Capítulo 66: Chapter Sixty-Six
Lucian's eyes popped making him look like a sort of bug that clung desperately to life as it was stripped from him. He clawed at Atlas' arms pulling strips of skin and hair along with each motion.
Atlas grimaced and bit down hard on his lip as his skin burned. He swallowed hard and opened his eyes wide.
The blood color of his wolf's eyes replaced his light brown irises. Lucian looked into Atlas' cold eyes and immediately froze. His eyes burned with anger and rage. They yearned for the blood of his opposer to spill onto the pure soil beneath his feet. Lucian kicked against Atlas' body, but Atlas remained steadfast, taking every blow as they came.
"Let go of me." Lucian whimpered, choking as Atlas progressively tightened his grip around
Lucian's neck.
Atlas smirked, his canines protruding from his lips.
"As you wish." He said slyly.
Atlas sunk his extended fingernails deeper into Lucian's neck. Lucian gave a high-pitched scream and flailed, trying to escape from Atlas' grasp.
Atlas spun once and flung Lucian into the thick trunk of the tree a few yards away.
Lucian's back cracked loudly as his body hit the hard, rough bark. He gasped for air. It burned his lungs like fire burned through a forest on a dry, hot day. He clutched his bleeding throat as he let out raspy breaths.
Atlas padded toward him slowly, mockingly. His black wolf form towered over the Elders as it approached the cowering figure of Lucian.
Lucian wiped the blood dripping from his broken lip with his thumb and looked up at the approaching wolf.
"H-How?" He stuttered, shocked at the size of the wolf before him.
The black wolf growled and bared its fangs.
"He's finally done it..." Elder Albert smiled, his voice and heart filled with the pride of a father. He turned to Elder Lin who nodded once. They both knew that the wolf before them was the hope that they needed and the change that was necessary for the betterment of the pack.
Atlas hovered over Lucian's quivering body. His drool dripped from his foaming mouth. Every move he made was not of his own volition but that of his wolf. His wolf wanted revenge. His wolf wanted blood.
Lucian pounded his fist weakly into the dirt, pebbles and grass flew toward Atlas' feet.
"You lied to me!" Lucian shouted, his teeth and jaw set tightly together. "You told me you would never use your wolf. That it was a curse from your father! You lied to me! You will never be fit to be an Alpha!" Lucian seethed, anger radiated around his body like a shimmering glow.
Atlas stooped close to Lucian's face, pressing his nose closely to Lucian's cheek. His hot, sticky breath puffed against Lucian's skin. Lucian turned up his nose and retracted from the wolf. But the wolf followed. Lucian pressed his back against the tree trunk. He was stuck.
"I never lied to you." The wolf growled. "Now fight me like a true wolf would."
Lucian scoffed and gritted his teeth as Atlas walked back toward the circle of Elders.
He pounded his fist once more into the dirt before staggering to his feet. He dusted the grass and dirt from his clothes and wiped the blood from his face. It smeared a brown-red line over his face making him look like he had warpaint over his cheek and nose.
He struggled toward Atlas, shrugging his shoulders and loosening them before shifting into his wolf form.
His bones cracked, and his nails and teeth extended. His eyes shifted into a blue haze, the color of the ocean, and his fur sprouted through his clothing. He grew and shredded his clothing into tiny bits of fabric as he fell to all fours.
The Elders muttered amongst themselves as Lucian entered the circle, snarling and foaming.
His ash-blonde fur contrasted with the ebony-black fur of Atlas. They were the exact opposite of each other both in personality and features.
The white always chasing after the black, and the black always searching for the white.
The two circled and snapped at each other, feeling the other wolf out. Lucian was first to submit to the taunting snapping and snarls from Atlas. He shot toward Atlas' throat low to the ground, his chin almost skimming the grass. Atlas jumped up and over Lucian, but Lucian snapped and latched onto Atlas' hind foot.
Atlas flopped to the ground most ungracefully. His body thudded against the stones and protruding roots. Lucian sunk his teeth deeper into Atlas' foot. Blood squirted into Lucian's mouth, dripping all down his teeth and into his throat.
Altas yelped and whined as Lucian's teeth burned his skin. He jerked his leg and tore his foot from Lucian's mouth. Chunks of skin and fur buried themselves deep within Lucian's teeth. Lucian wagged his tongue and shook his head. Tufts of wet fur flew out and plopped themselves in the grass.
Atlas hobbled to his feet and glared at Lucian. His whole leg screamed and stung from the torn skin and fur. This new sensation was unwelcome. This is what it is like to have a wolf form. Atlas shook his head and darted toward Lucian. Lucian shot forward, and the two hit head-on. Atlas heaved his body over Lucian's head and used his size and weight to crush Lucian.
Lucian crumpled to the ground, unable to carry Atlas' weight. He snapped and snarled as best he could, latching onto any stray paw of fur within his reach. Atlas clamped his jaws around Lucian's neck and pulled. A horrible ripping sound filled the cavern, and all the listeners cringed.
A massive chunk of blonde fur and bloody skin flailed helplessly from Atlas' jaws.
A few of the Elders jumped toward the two wolves. Atlas turned toward them and flung the skin and fur at their feet, blocking their path. The Elders retraced their steps and waited.
Atlas pulled Lucian's crumpled figure up. Lucian dangled, his feet dragging through the dirt. His breathing was unsteady and shaking as he whined.
Atlas threw him once more against the tree.
"This isn't right," Lucian muttered under his breath as he gasped for pockets of air. "I should be winning. I have more experience."
Atlas approached Lucian slowly, mocking him with each step.
"Experience isn't everything."
Lucian snarled and jumped up. He shot toward Atlas and bit down on Atlas' neck. But he only got thick, black fur. The follicles rolled on his tongue as he tried to clear them from his mouth. He gagged and snorted.
Atlas pressed a large paw on Lucian's head and forced it to the ground.
Lucian snapped his mouth closed with a loud crack and grumbled. His eyes watered from the pain in his jaw, but he refused to let them fall. He wouldn't give Atlas the satisfaction.
Atlas raked his claws over Lucian's face, drawing the blood his wolf desired. He bit down on Lucian's collar and tore at his flesh. The disgusting ripping noise rose through the cavern again.
This time, someone interrupted the noise.
Elder Albert shot toward Atlas. His brown wolf was dwarfed in comparison to Atlas, but he was fast. He knocked Atlas off Lucian, and the two rolled down a small hill. Elder Lin raced to Lucian's side and began healing the gashes and cleaning the pooling blood from Lucian's fur.
"Get ahold of yourself." Elder Briar seethed. "The battle is won. Now do your job as Alpha."
"I am!" Atlas' wolf roared.
"No!" Albert shouted back.
Atlas paused, his wolf stunned at the outburst from such a quiet man.
"I need to finish him."
Elder Albert stepped between Atlas and Lucian.
"No. You don't."
"Why not?" Atlas moved around the Elder, but the Elder followed.
"Not everyone deserves death. Don't follow in your father's footsteps and thirst only for blood. You are like your mother. Be an Alpha she would be proud of."
Atlas huffed a heavy breath out and closed his eyes. When he opened them, the blood-red was gone. Instead, a brown-red iris shone through the black fur. He walked around the Elder and approached Lucian.
He hovered over the injured wolf who was once his friend and sighed.
"Lucian," He began slowly, confident in his decision but nervous about the outcome. "You are banished from the Riverwood Pack and any affiliation with its pack members. You are to roam as a rogue, and I strip you from your title."
Atlas turned and walked toward the cave entrance, followed by Elder Briar.
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