Sybil reacted with much more grace than I, as she stood, rose from the sands entirely, and nodded her head to Rulac in what could only begin to be called a bow. Once Sybil had stepped away from me and out of the baths, I took a moment to gather myself before standing and whirling to look into Rulac’s face. As I moved, the sands tumbled from my body and back into my bath as I unconsciously flexed my hands and claws. Before I could growl out my response to Rulac, though, Sybil spoke and calmed me further.

“Hello Rulac. I did not hear of your coming, so I hope you do not find yourself inconvenienced by the necessity of waiting outside of the Alpha’s quarters until he is ready to speak with you.” Then, Sybil stood stock-still and waited for Rulac to exit. Her face was entirely neutral, as if she’d let someone know that the suns had risen, instead of easily dismissing the second in command of the entire swarm.

For Rulac’s part, he stood, quite surprised and obviously confused at being spoken to this way by a younger keelish that he’d considered below his notice. After quick consideration, though, he nodded to my Beta and as he shot me a curious glance, walked out. Once he was out, Sybil looked at me and gave the most subtly devious and proud look. I couldn’t hold back the chuckle as she gloried in her little victory and stepped closer to her. Before I could reach her, though, Sybil stepped back.

“No, Alpha.” Her tone had shifted to her businesslike, no-nonsense voice that she used everywhere outside of the most private environments. “The day has begun, and it will not be long before Shemira, Foire, and I must leave to begin the initial assault. And, to ensure our safety, you must prepare yourself and the rest of our troops to destroy those who stand against us.” Though her voice and tone communicated a wholehearted focus on the upcoming battle, I could see in the twist of her tail and the shift of her hips she was teasing me with what might happen afterwards. I shook my head and sighed briefly as I stifled another laugh.

“Thank you, Beta. You know which packs are assigned to you, so gather them and prepare to lead them where I need them to be. Keep Shemira and Foire with you, they have their assignments.” I didn’t ask her to stay safe, but the request was obvious enough. Sybil bowed her head in agreement to my commands and then, without another word, she stepped out of my, no, our den. After she left, I took a moment to myself and shrugged the last of the bath’s sands from my scales before stepping out myself.

Rulac was waiting, leaning against the wall directly outside of my quarters, and I forced myself to tamp down the renewed surge of frustration. “Why are you here?” I almost snapped at him with my jaws as well as my voice as I stalked past him.

“I already said that, remember?” Rulac fell into step easily at my left as I walked out and into the eyes of my pack. They all stood ready for my command, and with a single wave of my hand, I dismissed them to their assignments. Took stepped to my right and began flanking me just as Rulac already was.

“You want to hear what my ‘new plan’ is?”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Rulac flared his frills but kept his face from emoting anything. “There’s been a whooooole lotta noise about this great plan you’ve got, and how you’re destined to be the newest Swarm Alpha. Redael almost came up here himself to put an end to those rumors, but decided to send me instead, since there’s some amazing plan that depends on you to happen and he wasn’t sure he would leave you still breathing if he came up here himself.” Rulac’s voice was clinical and unconcerned, as if he wasn’t talking about Redael trying to kill me. I myself felt the need to storm down to the depths of the den and declare my challenge to Redael for daring to think that he could lord his power over me, and I nearly did. Instead, though, I answered Rulac.

“Is that so? I never said as much.” I kept my voice as level as possible, but I could detect the haughty feelings behind my words, what I’d intended with what I’d said. After all, I was going to be this swarm’s Alpha, and at this point, Redael had given me everything I needed to take his position without any true difficulty. “My plan is simple. Just surround the humans and kill them all.”

Rulac looked at me and cocked his head, seeming to try to evaluate the true meaning of my words. I continued walking, then after several steps, stopped in place and turned to face Rulac face on. He had to jolt to stop himself before running into me, and as he gathered himself, he looked up into my face. As I had continued to slowly grow over the past weeks, I now stood over a full head taller than him.

“Is that all?”

“Well, I was hopin’ I could get the opportunity to talk to you for a while, just kinda like old times.”

Without a word, I looked around at my bustling subordinates rushing to prepare themselves and others to go to battle. Took, behind me, laughed in a derisive snarl at Rulac’s words, and with her little display, Rulac’s eyes fell on her. Though his eyes lacked the magnetic power of Redael’s, his attention carried a weight that she surprisingly easily shrugged off. With the second female of my pack doing so today, Rulac grinned even more widely than I’d ever seen him before, except for when I’d interrupted his rutting.

“Everything I see from you and yours makes me more and more excited to see where you go. You’re just so… interesting. Luck out there, Ashy boy.” I couldn’t hold back the bubbling snarl at the familiar address, and Rulac immediately bowed his head and walked his words back. “Good luck, Ashlani.” Then, he turned to Took. “I’ll be seeing you, leggy. Hope you stay that feisty.” Then, while openly leering at Took, Rulac turned and slowly walked down the slope into the deeper parts of the den.

Took was absolutely confused at Rulac’s farewell, and looked at me in confusion. I looked down, and for the first time realized that Took had nice legs, I supposed. I flicked my tail in general confusion at Rulac’s words, then dismissed them from my mind. After all, there was a battle to prepare for.

“Took, you’ll take Solia, Vefir, and Percral, as well as the packs I assign to you on the opposite flank to me. Have Vefir stay back and keep an eye on the elites to keep them alive. I’ll tell him too, so make sure he stays safe and keeps those from our pack from dying.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Took’s eyes burned with excitement at the prospect of a wilder battle than we’d seen thus far, and I nodded to her. She raised her right arm diagonally in front of her, and I raised my own before lightly banging them together. After I acknowledged her, Took grinned wide.

“Victory by fang and blood, Alpha.”

“Victory.” I quietly echoed before going off and giving the final commands to my elites and friends.