Cruel and Unusual - serialised novel EXCLUSIVE to Steemit Part 81

Here are the links to catch-up, read again or start from the beginning

Episode List From 1 – 52
Then: 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79

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Please read the start of the story using the link above. I promise, it’s well-worth the time to check it all out. At least then, this excerpt will make more sense

Hazel’s own anger was climbing too, soon it would tower above her and take her into it as easily as a tornado whisks up everything in its path, she would be almost helpless in the eye of that storm and she would annihilate whatever stood before her and threatened her.

Marcus was a loyal brother and son but he was pushing too hard for revenge and in his eyes, Hazel was the only one he could take that need for revenge out on. The murderer was beyond his reach in a prison cell and the only other Wolf that had anything to do with the decision to keep him alive was out of reach because of his Bloodline.

Marcus could not challenge Anton on the judgement because first, Marcus would not survive. Second, the challenge itself could be deemed at an act of traitorous intent and in theory, could place the rest of his siblings and his parents in mortal danger. Anton was legendary for the fact that he had put to death his sons and their sons for making an attempt upon his leadership.

If Anton was willing to put to death his own male heirs, he would have no compunction in decimating a minor Wolf from a Bloodline that was not even pure. The third point in this equation was that the only Wolf that stood before Marcus at the moment was Hazel and though she was an Ancient Wolf – close to five hundred in years - Marcus was the oldest of his brothers, and he was almost Hazel’s age.

Marcus believed that he was able to take revenge and even if he were not, the added weight of his father would be enough. Surely they could both take her on.

Marcus’s father, Marden, stayed behind the hedgerow, hoping that his Ancient status was enough to be able to cloak his presence from her. He had not thought it wise to go searching for revenge on Hazel but in his grief-stricken mind, he was easily persuaded by his eldest son. Now that Marcus was confronting her, Marden was again having second thoughts and was hoping that his son would return to his senses very soon.

Marden heard his son begin talking again and he listened closely.

“I repeat madam, do you feel no remorse for making the decision to keep my brother’s murderer alive?”

“I did not answer because I was hoping that you would come to your senses and leave me to continue my journey in peace. The answer, if you insist on having one, is no. I did not feel remorse for the decision and no, I do not feel remorse for keeping the Wolf alive. It will prove beneficial to our kind through experimentation. I regret that your brother died and that I could not save him, but from the journal that the Throwback wrote, it was partly due to Almyra and Marcellus’s arrogance that they died. If they had not decided to play with their food, they would not have been in that position and would therefore, still been alive. No, Marcus, I feel no remorse.”

“I thought that you would not.”

Marcus sprang at Hazel and he had sounded so calm and collected that she was taken by surprise for a split-second.

Marcus hit Hazel low under her ribs and took her down to the ground.

With some Wolves, Hazel’s gender played a part in her advantage, because males assume that females did not fight dirty.

Of course males and females hunted together and were as adept as each other, almost as strong as each other and equally vicious but the use of dubious tactics seemed beyond them, somehow – perhaps even Wolves had an inherent sense of protection for the fairer sex – perhaps some did, but not all; and certainly not Marcus.

Marcus was under no such illusion.

From the very outset, he knew that Hazel was capable of great trickery and was wary of every possibility for deception. He thought he was relatively safe as he bore her beneath him and pinned her arms under his weight. His face contorted and altered to the shape of the Wolf within and he tried to snap his jaws on her face but he reckoned without her legs.

She bent her knees and braced one foot to the floor, bringing the other knee up to one side of Marcus’s spine with such force that she heard ribs break.

His breath was forced from his lungs with the blow and his grip loosened enough for her to push him over and off her. He lay in the dust gasping for breath.

She stood above the injured Wolf. “Normally, I would give you the benefit of the doubt for the attack on me, Marcus but because of a few factors in the attack, I deem your life forfeit.”

She bent to pull him to his feet and realised that the reason he had not recovered and renewed his attack was because one of his lungs appeared to be punctured by a rib that she had broken. With no effort at all, she lifted the part-Wolfed man by his jacket collar and held him - wheezing instead of screaming – before her.

She spoke loud enough for the Wolf watching the battle to hear her.

“Now, Marden, it is too late for you to launch an attack upon me. Your eldest son is all but dead but if you would prefer, I can leave him in agony whilst I deal with you.”

“Please. Let him go, allow him to live, show some mercy.”

Marden’s voice rose in pitch as he spoke. He emerged from his place of concealment as a man broken and distressed.

“Your voice sounds your desperation, Marden. I believe that Marcus is your last surviving son is he?”

“Yes, he is and if for no other reason than that, let him live.” Marden had clasped his hands in front of his body in an unconscious gesture, pleading for his son’s life.