A Biography of a Human

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

“The Tottering Throne"

Having that one night with Ulric was all that took to break Gao'ao's stranglehold on me. After all, she was busy on yet another fertility regime, this one being a pouch of ground-up hare placenta, which was inserted into her vaginal cavity while some guru canine of unknown origin danced around, half-naked with bells, waving around a baton, all while chanting “Fertility, fertility, fertility, fertility."

Gao'ao's mother, Ava, Lady of Chen, fresh from court duties, was there, watching and nodding with wistful hope that maybe this will work for her daughter. After all, she was the one that found this guru, but of course the payment for this was taken out of the state treasury.

Being this was her focus now, after months of using me to get Ulric to mate with her without success, I fell to the wayside for the moment and what I did was not of her concern. Only when she felt she had managed to force a heat, I felt I would be used as the bait once more to bring him here and hopefully impregnate her this time.

“Perhaps, my dear, maybe when one of the lower-ranking harem wolves produces a litter you could use your imperative as Mate and adopt the male pups as your own?"

Gao'ao shot a red-hot glare at her mother, “Out of the Question! I will not adopt some dishwater pup born out of the gutter of some Omega-born maid who was favored for one night! Even if it does solve my predicament, it's beneath our great Chen Clan, Mother!"

Seeing the slip she made, Ava quickly smoothed the slight over, “I only meant in the meantime until you are blessed with a litter of your own. Just to reinforce your status as Imperial Mate of the Dynasty"

She furthered, “I know it's an indignity to our clan, such an action, but since Virtuous Consort Kun gave birth to her own litter and a potential heir, it might be something to ponder. Titus may be our patron but some in the government would like us to be pushed aside."

Gao'ao started growling lowly and her hackles were bristling. Nara came forward with a cup of cha in a vain attempt to defuse the situation. Gao'ao erupted, dashing the cup to the ground and stood up facing her mother, “How can you say such a thing!?"

“I am the Imperial Mate and we are both of the prestigious Chen Clan! Here you are, proposing a debasement upon me and yourself with such a humiliating thing as that! The Chen make the Kutlar's look like bumpkins, while they were mangy island wolves we were a valiant pack, leading forth charges in favor of wolfkind! The only thing a low-born pup that you are asking me to take as my own can do for me, is to file my CLAWS!" I was listening to this from afar and this whole statement made my stomach fall into pit.

“May I remind you, my dearest pup, that in the age of Imperial Alpha Lycan, many packs felt the same things which you just encapsulated in your outburst and were decimated for less by him. If you truly do not want real debasement, I would keep such words out of your head, my dear! Unless you want us all to be demoted to slave caste, serving alongside humans as our equals, hmmn?" Ava, coldly and skillfully retorted, resulting in Gao'ao deflating in the face of her mother's threats of ruin if she said such almost treasonous words more often.

“Furthermore it is you, who have blame in this whole matter! Your behavior at the New Years greetings! What you did there was a golden moment for those wolves in the court that are insanely jealous of how we dominate and was the perfect thing to use to get more wolves on their side against US!" by this time Gao'ao had seated herself back down, her muzzle downcast like a guilty dog, her mother was now standing in front of her, waving her clawed finger at her.

“So don't you lecture ME on debasing our clan's name because you have already been the cause of issues for your uncle and I due to your own foolishness!" by this point, Gao'ao was lowly whimpering, which I found amusing since she was always so haughty and full of pride with everyone she felt superior to.

“I'm sorry, Mother…" Lady Ava left in a huff after that. Gao'ao sulked for the entirety of the rest of the day and into the night. She requested me and I was ordered to wash her foot-paws and file both sets of claws for her. Again, I was being used, this time as a means to reassert her feelings of superiority. I did as I was told, it would be insane to try and be assertive at this stage, even with Ulric's love for me, but I will say that I was eager for my day to be away from her control. The same reason I kept the fondling of me by Nu to my chest. I was too small and if Gao'ao was a tree to my ant, then Nu was the mountain.

But since I was now put aside for the moment while my mistress was busy with increasingly more and more radical treatments, I was thus was allowed to preform my duties of caring and changing the Alpha's bedsheets and wardrobe. This would end with me spending my time with Ulric, talking and sharing. It was finally with this that I was beginning to feel alive again.

Though I was not content. Deep inside me, I was on guard, constantly on the look out and not willing to let my barriers down with regards to everything around me. To put it bluntly: I was in the wolf's den, both figuratively and literally...

“It's fortunate that Gao'ao is so narrow minded, unlike her mother in law…Nu can and would be able to see every thought and feeling in my head and use it to totally control me."

One thing that was nice was that Dillian was not acting weird with me anymore. I was still at a loss about that moment when he stopped me, asking me what my aims where. It was a puzzle for me until I was able to ask him about it when I was being guided to Ulric's hall to spend an afternoon with him on an early spring day.

He told me rather cryptically that, “To many, Ulric is an instrument rather than an individual," and finished by looking at me directly and saying, “I saw you are not of that mindset," before he abruptly changed the subject to Ulric's upcoming plan to visit his Father's tomb to report to his Imperial Spirit on the state of the Alphate and Dynasty.

“That's not all, Alpha Dowager Nu desires to have the spirit palace inspected and to inform the other former members of Wuffrim's Harem residing there of Jao coming to stay," this, I was already aware of due to Yosef's good ears, but I did have a question about this place in which the former members of Wuffrim's harem lived out their days tending to their Alpha's departed spirit by drawing a daily bath and laying out food for his spirit.

