The Wanderlust Chronicles 1: Loni
an excerpt

An Excerpt from Chapter 14

“Listen to yourself Locke. The humans will follow us constantly now. They will kill the herds we hunt and chase away our prey with their stench. We will starve for their want to learn. You will kill your pack if you allow that tag to hang from your ear. Rip them out.”

“It won't work.” Adrian growled. “You saw how they came. They can track any wolf they please, not just those who have tags. Think of what you're saying. They will just find us again and tag everyone, and then what will you do when you have your own hanging from your ear? What will you say then? Will you be a hypocrite?”

The notion that humans would tag his own ear send a wave of fear coursing through Loni's veins. Anger seethed through him. His muscles tensed, every fiber of his being driven into a rage unlike any he'd experiences. He launched himself at Adrian, hitting him square in the chest and driving him to the ground in seconds. His teeth connected with the fragile skin of his ear, the left ear where the tag fluttered merrily, taunting him. Loni clenched his jaws around it, jerking his head sharply to the right; he was only satisfied by the rip, the flow of blood that ran down his tongue as he spat the tag and Adrian's ear to the ground. Adrian squirmed under him, his own fangs driving deep into his cheek and poking holes in the skin. Loni retaliated, grabbing Adrian around the throat. Without thinking, he closed his jaws like a bulldog, ripping away Adrian's jugular in one fatal blow. Adrian's gasp sent a spray of blood into Loni's face, but before he could react Fritz had grabbed his scruff, dragging him away from the wolf who now lay dying only feet from Loni's paws.

Loni let the emotion drain from him, bleeding out of his eyes and hiding away deep in the recesses of his mind as he watched Adrian die. No sound came to his ears as he watched him from the safe haven in his head, where the only sound was that of a deafening silence. Chaife and Sparrow looked at him, horrified, while Fritz, Locke, Sun and Jetti all surrounded Adrian, keeping him from Loni's view. Loni felt nothing, not even the rage that drove him to kill. Sadness did not threaten him in this state. This was the white noise that Loni felt when his rage overwhelmed him, drove him to this unemotional, unfeeling state of being. A murderer, with no emotion for his victims. A sociopath who could torture on a whim. Loni relished the feeling, drowning in it while his empty eyes watched as Adrian's last breath escaped him, and he shuddered and died in a pool of his own blood. The world came back in a thrilling burst of sound, and Loni looked down to see that he too was bleeding. He looked up just as Fritz bowled him over, snarling as he kept himself from going straight for the black wolf's throat, stopped by Locke's command.

A lazy, blood drunk smile drew Loni's lips back in an insane little grin, and Fritz backed up as Locke commanded Loni to return to his feet. Loni rolled up with his usual, liquid grace, watching Locke with a stare that was colder than winter snow. His cheek wound stung slightly as the wind blew in his face. The pain made him feel stronger, alive with a strange, insane energy that made him want to laugh. His black hair stood on end, and it looked to Chaife like his older brother finally snapped. Years of jealousy, good intentions and servitude built him into a strong wolf, but his opinions, built from an unreasonable fear of humans and a burning ambition, had turned him against the tagged wolves. He looked at Adrian, feeling nothing for the dead body in the dirt. Sure, he knew a lot, but he was a curse. A scourge to their race. He would bring nothing but death, pain. Things Loni wanted to avoid at all costs. Locke tried to meet his gaze, and faltered slightly, perturbed by the fact that he could find nothing in the eyes of the black wolf.

“Leave this pack. You are no longer welcome while I live. Return and I'll kill you myself.”

“Like you could, old man.”

Loni laughed, a strange, throaty laugh that made Sparrow shake. His tag vibrated as he did so, drawing a snarl as Loni shook out his fur and turned to look at Chaife. His eyes softened slightly, revealing only slight emotion.

“Come on Chaife. Let's go.”

The gray wolf stood by Sparrow, his eyes full of sorrow, confusion. He didn't move, but just looked at his brother accusingly. Loni could not shut out all of the pain that Chaife's look caused him, but he shut himself down enough to where nothing showed. His eyes were once again cold, barren. He snarled, lifting his lips to reveal his bloody fangs as he turned away.

“Then you'll die with them.”

He turned his back, and ran.