As I’d learned, my mood and attitude infected the rest of the pack as I stalked back to the den. I didn’t care. I was livid, incensed beyond belief, frustrated, impotent, and so many more. I fed my every emotion back into my [Bloodlust] and kept it going to keep the feelings from welling up. And, beyond wanting the oblivion of [Bloodlust] and more natural bloodthirst, I enjoyed indulging in my animalistic side.

The journey was made in relative silence, all our eyes peeled to ensure that no other predators could possibly surprise us, but there wasn’t any attempt made. It was almost anticlimactic, and the near disappointment of inaction led me to feeling even more irritated. Maybe Shemira would want to fight me for supremacy? No, she knew she couldn’t win, so she’d retained her separation in the hopes that I would simply allow her her position. No longer.

Our steps seemed to thunder through the tunnels of the den, and it wasn’t long before I was stepping into the communal space of our brood’s den and seething. There were a couple of different keelish I didn’t recognize within, and, after slowing myself for a moment, I realized that they were adults, definitely not from our brood. One raised his arm to me as I began stalking in.

“Wait. There’s something important–”

I didn’t let him finish his sentence. I didn’t know him, I didn’t respect him, and I didn’t care. Since he was an adult, he was a bit over three feet tall, eight or so inches taller than me, but I simply hopped up enough to grasp his throat just below his skull with my left arm. Taken by surprise, his head was dragged low with my weight as I fell back to my feet, and I pulled him down until his throat smashed into my shoulder. Even before the male could begin to gag and retch, I adjusted my grip to both hands on his head, spun, and smashed him into the nearest wall.

Before he had finished crumpling to the ground, I continued walking forward while the adrenaline thundered in my veins and head. Another male adult keelish approached, but not nearly so close as to be within my reach.

“We’re supporters of brood’s Alpha.” He obviously was a rather undeveloped specimen, and, after a brief internal struggle, I didn’t do to him the same thing I’d just done.

“Then fall in line behind me. I have something to do.” I immediately dismissed the male and continued towards Shemira’s den. However, before I could get close enough to begin some sort of a dialogue, two voices cut in.

“Welcome back, Alpha.”

“Hello Ashlani. Are you ready to submit to my rule?”

Unable to begin to entertain Shemira’s bold and foolish proposition, I turned to Sybil.

“What’s going on?” My voice was taut with thinly constrained rage, and the hunters, who had been under my influence for at least half an hour, were all standing threateningly behind me.

“Shemira has seduced some other members of the swarm to support her ascension to brood Alpha.” Sybil seemed exceptionally composed, but I couldn’t bring myself to relinquish my heightened emotional state.

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I scoffed loud and scornful, my tongue clicking across the base of my fangs.

“Weak. Pathetic. Both you, Shemira, and these who would leave those stronger than you to follow you. Do you dare face me in challenge?”

Shemira strode forward, her tail stretching sinuously behind her, her hips swaying. “I am not your match, nor do I think I ever will be.” She paused, seeming to wait for me to jump in, but I was barely able to keep myself from snapping back. Shemira continued, “However, my subordinates are stronger than yours, and we must work together, after all. The stronger whole should rule, not just the strongest individual. Do you not agree?”

I shook my head, disagreeing. “You are wrong in two ways in one statement. That doesn’t happen often.” I smashed my fangs together, the sound cutting through all ambient noise and setting the den to silence. “Now. Submit.”

Shemira was startled by my vehemence and barely bridled rage, but still she spoke. “Send a champion. The winner prevails.”

I didn’t deign to respond, just turning to Took and gesturing for her to enter the middle between the two packs. She immediately strode forward, her paces aggressive and impatient. “I must admit,” Shemira said as she looked over her dozen or so new followers, “I thought you would fight this approach more vehemently. I’m sure you and I both will enjoy your submission though.” A coy smile played at the edges of her lips as Shemira turned to the second male that had spoken to me before sending him in.

The unnamed male had taken barely two steps before Took reared her head back and headbutted him hard in the snout. Her two new horns made pulverizing contact and the male immediately crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and after just a moment of stunned silence, my voice sounded out.

“Send another.” I spoke quietly, but intensely.

Shemira visibly gulped, then sent a second, smaller, and obviously nervous male to fight Took. This one stayed further away, fearing another headbutt. Unfortunately for him, Took feinted a headbutt, which led him to retreat right into the path of her swinging tail. The tip made contact with his jaw and knocked him prone, where Took immediately seized his head in her jaws and smashed it mercilessly into the ground one, two, three times.

I called Took back and sent Treel forward.

“Another.”

“I–”

“ANOTHER!” My voice cracked and boomed in the closed quarters of the den, and, beginning to cower, Shemira sent a third out. The new member, perhaps bolstered by Took’s retirement, tried to rush in against Treel. She ducked low and, after a brief struggle, lifted the male from his feet and swept him to the ground. She, too, showed no mercy once she found herself in a superior position and simply smashed her closed fists against the male’s head again and again until he went limp.

I called Treel back. “Brutus, Foire, Vefir! To me!” The three stepped forward, their frills flared large and threateningly.

“Shemira!” Again, my voice sounded out loudly in the enclosed space. “You found the weakest outcasts of the swarm, and thought that they would lead you to undisputed leadership? Fool.”

I strode forward and the conscripted males and existing brood members alike cowered away from me as I stepped within reach of Shemira. “Last chance. Submit.”

With a quivering of her tail and lowering of her head, Shemira spoke. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Victory! By fang and blood!” Took began to cheer as Shemira admitted defeat, and behind me the crowing calls of victory began to fill the den.

Still, I was consumed with the rage and frustration of Oncli’s death and Shemira’s idiocy, but I could find some small solace in the flickering [System] notification.