A Biography Of A Human

Chapter Seventeen:

“Salvation”

There is no peace,

You live or you die.

There is no rest,

You gain favor or you lose it.

There is not innocence,

You kill lest you be killed yourself.

That is the nature of the Harem,

Cruel and unforgiving.

The subtle chirping of the birds made me aware that dawn had just arrived.

Hours had passed, hours that felt both short and long. My hand was still clutching the Prince’s paw, never once letting go of him.

Behind me, slouched over in chairs, were the forms of Dillian and the wolf doctor in a light slumber, exhausted from worry and waiting.

My body and mind were spent but I did not want to rest until I knew for sure the Prince would pull through. The whole time I stayed, my focus was on him, watching intently for any sign or sound like my life depended on it.

The creak of the door opening was heard along with light footsteps. I felt pressure on my shoulder and I looked up.

It was the face of Gernan, also looking exhausted and drained of life.

“Child, are you alright?” he asked me in a soft tone.

I coughed and cleared my throat before I replied.

“I have no words…” was all I could say, my mind was in a haze and there wasn't anything I could think of to say.

My wolf master kneeled down to my level and gazed at the young wolf, watching his chest rise and fall.

“He is still breathing...that has to be a good sign,” I nodded my head slowly.

“Xander, I am glad you were there,” he paused for a bit before sighing, his warm breath landing upon my bare neck. “You were there for him, and you still are...”

“And pup, I want you to stay with him. Make sure who ever did this doesn't try to do it again now while he is weak.”

I did not say anything, I just sat there unmoving as I felt him pull away from me.

“I…I have to leave...I have to help with the fallout...” he spoke with shakiness, like he was not happy he had to leave me like this and sounded worried that I was angry with him.

“Go. I understand master. You must do your duty, I will stay with him”

I felt a pat and squeeze on my shoulder, the tips of his dull claws pressing gently into my shoulder.

“Thank you pup, thank you...”

The sound of footsteps and the door shutting closed him off from my world here with the Prince. I was going to stay with him as long as I needed. Nothing would pull me away from him.

My neck was sore and the pain of it was growing with each passing moment. Burying my head into the bedsheets of the Prince, I let my neck take a rest, but soon sleep began to over take me, creeping up without me even knowing it was there and then there was nothing, just a blackness.

Then there was a feeling, a feeling of something, a pressure around my hand, firm but still weak.

Then there was a sound. A voice, a wolven one. It was youthful, but cracking with pained suffering.

“Xan…Xan…Xan...der…” it said clearly above me as I was still in my the black void of my mind.

I was pulled from this darkness and was thrown into a world of light.

Blue eyes open and alert, sitting behind a short muzzle dribbled with drool, gazing at me surprised and confused.

“Little wolf?” was all that my mouth could say aloud, dazed as the realization of what was happening thrust itself on me.

“Where am I?” he said, scared and confused, his ocean eyes darting left, right and all around. “My tummy hurts! Where is mommy!?” he continued on, his weak voice growing more and more frightened as I bolted upward, filled with adrenaline.

I lunged forward and pulled the small cub into an embrace.

“YOU'RE ALIVE!” I shouted out in utter joy, “DOCTOR, DOCTOR! He's awake!” I shouted at the sleeping figure that soon jolted up at my bellowing.

He rushed over, ears twitching as he rubbed his eyes leaning over the Prince’s body.

“Crown Prince! How do you feel!?” he asked rapidly.

“I...I hurt...and I feel tired...”

“Where? Where do you hurt!”

“In my tummy”

“Is it bad?”

“Well it is kinda sore...”

“Mmmmm, good! This is good” Dillian was soon upon us and the doctor's good words seemed to be of more benefit to him and me than to the Prince.

“Crown Prince, can you please cough into this cloth please?” the wolf pup nodded his as the doctor brought the folded white cloth up to his muzzle, after which Ulric gave a few coughs before the doctor told him to stop.