“Is the entire harem of Wuffrim there?" I asked, wondering how such an institution such as that could work if it was like what I feared it might be.

“Oh no! That would be an absurd waste, only those who had sexual relationships are expected to reside there, still there is a small army of functionaries keeping the place running," Dillian calmly stated before continuing. “It's improper for those who has taken the Alpha's seed into their body to share it with another. It could give some wolf ideas to try and take the throne, as absurd as that idea of being able to mount a claim to power by wedding a former consort is in reality," Dillian finished, rolling his eyes.

Still, wishing to pressure for more, I issued on about what happened when all the former harem members pass away, “That's simple, it becomes a small temple dedicated to continuing the service of the Alpha's spirit's provided by a priesthood."

“That sounds like it can be a drain on the finances," I mused.

“Once the complex's use as a housing place for former concubines is finished, it becomes much smaller in scale, thus it becomes less of a drain, it also depends on how active the Alpha was with his harem," the ursine continued on. “Further more, Alpha Lycan willed that all of his humans who slept with him were free from this and those female wolves who only slept with him once or twice were also freed."

“So I take it this will be a very good way to remove Jao from being able to do much?" Dillian's bearish lips smirked and gave me a knowing look of being on the mark with what I was saying and that I answered it myself.

Dillian went on as we rounded a corner hallway of fine, paneled wood, nearing a side reception pavilion were my little wolf was waiting, “Honestly, I'm surprised he has not done some outrageous antic to forestall this from occurring, but from what I have heard of my Ursine brothers stationed in the Armpit Palace, it's been quiet...maybe he finally is resigned to having lost?"

“Well, Human Talent Iskander, the Imperial Alpha awaits you," the hulking ursine bowed and slid open one of the mahogany doors for me to enter.

“XAN! XAN!" a voice exploded across the fine chamber as I was caught off guard by the form of Ulric rushing me and pulling me into a tight hug. “I kept on waiting and waiting and I was getting so worried!"

Facing him and seeing his tail swishing wildly behind his robed form of moony silver told me all too well of his immense glee in seeing me. I forgot everything from before, about Jao and everything else, and was in golden mood of happiness.

“My silly Alpha, you forget how big this city of a palace is!" I gave a little bop on his wet soot-colored nose.

“Come, come! Sit with me, I have missed you!"

“It's only been two days Ulric, you act like I was gone a whole moon!" he was leading me to his small desk chaired by a couch ample enough to seat both of us with ease.

“That's only because I have been bored out of my mind, Xander, you try being Alpha for one day and you would lose your mind with the idleness that's provided by my Uncle doing it all himself!"

Ulric's tail was thumping against my leg as he led me up the small rostrum where he had been waiting for me up to this point, “Sit! Sit! Sit!" he demanded and before I could comply I was pushed down into the couch followed by Ulric jumping down besides me.

With his tail now confined by the back of the sumptuous cushioned seat but still electric with energy and whipping my rear, the most powerful wolf in the world, though currently in name only, pulled me into a tight embrace as a wet tongue slapped itself all over my check. I felt the wind pushed out of me and in a raspy voice cried for him to lessen up on me.

“Ulric…Ulric…please, you're holding me too tight…I can hardly breathe!" Ulric pulled back from his kisses and saw my face reddened from his iron-tight grasp on me. Looking down at my constrained torso, he became bashful and let go while I caught my breath and failed to stop myself from snickering.

He was the same little wolf as before and the one I loved, just in a grown-up body unaware of how much strength it has.

“Oh, I am so sorry! Did I hurt you much!?" the panicky tone that my wolf took at having just made a pressing of me was amusing.

Holding my palm up to my giggling mouth, I assured him of no harm done, “Little wolf, you act as if I were formed from glass or paper, humans are not that weak."

This further embarrassment over his poor word choice flustered him more and made my amusement grow even more, “I didn't mean it like that!" then the wolf crossed his arms stubbornly. “I know that!" I rolled my eyes, knowing he was likely just saying that while I traced my fingers across the rich and polished armrest of the throne-like couch, carved into a form of a wolf's head rearing its head, ready to give out a howl.

“Ulric? Is this an imperial throne?" I asked, knowing this was likely one of many placed in the areas where the Alpha can do affairs of state.

“...Yes…" he bashfully replied, seeing where I was going with my thoughts. Before I could open my mouth, he rushed first with his own, “It's only an informal one!" he said in a defensive tone as if this was no big deal, but I knew wolves and I also knew Titus and how he would react if he were to see me sitting even on an informal throne like this!

“If your Uncle saw this he would…" a vision of that bigoted, tailless wolf rolling on floor pounding his clawed fist on ground like a toddler and foaming at the muzzle came to me and I burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter that almost made me vomit, ending in a coughing fit that only served to strike terror into Ulric! So much so, that it only made me laugh even more.

After coming to my senses, I enlightened him to what sent me into such amusement and he too fell into howl-like laughter while agreeing,“Of course! Uncle thinks all humans should reside on the floor at all times!" Ulric stated what I already knew well as we both stifled our mutual laughter.

Gazing ahead atop the desk facing the throne, my interest was perked by meager stacks of folded up cards and rolled-up scrolls. Reaching out, I picked one up, a folded up card. Before I could open it, Ulric spoke, “Oh, those are reports and petitions, just government things."

“Mhn," I mumbled as I found myself interested at what was in hand, having now opened the folder and began reading in a low, unconscious whisper, from top to bottom, the painted characters. I stopped midway since it was a trifle affair, just a weather report from one of the eastern provinces which was affirming a good, steady rainfall.

