Mathias (#1 The Chronicles of the Demon Wolf)

Chelsea’s hands fisted before she roars to the ceiling. Tears fall down her cheeks as she mourns for Arthur. Her body feels paralyze and pain dominating her entire soul. She buries her face against his chest as his skin turns colder. Chelsea feels her entire world falls apart slowly. The only person that she cared about is now dead.

By the hand of a demon wolf.

“Mi’ Lady,” Arthur’s follower calls her. “We have incoming.”

Her eyes hardened just as much as her heart turned into a stone. Void fills in, preying on her grief. Chelsea couldn’t think straight. She caresses Arthur’s cold cheek one last time. She stands up and rushes to the window before jumping out, ignoring it was six floors of fall. Chelsea landed on the ground of the front yard unscathed at the same time Mathias arrived. Her eyes focused on his figure with one intention in her mind. True, it was Ryker who caused Arthur’s death but Chelsea wants to get rid of the main source of her pain first before going after Arthur’s killer.

“Chelsea, stop,” Mathias says.

“But it didn’t stop you from biting me on that rooftop, isn’t it Mathias?” she snarled. “How did it feel, Mathias? Causing pain to the one who was destined to be protected, cherished, and loved by you?”

“I admit I’ve done wrongs to you. But a war, Chelsea? How many innocent lives do you wish to take before you feel satisfied?”

“Just four more,” she smiled sinisterly before shifting into her demon wolf form.

Chelsea runs towards him with loud growls. Her fists collided with his. Mathias tries to keep her at arm-length but Chelsea purposely withdraws one hand and slashes his chest deeply. She kicked him hard on the chest, sending him across the front yard and collided with the stone wall gate.

There is nothing else in her mind except killing him with her hands. Mathias gets up on his feet, checking his wound before his eyes find hers. Her demon wolf grins as if it’s pleased for what it’s done to him. Mathias refuses to attack back as he knows she’s venting her anger for what he had done to her. She has every right to be angry at him.

Chelsea grabs him by his neck and raises him up, choking him. She throws him against the wall once more and repeatedly punches him. Mathias blocks her assault. Tanto, seeing his brother getting assaulted, rushes to help.

“Tanto, no!” Mathias yells a second before Chelsea dodges Tanto’s assault.

Chelsea turns swiftly and catches Tanto’s arm before dislocating his shoulder. Tanto yells in pain. She bashes his head against the wall before Mathias pushes her away.

“Damn it, Tanto. Stay out of this,” Mathias growls at his younger brother.

Blood comes out from the big wound on his head. Mathias tries to get Tanto on his feet but is interrupted by Chelsea when she suddenly slashes him on the shoulder. Mathias feels the poison enters his veins slowly. He pushes Tanto away to keep him from Chelsea’s assault.

“We need to close those rifts on the ground. The monsters keep coming out,” Tanto says while in excruciating pain. “The Goddess of Death will destroy the Moon Goddess’ Kingdom.”

“The Pandora box is the key to close the rifts and contain the Goddess of Death,” Mathias replies.

“Yes, but it’s heavily guarded.” Tanto nods his head to the castle. “First, you need to go through her.”

“Don’t worry about her and her followers. You get to the Pandora box and close the rift.” Mathias helps his brother to stand on his feet.

“What are you going to do?”

“Find your window of opportunity,” Mathias replies. “And brother, don’t look back.”

“Mat—”

Mathias jumps towards the castle and lands on the balcony of the second floor, knowing Chelsea would come after him instead of Tanto. Mathias knows this wouldn’t end well but he had to stop this war. The Goddess of Death is about to destroy the Moon Goddess’ Kingdom. Without that Kingdom, the dead wouldn’t have anywhere to go but to the Underworld even if they aren’t sinners.

He breaks into the chamber and sees Arthur’s cold body laying motionless on the bed. Chelsea growls loudly from the front yard, probably getting ready to make the same jump as he did.

“You were like my own brother but you turned the world to do your favor,” Mathias says. “Goodbye, old friend. May you find peace.”

Chelsea crashes into the room, yanking him away from Arthur’s body. Mathias crashes against the wall. She attacks him. Her agility is getting better and inhumane than his. Mathias realizes her mating bond with Arthur is fueling her. She lost her mate. Now, she’s gone berserk. Mathias gets up from the floor and once again faces her assault. Despite her assaults, he just keeps defending himself.

They fight in the castle, breaking wall after wall. Chelsea doesn’t show any sign of tiredness. Her followers start to get involved.

“Mathias!” Mathias hears Eva calls from outside the castle, running in.

“Eva, stay out,” Mathias coughs out blood after endless assaults from Chelsea.

Eva fights Chelsea’s followers, keeping their attention to herself while Mathias focuses on Chelsea. Then, Mathias sees Tanto sneak into the castle, heading somewhere else. Mathias knows his younger brother is looking for the Pandora Box. When Chelsea catches Tanto sneaking in, Mathias unintentionally pushes her away. Chelsea crashes against the stone wall. Then, her eyes find Eva, who is busy fighting the followers. In a blink of an eye, Chelsea has Eva by her throat. Mathias halts immediately.

Eva knows she can’t make a sudden move as she feels Chelsea’ claws press against her throat, ready to rip it out the moment she moves.

“Chelsea, you don’t want to do this,” Mathias tries to reason with Chelsea. “Your hatred is on me. Not her.”

Chelsea presses one claw, drawing blood out of Eva’s throat. Eva screams in pain but her pain fuels Chelsea’s hatred.

“You’d rather choose this woman over me. Even right now, you’re still choosing her.” Chelsea’s voice appears in his mind. “What would happen to you if I killed her right in front of your eyes? Would that shatter your heart? After all, your heart wasn’t shattered when you caused me pain and suffer.”

“Chelsea, no, please…”

Chelsea stomps her foot on the ground and the rift begins to open on the ground floor of the castle. She holds Eva by the neck and hovers her above the rift, ready to let her fall to her death into the lava river inside the rift.

Chelsea keeps her eyes fixed on Mathias who still begs her to keep Eva out of the quarrel. Without remorse, Chelsea let Eva fall into the rift.

“No!” Mathias shouts.