Epsilon [Werewolf]

Chapter 29

Decided to post this part early because I felt mean for leaving that cliffhanger. Happy new years everyone!

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Azure wasted no time. In a flash of ice-blonde, the woman arrived at my side, the lement of her suprise earning me a nasty blow to the side. I rolled away how Zion had told me, biting the inside of my cheek as an ache bloomed at my ribs. Zion had warned me that werewolf duelling was often harsh and bone-splintering, and in that moment I didn't doubt him for a second.

A few people cheered in the crowd, fuelling the eargeness in Azure's eyes as she made her way towards me again. I composed myself, taking a deep breath. I resumed the stance Zion had taight me, placing my arms where I thought Azure would try hit next. Sure enough, she went straight for my head, her blow intercepted by my wrist. I ignored the pain that bloomed there, instead focusing on forcing magic down my leg as I swung it out, sweeping her feet from under her.

Azure's blue eyes widened in suprised as she was forced backwards, stumbling to regain her footing. I went on the offence, scanning her body for any place to strike. If I'd learnt anything from my boxing days as a kid, the best place to punch someone was where they least wanted to be hit. In Azure's case, it was the bandage on her arm, which would have been concealing a wound from a prior fight. 

She quickly covered her face with her elbows, anticpating a blow to the head. Such assumption cost her greatly. Many eyes widened -- particularly Zion's -- as I aimed for the bandage on her shoulder. I knew I was sucessful when the girl let out a loud yelp, scuttling back and cradling her arm. 

For a fleeting moment, I spared a glance towards Zion. He was grinning... and so was Azriel! Something about the latter fuelled me with renewed vigour. I turned back to Azure. Her gaze had followed mine, jealousy passing over her features as she put two and two together. Her face contorted into a snarl. Within moments, Azure was running towards me again, and I braced my arms against my head.

"You mean nothing to them, Epsilon," she whispered, low enough so not even the werewolves beside us could hear. I faultered, and the girl did not waste the opportunity. Her fist met my chin, forcing my head to snap back. I caught Zion's concerned glance, obviously wondering what had gone wrong in just the span of a few seconds. I quickly righted myself, rolling to the side to dodge a kick that probably would have winded me. I struggled to my feet as the world spun around me, the only stillness being Azure's glowing eyes.

I readied myself for another attack when Azure swept up to my right. "Useless," she hissed, punching my chest. I gasped as the wind was forced from my lungs, the sound of the crowd's cheers distorted in my ears. I staggered back, trying to regain my stance. Azure simply gazed at me with a sickly-sweet smile, and between that and the blue eyes that glittered with cruelty, I couldn't help the dread that formed in my gut. I had almost recovered my stance when Azure opened her mouth again.

"You know, Epsilon," she began, stalking towards me with an evil smirk. She hadn't bothered to whisper this time, meaning everyone could hear. "You don't belong here. Just because you managed to charm the Alpha and Beta into letting you stay, doesn't mean we accept you."

My heart dropped. Azriel looked aghast, and Zion looked nothing short of furious. "Azure!" he yelled. "Do not provoke your opponent whilst in the ring!"

Azure didn't so much as spare him a glance, for her gaze was locked on me. Something roiled within me, and I felt the Lunar Magic quaking in response -- almost in fear. I didn't have much time to mull over it, though, before the girl opened her mouth to speak again. 

"You know, maybe it's a good thing your parents don't remember you. Who would want to call a failure like yourself a daughter, anyway?"

The mucles in my neck tighetned. I quaked as a white-hot energy rumbled through me, extinguishing the cool touch of Lunar Energy and feeding a fire I hadn't realised was building in my gut.

"Azure!" Azriel called, stalking towards the ring. "This is your last warning!" Had the circumstances been different, I may have been surprised to hear Azriel yelling -- even afraid. But in that moment I was too busy trying to maintain my control to care -- the control that had turned to liquid in my palms and was slipping further through my fingers with every second pass.

Azure smiled at me. She was standing over me now. "I'm glad your nothing more than dead to them."

Time slowed. Several things happened at once: Azure's eyes widened as Azriel unleshed his Ageto on her, rooting her to the spot; a red-hot energy pumped through me, my vision turning a purple tint as I stared at Azure; my bones clicked and my muscles twinged, but over my rage the pain of my Turning was nothing more than a small ache at the back of my mind -- a minor hinderance.

And then everything was crystal-clear. That enhanced clarity that I had come to love washed over me, calming me for the briefest of moments -- like the calm before the storm.

But storms don't stay calm forever, and before knew it my mind was a mess of turbulent winds and violent rains, and I had only one desire in me:

Revenge.

Faster than lightning, I stood, grabbing Azure's throat with a furred hand. The sun caught my dark fur in strange ways, its indigo tint gleaming as I lifted Azure off the ground as easily as one would breath air. She clawed at my hands, her eyes dimming as panic and desperation alike extinguished her magic. 

Everyone was frozen in my peripheral. Zion looked aghast, and Azriel just stared in disbelief. In a lightning-fast motion, I tossed Azure across the ground like a ragdoll. I went on all fours and ran towards her. In her loss of Lunar control, she herself had turned into a wolf, scrambling to get away. She was fast.

But I was faster.

I stabbed her between the shoulder blades with my blackened claws, throwing her on her back. Blood matted her snow-white coat, blue eyes wide with fear as I roared. I balled my furred hand into a fist, smashing it right into her chest. She screeched as bones cracked asunder my blow. She tried to scramble from under my reach, but her effort was futile. I simply dragged her back, sending another hard blow to the head. Her head went back, eyes clouding as though in a daze. I was about to send another blow when I was pulled off her. I whirled.

There stood a werewolf with red-and-grey fur, his gold eyes determined and angry. Zion. He snarled at me in challenge, readying himself to pounce. The rational part of me would know this was a stupid idea, that he was not the one I wanted revenge on. But there was no rational part of me; only emotion and power, and that was a dangerous combo.

So, I charged from him. In my rush to get to him, the male had managed to sink his teeth into my neck. I barely felt the pain; it was nothing more than a pin-prick. He remained there for a few moments, as though expecting something to happen, but getting impatient I knocked him off me. He yelped as I landed a blow to his side. He staggered back with a look between bewilderment and fear. He'd obviously tried something on me, and it hadn't worked. The thought only angered me more, and I was about to go after him when another furry figure entered my peripheral. I whirled.

This wolf had jet-black fur, his frame much more muscular and bigger than the others. His azure eyes glowed brighter than a blue moon as they stared into mine. Even admist the boiling in my blood, I felt a strange electrity spreading through me at the contact. I didn't have much time to regain my focus as he jumped atop me, forcing me on my back. Before I could so much as struggle, he locked me in his gaze, a singular word forming at his mouth.

Surrender.

The energy that had been thundering throughout my body dissipated in an instant, turning to dust on the wind. I struggled and howled as I was painfully reverted to human form, except this time with no the adrenalin to mask the pain. The last thing I remembered was the wolf covering me with his black Pelta before the world faded into darkness.