Son Of Thalassa

Years have passed since that day. In those years was the same thing. I trained with the pack, I fought my father, we hunted demigods, and we came back, bruised and bleeding, but alive. Sometimes we fought the wolves of Lupa. Those times, some never came back. Death hovered over us, the stench of our deeds in our caves. I grew sick of it. Sick of the killing, of the repetitive fights, sick of hunting children.

So I tried to leave. A break I told my father. HE laughed at the idea. 'Kings don't get breaks' He told me. 'We live, we rule, we die. Such was my destiny. Such is yours. You are my son, an extension of my will. You will hunt, you will fight, and you when the time comes, you will rule under my command. Such is your destiny. Do not speak to me of a break again. You will receive none. You will get your break when you die.'

I snared and left the cave, uncaring of the wolves I stepped on or slammed aside. I found myself near a river, clear enough that I could see the bottom, and I saw myself. A wolf larger than any other wolf, black as night, ice-blue eyes stared back at me. This is who I am now. Once a human, now, a monster. I pawed the ground, my claws digging deep into the earth.

I hunt children for the deeds of their parents. I devour them for the sake of hurting their parents. I wound them so other pups may finish the deed.

I am what I am. I am a monster.

A snarl interrupted me from my musings. I towered over the little brown she-wolf as I lumbered forward. She lowered her head in deference, her snout touching the floor. I huffed, my head tilted as her head rose.

"Your father has found a demigod," She murmured as my face rubbed her neck, smelling the disgusting scent of blood and grime. I exhaled, blowing the scent, alongside any dirt from her.

"And what, does that have to do with me?" I uttered as her snout rubbed beneath my neck. She nipped at me, her teeth biting into my neck.

"He wants the entire pack there," I huffed as she pulled away and trotted deeper into the woods. Leisurely, I followed, watching how the moon shined upon us, watching how the silver light reflected off the leaves with water droplets. It was beautiful.

Soon enough, we reached the clearing where the pack was. They moved with excitement, their eyes filled with bloodlust and hunger as they snapped, snarled and nipped at each other. The little ones, innocent and clueless about what was to happen, wagged their tails excitedly as they looked on. I purposely stepped on a branch, enjoying as its snap announced my presence.

I prowled forward, licking my teeth, eyes flittering from left to right as I watched their reactions. Some paced as they snarled at me. Others lowered their heads. Some stood with their hairs on end, watching my every move. A snarl interrupted everything. Out of the cave came my father, The King of The Werewolves, Lycaon.

His fur was stained red with blood, as were his claws. His eyes, a steely golden yellow, alight with an eternal rage as he prowled forward. The pups whimpered at his every step. His hounds, all growled at his approach. The others all lowered their heads in submission as he stood before me. I snarled at the stench. My head whipped to the side, the wounds already healing as my father stared me into my soul.

"You've been lost for the past hunts and disobedient outside the hunts. I will have none of it this time. This prey, is very," He licked his lips, eyes gleaming with malice. "very important. You will be there for the hunt, you will be there for the feast, and you will join us in our meals once more. Is that understood, Apollyon?"

I nodded, the little droplets of my blood slamming into the floor. Satisfied, He leapt forward, the howling as they ran after him. I snarled, my paws slamming repeatedly into the dirt as I thundered after him, wondering which one of the Gods spawned this child, my chest heavy with the thought of another babe dying.

I huffed my packmates, stepping aside with snarls of protest as I eyed the source of my father's malice. It was a child, another toddler with a tuff of blond hair. It crawled around, giggling as it chased a passing leaf. I couldn't smile, but I found the sight to be adorable. The child giggled as it waved, the wind blowing the leaf up into the air. It was then I realized why the entire pack was mobilized. It was then I realized who this was, and whose child this was.

Before I stood a baby Jason Grace, Son of Jupiter, King of the Gods. I exhaled, my heart racing as my father's golden eyes watched the child, slowly creeping up to the unsuspecting child. I heard his claws digging into the dirt, his snarls silencing the idle growls of the pack, I saw his eyes lower. My heart sank.

He leapt with a roar, and I leapt with a snarl. The sky suddenly became cloudy as my paw smashed into my father's face. He slammed into a tree as I bit the shirt of the baby and ran, my howls and snarls of my betrayed family behind me.

I ran, the wind whipping at my face, the rain slamming into my body like little hammers. I ran away from my pack, a baby in my mouth and a storm brewing above us. My side exploded in pain and I yelped, collapsing to the ground. Jason cried out as I rose, hackles raise, filled with fury as I gazed into panicked silver eyes. I grabbed the babe and ran arrows whizzing to my sides. I leapt onto a road and ignoring the horns and lights ran on.

I don't know how long I ran, but I stopped in a different part of the forest. Gently resting the baby on the floor I stared into Jason's blue eyes as he looked at me in awe and wonder. He touched my snout and I recoiled. As he began the sniffle and tear up I rested my snout on his little body, careful not to put my full weight on the small child. I decided that it was going to be a long year when he attempted to suffocate me.