Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 17

Cassius

I walked ahead of Blaine and his little pup pack. Blaine was an idiot who thought he was top shit in the pack. It was about time someone knocked him down a peg or two. But why did it have to be her that put Blaine in his place? Since summer, I can’t get her out of my mind. From the way her body serenaded my soul while my fingers grazed her the sweet spots, or as she’d moaned in reaction to my cock pounding into her wet cunt. She’s a distraction that I need to rid myself of. According to Big John, I couldn’t afford too many fuck ups. I need to focus on Jillian and the future she holds for me. Big John sent me here on a mission; find out what the hybrid knows and dispose of her in any way I can. He didn’t care how it was done, as long as the job was complete. He appeared rather anxious when revealing this much about my mission. As for why that other vampire -Eros- was here is a mystery. That man has always had a hidden agenda. Who knew what his endgame was.

I head towards the Keep to pack a small bag of my belongings for the weekend. The Keep is a four-sided tall cemented building that is centered in the middle of SU. My room was located on the highest level of the Keep.

The leaders, or Alphas, of each species lived here with their Soulbound Cohort. Soulbound Cohorts are creatures that are brought to you at either the highest point or the lowest of your life. As luck would have it, Celune appeared at the lowest point in my life.

Celune waits in my room. She lays in a gigantic cemented perched bed that opens to the outdoors at her leisure. The room was lavishly decorated with white plush rugs and ash gray furnishings. A king sized bed lined with black and white silk bedding stands on the far left side of the room. A gray marbled mini island bar stands on the right side of the room as soon as you come in. Steel appliances complete the urban look of the kitchenette.

I greet my Cohort. “Beautiful Celune, it’s time for us to leave.”

She grumbles, wanting to sleep for a few more hours.

“Come on. I don’t want to miss Hunter’s Moon.” I urged.

Finally she shakes her lithe frame before stretching her large webbed wings. “You are lucky it’s against the law to eat your Soulbound, or wolf would be on the menu.”

I chuckle. “I hope you’ve filled your belly with something else besides wolf before our flight. You know how you get when you don’t eat.”

“No need to worry, I’ve eaten my fill.” she responds.

“Good. We leave in five minutes.”

I walk towards my caved in closet and take a few outfits and pack them into a bag. I do the same for the hygiene products and food for the trip. It would be a day or two flight, depending on the weather. Since winter is closing in, the winds will be cold. That wouldn’t stop Celune, though, she was born during a winter storm.

After making sure nothing was amiss, I prepare Celune’s saddle for flight. Her tail smacks the wall where a hidden button controls the opening and closing of an overhead attached to Celune’s perch. The overhead rose slowly from the ground before opening. I settle along Celune’s lithe back as she rises from where she lay. She takes a dive from the Keep before spreading her opulent white wings wide for flight. Warm air rushes around my face while Celune levels out into the blue sky. The sun shines at our backs as thermals carry us over the deep blue seas. Looking down, I see pods of dolphins frolic in the ocean, seagulls squall before diving for fish, and every now and again merpeople swimming with the occasional whale.

Leaning back in the saddle, I contemplate what’s ahead. Hunter’s Moon was a time of year symbolizing unity amongst the wolf packs. Most packs gather on neutral territory and hunt for the biggest stag or bull that will appease the Moon Goddess. If there appeared to be a tie in the weight of said stag or bull, the winner is based one whichever killed the one with the most pointers. It was important that I won this little competition, so that I was deemed worthy by both the Moon Goddess and my pack.

Edonia is divided into five sections. The west contained Faelios, the land of the elves and the fae. Aethia in the north, is home to beasts and witches. Balendros is located to the east, land of where humans reside. And lastly, Sanomalis. This territory is divided between vampires and shifters. Werewolves dominated most of the lands. Cat shifters were rare, besides lion shifters. Now, everyone was welcomed in other lands, but each species stayed in their homelands. Central City is the neutral zone of the entire country. There, wars, feuds, and skirmishes weren’t allowed.

The sun settles beneath the horizon when Sanomalis appears. A troop of warriors greet us as Celune lands gracefully on well worn dirt roads. A group of ten surrounds us with guns raised.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the vampire’s mutt.” One of the warriors said.

I leap down from Celune’s saddle. “Is there something you would like to discuss, pup?”

The Beta approaches the group. “Alright, alright. Put the weapons away, you all know who this is.” He turns in the general direction of me and the warrior. “Settle down you two. Save it for the Hunt tonight.”

Silence ensues while the warrior meets my challenging gaze with one of his own. A growl erupts from within my chest. His pupils contract slowly with wariness before he finally breaks eye contact. That’s what I thought.

I release the saddle from Celune.“Thank you, Celune. You may go.” She produces a chuffing sound before snapping her leathery wings open. Wind buffets around us while Celune rapidly flaps her wings for flight.

The Beta turns to another warrior. “Run along and tell theAlpha Cassius is here.”

