The snake that ate its own tail, an endless cycle that never ended. What substituted his heart beat a constant staccato. White teeth made a crescent shape in the low light. Yes, she would pay for this love of hers. Just as he had payed. He had been dragged, kicking and screaming down into this cursed land, and she would too when the time came. He would personally make sure that happened. She could take his place for all he cared. His fall had been orchestrated by some plucky punk, who had tested luck's waters and found it warm and welcoming to his touch. It was a rude awakening, to be caught in hand to hand combat and to lose. Before, when he lost, there would always be someone to find his competitor responsible. However, the rebellion had gotten too strong too fast.
"It's just you and me, Leader." The current face of the masses, a mascot of those against him, had growled into the night. His eyes narrowed with rage, claws sliding on the Alpha rock.
"Guards will hold your severed head on the borders, so all can see what happens to those who rise against their Alpha." Difference advanced, his sleek frame outranked by the well built wolf. He realized with a sudden clarity it would be easy to take this wolf with the help of his loyal guard, but Sebastian had been deployed with the other troops to beat down the stragglers who had refused surrender on the west wing of the grounds.
"I'll make an example of you." He was weak, had been weak for long. But that didn't mean he was incapable of making this young rebel squall for his mother. They clashed, silhouetted in the rain.
After some time, Sebastian returned. His pelt was soaked in the rain, sticking to his back. A body of another wolf lay sprawled on the ground, its neck snapped. He cried out at the sight of his Alpha nearby, broken and slumped too. Blood mixed with the running water, collecting in the nooks of the jagged rocks.
"Oh Gods, Difference." He breathed, clutching at the wolf. He had known, at the back of his mind for some days now, that this would happen. After things at the pack had gotten worse, descended deeper into chaos, it had always been a bleak possibility.
"Don't touch me." Difference hissed, the words coming out distorted and childish. Talking sent a fresh bolt of agony through his jaws. He found himself wishing with a sudden ferocity that the ground would swallow his doting friend up. Or even better, that Sebastian would leave him bleeding. Desert him and end the contract of his service without a second glance. The guilt that had manifested ever since the Shadow Trader had pushed his dogged way into the leader's life still burned strong. Sebastian had always deserved better.
"I'll get a healer." The blonde wolf murmured, standing from his kneeled position. Anger spiked in Difference. He was unsure where it came from, but this nativity, this love for him his Beta possessed, it felt poisonous. He hated his pity. He found his lip curling in a sneer.
"Do you think we still have those? All the healers vacated days ago. You'd have better luck praying to the Gods to heal me." The coldness in his tone shocked Sebastian. Difference found himself letting out a raspy laugh at the way Sebastian's face mottled into a hurt expression.
"Come on, come on." The wolf grit his teeth, pushing his muzzle against Difference's rising chest. He closed blue eyes, breathing softly through his nose. "Come on."
"What?" Difference snarled sharply, fleeting pain forgotten. He cursed the rebellion in his mind as his vision dimmed.
"Not now. Don't-" Sebastian swallowed, voice cracking. Oh, here came the waterworks. Even when he wasn't the one with splintered bones and open wounds.
"Don't act like this, Difference. You don't have to. I'm here."
"Yeah? Well I'm dying." The Alpha retorted, although his voice softened to a degree.
They talked in a hushed silence for the last time. His Beta was a warm comfort for a few, brief seconds.
"Did you love him?"
"Yes."
