The Warlord's Luna

Alpha Yulan slowly opened his eyes, taking in the rough rock ceiling above his head. This cave was his home now, miles away from the Sweetlake pack, where his friend Alpha Landon had urged him to stay after the tragedy that had befallen him.

He could hear the rustling of leaves blowing into the cave from the forest outside. A large snake was hissing at him, poised and ready to attack. Alpha Yulan stared at it, motionless. He closed his eyes, perhaps it was time he finally succumbed to the snake's bite and joined Lolita, his sweet and gentle mate who was killed because of his carelessness. He could still hear her laughter, the sweet melody of it. She had loved him so much, even though her parents had been apprehensive about the union due to his reputation as a warlord, and his battle scars.

Lolita was naive, innocent, but they loved each other deeply. Her soft voice and sweet smile warmed his heart, and he would do anything to see her happy. Even when she was angry, which was rare, he would beg for forgiveness just to see her smile again.

A tear rolled down his cheek as he remembered her and heard the snake hissing again. He closed his eyes, perhaps he would die and finally be able to beg for her forgiveness.

Suddenly, there was a loud thumping sound from the cave floor. Alpha Yulan opened his eyes to see a lean figure huddled over the writhing snake. He groaned. It was Zay, a small wolf whom he and Landon had saved from certain death years ago. Although his parents had been killed before they could see him, Zay's cheerfulness was infectious. He was ridiculously good-looking and stood out from the normal wolves.

He must have trailed him; he was currently striking the snake endlessly with a dagger, blood dripping from its mouth. The snake was being crushed under his boot, firmly on its head and tail, his leg in a crooked position.

Pissed, Yulan asked, "How the hell did you find me?" He hated being tailed without being able to sense it.

He snarled at Zay causing him to jump off the snake. He laughed as he did so, the sound like Lolita's: sweet, pure, and peaceful laughter, childlike. However, Zay's laugh was deeper, more beautiful, and somewhat sinister. It was difficult to believe that the boy was a beast, a merciless one.

He danced towards the edge of the cave, swinging the knife to and fro in his hands. "Alpha Landon asked me to get you. The meeting is about to start. He says if you don't come, they might think you've gone crazy and try to drug you..."

Alpha Yulan cut off his rambling, snapping, "How did you find me?" This was his secret spot in the forest, and no one could trace him by his scent or anything else. He could mask his scent perfectly, but...

"It was easy." Zay laughed and ran off. Alpha Yulan cursed under his breath. He didn't want to be found, ever. He wanted to get lost somewhere and be attacked by rogue wolves. Maybe he would surrender to them and let them kill him.

He sat up from the large stone he had been lying on and stared at the carcass of the snake that had been trying to bite him. Zay had stabbed it several times, and it was now a gruesome sight. He could have crushed it easily with his large feet or crushed its head with his sharp claws.

He stumbled out of the cave, taking the rough path towards the pack's living area. Zay's swinging figure on the trees was like a dark cloud on Alpha Yulan's mood. He would make sure to throw the boy to the wolves when they got back. Still, Alpha Landon would not leave him alone, fearing he would kill himself anytime soon from the grief.

After the attack that had taken his mate's life, Alpha Landon had persuaded him to live with them. Later, he discovered that he was being strictly monitored, and his every move was watched day and night because the committee feared he would harm himself. He was their giant and fearless warlord, a task he had been fulfilling while his own life was torn away from him.

Lolita's father cursed him every day, making it a daily ritual, to the extent that...

"Hey, man, where have you been?" Alpha Landon called to him as he absentmindedly walked into the meeting hall. He had no idea he had even walked that far. He gave his lifelong friend a lazy look, and his smile irritated Alpha Yulan with each passing second.

"Did you send Zay after me?" he growled hotly, making the other man flee from his presence. He made sure to sit several seats away from Alpha Yulan. Zay was also in the room, hooded in a corner like a decorative mantelpiece. It was well-known that most of the Luna's who were part of the Committee of wolves frequented the place with their children in tow because they wanted them to become acquainted with Zay. He was beautiful.

Alpha Yulan took his seat at the tail end of the room, where he wished he could go unnoticed, but that was just a wishful dream. His large body drew attention to him, and being a warlord made the head of the Committee, Alpha Tyler, a middle-aged man who had seen too many moons in Alpha Yulan's perspective, stared at him pin-pointedly. Alpha Yulan shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, avoiding eye contact.

The meeting began with Alpha Tyler launching into the horrifying tale of the Tiragu, a dangerous sect of wolves that had refused to sign a peaceful reign contract with the Committee of wolves and continued to wage war on other packs. "My only gladness is that they are far away from human society and are well hidden. I am tired of their antics. Very soon, the humans might think some terrorists live in the forests that they have to come to exterminate with the rate at which they destroy the forest," he shouted, his tone aggrieved. The heavy lines on his face were getting uglier by the second, and sweat covered his brow as they furrowed into deep concentration.

Alpha Landon was the next to speak. "We need to send a spy to check them out," his gaze was on Zay, who had fallen asleep on the floor with fluttering eyelashes.

What rubbish is Landon saying? Alpha Yulan thought. The boy might be good at going unnoticed, but sending him into the lion's mouth was just the wrong calculation. He was just a boy, for goodness' sake.

Alpha Tyler nodded his head in affirmation. "We do need someone to enslave them. The Tiragu is not a pack we can infiltrate like that. They are extremely wicked. Which is why we will need a warlord to go in. But I guess we won't have people volunteering since it's almost a suicide mission. But let's be aware that it's only a matter of time before those wolves decide to start attacking individual packs."

