The Crown's Entrapment

Darius groaned as he nursed his wounds. Well, it wasn’t really that deep, but the attention he was getting from Xenia made him want to play it up just so he could have more of it.

“Atlas?”

[Look alive. Someone’s coming.]

Mentally getting a head’s up from Zeus, the king raised his head up just a little bit, only to see that another man had come up to his mate with reinforcements on his back. He was covered in armor, and he seemed to be making some overtures on Xen. Wait…

Did Xen just call him Atlas?

“Are you alright?” the newcomer asked, his tone denoting his worry as he stood in front of them.

“I’m fine. It’s Darius that needs help,” she promptly replied. “He got hit, and I need to take him to Jayra.”

The Werewolf King blinked as he watched his mate interact with this Atlas. Already, he could feel himself wanting to spring into action, knowing just how much Xenia admired this man. Somehow, if he could just one-up Atlas, then perhaps he’d command just as much respect from Xen as she did for this man.

[That’s so dumb, but I completely agree,] Zeus mentally nodded at his thoughts.

Emboldened by his wolf’s encouragement, Darius kept his silence as he planned his next move. He was going to make sure that this Atlas wouldn’t be able to move in on his mate, even if it meant overblowing his own injuries.

“I see,” Atlas nodded. “Very well. Consider us your reinforcements. Withdraw everyone injured from the frontlines and have them looked after. In the meantime, I shall relieve King Darius of his leadership position for the time being.”

Darius flinched at what he just heard. He knew it was a logical move, but his pride almost stung at the prospect of being relieved of being the person in command. Still, so long as Xen was with him, he wouldn’t mind being seen as weak for only a few hours.

“Very well,” the king felt Xen nod. “Can your men take Darius off my hands so that I can rejoin the front?”

Darius’s eyes widened. He couldn’t let that happen! Faking his injuries be damned!

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“Of course,” Atlas quickly affirmed. “Men, arrange an escort for the-”

“That will not be necessary.”

The entire contingent seemed to pause as he stood upright. Xen even looked at him in shock even as her hand kept its grip on his own.

“Your Majesty?” Atlas curiously intoned. “Are you not injured?”

“I am more than capable of defending myself,” Darius growled, his injuries seemingly evaporating as he exerted his royal authority. “Helion’s armies are nothing more than scum to be taken care of beneath my feet.”

He didn’t care if he was throwing away his advantage. Even now, he could tell that Xen was still worried about him, and it was all that he needed for him to press his advantage for optics.

“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” Atlas asked him once more, seemingly worried about his disposition. “You are more than welcome to have a rest-”

With a simple flex, Darius once more commanded everyone’s attention as he transformed. Shifting into his more powerful wolfman form, he hesitantly pulled his hand away from Xen as he stared at the frontlines.

“Stay here, Xen. There’s no safer place for you than behind me,” Darius growled.

“D-Darius?”

Giving his mate one last glance, he then crouched low on the ground and positioned himself on all fours. He didn’t want to leave Xen alone with any other man for a significant amount of time, so he had to make this quick before he completely lost himself again.

[Rip and tear…]

“Until it is done…”

With a growl, Darius pumped his leg down on the ground, his feet almost digging into the earth as he shot forth with a boom. Arms and claws extended out, and he almost had a manic smile on his face as he began his reign of carnage on his enemies.

“What the-”

“No!”

Every swipe… Every kick… Being surrounded from all sides did nothing to stop him from his onslaught. Each kill made only made him move faster, his senses going on overdrive as he made quick work of the ambush that even dared to try and hurt his mate.

[Hurt… Hurt… HURT!]

Zeus barked inside his head as zipped across the battlefield. There was nothing that could stop him. Not even his strongest men could realistically slow him down. He was a veritable murder blender, blood and guts raining down on him as he wreaked havoc on the front lines.

By the end of it, his hairy body was dripping with blood, chunks of flesh even sticking to him in some places as he made his way back to his mate. He didn’t think that he’d look unseemly, but he at least shook off as much blood and guts off him as possible before showing himself with a proud glower.

“What…”

“The deed is done,” Darius cooly declared, relishing Atlas’s speechlessness as he then turned to Xen. “The ambush is over. The stragglers are retreating as we speak.”

Standing with all his glory, Darius was sure that he now commanded the respect of everybody present on the field. He even did it with what they thought were grievous injuries. Surely, Xen now had him placed at a higher pedestal than this Atlas person.

“Princess… Shall we move you back to camp?” Atlas hesitantly asked, almost seemingly afraid as his eyes never left the bloody king. “I’m sure you’re tired.”

Darius almost growled at what he just heard. There was no way he’d let Xen anywhere that wasn’t by his side, especially now that there was still the risk of ambush.

“W-What- Oh…” Xen gasped, her eyes flitting between Darius and Atlas. “I-I suppose-”

“She’s staying with me,” the king growled, partly shifting back to his human form as he grabbed Xen by the arm.

“D-Darius?!”

“I’m her betrothed,” he reiterated, pulling Xen close to him. “I’ll take it from here.”

Turning around, Darius was just about to drag Xen with him when he felt some resistance. Craning his neck, his anger almost boiled over when he saw Atlas attempting to take his mate away from him.

“Y-Your Majesty,” Atlas nervously began. “I beg your pardon, but I-”

“What is this?!” Darius roared. “Unhand her this instant!”