The doctor then proceeded to look over the cloth and his wolf expressions looked quite relived at what he was looking at.

“Very good, very good! Very little blood! The lesions in his stomach have started to heal over!”

“He is in the clear!” the older wolf said to Dillian. “He is going to pull through!”

The young bear looked up and pressed his long-clawed paws together in prayer.

“Oh, thank the Triad!” he cried out in his high-pitched voice.

“Now, he will need to recover. It will be a long time, a few months until he is fit and back to normal, but he should be fine. And during this period, no solids or strong foods for a while until his stomach has healed!”

I was so happy this Physician was here and was so much more thankful when I later learned that he was trusted by Gernan and Nu. You could say he was a part of the whole Anti-Jao court faction and if I remember correctly, was a relative of one of the members of the faction and he was chosen to be here by Gernan and Nu for that reason, to have a person who was trustworthy to make sure the heir to the Great Wolf Throne was safe and taken care of.

It amused me back then that even something as human like nepotism effected wolves, but I should have not been so surprised about this, considering how familial-obsessed and loyal wolves are. The pack was everything, whether that pack was made up of friends, comrades or blood connections, the pack meant everything and loyalty to the pack was the highest virtue and dishonor to the pack the gravest sin.

The sound of all this talking alerted a few of the human servants outside the bedchamber and soon were in the room.

“Oh good, You go to the kitchens and get soft foods for the Prince, namely some light porridge and a bowl of ground meat softened with warm water. I will go with you and make sure it is all in order. Might be wise to add small doses of charcoal in with the food just as a precaution to remove any left over toxins,” the wolf then left with them, leaving me and Dillian alone with the Prince.

“I should go and notify her ladyship, the Virtuous Consort Nu, of the good news. You stay here and keep watch, okay?” I nodded my head to the bear, who then left the room with a spring in his step, happy that things turned out well.

The two of us were now alone. Well, that wasn't quite true, though the room of the Prince was devoid of others besides the two of us, outside the doors were guards who stood at wait making sure of the safety of the Prince, but it was easy to forget their presence as all they would do was stand there unmoving and unspeaking. For a brief moment it was awkward, neither one of us knew where to begin. Sometimes I would open my mouth to say something but then forget it.

Finally it was the Prince that spoke up first.

“Xan, what happened? I was just eating and then...” I got up off the floor, to him speak as I sat down on the bed next to him.

I gave out a loud sigh, mentally preparing myself to tell him what I knew.

“Ulric, someone tried to kill you last night...” the cubs eyes widened and I swore I saw the life drain out of them and he held his maw agape.

“Someone tired to…tried to...” he was struggling to comprehend everything that I said and what had happened.

“Yes…someone tried to hurt you…” he buried his face in his paws, his little hands covering his eyes as he started to whimper like a scared puppy would do.

“Xan! Xan! I am so scared!” hr said out inbetween the whimpers. “Please help me!”

I then pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms protectively around his little body and I felt his muzzle press into my chest as I stroked the back of his head.

“Don’t be scared! Don’t be scared! I am here! I am here!” I repeated again and again to him as I brushed his fuzzy fur with my hand.

“I know, but-!”

“Don’t go there, Ulric! Don’t go there!” I snapped back at him, preventing him from exploring the what ifs.

I pushed him back and locked eyes with him, but still holding him by his shoulders.

“Little wolf, you survived! I knew you would pull through! You are strong Prince of the Kutlar Alphate! Grandpup of the great Alpha Lycan and destined to be an Alpha yourself one day!” I said to him firmly as he looked a little unconvinced and he gazed to the side as his ears flattened against his head.

“BUT I AM SCARED!” he shouted out at my face. “I AM SCARED!”

“Don’t you say that!”

“Someone wanted to hurt me, Xan! I don’t want to die!”

“Little wolf! Listen to me! You will not die! You will live and you will be Alpha!” I said loudly back to him.