I reached for another one, not paying much heed to Ulric, who just looked up, wondering what he should say, since to him I was looking quite engrossed in what I was flipping through. But then I noticed something that was different in each one. Draft orders and edicts from the office for the Alpha to sign into action. Some had small crosses and others had checks in the upper margins of the paper.

“Ulric, what are these? Why do some have crosses and the others have checks, whats the meaning of them?" Ulric's muzzle leaned over my shoulder and looked at what I was pointing to.

“Oh those are Uncle's indicators, ones with checks are ones to sign and ones with crosses I reject by not signing," I raised a single eyebrow to this statement, which I found odd and concerning since this was proof of Titus' reaching. “Your fur lines on your forehead are moving funny!" he chuckled, while I, not even responding to that, pressed.

“Is this normal, having these documents pre-judged by your Uncle?"

“Well it's how it's been done since I became Alpha"

“Did this happen with you father's rule?" the wolf paused and shook his head, seeing where I was going and confirming what I had feared, causing a sense of anger to flow under my surface thoughts as I tossed the scroll I was holding back onto the desk in rather brisk fashion.

“Can you even draw up your own orders and decrees?"

“Yes, but…Uncle does not like me doing that unless he is present to help me," that just caused me to bury my face in my palm since this was all the proof of Titus' domination firsthand in front of me and it angered me how much of a stranglehold he had on my little wolf's prerogatives.

I was about to go into a rant about this gross abuse of power to Ulric, since one of those cards was a petition from Rustem, that demoted crony of Jao, requesting more staff to better deal with the flow of commerce, a legitimate and honest request which I would have considered despite his past, and it had a cross on it from Titus. If a request for emergency supplies were sent, would Titus turn it down also because it was a rival of his? It was an outrageous thought!

Before I could even begin to speak on this, Dillian entered and spoke formally from a half-bowing posture, “Imperial Alpha, the diviners have arrived to forecast the marrows journey," he started as I remembered his words about how to some, Ulric is a tool for self-gain, “Do you permit their entrance into your august presence?"

“Oh, yes please, they may enter," Ulric spoke with a new voice of regal dignity as he straightened his back and shifted his ears into a frontward stance. Seeing him like this made my anger at Titus' decorum even more than it was before, since I was seeing someone who clearly had it in him to rule as well as reign.

The Shaman Acolyte hobbled in, that's the only description that fits how they walked. Its was not so much they were physically impaired, more like the dressing worn was the cause of the almost bobbing-like movement. A garment which was neat in form but still felt wild, being made up of dark toned wool and linen hung with spare bunches of red feathers and the fur on the muzzle having painted streak marks. The whole ensemble worked to conceal the gender of the wolf but as they approached I saw telltale signs the wolf was in fact a female. Following her were ordinary attendants also dressed the same way and carrying in all the objects of divining the future.

A rod-like tool, a large scapula bone, likely from an ox due to it's large size; a brazier of red-hot coals, brushes and ink; books on interpretation, and a box of other miscellaneous tools. My experience with the Shaman wolves was very minimal up to this point in my life, the only dealing I clearly remember of them before this was way back during Ulric's christening and only then I was a distant spectator. They were a caste I had little knowledge of other than I knew they oversaw things like this very moment.

The wolven Shamaness, having come into her Alpha's presence, bowed, giving the courtly salutations of long life and rule, then proceeded to arrange all the divining tools around her as she took a seat upon the ground to perform her hallowed task of gaining insight from above. I felt my presence here was an intrusion and made motions to get up and withdraw until this was done with but Ulric saw me and quickly placed his paw over my hands in a silent gesture to not leave his side.

“Alpha? May I begin the process?" Ulric gave agreement and then was asked by her of the nature of his inquiry.

“I have made arrangements to visit my departed Imperial Father's sepulcher tomorrow, I wish to know if that date is auspicious to proceed with it," Ulric responded as she listened and nodding in thought at the question, forming the proper way to frame it.

Then, with the scapula paced in front of her, she wielded her brush dipped in ground ink and wrote out the formula upon the bone and handed it to an assistant who retrieved a carving knife and begun the laborious process of incising the woven logograms in an eerie, focused silence.

The whole room was silent and it unnerved me to a degree. I needed to clear my throat and I attempted to do it as quietly as possible but it resulted in all sensitive wolven ears twitching in my direction and causing everyone other than the carver to look up at me for a moment.

Embarrassed, I turned my head downwards to hide my blush, deciding to just sit there and listening to the sharp carving sounds echo across the silent chamber while playing with my fingers until the sounds came to abrupt stop, signaling the finishing of the process of carving out the divining query, “Alpha, it is done, please now inspect it and confirm that it's to your pleasure…" looking up, I saw one of the Shamaness' attendants stand up and walk up towards us, or rather to Ulric, and giving a deep bow, respectfully offered the large scapula bone.

Ulric accepted it and pulled it closer to his body, giving me a chance also to look at it in the process of his own inspection. Those sky-blue eyes honed onto the ivory-white surface, carefully darting those eyes around the sharp, angled characters. Ulric nodded in approval and handed it back to the same wolf he stood by, “It's to my liking, you may proceed with the divination Chief Diviner" Ulric spoke while the attendant carried back the bone, walking backwards until his paws were off the throne platform's steps before turning around.

Before the scapula was even back in the paws of the Shamaness', she snapped her claws quietly to another wolf who, without pause, pulled out a paddle fan and furiously began fanning the coals of the open brazer, causing the coals to glow intensely.