The warrior strips down and shifts into a brown and gray pelted wolf before dashing off into the woods. I adjust the saddle within my grasp, finding a button to condense it down to minute size before putting it in my bag. It would be quicker to traverse the lands as a wolf, so I removed my clothes and proceeded to call my wolf, Nanook. My canines lengthen as my ribcage compresses. I bend forward while my back stretches to accommodate my other form. Bones begin to snap and pop through my skin before going back into place. My hands turn into paws, white fur sprouts from within, and a tail shoots out of my tailbone. I howl into the almost twilit sky before dashing towards the packhouse.

Leaves of reds and yellows blur in my eyesight. The wind held a crisp feel of winter in my fur. It was going to be a cold one this year. Celune would be pleased. The majestic site of the packhouse comes into view. It was a majestic cabin-esque mansion that nestled within the trees of the woodlands. Here both single, and most mated wolves lived. This included the Alpha and Luna. The four-story mansion was reinforced with sleek metal doors and window panels. Steel covered solar panels line slated metal roofing. The worn path circles around a wooden statue of a gigantic wolf standing a few feet from the mansion.

Big John walks out into the front yard, his large barrel arms are crossed showing his displeasure. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t make it on time. The moon is almost at its peak.”

Shifting back into my human form, I give him a level gaze. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, pops.”

“Come on inside son, someone has been anxious to see you,” he said.

The interior design of the mansion was just as extravagant as the exterior. Rustic styled panel flooring, a few enormous black couches are near a brick encased fireplace with a flatscreen TV hanging on the wall. Black and brown furnishings complete the grand setting. A spacious rustic kitchen stands on the left side with granite marble counters. Brand new stainless steel appliances add a contemporary touch. High vaulted ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows allows a person to view the surrounding trees and if you look closely, the ocean. A staircase leads to other floors of the mansion. An outdoor grilling area for entertaining guests and an outdoor pool is located in the back.

“Go on ahead, she’s waiting for you.” The Alpha said with a twinkle in his eyes.

I head up the stairs and it opens to another spacious level. The walls hold multiple drawings of previous alphas. Doors line along the walls. I walk towards a door on the far right. The door opens as I raise my hand to knock. Jillian’s green eyes sparkle in delight before she leaps into my open arms.

“I’m so glad you made it! I was beginning to worry what the Executives would do to you!” Jillian exclaimed.

I chuckled. “They couldn’t get to me even if the Seven-Headed King ordered them to.”

She lightly punches my arm. “Don’t joke about that, Cassius!”

I laugh again. “Why don’t you show me how much you’ve missed me?”

Jillian’s eyes take on a sultry hue. “Come here, big boy.” She takes my hand and leads me into her room.

I close and lock the door while she sheds her clothes. Jillian is only in emerald green lingerie as she walks towards me, her slender hips swaying. I peel off my shirt and sit on the bed. Her long slender fingers glide across my muscular chest before she gets on her knees. Jillian unzips my fly and releases my flaccid cock from the confines of my pants. Her pretty little mouth wraps around my cock and she sucks it gloriously. Her little moans of ecstasy didn’t have the same effect as usual.

She releases me from her mouth. “Is everything okay, baby?” She asked, her tone gentle.

“Yes, I just have a lot on my mind.”

Jillian massages my soft shaft. “Let me help you forget.”

Her gentle caresses weren’t working. All I could think of was her and I hated her for it. It wasn’t fair to Jillian, she didn’t deserve it. She deserved the best, as any Highborn should. I have to figure out why Valeri had this effect on me. Was it that Demon King, Asmodeus? Surely the Heat of Desire spell he placed on her worn off?

“You’re overthinking again, baby.” Jillian says, interrupting my thoughts

An idea sprung into my mind. Maybe I could… “Why don’t you turn around for me, beautiful? I want to see that beautiful ass in the air.”

She hums with delight. “Sure thing, Big Daddy.“ She gets on her hands and knees on the bed.

I stroke my cock while imagining Valeri’s full lips taking me fully. I feel my shaft swell while thinking of the way she rode it like a Retorian warrior. Jillian arches her back and mewls like a cat in heat. I take the head of my cock and slide it between her slick folds. Once my member is wet with her flooding juices, I slammed my manhood into cunt and quickly thrust into her tight channel. My eyes remain closed while envisioning pounding into Valeri’s glorious pussy. I remember how her body responded to my touch, how her caresses made my skin shiver despite how warm she was. I shivered in response to Valeri’s phantom claws pierce my skin and consumed my blood in bliss. I groan aloud in remembrance of her. I wanted to taste her again. I was a man dying of a succubus’ affection. Jillian’s moans fill the room, grating my ears in annoyance.

“Yes, baby, yes! I’m almost… there. Oh!” Her pussy tightens as her channel spasms with her orgasm.

I’m spent when I reach my own orgasm. I open my eyes and quickly remove myself from within Jillin with shock. I hurriedly put my clothes back on before rushing to the door.

“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?” asked Jillian

“I need fresh air. We’ll be hunting here soon. I’ll see you shortly afterwards.” is all I could say before leaving.

