Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 It won‘t be a pretty sight when they return.


    The wind died down by the time night came. Doris relocated to a cabin next to Enzo’s, she didn’t dare


    step back into the one she left bloodied. They left her a thick, red velvet dress on the bed snd she


    assumed it was meant for the full moon tonight. She didn’t feel like looking nice, she wanted to blend into


    the crowd and wait until she could slip away and hide in her room again. A loud knock startled Doris.


    Lately, everything had been making her flinch more than usual. She quickly shoved the dress in a bottom


    drawer and unlocked the door. Enzo stood in a dashing red suit that was thick enough to bear the cold.


    He smiled down at her and didn’t look the slightest bit bothered that she hadn’t dressed in the gown they


    provided. It was strange. She liked how she wasn’t treated as a servant here, but she felt as if she


    couldn’t step out the door without looking behind her shoulder. She didn’t trust anyone here, even the


    ones that were nice to her. She supposed she didn’t trust anyone anywhere she went-except Beth. She


    could always count on her friend. She couldn’t help but


    . wish she was here with her now. “Ready?” He asked and offered his arm. Doris closed the door behind


    them and held onto him tighter than she intended. He didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps he was just too


    kind to say anything. “You look lovely.” He said, breaking her anxious thoughts. “Don’t tease me.” Doris


    said weakly as they walked towards the middle of town, “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Enzo said. When they


    turned the corner, it was as if they entered an entirely new vige. Torches lit the area brighter than a


    foggy day and booths were set up as if it was some sort of market day. Food was passing them onrge


    trays and gallons of beer and wine were being poured to everyone who wanted it. The crowd was so


    thick, she could barely see the small tform set up in the middle of it all. Everyone seemed so… happy.


    As if nothing had happened the night before, as if no one had died or attacked her.


    “You do this every full moon?” Doris asked in wonder “Most of them, sometimes the storms are too thick


    to be outside so we either bring the celebration inside or cancel it altogether.” Enzo guided her towards


    the tform. “You’ve been through enough, so I won’t require any attention to be on you tonight.”


    “Thank you.” Doris said as she released a slow breath. He gripped her shoulders and made her look at


    him. “I’d like you to stay and watch, but I understand if it gets too much for you. You can return to your


    room at any point.” Doris nodded and he left her by the front of the stage. When he stepped up on the


    tform a strange silence fell over theughing crowd. Soon, others gathered around her as he waited


    patiently. He didn’t even have to say a word, it was as if they all knew what they had to do and what he


    wanted


    them to do. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we approach the full moon with a new agenda.” He said once


    everyone was settled. “I’ve noticed the shift in the pack for a while now-and I tried to be patient with


    those who questioned me. After all, it’s one of the most humane parts of us to question what we’re told.”


    Enzo had his hands sped behind his back as he spoke to the crowd. He paced the stage, “I tried to


    allow room for those who disobeyed me to learn from their mistakes. I tried to be a fair ruler to everyone


    and only punish when it was necessary. But, tonight my hand has been forced. Those who have decided


    to ignore my orders have gone too far and I no longer have patience for them.”


    A quiet, worried murmur passed through the crowd around Doris. They silenced again when Enzo turned


    his sharp gaze on them. He lifted his hand and two men had been forced on the stage bound at their


    wrists and ankles. It was her attackers. The older man from the night before and Stephen. He made a


    strange moaning sound as if he was trying to speak but couldn’t without his tongue. The older man had


    his head bandaged from where she hit him but he still wore the ruined clothes shest saw him in. Doris


    knew the boy must have truly died if he wasn’t on the stage with them. She… she didn’t know how to feel


    about that. Yes, she had defended herself and it led to his death, but she had still taken someone’s life.


    The back of her mind reminded her that if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be standing here right now. He wanted


    to kill her and do horrible things to her body before he did. Men like that didn’t deserve to live. Who


    knows what other women he had terrorized in his young life. “These men have tried and failed to gather


    a rebellion against me to overrule my leadership. They’ve disregarded my direct orders time and time


    again, but this time it almost costed someone innocent their life.” Doris wanted to shrink into the crowd


    when serval pairs of eyes went right to her. “Tonight, they finally will be dealt with. But before we


    do that… is there anyone here that wishes to speak on their behalf?” His words sounded almost


    dangerous, as if he was daring someone to out themselves to the crowd as being apart of what these


    men believe. No one said a word, Doris felt as if the entire crowd was holding their breath in anticipation


    to what was toe. “No? Good.” Enzo pulled a long, sharp de from his belt. “I know we have a


    tradition every full moon to let the beastly side of us enjoy a good hunt, but tonight I thought we could


    have a new target.” Enzo shoved both men to their knees and trailed the de across their shoulders. A


    small stream of blood pooled at their necks when he pressed a bit harder. “Tonight, I decided there will


    be a prize for whoever wins this hunt.” Doris could feel a bit of desperate excitement raise from his


    words. “Whoever wins will be named as my second until the next full moon.”


    A few gasps sounded around her. Doris only could guess that would give someone a bit of power they


    didn’t have before. Power made people desperate, it made them feral for a taste and she could feel that


    energy bloom around her. “What do we have to do to win, Lord Enzo?” A man to her left asked.


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    “It’s simple, really.” Enzo gripped the top of the men’s heads. “I’m going to let these two idiots run free


    into the woods. The winner has to bring me both of their heads or risk sharing the title. And yes, just their


    heads will do.” 1 And just like that, silence stilled the area. Nervous nces were thrown between friends


    and lovers, Doris felt her own hands start to shake. Enzo released their heads and forced them to stand.


    “The full moon is almost fully risen,” he said as he cut their hands and legs free. He shoved them both off


    the stage. Let’s give them a head start, shall we?” The crowd parted to let the men stand. Their eyes


    were wild as they looked around for some sort of help, but no one dared to offer. Enzo pped his


    hands. “You’re wasting time, my boys. I wouldn’t normally allow traitors such a head start.” The men took


    off in different directions through the trees. Enzo smiled at the crowd in a charming way. “I expect their


    heads before the first hour is up. Enjoy your hunt.” Enzo stepped back into the crowd and grabbed Doris


    quickly. He led her off to the side and she realized why a secondter, Bones started to crack, she


    gasped as those in the crowd started to shift into their wolves. She’d never seen a wolf shift before, she


    only ever heard stories but this was so much more


    frightening than she would have guessed. Their clothes were torn from their backs as they grewrger in


    seconds, their backs cracked and Doris had to look away as they shifted into the shape of a wolf. Petite


    women were now huge, deadly looking wolves and the men were even worse. Several howled at the


    moon when it was highest in the sky. She nced up at Enzo-but he hadn’t changed. “I’m sitting tonight


    out.” Enzo said to the question in her eyes. “I’ve learned long ago how to control when I shift. I used to


    have to do it every full moon. Now it’s only when !


    want.” The wolves started to sniff the ground for the scent of the men, all at once Doris watched as two


    groups broke apart and went in the direction of each one. She hadn’t realized she was trembling until


    Enzo held her tightly against him. “You didn’t have to do that for me,” Doris whispered. 1 Enzo shook his


    head. “You misunderstand, I did it for me.” Enzo brushed hair from her eyes and patted her cheek gently.


    “You may want to return to your cabin. It won’t be a pretty sight when they return.”