Chapter 40

Daphne looked in horror at Arthur. His eyes were red and furious. They didn’t feel the way they usually did. Rather precious gems sparkling with his emotions, they seemed like pools of blood glaring at Owen.

His body was shaking, yet he’d stopped. She didn’t know what to think. He’d attacked someone from Sharp Armor, yet he hadn’t killed her.

“A-Arthur?”

He didn’t respond, shaking with fury. He’d killed many rogues, too many to count. The scent of blood was making her gag so she could only imagine that he was lost to it as well.

Owen let out a low laugh, “Just you wait… You’ll see the truth… He’s a monster just like me…”

“Arthur?” Daphne tried again, but it didn’t seem as though he could hear her.

Her heart lurched as she realized her worst fears had come true: he couldn’t hear her.

“Come on then, Arthur!” Owen growled. “Come on I’m right here!”

Arthur lunged forward. Owen stepped aside, dragging her with him, and laughed.

“Look! We are just the same! A mate is just a restraint. She stops you from using your full power! This the real you...” Owen yelled as Daphne began to struggle against him. “Come on. Come on. Come on, and kill her! Come and be the first werewolf to kill your mate!”

“Arthur!” Daphne cried.

“Kill her and you’ll become a more terrible monster!”

He laughed and threw her to the ground between him and Arthur. She collapsed unable to speak or think. Arthur rushed towards her over. She heard the pounding of his paws across the ground.

She heard Blade’s voice calling Arthur’s name.

Fear filled her and she closed her eyes, bracing for the sharp pain of death.

Air rushed over her and Owen cried out.

She opened her eyes and turned to see Owen shifting to his wolf form as Arthur landed on him and they tumbled away from her.

A bit of relief filled her, and she let out a little gasp as she turned to crawl away from the battlefield. Blood and dirt stained her dress, but she didn’t care. She crawled over a wolf’s body and screamed as she felt a hand grab her.

“Kill her!” Owen hissed, yanking her back towards him, so she was between him and Arthur.

Arthur twisted sharply, stumbling over his legs to change direction and miss swiping at Owen.

Daphne cried out as Owen threw her forward again and shifted back into his wolf form to leap on Arthur as he tripped.

Owen’s mouth opened, aimed for Arthur’s neck, but he shifted at the last minute so Owen bit down on his shoulder.

“Arthur!” Daphne cried.

Arthur snarled and sunk his teeth into Owen’s shoulder. Owen howled in pain and Arthur dragged his claws across Owen’s chest and shoved him off.

Arthur shuddered as blood poured down his shoulder from the hanging bit of flesh on his shoulder.

Owen struggled to stand as blood began to pool beneath him, growling. Owen glanced at Daphne and Arthur moved in front of her, growling at Owen.

He didn’t speak, but he hadn’t lost everything good in him. His mind was lost in the throes of bloodlust and power, but his instinct to protect her hadn’t left him. Arthur always stood between her and threat from the very first time they met. Her eyes burned with tears and she let out a sob of grief and relief.

He wasn’t completely gone. He wouldn’t become like Owen or worse. Owen’s plan had failed.

She struggled to her feet, trying to get to him, tugging on his fur gently and wrapping her arms around his trying to speak to him.

Owen was still alive, but Arthur had been seriously wounded. He wasn’t in a position to fight any further. Her only chance was to get him back into a reasonable state and try to heal his wounds.

“Arthur! I'm here!” Daphne cried. “I'm not hurt, you protected me! Please say something! Come back to me.”

Arthur growled low. His eyes were pained and furious, but he didn’t shove her off or attack Owen. He remained still and silent, shaking.

Daphne pressed her bleeding palm to Arthur's shoulder with a shudder. Light sparked in the depths of his golden fur as the wound began to close.

“You're strong. You're not like Owen. You'll never be him. Because you have me.” Daphne said, “Please, Arthur. Please say something.”

Arthur trembled, but the tremors eased and slowly, she felt him relax.