“Canis, lord on high, one of the lunar disk, please receive this question from Imperial Alpha of your mortal offspring. Please impart your answer so that he may know of the Heaven's ordained course…" She spoke reverently now, holding the bone within her paws and dropping it atop the coals.

“Increase the heat," the wolfess, with a further click of her claws, ordered as the other attendants joined in frenzied fanning of the brazer. The coals begin glowing with such intensity that I never knew such brilliant white light was even possible from hot coals.

I did not know what was going to occur out of this, was some specter going to emerge from the bone? Anything could have been possible as this went on with the Shamaness' uttered incantations under her breath.

Finally, something happened, an epic crack erupted, one which caused me to jump in a small fright, and followed by a thunder of smaller cracking sounds, “STOP!" the wolf shouted before barking out another order, “The pincers!" in a flash of movement, the bone was retrieved from the hot cinders and quickly but carefully placed on a tray for cooling, as the diviner snatched some of the books in preparation for the act of divining itself.

“Ulric, whats going on? I am not familiar with this divining method" I asked, not breaking my gaze from what was going on.

“She's going to read the cracks on the bone caused the heat, it's an ancient method of seeking answers, it was used by the First High Alpha Ysengrim," Ulric answered under his breath.

I nodded my head as I watched the attendants now move to fanning the scapula itself to aid with it's cooling. Images of prehistoric times, just after the fall of man, entered my thoughts. Ancient wolves, hunting and feasting on their prize and using the bones of their prey to get answers from the divine in this very same method being done right now. It made sense for those long ago days when legends were played out and Ysengrim orally passed down the sayings of the First Wolf, that of his own and the howls of the great uprising against man.

When the shoulder bone had cooled enough to be handled without burning ones hands, it was picked up by the mystical wolfess, who first stared at it long and hard, then closed her eyes for a moment, then looked at it again. She turned, right and then left. She traced her fingers over the inscription now marred by cracks and then placed it down and moved to the books which she began flipping through, clearly trying to find something.

Looking over the open page and then at the shoulder bone again, she then repeated the whole process again with other books. I later found out that every book was on a different crack, all classified into categories of weather it was vertical or horizontal, jagged or straight.

I then noticed she was growing perplexed, her ears moved uneasily and with uncertainty, “Is something wrong, Chief Diviner?" Ulric asked, also picking up on something being off.

“Imperial Alpha, this is strange. There is a lot odd with this, many mixed signals, it's not clear cut as normally cracked. I see good, but then ill, but then its complemented by good fortune," she nervously answered, almost sounding as if she was afraid of making an error.

“So then should I hold off on going to my Father's tomb?"

“That's not easy to answer, when I see it saying you should not, it's backed with a clear sign you should go. It's very strange. Please take a look at this, my Alpha," she got up and walked over to us, dropping all formality in her haste and handed it to Ulric who looked it over himself, giving me a privy view of it once again.

Scorched and black in places and covered in explosions of cracks all across the surface, some crowding one area and others avoiding another with long cracks radiating outwards connecting with other cracks. Neither I nor Ulric knew what we were looking at.

“It is unusual, normally cracking results in three or less defined cracks, this one is littered with cracks."

Ulric nodded and then asked, still perplexed himself, “So theres no clear reading?"

“I would not say that, more like it's favorable but there's some ill, but its almost canceled out by the favor."

“So, what do you advise, diviner?"

“I would say it's favorable for you to go, but don't be complacent," Ulric thanked the diviner and handed the scapula back to her and with little else, she and her cohorts left. The bone itself, the reading and the exact time and date of this all were logged and archived as was normal in such affairs

“Oh, one more thing," Ulric said as she was about to exit the chamber. “You do not have to record the presence of Xander."

“The human?" Ulric silently nodded and the she-wolf gave a gesture of understanding and then at last, Little Wolf and I were finally alone. Ulric let out a deep sigh and allowed his body to relax and rubbed his ears worriedly. I was about to speak but he spoke first.

“I want you to accompany me, please!" he faced his muzzle to me and his voice was tinted with worry and unease. “This is not the first time I have had such a divination performed but it is the first that came out like this…I need you…"

“Oh, of course!"

“Thank you" he whispered gratefully.

“What about the Prime Beta? Won't be complain?"

“I don't care if he does, I want you to be with me and no amount of admonishment both public or private will change my mind!"

He continued, “I'll have Dillian come for you at the last moment before I am to set out, that way he won't be able to do a single thing about it if he even tried," it was like we were two lovers planning to sneak out but one was the Alpha and the place we were sneaking out to was the Tomb of his father. Not the most romantic tale, I must admit, but it was never about that.

“I will always be there for you, Little Wolf!" I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder and he returned by putting one arm around my waist.

“Always."

It all started as if it was nothing, the day Dillian arrived and Yosef bid me goodbye, for he did not enjoy the wolven carriages as they made him sick. It was one of those events where, in recalling years later, initially felt like nothing of worth. I had done similar before when I went to the imperial hunting grounds with Gernan.

I was led out and joined Ulric, who was waiting for me eagerly He was about to pull me into his own imperial carriage, which was quite small in comparison to various types of vehicles used by the Imperial Alpha. It was for the best, since many of them were bulky and too ceremonial for a simple trip like this.

But before I could step up, I had an epiphany of how this all would look from the outside and how it would reflect on Ulric very badly. Me, a member of the harem, a favored human. Him, the Imperial Alpha, going to visit his Father's tomb and without the presence of his legal mate. It was already very abnormal and me joining inside his own imperial coach would be seen as immoral.