From the corner of his eye, Yulan could see his beta, a man who had lost everything just like him, except Dave had lost his properties, and no family was involved. Despite this, Dave hadn't resigned himself to fate like Yulan had. He was still active in pack duties and was an able mechanic. Back at their old pack, Dave had three garages, but he had lost it all.

Yulan's annoyance grew as he saw Dave slowly raise his hand. He didn't want to be involved in any fighting nonsense; he just wanted to waste away and die. But then Dave spoke up, "I'd like to take it on. I mean, with my Alpha, of course."

Yulan groaned in annoyance. He felt like committing murder. Dave couldn't resist a fight. He probably hated to see other people losing everything, like they did. And Yulan had heard of the Tiragu; they were a nasty group that killed everyone and sold those they didn't kill into sex rings and other devious places.

Alpha Tyler's old head whipped Yulan's way, "Actually, I'd like your Alpha to talk for himself. These days, he's more of a sleeping and eating Alpha than the true warlord he is." The room went quiet at the obvious chiding, and even Landon danced from one foot to the other. It was clear to everyone that Yulan had the most battle experience and was a larger wolf than Tyler. Killing him would be no problem for Yulan at all. His mate had been the one taming him, and now that she was no more, he was a feral wolf that everyone stayed clear of.

Alpha Tyler didn't stop talking; he was obviously trying to provoke Yulan, but for what reason? "Are you just going to waste away? It hurt when she was killed, but don't you think these people also don't deserve that cruelty?"

Yulan tightened his fist, and the veins on his arms were popping. One could see the visible lines of anger lining his face. "They are dead, those who did that to her," Alpha Landon said, trying to ease the tension.

"And so what? That's not all. He's strong enough to kill them all," Tyler ranted. "What about those smaller packs that the Tiragu invade? That bloody lady Susana is such a pain to me. I want her subdued. Have you seen her father's killing style? He completely stabs his victim until their bodies are separated from their bones."

Yulan closed his eyes, and without meaning to, Lolita's bleeding body flowed into his vision. She had still been conscious at the last minute; she had held out so he could meet her…

"Fine, I'll do it," Alpha Yulan shouted, causing everyone to turn and look at him in surprise, particularly Alpha Landon, who seemed the most shocked. Alpha Tyler smiled, saying, "That was my plan anyway. I was going to make you go regardless of your feelings. So I guess it’s a good thing you volunteered yourself" He smiled sheepishly and went on to explain the details of the mission.

“Are you sure about it?”Alpha Landon asked skeptically

Alpha Yulan looked at Alpha Landon , "Is it because I'm not in my right mind to do it?"

"No. It's because you've sworn yourself off women, not even letting them get near you, let alone fight them. Lady Susana rules the pack in her father's name and she commands a powerful female army. She is known to be extremely provocative..."Alpha Landon replied

Suddenly, Alpha Landon got a sharp blow to the jaw, making him bend over and cough madly, holding his throat. Alpha Tyler glared at him, exclaiming, "Shut it already. Are you a warrior at all? Are you saying he should stay back because of a woman? "

Alpha Landon asked holding his jaw as he scowled in face in pain" What are you talking about?"

However, Alpha Yulan got the information he needed. Alpha Tyler wanted him on this mission for a specific reason, and he didn't want Alpha Landon exposing it. Dave had only played into his hands; the damn man was a conniving bastard.

Alpha Yulan remained calm until the end of the meeting. He wasn't a big talker, anyway. Alpha Tyler instructed him to leave the pack immediately and head deeper into the forest, where the Tiragu Fortress was located, a formidable fortress .

He went to his small shack and began packing his weapons when Alpha Landon entered the room, asking him, "Do you know why he wants you there?"

Alpha Yulan shrugged, saying, "He just wants me to fight again."

"No," Alpha Landon said. "It's because of Lady Susana's seductive nature. She's a sexual weapon, and very alluringly beautiful. Most Alphas fall for her because she brings down their guards. You know we wolves have a strong sexual drive, and she's good at exploiting it."

Alpha Yulan chuckled, "That won't work on me."

"Easy for you to say," Alpha Landon replied. "Alpha Tyler himself once encountered her, and she nearly gutted his neck.”

"Whatever," Alpha Yulan said unperturbed "I'll bring her and her father here for the committee to judge. You don't have to worry about me. I made a vow to Lolita, and I'm not about to break it."

Alpha Landon didn't say much; he just helped Alpha Yulan arrange his weapons. Alpha Yulan set out immediately, with Dave following him in his truck with Zay in tow. He was confident this would be a quick battle.

Glistening her lips red from the shiny tube, she had purchased from the merchant that visits the humans, Lady Susana examined herself in the mirror. She loved the way her body filled out, and as if that was not enough, her beautiful face was a blessing to her. Most fell at her feet before she even drew her sword to gut them all open. She handed the mirror to one of her warriors who took it away.

Her elegant gown was not befitting for the battle they were about to go in but it was necessary, the young leader of this pack was a flirty fool that would do anything to enter the skirts of a woman.

Her own duty was to seek out his quarters and seduce him, keeping him sorely distracted until the ambush was completed and she would then listen to a signal for her to kill him. That was simple enough.

Parting the neck of her gown a little to expose her skin to view, her breasts were one of her greatest asset and she did not mind flaunting it. That was half the battle won and h