“I don’t want to be Alpha! Everyone wants me to be Alpha but they don’t care about how I feel! My mommy, she talks about how she will be Alpha Dowager when I become Alpha! My Uncle Titus talks about how honored he would be to be the Uncle to the ruling Alpha and your master, he says how Jao will go away when I am Alpha! It's all about what they want and not me! And now you are doing it!”

“What do I have to gain from you being Alpha!? I am a lowly human! I know you, Ulric and I love you! When I say I want you to be Alpha it’s because when you become Alpha you will be able to forge you own fate! You will be in command of your own life then! It's your only way forward!” the wolf then looked down and gave dejected sigh.

“Well at least you care about me and what will happen to me!” he said, seeing the point of my words. “It's just, I'm afraid of what it will take!”

“Ulric…” I said as I lifted his muzzle up wards so he faced me.

“You will be a great wolf, you will be a great Alpha. And when you are no one will dare to hurt you again!”

“You promise?” he said meekly as he looked up at me with those big eyes.

“Yes, I promise.”

“Okay. I will be Alpha! But…”

“But what?”

“I want you to be with me when I do.”

The sound of the double doors bursting open rattled throughout my mind as a blur of rust-orange flounced into my view.

“It was Worthy Consort Io!” Pantaleon shouted, heaving after having rushed into this side room, that sat adjacent to the main hall of the Grand Tutor's residence.

“WHAT!? IMPOSSIBLE!” master shouted as he stood up from his seat, nearly knocking over the cup of water that was on the table.

“IO!?” Gernan repeated out as he pounded the table with his clenched paw. “IT CAN’T BE HER!”

“I know! But that’s what the palace says!”

“But Io!? She is an air-head and a loud mouth! She wouldn't be able to pull something off like this!” the wolf shouted out, pounding his fist into the table, his chest rumbling with a fierce growl. “Only Jao could!”

“I know, master! But Jao is untouchable!”

“Yeah, I am aware of that, Panta! But why Io, how did they find out it was her!?”

“They found a document where she ordered some grape exact from an outside source, but the stuff itself is nowhere to be found! And also, it was Jao who brought this up to the Alpha in the first place!”

“What!? Jao was the one that brought this evidence!?”

“Yes!”

“But Io is Jao’s puppet! Why would he want to do away with her!?” as I was hearing this, I was taken back months ago to the garden of the East Palace, where I overheard Nu and Io talking.

Their voices and words came back to me like a vision.

"Io, I know you must have big dreams for your new born litter! But even if they do come true, you will always be second to your master, Jao! He would be Alpha Dowager, while you would be mere Consort Dowager!"

"Well...I would not bet on that if I were you. What does that human man have over me? I am the one that gave birth to my pups, not him!"

I shook my head, clearing my mind of these thoughts that were unnerving me and then I remembered that thing I found in the ground buried next to that tree in the garden, that bottle of sticky, sweet liquid, could it be it?

These things were all coming down on me, and I had no idea what to do! I wanted to say something, about the conversation and the bottle, but at the same time I was scared of coming forward! I could get in trouble for not reporting it when I first saw it! But I did not know what it was! I thought it was a gardening thing and brushed it off! Master would understand, I knew that, but this went far beyond him and I feared the Alpha would not be as forgiving as Gernan was. Elyk once told me that a human's word was meaningless against a wolf or any other anthro's word in court, unless they've been tortured first. He was joking, trying to scare me when I was little and I threatened to tell on him for something, I knew that, but I couldn't help but worry he was telling the truth now.

So I just sat there, seated on a little mesh dais while picking at my fingernails as the arguing of the fox and the wolf went on in the background.

“Jao is the only one with the time, experience and the resources to pull something like this off!” the older wolf howled out in agitation, repeating his earlier remarks.

“I know! I am aware of that myself, Gernan! But Jao is clever too and he also knows how to frame!”

