this little flip, as a rat ran across the room from the man’s clothes.

“Oh Good, You’re awake” A female voice came through first, followed by a red fabric that was sewed to fit the corset she wore. Her auburn hair was madly curly and pulled in an up do.

She was breathtaking! But in an evil way.

“Oh I forgot, you can’t say anything” she pulled his face in her hand, and tsk. “You poor thing”

‘Adrian!’ He called out again, suspecting something must have happened.

“Oh your friend? He’s fine” she replied.

But how could she know? He clearly was calling Adrian through the mind link, so how could she hear what he said?

The mind link was a secret that was formed after he lost his voice, like a compensation and so far, it was only Adrian who was able to hear him.

So how was she hearing him?

“You must be wondering how I am able to understand you? But fret not, I can’t hear you but only your thoughts” She stood up, dusting her dress.

“That’s if your thoughts are too loud”

‘So you can hear me now?’ Caierre was testing that possibility.

“Yes I can” She simply let out a small smile but it was enough to show the perfect set of teeth.

‘What do you want with us?’ Caierre asked, using his eyes to study her every move and expression.

‘It simple. The high Alpha kept you alive, which is weird.” She turned then glanced back. “He never keeps any survivors, but I’ll like to test my luck”

‘How does that have to do with me or my friend’

“Oh child, patience” She laughed like someone who had all the time in the world. “He wants to get rid of the Ironmoon pack, but he has to die”

“That’s where you and your little friend will step in” She had quite her playful look. “I want him dead, you’ll have to go alone while your little friend will stay with us until you get the job done. As leverage, of course.”

‘What if I refuse?’

“Child, you’re not in the position to unless you want this room to be the last thing your eyes set on” she chuckled. “Now calm down, your friend will be safe with us as long as you get this job done”

“You’ll leave in two days, my men will educate you on what to do.” She was heading towards the door.

‘Wait! I can’t just approach him and just kill him.’ Caierre argued with logic.

“That’s true, you have until the red moon to kill him. The High Alpha is suffering from a disease so he needs healers, that’s how you’ll approach him. In two days.”

Two Days had come within the blink of an eye, Caierre stood in front of the Silvermark Tower. It was grim with the stone walls, and their symbol, a blue flag with a silver crescent over a black wolf head dripped down those walls.

It was their pride, and they took joy in that.

After all, here at the Lunar Citadel they were kings and other packs that took refuge on the Wulfren plain were just ants that they could crush anytime they felt like. Just like the Ashborn.

But the end game begins now.

Even without the help of the Ironmoon lady, the high Alpha will still die. Caierre had swore on the Wulfren plains, where he had lost his father’s body.

He had gone back after being freed from the room that smelled like sewers, he had gone to pay respect to his homeland that was now barren.

Caierre dragged his feet to walk through the gates, the guard there gave him a once over look before letting him pass through with the rest who had come for the position of the Alpha’s healer.

Inside was more breathtaking than the outside, though the capital city was beautiful but still, it wasn’t compared to this marvelous sight. Caierre allowed himself to be washed by the beautiful colors that filled the spaces and path.

This was a work of art.

They followed a worker there, who showed them and explained what each of the buildings represents. A young lady burst through a big maple door, her clothes were stained and blood was streaking on the floor as she rushed towards them.

“Help! The Alpha had gone mad” Caierre wanted to ask her what she meant by that but was shocked by the scene that followed. A big muscled wolf sent the doors flying into the air. His fingers were elongated and they passed through the person nearest to him.

The wolf’s eyes were crimson red, just like the stains on his body. Those eyes met Caierre’s, everyone was running for their lives except Caierre who just stood. He was surprised by this creature who had just started walking towards him.

“Run for your life!” The man who had stood beside him, shouted at him before taking off. But Caierre just stayed there as the creature approached close till there was just a step space between them.

The creature growled at him, he was taller than Caierre and had more body weight. If Caierre battles with it, he would definitely lose especially since his wolf has been quiet all his life.

Caierre didn’t know what pulled him to take that one step to close the space between him and the Creature, then placed one hand on the monster's chest and for the first time in seven years, he spoke.

“Mate”