I stopped, pulling back, “No! I want to take my own cart."

“What!? I need you, Xander!" Ulric nearly panicked.

Before he could go further, I interrupted, “Ulric, I am going to ride with Dillian, I will just be behind you. I am doing this for your image, your Uncle would freak out even more if he were to find out I was riding with you," Ulric paused and he understood my logic completely. He was still disappointed but he saw the reasoning and was in agreement with me.

Ironically, all of this would not matter in the end, but it was enough to make me demand this. I was worried enough that Titus was going to storm in and point at me, full of rage, and make a scene of protest against this gross breach of decorum.

It was not long after this, we were off, and our progress was moving swiftly but steadily along on the paved roads cleared for use. The only things of note were the large human tubes turned aqueducts and behind us, the slowly shrinking walls of Lupercal.

It was all so routine, it made me wonder what that divining wolf was even talking about. There was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was shining. It made me think that she must have overheated the scapula and it was all good to begin with.

“INTRUDER APPROACHING!"

Then it was all shattered.

“ON HORSEBACK!"

“What!? Where!?" Shouting in fright, leaning out of the cart and jerking my head left and right for this person, as Dillian, who the entire time was seated besides me, pressed on my back in the process of seeing out as well.

“PROTECT THE ALPHA!" I found the person they were talking about, behind us, kicking out clouds of dust in fast pursuit as the chaos of the imperial guard rushed about and massed around the Alpha's carriage, ready to fight to the death if need be.

Squinting, I saw red and black tones, then I knew who it was.

“ELYK!" I did not even have time to think about what he could possibly be doing here but knowing he was rushing towards us and seeing archers readying to shoot him down caused me to fly into hysterics. I screamed in Dillian's face after having grabbed his round ears, knowing he would have authority to have them stand down from shooting my childhood friend.

The wolves were already about to shoot out a hail of arrows when a massive explosion roared and screams and howls rang out. My ears rang and the ground shook. Then I looked around.

Smoke, fire, everyone running, the horses rearing up and losing control.

I looked up at those ancient human structures, the tubes! They were swaying like reeds in the wind and from their pillar bases, smoke was rising from where the explosions came from. I then knew what was happening.

“URLIC! ULRIC!" I screamed so loud my throat burned as if I swallowed hot coals. I heard in the chaos, the voice of Ulric, panicked and scared, calling out my name from his vehicle as its horses cried out and jerked in animalistic panic, shaking the whole coach.

In the foreground, I saw the giant structures sway and then move on us like the closing of a book. Ulric was in my arms, I was dragging him, I don't know how, I forget, I must have pulled him out, but I had him now and was overcome with what can only be called a madness. All my worst fears were coming true.

Ulric was going to die, that's what was going to happen. Just like everyone else in my life. My parents, Grandfather, Panta, Gernan and now Ulric! My last joy in life was to be next. I was not going to let that happen, I was either going to save him or die with him. I was not going to have it another way.

Another explosion, the earth beneath my feet rippled, I fell to my back, still holding on to Ulric's shoulders. Everything became brown and I could not breathe, my lungs were filled with dust and dirt, a wave of darkness washed over us, and I knew I had to be dead. But I could still breathe, my ears were still ringing and then faded, replaced by the sounds of chaos as freed horses jumped out of the haze and leaped over us, their hooves nearly landing right onto us.

Howls and screams of, “THE ALPHA!" and, “CANIS SAVE US!" were heard as the ringing further faded and the dust and dirt burned my eyes. A wave crashed over us, my body was washed along but not once did I let go of Ulric.

Were we dead now? I did not know until air filled my lungs again and both of our bodies were now laying in wet mud. The sky was blue now, I could see the sun. Sense returned, everything else was nothing, only Ulric, still firmly attached to me, was what I focused on.

He was breathing…

He was alive…

We survived…

We did not know it, but we had just won a battle we did not even know we were in. The sole act of Ulric surviving was why, for everything depended on him dying so that the person who planned this could succeed in their desperate aims.

Jao was so convinced that the Alpha was now dead, so made his move the exact hour allocated that this was to happen, it was all planned to such a degree. Seeing the column of smoke from his dwellings was only visual confirmation of his plans having been executed at last.

It all went swiftly, an oblivious Rustem was called before the dawn and was with Jao the entire morning, being only just made aware of the whole plot then and there and once the time came he had just finished the drafting up the order that just needed the impression of the Great Moon Rock Seal to officiate into divine law.

This was the order that would enthrone Jao's underage charge, one of Io's orphaned pup, on the imperial throne and decreed that he, Jao himself, as legal parent of the pup was to rule as regent until the age of majority was reached. All that was needed was the seal and that would make taking over the imperial palace proper.

Beshir was in charge of that, he headed a small battalion of ursine eunuchs in his pay, dressed with armor smuggled in for the coup. Insider ursines commandeered one of the side gates into the palace and opened it for Beshir and his armed compatriots. They stormed in, taking the main palace halls by surprise. Many of the guards and other eunuchs, having heard that the Alpha was dead, did not know what to do. A few fought while most followed along, but still not knowing what was what.

By this time, it was only an insider affair, outside the palace in the city proper, you would not have been faulted for not being aware there was even a change going on, but that would be not for long as news would soon bleed into the streets that there was some form of commotion going on within the Alpha's Great Den.

