A MAZE OF GREED

A loud growl erupted from the throat of the powerful animal that rumbled between the confines of the old stone walls. Rees instantly got alarmed and took a cautionary stance, his wolf on the hold to rise if needed.

The three other guards stiffened in tension as no one expected their master to lose control of his beast. ​​

Edwin's eyes were completely changed from their natural cerulean blue colour to the dark blue orbs with black rims. His canines elongated to the point that they drew out drops of blood from his lower lip when they penetrated through the skin.

His hands got covered with dense black fur, his claws on the show ready to tear anything they wished. His ragged breaths echoed in the room with periodic rumbling in his chest, that heaved up and down with his every breath.

"Enough with this game!" And Edwin, who was half human and half wolf form, jumped towards his prey to strangle him by the throat.

His claws pierced through the man's throat to make the blood gushed out of the wounds. The warm blood covered Edwin's hairy hands, and its metallic smell made his beast hungry than before.

His wolf wanted to take complete control. He wanted to kill. He wanted to feel powerful and victorious. He wanted to prove his dominance. All he could see at that moment was a loaf of meat that was ready to be devoured and the blood that was enticing him to taste it till the last drop.

His hot breaths fanned the man's bruised face, hitting it hard. The man's futile attempt to get free seized the moment he saw the face of death. Finally, after enduring all the pain and the torture, he had accepted his fate.

"Start talking, or I will rip every part of your body to break it into pieces and feed them to the dogs." He sounded like the evil of hell, commanding the poor souls to grant his wishes.

The man's breaths turned shallower with every drop of blood oozing out of his body, exuding the life out of him slowly and painstakingly.

Breathing through his injured mouth that dripped the blood mixed with his saliva, the man spoke.

"I-I know that... you... you are going to k-kill me anyway. B-but listen to me c-carefully, they... they are c-coming."

His lips stretched into a crooked grin, but his one uninjured eye held seriousness. His demeanour changed suddenly, losing the knowledge of his pain. He was warning Edwin by uttering his last words.

"Why? What they want?" Edwin growled viciously.

Gulping his saliva down his throat and exhaling a shaky breath, the man answered. "T-They are hungry. They want e-everything. They will not s-settle for a-anything less this... this time. And you, Edwin O'Dell... you can not s-stop them!"

A sinister laugh rumbled in his chest that made Edwin's claws go deeper into the man's skin. But the man was now numb from all the pain. His body and mind had given up on the desire to live anymore.

"S-save your... people, if you can. B-but they will h-hunt you down. They will... kill the people y-you love. They will kill e-everyone you cared for. Th-they will not s-spare anyone. Haahaahaa.... agghhhhhh"

His laughter dies down in an instant, his eye widened and bulged out of his skull. The streams of red blood gushed out of his mouth and neck when Edwin pulled his hand harshly from the man's throat.

The man's body withered like a fish in the absence of the water. And the men in the room kept watching the man's soul slowly, leaving his mortal body behind to travel in the next world.

But the beast was too focused on looking at his bloody hands that held a large chunk of the man's throat that he had clawed out of his body. His beast was vehemently enraged fighting to break free.

Edwin fought his best to not let his wolf win over his self-control because he knew that if he loses this fight then there was nothing that could stop his beast from breaking the hell loose.

His palms clenched the piece of meat into his fists and his mouth opened wide into a loud blare.

"Master... master" Rees was by Edwin's side instantly. The three guards gathered around the animal that was fuming in rage.

Rees was anxious that his master was about to lose his fight with his wolf. He couldn't let it happen. Never!

He took a small step towards the shaking body of Edwin but he roared in danger telling everyone to stay away from him. The deathly look on his face and his stormy blue eyes were so dangerous that it made Rees staggered back a little in fright.

He looked up at one of the guards and signalled him by his eyes. The guard understood what Rees tried to convey and he slipped out of the room then ran towards another room.

He stopped in front of a shelf then opened the glass doors of it with the metal handles on them. The numerous bottles of various shapes, sizes and colours were placed neatly inside them.

He frantically searched for an amber coloured bottle with his heart about to jump out of his chest. The guard was working with the O'Dell family for two years and was a member of Edwin's most trusted guards.

He had heard and witnessed on many occasions how dangerous his master was. But the sight that he saw tonight, the strength his master and his wolf possessed was something beyond his expectations.

Before the Young Master harms anyone or loses his full control over his body, the guard had to rush there with that specific bottle.

Finally, after some moments he found the right bottle and without wasting time in closing the door of the shelf, he ran again to the previous room.

But as soon as he reached there, his legs halted. The sight in front of him made the bile rose in his throat. He was also a werewolf and had fought battles and had ended many lives in both his human as well as wolf form.

But when he saw the completely mutilated body of their captive, his limbs thrown away in all directions, his head broken completely off his torso and the blood splashed all over the floor and the dark walls, his whole being shuddered in disgust and fear.

The thought of running away crossed his mind for a fleet second but when Edwin's blazing dark blue eyes landed on him, his body froze on his spot.

And when Edwin turned his attention on him, the bottle in his hand was about to drop on the floor. But Rees was quick to act. He leapt to his side and took the bottle from the guard's hands.

The other two guards were sweating profusely and their frantic heartbeats fell on their ears like the loud beating of drums.

They were scared... maybe more than they had been in their life before. But they also knew that their master had not lost the battle with his beast, yet. He was still fighting to take control.

And their trust that their master would never allow any harm to befall his people provided them with the guts to stand firmly in front of the monster.

Edwin's sole attention was on the guard who had brought the bottle. And taking advantage of this, Rees let his wolf take half control over his body because he knew that although he was one of the strongest warriors in the region, he was no match to his master's strength.

With a resolve, Rees leapt onto Edwin and put the cloth that was dipped into the contents of the amber coloured bottle on Edwin's nose.

Another thunderous growl from Edwin quaked the air around. With a cry of war, the two guards forwarded to grab Edwin's hands and legs. With the three werewolves trying to tame the beast, Edwin was nowhere near to be tamed.

He was so strong that he overpowered the three men giving them hard time. In between the struggle, Edwin roared loudly and twisted his body that made Rees drop the cloth on the ground.

"Hold him tight. Hold him!"

"He... he is too strong."

The three men fought too hard but the beast was uncontrollable.

Rees looked at the guard who was still in shock and hadn't moved an inch.

"What are you doing there, you fool? Take that cloth. Take that cloth you bastard!" He yelled while holding Edwin in his arms with all his might.

"Hurry up, you fucking moron!" Another guard screamed in anger.

That shook the guard bringing him back to reality. He scurried towards the cloth on wobbly legs and picked it up from the ground.

"Cover his nose! Cover his nose!" Rees ordered.

The man's hands shook, he was too frightened to get near the unshackled monster in front of him.

"Cover his nose or I will fucking kill you with my bare hands!" Rees's threat worked wonders and the guard ran towards them.

Tears streamed down on his face and the adrenaline boosted his braveness. He immediately covered Edwin's nose with a cloth.

After some more struggles finally, Edwin's body weakened and gradually went limp in his guards' hands.

All that remained behind were his murmurs and the stench odour of blood, piss, sweat and death!