“True! Very true, Panta,” the wolf said as he paced the room while he rubbed the tip of his muzzle, ruffling its fur with his claws. “But why Io!?”

“I think I know the answers to that, master!”

“What? Do tell!”

“The Alpha ordered that Consort Io is to be taken to the Department of Palatial Justice for ‘interrogation’ and also ordered that her pups, the second and third Prince, and the third Princess be given to Noble Consort Jao to raise for the foreseeable future,” when Gernan heard this last part he jerked his head to Pantaleon and stopped his pacing.

“But I thought they were already joint raising them!?”

“I know! That's the thing! It's strange, I thought they were on good terms!” the fox countered in a bewildered tone before continuing on.

“That or Jao just grew tired of Io. But this poisoning was clearly a way to get rid of Io, plus have the possibility of the Crown Prince dying, making those pups now owned by Jao next in line!”

“By Canis! That human won’t rest until the Alphate is in his own hands! Thank First Alpha Ysengrin he survived!”

“Don’t forget the First Wolf either, master!” Pantaleon wittily added in, which incited a slight grumbling chuckle from the stoic wolf.

I did not know what to do and I was very confused and most of all very scared! I just wanted to go back at the manor, nothing scary ever happened there!

But I had to say something! I had to! For Ulric’s sake, I had to say something about what I saw on that day. Maybe the Alpha would have me killed for not reporting it earlier, but if I didn't say anything, Ulric could be poisoned again and next time, he might not be so lucky.

And so, I determined to tell Gernan about that strange bottle I found those weeks ago. But when? That was the question!

It was already noon, but I committed myself to telling Gernan what I found after I collected myself.

The Palace of the Crown Prince was poured over by justice officials and judicial Eunuchs. Everything was looked over, all the rooms, palaces and storage houses had been practically taken apart and put back together again in their investigation, including here.

After they looked everywhere here, they moved on to the Alpha's palace and did the same. But they never found the vial in the Prince’s garden. The garden was probably the least looked over place in their investigation, so I was not surprised.

I kicked myself for not sounding the alarm when I first found that bottle! I should have! I was such a dimwit!

“Pup? Is everything okay? You have been sitting there for almost and hour an a half!” looking up, I was taken back to the real world and realized that I must have just sat there doing nothing this whole time, tormented by my thoughts. Even Pantaleon was no longer there and had left.

Getting up, I waked to my seated master and he looked at me with a very concerned look in his wolfish eyes, the inner brows were risen in curious intent.

He wrapped his sleeved arm around my shoulder and pulled me a little close.

“Whats wrong!? You look so pale!” he said in a tone of fatherly worry.

“M-m-m-master?” I stuttered out, trying to start.

“By the Gods, pup! You can hardly speak! Calm down and just take a deep breath before saying anything,” my master’s soft tone and words, combined with the gentle movement of his muzzle relaxed me and I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I did so before letting out a long exhale, blowing out all my worries and fears.

“There, now do you feel better?” he asked as he slightly cocked his head to the left.

I nodded my head.

“Okay now, tell me what you have to say.”

And so I began, starting out by reminding him about that time I went to go to the Crown Prince’s garden to pick lavender and telling him about every move and detail I made and saw getting there, delaying the inevitable.

Masters face grew very confused as I kept on drawing this all out, his ears lowered to the side and his brows knotted in bewilderment about how I was just describing how the wind felt on my face as I came closer to the gateway into the Prince’s east garden!

“Iskander? What is bothering you, I don’t understand,” hearing this, I knew I had to say it and get it over with! I was just stalling and I had to spit it out.

“Master, when I sat down next to a tree that was in the garden, my hand gave way under the dirt, and when I dug, I found a bottle!” immediately, his temples rose and his ears went erect!

“A bottle!?” he mouthed as a serious tone over took his voice. “Tell me more!”

“Well, it was glass and had a cork stopper and when I took it off, I caught the scent of-!” as I said this, my master’s demeanor changed and he held me tight. I started getting a little worried, but I trusted Gernan.

