Chapter 28
“Leave,” I commanded Darian, my voice firm as my wolf snarled within me, its instincts heightened by the distinct scent of hunters in the air. “You have to leave. I can handle everything.‘
“”
Darian simply shrugged, unbothered by the growing tension. “You‘ re a fool if you think I’ll leave you,” he growled, his tone low and resolute as he stepped closer and began untying the ropes binding me.
“Besides, I still want to show you something.”
As the restraints fell away, he looked at me intently. “You couldn’t shift?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
“Lucian underestimated me if that’s the case,” I whispered, shaking my head.
“The Healer didn’t betray me–she was forced. That’s what led to her demise. But
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she didn’t take my power.” My words hung in the air, heavy with both sorrow. and determination.
Darian‘ s expression softened, his resolve clear. “I’m sorry, Freya,” he said, his voice steady. “But I’ll fight for you. I
won’t lose the chance to know more about you.”
His words sent an unfamiliar flutter through my chest. My heart raced as his gaze locked onto mine, intense and unwavering.
I reached for his hand, gripping it tightly.
“Don’t you dare hurt yourself,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.
He smirked faintly, shaking his head.
“No,” he said firmly. “I promise that…”
Before he could finish, the room’s door burst open, and three menacing figures stepped inside, their presence thick with
malice. Each one carried a massive shotgun, the barrels gleaming ominously
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under the dim light.
“Wolfsbane,” one of them said, his voice rough and cruel. His gaze landed on me, his lips curling into a sinister smile. “A Stormhood wolf. We’ve been hunting you for a long time.”
I stood tall, my wolf bristling under the weight of his words. “You‘ ve been hunting my kind for decades, centuries?” I questioned, my voice sharp and filled with venom. “Well, that ends here—”
Before I could finish, the sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the room. Reacting on pure instinct, I dodged with the speed only a wolf could possess. The bullet missed by mere inches, embedding itself in the wall behind me.
The hunters hissed angrily, their
frustration evident as they adjusted their aim.
Darian growled low, stepping forward. “If you think you can take her, you‘ re
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mistaken,” he snarled, his own wolf flickering just beneath the surface.
Alpha Darian shifted into his black wolf form as the hunters didn’t wait for us to finish our exchange. The leader barked an order, and the three raised their massive shotguns, aiming at Darian first.
The sound of gunfire echoed through the room, but Darian moved like a shadow, dodging the silver bullets with terrifying agility. In one swift motion, he leapt at the nearest hunter, his claws ripping through the man’s armor as though it were paper.
The hunter screamed, collapsing to the ground as Darian’s roar shook the room.
The other two turned their weapons on me, but I was already moving. My wolf surged forward, and with it, my speed and strength multiplied. The first hunter fired, but I spun, the bullet grazing past me as 1 lunged. My claws tore through his weapon, splintering it into pieces before I slammed him into the wall with enough force to
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crack the stone.
The last hunter hesitated, his hands
trembling as he raised his gun.
“You’re… you’re just a myth,” he stammered, his eyes wide with fear.
“No,” I said, my voice calm but deadly.
“I’m your end.”
With a single leap, I closed the distance between us, my claws glowing faintly with an energy I didn’t yet understand. I struck his weapon, sending it flying across the room, then grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.
“Centuries of hunting my kind,” I said, my voice a low growl. “It ends tonight.”
But before I could deliver the final blow, a deafening roar erupted from the doorway. Alpha Theron stood there, his enormous figure framed by the moonlight. His crimson eyes burned with fury, his
presence sucking the air from the room.
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“Impressive,” a voice drawled, smooth yet menacing. I turned to see Alpha Theron step into the room, his presence exuding a dark authority. His eyes gleamed with malice as he spoke. “But you haven‘ t faced me yet, cursed wolf.”
Darian’s wolf growled, his anger rippling through the air like a storm. “You will die before you lay a hand on her!” he roared, his voice vibrating with raw power.
Alpha Theron chuckled darkly, his lips curling into an almost mocking smile.
“Nice game, Darian,” he said, his tone dripping with mockery. “But Freya deserves to know the truth.”
Darian’s wolf bared his teeth, his growl deepening. “Shut your mouth, Theron!”
But Theron ignored him, his cold gaze locking onto me. His expression was unreadable, but his voice carried a sinister edge. “Freya,” he began, his words slow and deliberate, “maybe the enemy isn’t me. Maybe it isn’t even the hunters.”
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He took a step closer, his eyes glinting with malice. “Maybe… the real enemy is
Darian.”
