Chapter 2 This Certain Ranker

The Rankers, I only heard about them and since it is my first time attending the Ranking, it's also my first time encountering them. They seem to consists of a special form of elite were forces enough to be entitled as Lycans, for they withhold the power to maintain the fairness and legality of the Ranking. Those Rankers also has the ability to halt and block one's wolf from its owner if ever things get a bit out of their hands. But what makes them totally intimidating was the way they spread unrestrained force against those who break their law.

Hah, for me, the only attractive points I had towards them was their outstanding stance and dashing cool fighting gear in all black leather clothing. Nothing more, especially not their pleasing stance enough to send every woman down their feet. Except me, that is.

And since they're so lawful enough, us rebellious kinds can be considered as in opposition from theirs. They're the enemy of our state and we are the enemy of theirs.

"Artemis Walker." A smooth manly voice calls out, I tense somehow. Not out of fear, but of the chills.

I look up in curiosity and sooner did I meet the Ranker's aqua gaze, it became a given I forgot how to breathe. He holds my sinful soul captive in just one glance, I'm afraid I'll begin to burn in hell together with the onslaught of my sins he's about to reveal. I couldn't even move, nor let alone break one mere eye contact and I don't have any idea why!

Aries tries to slowly pull me behind him, but before he could, a whip came slashing amidst the silence of the air. Even from under the hood, the leather whip rips through the fabric and graze my cheeks open.

Ah, it stings. I eventually managed to break contact with him and thoroughly cursed him in my mind. I think I hate him and I never did hate anyone this fast before.

Alona growls in me while I click my tongue in irritation in order to fight the urge to combust as a wave of countless strikes follows through to inflict pain all over my whole body.

The slash of the whip echoes throughout the still audience as I stood in silence, taking every stroke while biting my lips under the cloak serving to keep me out of insanity. The pain was exaggerating my patience, I'm pretty sure my vibe gets darker and darker throughout the minute I refuse to falter on my stand.

'I hate him. I want to kill him.' I mindlessly sent my thoughts through the mind link. But I know for myself my brother's the only one who gets to hear it, since our coward of a mother had gone off somewhere to abandon our state once again.

'Don't heal yourself, Art, I'll take care of this.' Aries tells me calmly, I could feel him send a wave of comfort to ease my pain but careful not to heal my wounds.

"My lord, if I may." He says, taking the Ranker's attention off me. "You must be mistaken but my sister is not that skilled enough to send that man flying, she could barely even heal herself."

Aries then pulled the strings of my cloak to reveal my dull complexion in public. I've been wearing the hood all along, no one else has seen my face, and now, they seemed struck with awe at the enchant I possess; a spiteful legacy of my mother's.

"Tsk." I refuse to meet any of the stares, especially the heating gaze of the man before me. Even if I thoroughly wanted to burn him with my gaze, I can't. Not because I'm scared of the foreign feeling he's causing for my body to react... yeah, definitely not scared of that.

"Very well, my sincerest apology, Artemis Walker. I shall disqualify Aries Walker instead." He decided and left in a rush after the announcement broke through the arena to begin the Ranking. His decision is a must and cannot be changed when left spoken as he carries the law in his name.

Now, they're going to think I'm as frail as that Savannah.

"How dare he disqualify you." I let out restrained growls as my brother pulls me towards the back arena for the particular participants to await. My anger rises even more at that certain asshole's words.

"It's better than you getting disqualified." Aries wipes a stray blood off my cheeks while my scars disappears in a blink as though it was never there. "I know how much you've been wanting this, so I'm fine with it."

Ah, he's spoiling me too much. Needless to say, I love it. Who doesn't love getting spoiled anyway?

"The first round is the Death Match, after you go pass that round, you'll be qualified enough to rule over a pack." My dear brother then tells me after eyeing the matches ahead, a viscous smirk creeps up the corners of his mouth. "Enjoy yourself, Artemis."

My eyes narrows, I'm pretty sure with the amount of adrenaline rushing through me, the emerald in my eyes glints with inexplicable destruction instead of serenity. "The pleasure is all mine."

"But I won't just aim for any random pack, Ari." I add, facing the lists of hundreds of pack names. "Tell me which one do you want, I'll take it for you."

My brother hums, yet his eyes are trained at the top number on the list. "I'd like to take the challenge and rule over the top." He mumbles as I follow his gaze on the red bold letters.

"Crimson Solstice, the most strongest and largest pack ever to be managed amidst the list." I squint my eyes as I read the subtitles. "You want that?"

"I'm still your older brother, you know. We share the same interest in things..."

"For instance, to rule over the highest paw." I finish his sentence.

Aries looks at me proudly, the pride of our title still engraved evidently deep within him. I never knew it though, the said 'glory' our family had been mounted with. Little me never really understood nor knew exactly what it all to felt, but my father's Lycan and Alpha blood overflowing through my veins registers it all. I want the glorification thrown upon me. I want it all.

With one last peck on my forehead, Aries bid his farewell to go and find his seat, leaving me alone in the middle of a crowd of participants. I eyed the list of packs and beside it was the map of the whole Battue Arena.

"So Crimson Solstice it is." I stretched my arms as I announce to myself and my wolf, who, need I mention, was pretty silent the whole time. I tried an attempt to call her, although no response came.

That's strange, maybe she's preparing herself for the battle. I thought with a shrug. I'll be fine either way, with or without Alona's influence, since her anger only riles up together with mine, which is quite too troublesome to control.

I was about to walk and find my way at the corner of the place and out of the still buzzing crowd, when, all of a sudden, an instant feeling enters me. The feeling of being watched with much intent.

I hold the hood of my cloak to cover my face even more, I refuse to take it off after Aries had taken the initiative to do so. Like what he had adviced me, I shall stay lowkey to avoid getting the Rankers attention until the Ranking begins. With my cloak on, no one should be interested in a my merely present existence.

But why is he?