The need for absolute control overwhelmed them. Just as the intoxicating wine of power did cause them to blaspheme. At the banquet of deceit, they dined. Deliberating on whom to bind. Until it was agreed that the one whose soul was cloaked with the dark and encased in evil would seek the one whose works were pure as her fur was white. Sixth prophecy.

☾︎.❦︎.☽︎

Unknown

The tooting of the inconspicuous owl set the pace for my relaxed movements as I rounded the large willow tree towards an area that I was all too familiar with. The lush green grass embraced my sluggish feet imprints and the friction between my dark, overflowing cloak and its leafy essence created an ever-present swishing sound that announced my arrival to the creatures of the night.

The moonlight shone down, dimly, to give a menacing allure to the surrounding trees and my only company was the ubiquitous shadow, which stood testament to the sinister plans of its master. An abrupt rustle to my left drew my attention to the red fox who had risen on its hind feet to observe me carefully with watchful eyes. It sniffed the air tentatively before it scurried off deeper into the forest.

Who could blame it? I was a much more dangerous predator than it was. Noticeably more now that I had exhausted the vial of ichor.

Inhaling an arduous breath, I brought a hand up to the gleam of the moon. The youthfulness that adorned her lithe fingers had started to fade, gradually, into a withering pneumatic outline of its former physicality. No doubt, my irises had reverted to their dull colour and my face had realigned with its typical sunken features. It was funny how despite my countless trips to the realm of the dead, I still managed to sense the creeping dread that slithered up my spine to snatch the illusion of humanity eluding my grasp.

I would admit that the feelings with this one was much stronger. She had a will to live.

The slight movement on the veld alerted me to the arrival of another figure, approaching the middle of the forest where I stood. He was dressed in a similar fashion with a thick black cloak and a broad hood. Stopping short of where I stood, he pushed back his hood and bared his face, somewhat.

"I see the effects of the vial have worn off," He noted, peering at my raised fingers and grimacing when I faced him. "Can you at least keep your hood on for the rest of our meeting? You look hideous," he commented with a scoff.

The nerve of this pompous airhead.

"And whose fault is that?" I snapped, disregarding his request and folding my cloak arms. "You were meant to have received a refill for the vial weeks ago. I'm certain you are keeping it from me and that's infuriating seeing as I'm barely holding up," I grumbled, my voice turning hoarse and morphing into its original eerie tone.

He snorted, incredulously, at my brazen attitude and arched a thick-haired eyebrow. "Tell me, undead..." he inhaled, massaging his temples. "...assuming I received a refill for your vial weeks ago but deliberately held it from you, what happens then?" he taunted. "Oh right, you disappear," he answered the rhetorical question and paced about in a single line, back and forth. "You haven't proved useful anyway so I don't see the problem," he mused.

As suspected, he had withheld the refill from me as retribution for my failure in procuring the white-wolf power box.

"I know I failed on the last mission; however, you still wouldn't want to cross my master," I stated, falling back on the one defence that could consolidate my importance to the whole scheme.

"Your so-called 'master'..." he mimicked in a puny voice with air-quotes. "...wants you replaced," he countered.

"I hope you know not to lie to an undead," I bared my soulless eyes and smirked, slowly.

At the rate in which I was disintegrating, my ability to assess his inner thoughts had been compromised. However, in the battle for my continued existence until I attained permanence, I could never show the weakness submerging my essence to him.

Moreover, as unstable as my master could be, I was certain he would never dream of replacing me. Because contrary to what this Alpha thought, I was incredibly helpful in areas he needeth know about.

"I've been here since the inception of this vessel. I know its temperaments just as well as I know mine. Furthermore, if the need to replace someone between you and I ever arose, it would be you. You're getting to big for your boots," I deadpanned, getting more annoyed the longer he stalled on giving me the refill.

"So, I'll repeat what I said again just in case you missed it the first time," I drawled, earning an egotistical growl from him at my blatant insubordination. "You wouldn't dare cross my master," I emphasized. "You are much a slave to him just as I am and you know he would end your whole existence with just a snap of his fingers," I re-enacted my words with a finger click of my own just as he reached into his pocket, begrudgingly, and produced two vials of ichor.

Before I could snatch up the cylindrical containers, he drew his hand back and dangled the vials, gingerly. "What interesting information do you have for me then? Besides anything concerning how to manoeuver the white-wolf power box,"

He was revelling in my vulnerability.

I frowned at his actions and huffed, irritatedly, as I felt whatever was left of my physical hips dissipate.

"My pack researchers are holding out on that end and with Stars' help it shouldn't be long till we make headway," he theorised.