“I thought it was a thing for the tree to help it grow, so I covered it back up and forgot about it.”

“When was this!?”

“A week or more before the Crown Prince’s birthday celebrations.”

“That must be it! Where was it again, a tree you said!? Where is it!?”

“I-i-it was the west garden! And it was a pine tree! It was located near one of the corners of the small fish pound, the one that looks like it was naturally made!” Gernan then looked a tad pleased.

“That’s good! That’s good! This is really important! The Alpha needs to hear about this right away!” I felt relieved he was going to take care of this.

“I will take you to one of the side gateways of the palace and there you will have a small, private audience with the Alpha!” I dropped, figuratively. My soul just took as fast trip in a downwards gust.

“WHAT!? NO!”

“You have go and say this yourself! It will have more weight than coming from me alone.”

“But-but-but I'm scared! What if I get in trouble for what happened!?” my fears came back to me, of what the Alpha might do to me. I remembered seeing the Alpha's arm go limp during the party, he must have gotten poisoned as well, not severely as I hadn't heard about that since the party, but still, was he going to take that out on me as well?

“You won’t! I promise!” the wolf then started to get up and was about to lead me out, but I did not budge and my heels gripped against the carpet floor.

“Are you sure, master!?” he turned and faced me, lowering slightly and looking me right in the eyes.

“You are my human! Nothing can be done to you without my consent first and I will not let anything happen to you! I promise and swear as a wolf!” giving a long sigh, I consigned myself to what I needed to do as much as I feared what would happen. I had my master's word I would not be in grave danger and my master had the Alpha's friendship and trust. Elyk was lying, I told myself. Gernan wouldn't let anything happen to me.

Master had sent word ahead that I had some evidence concerning the poisoning incident, so the palace had some idea that I was coming, which was better than me just showing up.

Gernan led me out of the East Palace via the eastern side-gate located on the long path, the major road which also served as the divider between the outer and inner courts of the Crown Prince.

But soon we were at the side-gate and after a moment of bureaucratic necessity with a particularly strict guard, the brass-nobbled gates swung open. I was being led by the hand by my master, as we came into a vast north-south road that separated the walls of Palace of the Crown Prince and the walls of the Alpha's Palace.

The Great Den, it was called. The imperial den of the Alpha. Its outer walls dwarfed those of the East Palace and the went on forever along the path of the vast road that was dotted by the occasional regiment of the palace guards, marching in perfect order, or a train of palace staff bearing supplies.

I did not get much time to gawk and wonder at these vast, private avenues, as Gernan soon led me to one of the western side-gates of the Alpha’s Palace. This gate led into the middle court of the Imperial Den, the area where the Alpha held normal court business and small meetings in a medium-sized throne hall, I was told by my master as we again waited for the bureaucratic system to let us in.

When the doors finally swung open, I expected my master to lead me inside, but he did not. I looked up at him and he did the same downwards to me.

“Pup, you have to go in yourself,” he said dejectedly, well aware of my plight. I wanted to cry, but I knew I had to be strong, not only for my master, but for the little wolf too!

I nodded my head and began to enter the portal gateway where I caught sight of an adult ursine, a junior palace Eunuch dressed in plain, but fine cloth robes that fit his rank and who was waiting to take me to where the Alpha was now holding court.

When I made it through the threshold, immediately the doors behind me started to groan as they began closing. Looking back, I saw my master standing there looking directly at me with his amber eyes that told me to stay strong as the gap between the two doors grew narrower and narrower until he vanished behind them.

I gulped as I turned forwards again. focusing on my task ahead.

“Do this for little wolf, Xander! Do this for him!” my mind rang out. With a determined stride and holding my head level, I looked to the bear who just stood there waiting and nodded my head.

“I am ready to go now,” I said to him, my voice unflinching as he responded by bowing his own head and leading the way ahead as I followed.

