At the Stroke of Midnight

Azalea, the only female warrior of her people, stood tall before her leader. Maybe she should've run in the night, fled from her monstrous pack of murderers. Something in her refused to give up so easily, her heart aching for the young that knew no better. For the old that were stuck in their ways. For those afraid of the punishment if they ignored the call of their Alpha.

They were planning to kill again, to take out another village close by. She could no longer stand by and allow such sins to be committed. It was not something that was needed. The bastard before her was doing it because he was drunk off of the feeling of the slaughter. Her eyes narrowed on the figure that stood at least a foot taller than her.

His dark blue gaze glared down at her under the shadow of his deception. To some, he was still seen as a god among them, but she knew better. He was a demon, a devil within their ranks. His large hand spread wide as he reached out to her, lips turning up in a grin. Those thick, long fingers stretched across the air before her, making her flashback to the days of her training as a child.

She had been born a fighter and raised to be a warrior. A killer with the bloodlust of an Alpha. The man before her had done so with his own hands, his claw marks marring most of her flesh. Each one was a lesson, he swore.

"What do you wish for, my child?"

Her hands shook as she balled them up into fists. How could he stand so confidently before her with the blood of so many innocents upon his hands? He promised his people peace, yet there was none. The madness of power and greed had already poisoned his mind beyond saving.

"I wish to stand at the sides of my fellow warriors. I wish to go to war, with you. For us."

His grin opened up, showing off sharpened canines he used frequently to kill his prey. His wide shoulders bent forward a bit as he moved in closer to the curvy, gorgeous warrior before him. He would normally refuse her request, but the smell of her adrenaline was driving him farther into insanity.

He had been at her side since birth. Before all of the bloodlust had driven him mad he had trained her as his own. She was the child he never bore of his own seed. As he soaked in the dead souls of those he dropped dead for their land, their women, he continued to fall into an abyss of lunacy.

Now, the sound of her racing heart, the scent of her soft skin, gripped him like a lover's touch. It was everything he wanted, something soft to pull himself into. After so much anger and destruction, the thought of touching her made his pants tighten. His rough hand rested under her chin, his voice deepening as he spoke.

"For us."

He leaned in, touching his lips to her forehead. Ever since the last bloodbath, led by him, he was getting more handsy. He had gone from inappropriate looks to words and now, he was touching her. She allowed the revolting kiss with only one goal in mind. When he stepped back it was with a wave of his hand as he turned away from her.

"I grant your wish. After all..."

He turned, sitting on his stone throne before her. Images of her fingers shifting into claws filled her mind. She wanted nothing more than to turn into her beastly form and rip him apart. He had, once upon a time, been like a father to her. Now he was perversely ruining their connection and it was almost as if he couldn't stop himself.

"After this, you will soon be bearing the new generation of our warriors."

She bowed, thanking him before turning to leave. She needed fresh air. If they were in the same room for even a moment more she would've done something she might regret.

In her room, she dressed quickly. Brown leather pants, brown hiking boots, and a white shirt that zipped up in the front. Under it was a black tank top. She would normally wear dark colors to hide any blood, but she was doing this on purpose.

She refused to see any more bloodshed. So, a white shirt was a promise to avoid a fight. If she failed then she would be painted with her incompetence plainly for everyone to see.

"You should stay here."

Liam, her childhood friend, stood at her door. She turned as she zipped the shirt up. His dark brown eyes looked her over more than normal, his hands holding tight to the doorframe. This was an inevitable meeting.

"Come in? Just for a minute, please."

He nodded, brow furrowed as he shut the door behind him. His dark brown skin was a stark contrast to hers. His long brown hair fell in a braid down his back. He was far larger than her, his shoulders and chest wide. He was built like a tank, and their Alpha used him as such.

He swore he wanted different for their pack. Over and over again they spoke of getting rid of the Alpha and changing things for the better. Still, he had backed out every time she thought they would finally go up against him. She might have been able to take him out on her own, but if she didn't win a fight her parents would pay with their lives.

She didn't want to risk their lives, but she couldn't let another pack die. Their leader was a madman and she was tired of waiting around for a miracle. She also didn't trust Liam to stand by her side, not fully. She would have to make sure he was out for this fight.

He sat on the edge of her bed. Their rooms were simple, a small space with a bed and a dresser. It was a barracks of sorts for all the single members of the pack. He watched her as she moved between his legs, one hand behind her back and the other moving to lay against the side of his face. The feel of her so close dulled his senses. His eyes moved from hers to the large amount of cleavage she hadn't covered up yet.

"Azalea..."

She spoke in a whisper, unsure of who might be close by.

"Promise me something, Liam."

He nodded as thoughts of her filled his mind. She had been promised to him from the moment she was born. They were paired off with viable, fertile partners to grow the pack numbers. Usually, the unions were like business deals. Not made for happiness but for the continued success of the group.

"Promise me you'll lead our people well."

He frowned deep and unsure, and then she was sticking a needle into the side of his neck. His mouth opened agape, but no sound escaped. Pulling the empty syringe out of his flesh she tossed it to the floor, laying him back onto her bed.

"I used a horse tranquilizer. I knew you'd be too strong for a normal sedative. I hope you'll forgive me."

He was already closing his eyes as she got him comfortable. Grabbing a chain and lock out from under the bed she left the room as quietly as she could. With Liam out she could focus better on the others.

The door had a large U-shaped handle on the outside, and another identical handle on the wall beside it. These rooms used to be for prisoners until the Alpha decided there was no use in prisons when graves take up less space.

Azalea slid the chain through the handles, locking the pieces together and tossing the key into the bushes nearby. Someone would find it for him, but not before she finished taking down their leader.

They had always stood together, as a pack, but as the moon rose in the sky she stood alone. Within the trees, she heard the howls of her fellow warriors. In her small bag, she had just enough sedatives for each of them. No mistakes could be made, not now.