Chapter 10 - I Wrestled With The Wolf Goddess

~Christine Galliardo's POV~

It was declaration.

A challenge that accepts no refusal, and I found myself taking it in a surprising eagerness.

The wolf goddess lunged at me and pounced. With all the injuries I have received, it took me a moment to register what was happening. I rolled out of her way, but not before receiving a bloody swipe on my right arm from her claws. She's swifter and more agile than her wolves despite her massive size. Her movements were graceful yet full of force. One wrong move and I'm done.

Before I could completely recover, she was already going after me. I pushed myself up and barely dodged a deadly bite. I slid my good arm under her head to her neck and mustered as much force I could without calling upon my godly strength. She flipped backward and fell with a loud THUD! against the dusty cement.

The wolves barked in approval. Some pawed at the ground, eager for more.

Lupa quickly recovered from my blunt attack. A low growl issuing from her throat. Golden ichor dripping from the side of her mouth. She licked it clean with her tongue and crouched down for another attack.

I planted my feet on the ground. I could feel the wounds I received from Lupa's wolves quickly taking their toll on me. Keeping myself standing took a lot of my strength. More to control myself from using my godly powers. I was tempted to draw my weapon or call upon lightning but I knew better than to give in.

Lupa bounded at me. I slid down beneath her and toward her hind side. I hauled myself up and leaped on her back. She yelped in surprise at the sudden weight. I gripped tighter on her thick fur as she tried to shake me off and dodged her sharp canine teeth as she tried to snap at my face. I wrapped my right arm around her neck, putting more pressure as tighten my hold. Using my other arm, I pushed the top of her snout, forcing her to keep her mouth shut. She continue struggling, however, her movements seemed more sluggish than before.

My injured arm began to scream in protest but I forced myself to swallow the pain. I don't know how long I can continue clinging on to her until I wear her down. I could feel her fur heating up beneath my fingertips, like she was ready to reveal her true form and go nuclear on me. If she was planning to, I might as well end dead and fried on the spot.

Before I could decide the best possible thing to do, I felt a sudden shock ran through my body. At that moment, my body and mind felt disconnected from each other. The adrenaline that rushed through my body gone in a snap. I barely felt being flung into the air and thrown like a rag doll to the cold, hard cement. I didn't feel much of the impact nor the cracking of many bones in my body. Searing pain clawed at me to the point of numbing. My sight transitioned indefinitely from clear to blurry. My mind was muddled with visions of the past - memories that seeped from deep within the ground I am laying on. Voices speaking in Latin whispered at my ears, growing louder and more chaotic as seconds passed by.

At the same time, I painfully watched as Lupa and her wolves surround me. I could speak nor move. I couldn't hear any word nor sound from them but I thought I heard a howl from faraway. It was different howl from Lupa and her 's expression darkened. A snarl etched on her face but she was not looking at me. Her eyes were narrowed and focused somewhere far away. The last thing I felt was being lifted by the collar of my t-shirt and parka before I fell into the void.

~Jason Grace's POV~

I glanced at the empty bunk at the opposite side of mine. The blanket was neatly folded on top of a pile of pillows stuffed with pegasi feathers (no pegasus was hurt in making them). There was nothing else on the bed except a couple of newly-bought Camp Half-Blood t-shirts and a pair of worn-out combat boots propped against the wall. The bedside cabinet was clean and empty. No surprise there since the occupant just stayed for two nights in the cabin at most.

I wondered why Christine left without a word. Since yesterday's war council, she appeared to be distracted. I would sometimes catch her zoning out or muttering incoherently to herself. I just thought she was brooding about the incoming war. The possible end of the world tend to do that to you. But the more I noticed, the more I doubt.

Hazel asked Chiron earlier if he has any knowledge about Christine's departure - again. All he say to her was, "You should know. Your kind should know," before returning back to whatever he was doing at that time.

You should know. Is Chiron implying that Hazel already has the answer to her question? Your kind should know. For some reason, I got a feeling that he didn't mean as demigods but rather as either Greeks or Romans. But if he was referring to Romans, then...what? What does it have to do with my half-sister's sudden departure? I doubt Reyna or Frank has the answer to that.

The cabin door creaked open. A familiar head poked in. It was Piper.

"I hope I didn't come in the wrong time." She said.

I smiled and invited her in. "Nope. Unless I was changing clothes then, that would be a wrong time." I joked.

Piper chuckled. "Maybe."She sat down beside me and turned her attention at the empty bunk. "Nothing? No note or anything?"

I shook my head. "She didn't leave any."

Piper frowned. "Annabeth and I checked Cabin #2. Of course, we didn't take too long because-you-know." She shrugged. "The place's the same the last time she went there."

"Maybe she's in Olympus." I suggested. "Got a call from the gods and has to leave immediately."

"Let's hope it's that." Piper said. She wrapped her arms around her chest as if to ward off the cold.

I touched her arm worried. "Hey, are you alright? Are you sick"

"I'm fine." Piper assured me. "Just a chill. The cold season is just around the corner after all."

"Well, yeah, but it's not that cold yet, isn't?"

"I guess..."

I stood up and rummaged through my things. I pulled out a jacket that I bought a month ago in New Rome and wrapped it around Piper.

"Come on. Let's get you back to your cabin." I placed my arms around her and lifted her up bridal style. "You need to rest. It won't do you good if you get sick."

Piper blushed a tinge of pink. "Er, yeah...but is this necessary?"

"Ah...well," I smiled sheepishly and shrugged my shoulders. "It's not that necessary but you need to rest."

Piper reached up and kissed me softly. "Right. Let's just hope my half-siblings don't see this. They will tease us nonstop for a month."

I shuddered at the thought. I don't want us to be their next victims. The Aphrodite kids were notorious enough for many things concerning love. But with the addition of the kids of Venus, love can get quite out of hand.

Just then, a certain Hephaestus best friend of ours popped in through the door. Leo smirked at the sight of us. "Sorry to interrupt Superman and Beauty Queen's private moment but Chiron' s calling for us in the Big House."

Piper slipped a leg out of my arms and to the ground. I obliged and gently helped her down.

"Did something happen?" Piper asked.

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Leo asked teasingly.

I raised an eyebrow. "I take that as a negative."

"Nah. Nothing happened." Leo nodded then, grinned widely. Suddenly, I got an urge to stop him saying anymore. "Yet."