The two of us began to weave through vast inner roads of the Palace, maze-like at times and others straight and unbending. I could have spent ages gazing, but I was solely focused on my task at hand, thinking about what I would say and how I would say it. Pondering the outcomes and the reactions. Some favorably, others not but these did not sway me. They could do whatever they wished to me, I would not show fear to these wolves!

What drove me to keep such calm was my Grandfather, Johannes. He would not show fear, he would not be uncertain! He would march on and not look back! And so will I!

Finally, the two of us reached the portal of a doorway and hanging on its lintel below the gate's roof-like eaves hung a framed placard carved with the wolven characters reading:

West Side Gate of Moon Apsis Hall

This was it, the place where I had to be. Stepping over the raised threshold that was guarded on each side by armored wolves, still being lead by the Ursine, we came into a market-sized courtyard and to my right was Moon Apsis Hall, itself built atop a three-layered stone terrace with sets of steps leading up to the hall’s wooden walls, marked with vermilion half-columns, lintels and gilded rimed doorways that laid within it. Topping the hall was a roof made of dark shingles that shimmered in the low sunlight.

Sprinkled all around were the elite palace guard corps, the Alpha’s personal bodyguard, donning tapered conical helmets fronted with a short visor and wearing plated lamellar armor that was emblazoned with a solid, silver lunar disc rimmed with gold upon the chest. They stood like stone statues, some lined up against the walls of the hall, others lined on the levels of the stone terrace, and the rest lined up along the perimeter wall of the whole court yard. I noticed that the ones closer to the hall had more rich armor and dress than the ones farther away, signifying a kind of hierarchy was present.

But my observations were cut short as I was gestured up a path of steps, one of the side ones that lead up the hall’s raised platforms and after climbing atop them, I was lead around to the frontal axis entrance-way, but before I could enter, I was pulled aside by the Junior Eunuch.

“I take it you know the protocol?” he asked me in an unemotional tone.

“Yes, Palace Eunuch. This lowly human is aware of the rites and etiquette of the Great Den,” I said back to him, smugly using the very protocol he was asking if I knew.

He nodded his head in approval and pushed open the door for me.

There he was, the Alpha! Wuffrim the Second. He was seated upon a wide throne atop a low platform at the end of the pillared chamber, dressed in an informal, narrow-sleeved robes of rich fabric the shade of golden-yellow, fastened shut discreetly at his neck.

Behind him stood twin female wolf attendants on each side of him and the two each held one of a pair of large ceremonial paddle fans and were held crossing each-other other behind the Alpha’s form.

And at the back of this regal scene was a mural that stood behind the Alpha, a white moon hanging in the starry sky, surrounded by misty clouds which was directly aligned to be hanging over his head behind him when he sat atop his throne.

I walked in, passing by the tall pillars faced with sconce lamps that burned bright with a warm glow. I was expecting this place to be dark within, but it was surprisingly light thanks to the fact the paper windows completed covered the exterior of the hall, allowing light to escape into the hall from the outside.

Normally I, as a human, would not be allowed in such a hall. It was strictly forbidden for a human to be in a place where official politics is discussed and deliberated upon by the Alpha and his ministers. But since this was a family affair and not an official court session, it was permissible for me to come here.

“Hear now, my words of law. There shalt not be see a creature of no fur by the members of the pack within the halls where affairs of the realm are spoken of,” was how it was put by the First Wolf in his analects for the wolves.

Making my way across the hall at a steady pace, I also noticed I was not alone, around the room were others, mostly female wolf attendants, along with ursine Eunuchs, some of low status and others of high, with the former taken more prominence in the small crowds that huddled at the sides of the hall near the throne. There were two or more male wolves here, I guessed that they must be from the Department of Place Affairs or other such interior function.

When I reached the base of the throne's dais, just a few feet from the steps that led up to the platform, I got on my knees.

“May the Imperial Alpha live one million years, one million years, one million years!” I cried out in stately decorum as I performed the three bows, one successively after the other.