The seal was of the greatest importance, only with its impression could the whole succession even be officiated. If the army and the majority of the government was to even begin to comply with this new order, its symbolic authority was essential to doing this. It was retrieved and was quickly stamped on the decree of succession.

The order was only to be read in the coming days once the palace and Lupercal was firmly in con those ends, vague orders in the Alpha's name and seal were issued out to the city patrol garrisons, gates were to be shut and that garrisons should be on alert. Once the city was secure, the new order would be proclaimed, first those few in the palace would need to be rounded up and sent packing to the very place Jao himself was confined to, the armpit palace where they would be put under strict house arrest.

Imperial Mate Gao'ao and, with great delight to Jao himself, Alpha Dowager Nu. Her compound was surrounded, she was dragged out of her chambers, her symbols of power removed from her inventory: seals, mantles, robes of state, everything that made her Alpha Dowager was taken and burned in a bonfire in the courtyard of her palace dwelling. She was demoted to that of a commoner and dragged off to be locked in the laundry warehouse of the Armpit Palace until everything was said and done and Jao could delight in personally offing his long-term rival.

Nu, as she was taken away, managed to slip an oral message to her brother when she, by chance, saw a wolf servant she could trust. She faked a fall into this she-wolf and whispered for her to seek out her brother right away to escape from the city no matter what.

Gao'ao was treated with a little more respect compared to that of her mother-in law, though not by much. To Jao, she was just of little concern, she was just dragged off and shut up within a run down compound, much to Gao'ao's screaming rage. I was told she was most livid when her beloved crown was taken from her treasury and just about barked her head off at having that object of regal vanity deprived of her. An ursine, who was restraining her as she barked out insults, was so tired of her insistent yelps that he slapped her over the muzzle. Enraged, she jumped on the bear and it was a scuffle before she was again restrained.

Yosef, having stayed behind, witnessed this unfold from within our mutual chamber. He was terrified, but he was saved since in the grand scheme he was small, just like me. But even small things can do actions that move mountains. For it was I, who saved Ulric, unknown to everyone within Lupercal. Jao had no clue I was even going, no one was.

Jao, who decked himself out in finery befitting his new role as regent of the Alphate, was so assured of himself. A large mantle of ice-white and chilly blue draped over his form and a crown of white-gold hugged with blue stones was placed upon his head. His young charge, his puppet, Prince Mergen, half-brother of Ulric, stood by, frightened as Beshir dressed the young pup in the imperial garb sized for his age.

“My son, my pup. You will be Imperial Alpha. Now, I know you are young, but know that I, your foster father, will help you rule the empire," Jao said to the pup as he knelled down and scuffed his neck, which caused the poor pup to cringe in fear.

“We will deal with all those who will try and stand in our way today, when things are clear we will have you seated on the imperial throne in no time," Jao furthered, despite only hearing what was said second hand, I could hear his voice saying these words.

He turned to Beshir, that ever loyal and devious bear, and affirmed the need to get Titus immediately and to dash off his head at the earliest opportunity. Jao then gloated about how the army will have to accept him since there is no other choice and fell into a dark laughter, likely imagining Nu's anguish.

“They will rue the day they took me from my home! All of them!"

All of this was going on in the capital while Ulric and I were laying in the mud and puddles of discharged water and splintered wood. The dust was now settling and I could see the large gap in the aqueduct that was now pouring out a stream from its jagged break.

The part that had fallen was left a mess of human metal, wolven repairs and stone bricks. But also there were strange colored twine, panels of colored nobs, and green boards marked with gold lines, the former inner workings of this ancient structure from bygone days.

Any desire to see items of human days was not in me, only my little wolf was, and I cared only for him and his safety. He opened his eyes and they widened, he tossed his muzzled face frantically. I hushed him, telling him to not strain himself.

Looking up and around, I saw movement of figures and pained howls and whines. Then, a figure rushing to us, it was Elyk. The familiar sight of the fox was stained in a state of total shock that was washed over with recent relief, seeing not only me unharmed but also Ulric.

“Oh Xander! Xander, you survived!" he panted, out of breath. “I was coming to warn you."

“I overheard some Ursine's in the city whisper about the coming death of the Alpha," he lost his breath and paused, taking deep mawfuls of air before he was able to finish. “The aqueducts, manure explosion..."

I could not speak, I was in shock at everything but I needed not worry, for a new voice, frantic and high-pitched, shouted out from afar. I knew who it belonged too, Dillian.

“IMPERIAL MAJESTY! ULRIC!" The bear, covered in dust from ears to boots, his short robe all tattered, came and fell to his knees to check Ulric, who he thought dead, checking his breathing and saying silent thanks to the heavens. Then, the rest of the survivors came, the wolf honor guard, the imperial guard, and a few ursine eunuchs under Dillian's steed all crowded around us.

Howls of unified praise echoed out, thanking the survival of their Alpha. By then, Ulric was now up and had a wild look in his eyes. He knew everything without even needing to be told. It all must have set in him.

“Xan! Xan! We need to escape! There's some boats near the coast we can flee to the foxes, they'll take us in," primal fear and desperation strained these delirious words of Ulric. It was what finally broke my shock.

“NO! Come to your senses, Ulric, the very fact you are alive means that whoever did this failed and are now convinced of their success. Jao did this, I know it for sure! Everyone hates him. You only need to show your muzzle and he will be defeated!"

The survivors grouped up and first dashed to meet up with an army garrison located outside the walls of Lupercal. News of the Lupercal's gates all being barred shut arrived shortly afterwards.