I swallowed the urge to scoff at his gullibility in believing that what Aryn had displayed on the day of their meeting had been the actual power box. I had no plans on revealing that it was in fact a counterfeit. However, at this point I didn't think it even mattered anymore. The white-wolves were after all here but knowing his insatiable greed, surely the ones present in this dimension wouldn't do.

"There is a white-wolf within the pack," I divulged, waving my cloak arms and expecting him to deposit the vials onto them. There were three to be exact but he didn't need to know that.

"So, I've heard," he replied, unbothered.

I stopped my incessant hand motions to squint at him from hollow bony orbs. It was no surprise that he had an intricate connection of informants within the Black Moon pack. However, pack security had been tight ever since the arrival of the white-wolves. It would have been impossible for anyone else to know about this information save for Aryns' closest associates.

"Don't be alarmed, Black Moon pack has a pretty tight fort that is hard to rig with informants," he chuckled, slyly, at my surprised look. "You aren't the only non-flesh and blood that I work with, you know," he added, and I quirked an eyebrow in curiosity but his dismissive shrug indicated that he wouldn't entertain any inquisitiveness into the matter.

Individuals who were not of flesh and blood. Just whom was he talking about? I'd have sensed an undead if they were ever one in the pack besides myself.

"Nevertheless, I'm happy to know that you've confirmed this piece of information. I was starting to doubt your loyalty," he patronized as I rolled my eyes, inconspicuously.

My loyalty, whatever the living defined it as, belonged only to my Master. He was extremely delusional if he thought he was more than a well-suited pawn in the grand scheme of things.

"So, which of the new wolves is it?", he quizzed.

"Your non-flesh and blood informant didn't tell you that?" I sassed, stretching my cloak arms once more for the vials. Cutting him off on his retort, I ordered in a deathly still voice: "I have but a few minutes before I completely dissipate and unless you want to explain my disappearance to my master or worse Aryn who already has you under his radar, then I'll advise you give me the vials,"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" he bared his fangs and tilted his head in amusement. He just had to be difficult every time we met.

The overconfident werewolf was getting even more brazen as the years passed. Gone was the fear invoked into his eyes at the mention of my master. I speculated that his connections with other ethereal beings had to be the reasoning behind his now nonchalant and impassive front.

The question remained of the being who was strong enough to go head on with my master if push came to shove.

"The vials now, Lycan, before I drag you with me to the underworld," I rumbled, taking a step closer to him.

"Whoa, easy there Grim reaper," he back away with a sneer and tossed the vials towards the ground. Before they made contact with its hardy surface, I dived to catch them. Consequently, I tripped on my cloak and cracked my jaw on a nearby stone.

Sky Lordians help me, I would maim this wolf.

"For someone who has died many times than I can count, you sure are a magnet for death inducing situations," he wheezed amidst his rumbustious laughter.

"I loathe you with a fiery passion," I hissed, glaring at him and holding the vials, tightly within the cloak arms.

"The feeling is mutual voodoo doll," he wiped off his tears as I replaced the vial implanted into my shoulder blades with jittery fingers.

The transformation was gradual, starting from the roots of my hair down to the toes of my feet. I inhaled the night air with relish as my heartbeat returned and my vacant eye sockets regained their spark.

"It's a shame I know what you are or bedding you wouldn't be all so bad," his eyes raked over my figure which was outlined by the snug fitting vinyl bodysuit in lust.

"You don't say," I purred, bending to retie my shoelaces. Thus, giving him ample view of my cleavage.

Every male, insane or not, could never resist the lure of a really attractive she-wolf.

"Anyways..." he dismissed, tilting his head to marvel at the stars. "I have put my plan in place with regards to the white-wolf, Yil," he announced with a smug smile to signify that his non-flesh and blood informant had in fact apprised him on the identity of the white-wolf.

"All you have to do now is to continually debrief me on the going ons in the pack. Taking advantage of this time is quite imperative as Aryn is currently on an expedition," he explained.

How about your resourceful spy help you with that, huh? I seethed, internally and burned to say the words out loud. However, I settled with an apathetic "whatever" and rose up from tying my shoelaces.

I needed to find out just how deep and sinister his connections went. I owed it to my master. The wolf was not one to act out haphazardly or let things slip. He wanted me to know of his affiliation with something far powerful than I was and one that I couldn't sense.

It was his way of indirectly letting me know that he was above my master and I. He was keeping his enemies closer just as we had done to him.

"That settles it then," he broke through my thoughts with a clap of his hands and turned to leave. "Oh and lest I forget..." he stopped, halfway, with his back to me. "...that's the last time I'm bringing you refills. So do tell your 'master' to allot that duty to someone else or better still deliver it himself," he instructed, giving me a swift backhand wave and walking deeper into the woods.

A soft chuckle escaped my regenerated throat.

This was going to be interesting. Very interesting indeed.

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