“At peace,” the Alpha said imperiously and in full Stamina, which took me by surprise as I thought he was ill, judging from what I saw last night, he walked away from that feast like a broken husk and now he he looked like he was in perfect health.

“Yes, Imperial Alpha!” I answered back as I got up and stood alert towards him.

“I wish to hear what you have to say. Please go ahead, human.”

“Yes, Imperial Alpha!” bowing my head, I began to recount again what I had told Gernan, but this time, being filled with confidence, did not draw it out or say every word with a stutter. I spoke clear and well of what happened, where it happened and when it happened.

After I had finished what I had to say, the Alpha then turned to a prominent ursine who seemed to be some kind of Head Eunuch.

“Beshir, go to where this human said he was and see if anything is there,” the bear did not say a word, merely bowed his head and left the chamber, followed by a rank and file train of other bears.

At the time the name Beshir seemed very familiar to me but I could not place in my current state of mind. It was latter on that I remembered that it was the same Beshir that was the close confident of Jao himself!

I still stood there in the middle of the hall, not knowing what to do until the Alpha again spoke in my direction.

“You, human, will stay here and wait until this affair is concluded!” he then gestured to the sides of the room and without any hesitation, moved to the right to wait, standing among the few others inside here.

As I waited, I gazed around a bit and noticed that this chamber was not the entire building on the side wall. I caught sight of closed doors on both sides that must lead to side rooms. My mind conjured what might they be within them and what their uses would be as I tried to calm my under-current of anxiety that was now starting to emerge from my previous bold front.

But finally after what felt to me like an hour, the sound of a voice rang from outside.

“Imperial Alpha!” it said as its owner rushed in through the hall’s entrance, it was that same bear, Beshir, followed by his small entourage, but now he came in, carrying something.

It was the bottle! The same one I saw that day.

He rushed across the room, but slowed as he got close to the dais and he climbed up the steps of the throne using one of the pair of side steps, rather than the central one that I figured was used only by the Alpha alone. He handed the Alpha the bottle and he uncorked it, before he leaned into take a little sniff.

As he did, the Alpha’s face twisted with white rage! His muzzle folded back and the whites of his teeth became exposed and a powerful growl rumbled out.

“THAT BITCH!” he roared, jumping up out of his throne as he threw the bottle down, dashing into thousand pieces when it hit the ground, inches in front of me. I opened my eyes just in time to see an Ursine Eunuch appeared from seemingly nowhere with a broom and dust-pan in hand, but stopped short of sweeping up the glass and sticky fluid when the Alpha's eyes locked on him with a fierce growl.

“THAT TREACHEROUS BITCH!” he screamed out again! He then turned to the Head Ursine, Beshir, and barked out an order.

“BRING HER HERE! BRING HER NOW!” The bear retreated, bowing again and again as he walked backwards down the steps and rushing out of the hall.

The room went dead silent and it was like no one wanted to even breathe, lest it dare offend the Alpha who still huffed and growled out as he paced in front of his throne. The ursine with the broom had vanished as quickly as he had appeared and the carpet was surely going to be stained red permanently now.

Finally, Beshir returned and entered the hall again, but this time he was followed by two more bears who were both holding something limp that was being dragged along the floor.

At a brief glace I thought it was a long, rolled-up carpet, but to my horror it was a person! A wolf who was being dragged by two burly young bears by its arms.

It was Io! I could not believe it! She wore tattered clothes, ripped and wet with blood. She hung her head down as drops of blood dripped from her muzzle and stained the rich carpets that lead up to the Alpha’s seat, with her now ratty tail dragging behind her.

An ursine grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me to the side, just as her limp form was about to be dragged right over me. Her fingers were scabbed over with dried blood. And it dawned on me what happened...

Her claws, her claws were ripped out! Leaving just empty spaces filled with mangled tenons. I instinctively clutched my own fingernails, mentally feeling the pain of such an atrocious act.