I can’t believe I did that. Jillian and I have been going steady for a few years now. To show any form of disloyalty towards her would make me sick to my stomach. And I showed my disloyalty for a hybrid, let alone a vampire hybrid. I could vomit. Rolling my shoulders, I descend the stairs and head towards the front of the mansion. The full moon gives the forest an ethereal glow in the night. Crickets chirp and frogs croak in the distance. Our pack gathers around the gigantic wolf statue, with Big John at the center. Jillian follows closely behind me, and grasps my hand.

Alpha John begins his. “Tonight, the Graystrom Pack has a few reasons to celebrate Hunter’s Moon. We celebrate the remembrance of our Moon Goddess, Selene. We celebrate Cassius’ success in capturing the Hunter-killer. And lastly, we hunt for the cold season. May the best wolf win.”

With that he shifted into his wolf form, Storm. Everyone else follows suit before we enter the forest. It is eerily silent tonight. Jillian’s wolf brushes pelts with me as we walk in companionable silence. Wolves split into smaller groups, heading into different directions. Jillian and I turn north towards sloping grassy hills.

Woodland prey scatters in fear by our soundless appearance. In the distance, a small herd of elk graze in an open field below one of the hills we stand on. The next plain field over, female elks and their calves settle down for the night. With a silent agreement we stalk towards the grazing elks with quiet precision. Jillian and I split up and circle around the herd. I spot a monarch bull in the midst of the herd.

“Do you see the monarch?” I telepathically ask Jillian.

“Yes, father will be pleased.” She responds.

Jillian gives the signal and the herd scatters in disorganization. The monarch bull bellows out a bugle while running in the midst of the herd. Its loud warning rings in my ear, temporarily distracting my senses. I quickly dodge hooves and horns as the herd runs towards the females and calves. I spot Jillian nipping at the heels of the monarch Bull, guiding it to my gaping jaws. Its wild eyes meet my hungry ones as it kicks Jillian in the ribs. It then whips its head, flinging her in the air. She shakes off the pain before dashing at it again. I meet her half way and we separate it away from its herd. It bellows out in warning while running further from the herd. I enjoy the thrill of the chase. Feeling the prey’s fear in the wind as we tire it out satisfies my wolf’s preternatural ways. The monarch bull soon tires out and I lunge for the jugular, blood gushing in my mouth. The elk gives a few futile kicks while its life slowly ends.

I pad over to Jillian “Are you alright?” I ask.

Jillian chuckles. “That old bull couldn’t hurt me that easily. I’m tougher than I look.” She was right of course. Despite her small lithe frame, she was one of the strongest wolves around.

“Of course I-”

A deep growl interrupts our mental conversation. The smell of fresh kill masks the scent of Rogue wolves as they surround us. The lead wolf, an auburn pelted wolf shifts into a man.

“It looks like you pups wandered a little ways outside of home,” he says with a drawl.

I shift back into human form. “This is Graystrom’s territory you’ve crossed. I’d say it is you who is a little ways outside of home, rogue.”

He gives a deep, lungful laugh. “You see that treeline over there? That is where your territory ends, and ours begins. Now, since this bull was killed on our lands, we will take it off of your hands.”

“Since when do rogues have morals?” I queried.

The rogues begin to circle around us while the air reeks with tension.

“You have about five seconds until my wolves lose their patience.”

There was no way these rogues had their own territory. Seeing as Big John is one of the Executives, he would’ve been notified. Startled yelps sound from my right, looking over I see one of the wolves attacking Jillian. The rogue holds her by the nape, his menacing eyes hold a threat: make your decision now, or we will make it for you.

My heartbeat thunders in my ears. The leader of the ragtag group chuckles.

“Give it up, pup. Run along with your tail tucked between your legs and-”

“What is the meaning of this?” A thunderous voice demanded.

The brave leader slightly trembles. “Your wolves killed in our lands. We are collecting what is owed to us.” He points to the elk. “That bull is coming with us.”

Big John cuts me a severe look. “Give it to him.”

“What? We can’t just-”

The Alpha walks up and punches my face. When I crumble to the floor, he kicks me in the gut. “Consider it a blessing that I love you like my own flesh and blood. What you did was foolish.”

“On behalf of my misguided pups, I apologize in advance. Take the elk in gratitude.” The Alpha said. “But let me forewarn you: if one of you mangy pelts ever threaten my wolves again, I’ll ensure that you are food for the crows. You may have this poor excuse of land as territory, but you will never be a proper pack. What are you calling yourselves, anyway?”

“The Ash Howlers. I’m Beta Lincoln,” answered the leader.

“Have your Alpha set up a meeting with me, Alpha John Graystrom.”

Big John didn’t wait for a response, he shifts and prowls away with us closely behind him. Turning back, I see one of the rogues lift the monarch bull and carry it away. I growled in frustration. There goes my chance of redemption. How will I get the pack to trust in their future Alpha now?

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