He felt the world growing less bloodstained and hazy around him. Warmth and joy began to push through the darkness. A wonderful scent was leading him out of the raging blood and fury.

He knew this scent. He loved this scent. It was everything to him, but he couldn’t remember exactly what it was.

“…please, Arthur, say something?”

He frowned, hearing her voice but being unable to respond. Her name was elusive. Why she seemed so important to him hummed at the back of his mind. Lucas’s demands for blood began to ease as he felt something growing stronger, warm, and comforting.

What is that? Lucas asked.

Arthur wasn’t sure, but it felt familiar and he liked it.

Owen growled nearby. Arthur heard him and turned sharply to block Owen’s attack, placing himself between Owen and the woman. Daphne, he remembered her name and a little flush of relief and joy went through him.

Daphne.

Daphne was his mate.

“Daphne…?”

He felt her touch leave him as he bumped Owen back and growled, clawing at him.

“Calm down, Arthur!” Daphne called, getting further away slowly. She didn’t seem afraid, and the further away she was the more relieved he felt. She was getting to a safe distance away from Owen. “You’re stronger when you’re in control! Show him you’re stronger than him!”

Arthur growled running towards Owen, putting more distance between him and Daphne before shifting into his human form.

Owen laughed, “Are you crazy? Your human form is weaker than the wolf form!”

Owen rushed towards him, snarling, “You must want to die!”

Arthur turned and ducked, grabbing the leg of a rogue’s corpse and hurling it at Owen.

Owen barely avoided the first one before another grazed by his shoulder, throwing him off balance.

“What are you doing?” Owen yelled, staggering out of the way of the next corpse rushing towards him.

Arthur didn’t say anything, eyes focused as he kept throwing whatever corpse he could get a hold of at Owen.

Owen growled and dodged as best as he could manage. What kind of ridiculous plan was this? Where was Arthur’s pride as a Royal? As a prince?

His leg faltered and cried out as a corpse struck him full across the chest, pushing him back. He barely got the corpse of him before Arthur pounced on him, shifting into his wolf form in midair with a roar and closing his jaw around Owen’s neck.

Owen cried out and sunk his claw into Arthur's shoulder to pull Arthur back before he could get enough of his throat between his teeth to break his neck.

Arthur turned his head viciously, and pain ripped through Owen’s neck and chest as Arthur dragged his fangs down his chest, opening a long bleeding gash before shaking free of Owen’s paw.

His shoulder bled as he backed away. Owen turned over planning to get away, but Arthur darted forward, biting Owen’s injured leg and ripping his injured foreleg off with a gruesome cracking, wet sound.

Owen howled in agony, collapsing to the ground as he lost focus. Bloodstained grey fur gave way to light then bloodstained skin as he curled up, trying to cradle his arm, severed at the wrist.

He grew cold for the first time in his life as he tried to apply pressure and stop the bleeding, but his blood still flowed from his chest.

The world grew blurry and he saw Arthur shift back to his human form and hated him even more.

“Arthur!” Daphne cried, running towards him and throwing her arms around him as his legs faltered. He slumped into her arms as Owen trembled with cold and watched his blood pooling around him.

Daphne grunted as Arthur leaned most of his weight on her, his arms hung weakly at his sides as he panted into her neck.

“Arthur?” Daphne asked, threading a hand through his hair. She turned her head to call to the patrol. “Help! Someone help him!”

Blade and a few other werewolves came over, looking ragged as Daphne tried to find a way to cut herself and heal his shoulder. She spied a wolf’s severed claw nearby when Arthur wrapped a hand around her wrist.

“Don’t,” he panted. “I’m okay.”

“B-But…”

“I…” He said, his voice hoarse and a little faint. “I won… So… will I get another point?”

Daphne’s eyes burned with tears as she saw the bag still around his neck.

“You’re talking about points right now?” Daphne cried, hysterical. “You ridiculous man. I'll give them all to you. You can have all the points!”