I wanted to shut my eyes to this sight! But I couldn't, I could not look away!

The ursines were about to drop Io on the ground where I was earlier, the traditional bowing spot, when the Alpha bade them to move her closer. Glass crunched as her legs were pulled over the broken glass on the ground.

“YOU BITCH!” the Alpha responded to her arrival. She gave no response, to which an ursine Eunuch, after being waved at by the Alpha, retrieved from his sleeve a tiny bottle which he uncorked and shoved into the snout of the unconscious female wolf.

She jolted upon smelling it, gasping and looking around in a wild state, her eyes blood shot and crusted as she gave out low howls in pained suffering.

“YOU BITCH! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF!” the Alpha screamed out at her as the ones holding her up let her go to fend for herself.

She collapsed to the ground, landing on her chest in the pile of broken glass. The Alpha reiterated his previous query as she pushed herself off the ground, glass shards sticking out of her arms as she did so.

The wolfess turned her mangled and matted head up at the Alpha, and opened her maw as if to start speaking but no words came out, only inhuman groans and wet gurgles.

Her tongue was not there. Her maw was void and empty, save for her teeth, of which many were missing as well. She struggled and contorted her face and ears, trying desperately to say something but to no avail.

“What is wrong with her!?” the Alpha asked again as the castrated bear turned his attention to his Alpha.

“My Alpha, your humble servant had her treacherous tongue cut out before she came here so her worlds would not pollute your celestial majesty’s ears,” Beshir spoke.

The Alpha did not make any kind of an expression upon hearing this, neatly waving his hand before responding.

“Fine! It does not matter!” he spoke, his voice becoming lower in tone but still filled with anger.

“Take her out of here! Club her to death! I am done with her!”

“Yes, Alpha!” Io was aware of what was being said and started to give out guttural, howl-like screams as she was forcibly drug out, thrashing about and kicking her legs as she tried her hardest to say something.

Then a sickening sound came running out. The sound of solid thumps, followed by pained whimpers and cries. The bashing sound was like that of hitting a wet cloth with a mallet, an awful squelching sound that made my stomach churn.

Soon, the cries stopped and after a few more moments of wet pounding, the hitting too also stopped.

“We are done with this affair! Out! It is over!” the Alpha said before leaving out through the back door of the hall as the rest started to leave by the front.

I saw...her. What was left of her laying there. I only caught a quick glance before I turned my head away, already sickened enough. What I saw was enough to be burned into my head and I felt short of breath.

My dazzled form stayed in a trance, leaning weak against the outside wall until a paw placed itself on my shoulder.

It was the Junior bear Eunuch from before, here to lead me back out.

I didn't do any kind of thinking as I was being let out from whence I came, going down the same paths I saw before and so on.

The images of what had happened stuck with me and I kept going back to them, despite my not wanting too.

When the doors finally opened and I saw the wolven form of my master, still there waiting for me, it was like a ray of light in darkness and I ran to him and buried my head into his chest as I began to sob uncontrollably.

Gernan was taken aback by this and soon started to inquire, concerned about what happened but I did not speak, I just cried and cried as those horrid images flash in my mind.

Soon, he gave up trying to figure out what was wrong and started to walk back to his hall in the East Palace. All the while I still had my head against his side.

And as the time went by walking, so did my tears lessen to just an occasional whimper.

“Master! You're back with Iskander!” I heard the foxish voice of Pantaleon muffled around me. “Iskander? What happened!?” I heard followed up by his tone changing to that of concern.

“Later! Later!” my master said above as the vibrations of his voice ripple across my face.

That evening was spent seated together with Gernan as he tried to get out what happened and though it took a while I eventually did manage to give out pieces of what I saw and he was able to put it together himself.

The palace is a cruel place, I saw first-hand how truly bloody it was. This was my first real glimpse of how dangerous life was within its walls could be and it shocked me to my core how ruthless it could be.