Page 9 of The War is Coming

Frederick laughed as he was knocked over and stroked the hound’s head. “Yes, you’re lovely,” Frederick told him, and soon all the hounds were surrounding him, looking for head rubs, wagging their tails happily.

Hades laughed as he watched his hounds; they had never taken to anyone so quickly, except once before, to Persephone. He must remember to tell his mate about her as she pops in from time to time.

“Alright, you lot, let my mate go,” Hades said after a few minutes.

As one, the hounds stepped back and let out a long, loud howl of happiness. More howls joined in from other areas of the underworld.

Frederick stood up and looked at Hades, who was looking shocked. “What’s wrong?”

Hades shook his head. “Nothing, I’m just surprised.”

“That your hounds like me?” he enquired, stroking the closest one.

“No, my darling,” Hades replied, stepping closer to Frederick and taking his free hand. “They have declared you their Alpha.”

Frederick looked stunned for a moment before looking at the hounds still around him.

It’s true, Alpha. You are now the Alpha of the hounds of hell.

“Wow, thank you for the honour,” Frederick said to them.

“For now, we need you all to guard this secret entrance into Tartarus. If anyone comes to try and release any inhabitants, stop them.” Hades commanded.

One of the hounds looked at Frederick. Can we eat them?

Frederick laughed. “If you want to. Stop them however you want as long as no one escapes Tartarus, and when this is all over, I’ll come and run with you.”

Thank you, Alpha, he heard them all say.

With a final stroke for all four hounds from both Frederick and Hades, the two left them to their guard duty and reappeared somewhere else.

“This path leads to the main entrance of Tartarus,” Hades said as Frederick looked around.

In front of them were solid-looking gates that seemed to reach up into the sky and away into the distance sideways.

Four hounds suddenly appeared in front of them, wagging their tails happily at Hades and Frederick.

Alpha, Frederick heard in his head.

“Yes, this is my consort, Frederick Barbuda. Frederick, this is Lightning, Spot, Grey and Maxwell.”

“Hello, it’s very nice to meet you all,” he said, stroking each of them. “Can you protect this entrance for us?”

We can, Alpha. They replied, surrounding and playfully nudging him.

“I see, I’m not needed for this conversation then,” Hades teased.

Maxwell turned around and looked at Hades with puppy eyes. He’s new and shiny and our Alpha.

Hades and Frederick laughed.

“I am indeed. I’ll come and run with you all soon,” Frederick said, stroking each of them again.

Their tails wagged happily.

“Alright, you lot, my consort and I are leaving,” Hades said, stroking the closest one.

Come back soon, Alpha.