Page 31 of The Wolf's Secret Baby

There was no point in wasting any time, so we marched straight up to Vance, who was sitting in his chambers with Hana by his side.

“Why are you bothering the Alpha? He has more important things to do with his time than spend it with the likes of you,” Hana sneered. It was perhaps the first time that I did not feel Kull wilt in her presence. Ambrosia had been good for him as well. He had spent far too long pining after Hana and I realized that I had pined after Vance from a certain point of view.

“We’re here because we know what you’re planning. We know what your secret weapon is and we don’t like it,” I said, a sharp edge to my words. This caught Vance’s attention. He leaned forward and looked at us carefully, perhaps trying to discern if we were telling the truth. He studied us for a few moments and then nodded.

“Well, perhaps you are more resourceful than I gave you credit for. I didn’t think you were capable of such a thing. Soyou’ve learned one of my little secrets. Do you think that gives you the right to have a privileged audience with me?”

“No,” I growled, “but it does give me a right to challenge you.”

Vance and Hana burst out laughing. “You’re challenging me?”

“Yes,” I remained steadfast and rigid. My hands were clamped by my sides. “Because this isn’t right. All our lives you have looked down upon me and my brother for being less than wolves, yet now you would create a whole new legion to use as slaves. How is this honorable? How is this guided by the Moon?”

“This is guided by my hand,” he hissed. “You and your brother failed me. I ordered your creation because I wanted to create a powerful weapon but you two never lived up to your potential. You were disappointments from the first day you were brought into the world and I should never have allowed the experiment to continue. I should have discarded you there and then, because you’ve been nothing but trouble since then.”

“So why make more of us?” I asked.

Vance smiled and shook his head. “Do you honestly believe they are like you? No Typhon, this new breed is far improved. I assigned the scientists to work hard and perfect the technology before they ever dared create a new life. I wasn’t about to have inferior beings like you again. We were not going to repeat the same mistake twice. It has been a long time coming but finally we have perfected the formula. These new soldiers are infallible. They are not going to be distracted by petty thoughts like you have been and they are going to know their place. They will be far more obedient, and their minds will be filled with a single purpose: to fight.”

“To die,” I growled.

Vance tilted his head to the side and opened his palm. “Indeed, I gave them life. I own their lives. It is only right that they would give their lives to me.”

I felt sick inside and shook my head. “These are people we’re talking about. They’re not toys. They’re not objects.”

“That’s exactly what they are and it’s exactly what you are as well, only you’re too stupid to realize it. These soldiers are going to play an important part in the upcoming war. They will ensure our victory. You are just jealous that they are going to outperform you.”

“No, jealousy has nothing to do with this. I’m angry because they deserve a choice in their future. They should get a say as to whether they fight or not. This war you want… how can you say you’re going to win when all the fighting is going to be done by these soldiers? It’s not your glory, it’s theirs.”

“They only exist because of me. I commissioned this project. I am the one with the vision,” he rose from his chair and snarled at me. “And you dare to come and stand before me and judge me like this? Who are you? You’re nothing. You and your brother, you’re mere scraps that somehow became conscious. You don’t deserve to challenge me.”

“Every wolf has the right to challenge the Alpha,” Kull replied in a flat tone.

“That’s assuming you are wolves. You’re not quite at our level, are you?” Hana said.

Kull and I both bristled at her words. “Are you going to refuse my request? Do I need to march out there and tell the pack that you are too afraid to face me in a duel?”

Vance smiled and wagged his finger in the air. “That is very clever, Typhon. I know you’re trying to goad me but it won’t work. I won’t be shamed into fighting. However, I will grant your request because I think it’s time I put you in your place once and for all. It seems as though you can’t quite understand your placein this world. You are at the bottom of the food chain and your entire existence is predicated on a decision that I made a long time ago. You owe me for everything that you are and you have never once shown the appropriate gratitude.”

“Gratitude?” I almost choked on the word. “Gratitude for being bullied and humiliated? For being abused?”

“Abused,” he shook his head, “who has been filling your head with these words?”

“Their little pet. She’s not with them,” Hana said.

“Ah, I didn’t notice,” Vance added. Ambrosia had barely registered with him. “What have you done with her? Did you finally get bored with her?”

“She’s somewhere safe,” Kull said.

Vance hung his head and exhaled deeply. “You really cannot see how defective you are, can you? What kind of wolf would help some human like this? You take pity on her because you are weak. They are the enemy. You are not devoted to the cause and I’m tired of your weakness. I will fight you because it’s time to bring a permanent end to this poor experiment. I have kept you around long enough but now you have outstayed your welcome. Come, there is no need to delay,” he said, rising from his throne. Hana had a shocked look on her face and tried to call Vance back, perhaps wishing to make him reconsider, but once Vance had an idea locked in his mind that was it. Nothing was going to deter him from it. The challenge had been made and accepted.

*

Vance gathered the other wolves. There had not been a challenge against him for many moons, so everyone was intrigued, especially when they realized that I was making the challenge. All of them rubbed their hands eagerly in anticipation of seeing me humiliated. The only person on my side was Kull and I knew that even he would not believe I could survive this.

Vance was perhaps the most powerful wolf who had ever lived but I wasn’t about to surrender before the fight had even begun. There was a thought I could not shake. Vance had bred Kull and I to be powerful wolves, to be the template for a generation of warriors that would lead the wolves in war. Deep down this was still inside me and I needed to tap into it. I needed to finally become what Vance had always wanted me to become in order to defeat him. It was the only way I stood a chance.

I strode forward after Vance made his statement. The other wolves were laughing. None of them expected the fight to last long. I stretched out my limbs and breathed deeply. Vance charged towards me and threw a punch. His fist was as heavy as a hammer. The air rushed around me and I just about managed to evade the blow but he followed it up with a punch to the gut. The breath was driven from my lungs and I doubled over. Vance then kicked me away and I slumped to the ground. He turned and gestured to the crowd, stretching out his arms. They roared and cheered his name. I pushed myself up, shaking off the pain, and then tried to take him by surprise. I crashed into his back, hitting him with my forearm. He staggered a few inches but it did more to make him seem furious than it did to cause him pain.

---