From there, and backed with all the able-bodied wolves of the garrison, we marched on one of the gates of Lupercal. Ulric, still rattled by some fear of the previous events, took some convincing to show his face to the stubborn gate wolves, unsure of what to do. When they saw their Alpha, they did not even pause, throwing open the doors and the wolven troops poured in, ready to take back the palace.

Ulric, Dillian, Elyk, and myself, with myself sharing a seat in a sedan chair provided for Ulric's use, as the others walked besides us. The whole time, Ulric's paw held mine whilst I occasionally gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Everything from here on out unfolded in a flurry of action. We approach the walls of the palace, the wolves battered down one of the side gates to the palace complex's interior. The main palace gates were too thick to break down quickly and time was of the essence.

Afterwards, all the wolves funneled in through this gate, the commanders howling out orders to their battalions to go left, right, forward, or halt. Detachments broke off and went elsewhere, leaving the palace to secure all of Lupercal itself. Ulric and I, now having dismounted from the sedan, were ushered in with Dillian and a small group of wolves.

I would later find out that Titus was just about to have his head chopped off when a detachment of these troops stopped it. In retrospect, we could've been a little tardy in marching on Lupercal.

Elyk had left to go find his mother and make sure she was fine, so had departed earlier from us. But now we came to a brief stop, we were in a courtyard surrounded by wolf troops, just waiting and doing nothing. I was overcome with the need to have something done instead of just having the Alpha idle here and wait for the rest of the palace to be secure.

“The Alpha must lead his pack!" I thought and, taking the initiative, I pointed to Dillian.

“Dillian, take Ulric and a division of imperial guards and got to the Hall of Howling to the Pack. Assemble the court to come and let them all see Ulric seated on the throne, I will follow the rest of the wolves and track down that Jao and make him PAY!" I ordered out, thinking of not making him pay for nearly depriving my last joy in life but for his actions in killing my adoptive father, Gernan!

“NO! Xan, I need you!" Ulric burst out, still deeply affected by the shock of his near brush with death. “You're my lucky charm, I need you to survive!" he cried, nearly losing himself further until I interceded to prevent him from doing so.

“Ulric!" I yelled before stopping and switching to a calmer tone. “Little Wolf, they must see that you not only still alive but firmly on your throne despite all this mess," I explained to him as he saw my reasoning and calmed down. Dillian further reassured him and before he turned and left with his battalion, I pulled his head onto my shoulder and pressed the side of his muzzle against my ear.

After he left, I gazed around at the armored wolves around me. I saw that even the wolven commanders of the troops were taken aback by my demeanor in taking action like this, some even had a glint of admiration at my bearing.

“Jao needs to be brought to justice! We must track him down like the prey he has now been reduced to!" I spoke determinedly as the commanders agreed, issuing out the order to move down the causeways of the palace as I followed behind with an arduous gait.

The labyrinth-like paths were deserted as the division pierced deeper and deeper into the palace and drawing near to the secluded rear sections I knew all too well from having lived there for months already.

Breaking down one gate after another, or finding ones left open, we found the first resistance, a battalion of armed ursines but unarmored. I saw through the gaps between the wolves that Beshir was in front, holding a sword high but bearing a disposition of fully knowing they were lost already, and that death was the final outcome of it.

Their numbers had shrunk from the time the news of the reality of the Alpha being not dead had spread, leaving only small bands of those too guilty and invested in this whole affair to be able to get out of their treason.

“Charge!" Beshir's voice yelped out rather pitifully before he and the others ran against the well-armored mass of wolves who cut them down in short order. One wolf howled out “I HAVE JAO'S PET BEAR'S HEAD!" while holding aloft the severed head, while the last of the ursine conspirator's blood was spilled in growing scarlet puddles.

Cinders danced in the air and smoke caused the sky above to be gray, distant shouts and cries were heard. Howls of rally, roars of dying ursines who backed this attempted coup in their last moments all across the palace.

It was over for Jao, he had lost. When the news of Ulric's survival arrived, he flew into a panic. They said he went insane, his eyes became crazed and first flew from room to room, chamber to chamber, hoarding precious jewels and fabrics in his arms as he uttered the crazed words, “No, I won! I am Regent! I won!" again and again before he just dropped everything and dashed outside, his crown falling off his head and shedding beads and strings of pearls from his garments.

He threw off his heavy mantle when it was to heavy for him to run with it any longer, leaving it abandoned on the palace aisles in his desperate flight. He was heading to the gardens, no logic was in this other than it being the rearmost section of the palace. He was trapped, he knew and so did I.

That's why I had the feeling he would be there, despite not even knowing it, and so like an arrow, we burrowed deeper and deeper into the palace, and my hunch was rewarded as we discovered a trail of Jao's vestments leading the way.

“We're close," I thought as my heart swelled with anticipation at being able to strike back at that cowardly Jao for ruining my life. It was a blood lust and I was being filled with its vindictive power taking hold of my mind and body. I had not felt such a way since I saw the brains of Aha'hor's rapist son dashed out.

After entering the large imperial park, we saw a trail of pearls that led to an enclosed garden pond. It's flimsy door being locked meant nothing to the burly wolves, who battered it down with a few thrusts of their shoulders and it exploded in splinters. My eagerness for confronting Jao took full hold of me and I was pushing wolves out of the way left and right, determined to have my kill to myself!

Pushing my way past them all, I went over the circular portal's threshold and into the closed off garden. It was him, standing erect and near the decorative pond's edge, he stood, one hand on a pitted rock. Not even flinching.

Just seeing him unmoving, motionless and proudly facing his fate, caused an embroiled rage erupt across me! Without saying a word, Jao had managed to cause me to snap and lose all sense of coolness. He was good at that and knew it.

Thus, in this mindset, I saw the same wolf who had taken Behsir's head and was holding it as a trophy. I snatched the heavy head from him, to his surprise, and pushed aside the wolves and marched up with a vindictive fury to the blond haired monster.

With a loud thump and muffled wet splat, I threw down the head of his dead confident right at his feet. The blood-coated mass rolled up slightly, causing the face to expose itself to full view.

“NO! BESHIR!" Jao's composure collapsed, he shrieked out in horror. Tthen, falling to the ground, he clutched the head and cradled it in his arms as the last remnants of blood were squirted out by the pressure of Jao's grasp, staining his white garments.

“Behsir…Behisir…" he cooed in a pitiful fashion, sobbing, “I love you!" he cried as all sense of his power of personality withered into nothingness.

“You tried to kill my Little Wolf TWICE!"

“YOU DESEVE THIS!"

“YOU KILLED MY GERNAN!"

“I HATE YOU!"

All my anger came out in these statements. I was determined to take my time to make him suffer for all the things he's done to me! All the things he ruined in my life! Just when I had fully rebuilt my life after losing my old life back on Safehaven, he dashed it all to the sea!

The sounds of wolf armor clanking behind me signaled the approach of the others, ready to give out their judgment for the attempt on their Alpha's life. Spinning around and raising my hand in a silent gesture they all halted.

“Leave us," I quietly ordered, causing the ears of the multitude of wolves to shift and twitch in confusion as their perplexed eyes darted around. One of them ventured to to try and speak.

“But…"

“I SAID LEAVE US!" all the wolves jumped back in fright at the scale of my voice and all ears drooped in submission. One nodded and they withdrew, leaving only me and Jao.

Alone.

Turning back my attention to him, he still held the ursine head of Behsir and was reduced to pained sobs. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly, and then opened my mouth to speak. Initially silently, then increasing as I neared the dramatic end of it with my most deep, sacred accusation against him and everything he's done.

“Not only did you nearly deprive me of my Little Wolf but you KILLED MY GERNAN" I was expecting Jao to continue his pitiful sobs and completely ignore this disparagement, but the last three words, “Killed my Gernan," made him snap his head up and caused all his mournful cries to cease.

Respectfully placing Beshir's severed head atop the rock in reverence he stood up, back straight, head held high, and his face full of indignant annoyance that took me off by surprise. Yet again, the mastery of his command made me his victim even in his most powerless state.

“Killed your Gernan!?" he laughed out heartily. “To think I would do such a thing? Do you think I'm that stupid to kill your pitiful master-" he paused, “or should I say father?" he corrected before going on.

“Don't you see? Don't you see that his death, so soon after his fortunate journey back, made me the perpetrator even if I had did it or not!?"

“I am not that stupid and the fact that you think I am, it's deeply insulting to me! I wanted to kill your precious wolf father and I was going to to."

“But somebody beat me to it, full well knowing they saw a chance to achieve their own gains whilst simultaneously pinning the blame on me, since of course, everyone would think I did it!" I broke out of my awe, becoming enraged with what I saw was his cowardly deflection of his clear blame in the death of my Master.

I slapped my hand across his face, “LIAR!" I shrieked as he rubbed his now raw red check before snapping back his gaze to me, returning me to being in awe of him.

“You're so foolish! Whose position was he returning to fill after his exile, hmmm?"

“Prime Beta! And who was Prime Beta?" he mocked with a pretend sense of being ignorant as he tapped his chin, pondering what he had just said himself before acting like he came to the answer and replying to his own question.

“Oh right! Uncle Titus, he sure loved his new position and he had it for some years as your wonderful daddy Gernan was having his excursions in the desert" Jao fell into a fit of laughter, seeing my face become contorted with dreadful realization, combined with all the previous things that bothered me about Titus.

I found myself in horror because it was true.

“You're a toy, Alexander! Ha, I bet you haven't heard that name in a long time? You go by Iskander, Xander and Xan now, right?" he wandered around, looking me up and down before continuing on with his speech while I only stood there in a state of shock at this truth I was now realizing.

“You're a pawn in a game played by others. That barren bitch, Gao'ao, you're her pawn, and in turn Gao'ao of that little Princess who see's herself so shrewd," he chuckled at his own insults of these two and went on.

“When you're done, they will throw you away, they'll find some way to make your Little Wolf forget and then they will lock you away like they tried with me. Though, I will admit, your bond with your Little Wolf is much stronger than the one I had with my Master. Wulfrim was always a selfish and capricious wolf."

The string of his hurtful words just kept on going on and on. They were like the strikes of a hammer upon a nail that was being driven right through my head. Each syllable and vowel striking and striking on me.

“But you're a fool! The fact that you thought I killed your Gernan, that tells me all I need to know about your ability. They will find a way to get rid of you, Titus will likely scold them enough to convince them to get rid of you."

“After all, Titus will not desire to have a re-occurrence of me inside you," I was totally silent. I was now on the floor, whimpering and shaking. “Looks like you have no words" Jao turned to the head of Beshir and planted a kiss upon its forehead.

Then, in a flash of motion, he leaped into the pond and forced his body under. After a flurry of splashing, I saw the bubbles from his last breath crested the surface and then nothing. His body slowly rose to the to the surface, lifeless and silent.

Jao was dead.

But before he died, he left me with a parting feeling of the danger I was in…