Chapter 88: Monsters from the past
Alexander’s POV
He was back.
And he was back for revenge.
I should have thought he would be back. What a fool I was. I should have thought of this earlier. It was foolish of me to think that he would disappear without making me suffer just as much as he did.
The only problem was that I did suffer just as he did. But he did not believe that. The only way he would ever let me be is if we got along. And for that to happen, I will have to lose Aira.
And I would rather die than let that happen.
Shutting my eyes, I switch to my Lycan form. The next time I parted my eyelids, I was parting those of a beast. A roar that shakes the very foundations of the palace leaves my lips as I storm up to the root of the catastrophe.
Smoke filled every corner of the throne room; it was hard to even breathe, talk, or even see. The rogues used this to their advantage; they lunged at my soldiers, biting through their flesh and killing most of them instantly.
But one thing about my soldiers was that they were quick at adapting. They were quick to realize the enemy’s plan and became more vigilant. Fighting and defending their queen to the best of their abilities.
I would most likely never say this out loud, but I am very proud of them. I trained each and every one of them very well.
They had their own fight to deal with, and I had mine.
Tearing my gaze away, I set my sights ahead. The second I do, I see him. He has been watching me all along. The smoke shielded him, but just by his silhouette, I could tell that it was him. Even though it has been over a decade since I last saw him, I could recognize him even from a mile away.
“Jared.”
His name rolls off my tongue like a song and a curse. Even though I could not see his face, I could bet with everything in me that he had that cocky smirk on his lips. He always had it on his lips whenever he thought he had done something cool. Crazy lot.
He pushes himself off the pillar and walks up to me, stepping over the corpses of both his men and mine like they were torn pieces of paper without any meaning. The closer he got, the clearer his face became.
There is a tornado of emotions spiraling within me as he stands before me with his hands in his pockets, a stoic expression on his face as he locks eyes with me. He was wearing a white button-up shirt that did not even have the slightest smudge on it.
That was one of Jared’s many mysterious talents. It could be raining mud outside, and he would still be able to keep his clothes crispy clean. But when there is a smudge on it, everyone should be scared.
“Alexander, long time no see,” he draws out. I do not show my shock at how deep and menacing his voice is now.
“What do you want, Jared?” I growled, snarling at him and bringing my canines to full display. I should have known it would take a lot more than that to be able to scare a man like him.
He still stands before me, unbothered, with his hands in his pockets. Tilting his head to the side, his eyebrows creased as though he were offended by my question. “Is that anyway to speak to your long-lost best friend after all these years? I thought you would be a bit more excited to see me, to be honest.” He places a hand above the spot where his heart ought to be, but I knew there was absolutely nothing there.
Just a dark, never-ending, cold abyss.
The corners of his lips twitch upwards as so much mischief swirls within his eyes. “I am hurt.”
The growl that leaves my lips is an irritated one. “I asked you a fucking question. What the hell do you want? Why are you doing all of this?”
Every hint of humor vanishes from his face and is replaced by a deadly, serious one. “Don’t act like you have no idea what I am here for. I am here to make you suffer. I am here to make your life a living hell by taking away every single thing you hold dear. Your power, your people’s respect, and, of course, your precious mate.”
An enraged growl leaves my lips at the mention of my mate. I lunge at him without thinking, and he throws his head back, releasing a laugh filled with mockery.
“Oh, it seems like I have pushed a sensitive button now. That is good. All these years, I suffered after Sophia’s death. Do you have any idea how aching it is to have to wake up every day knowing that you are going to spend the rest of your life without the woman you love most or even a sense of companionship? Well, no matter, I highly doubt you do. But you will in a matter of time.” Jared says, and that is when his eyes lock with something behind me. The corners of his lips lift into a wholesome smile as he waves at someone behind me.
No.
Spinning on my heel, my eyes lock with Aira’s.
Her chest is heaving up and down, her hair a mess, and her eyes are frantically taking in the scene before her. How the hell did she get past Arnold? I swear I am going to kill him. She shouldn’t be here; she shouldn’t be anywhere near this bastard!
“Hello, Aira,” he says sweetly, making my teeth and fists clench with anger.
Her eyebrows furrow as she squints her eyes at the man behind me. “Jared?”
What happens next happened all in under two seconds. One moment, seven wolves sprint towards Aira from behind; she hadn’t noticed them yet. Quickly, I spring into action and sprint to her as fast as I can.
But I do not get to her. I was so focused on the wolves on their way to harm her that I didn’t notice the ones coming for me.
I am knocked down to my knees as two heavy wolves pounce on my bike and sink their canines into my shoulder; it was dangerously close to my neck. A roar leaves my lips as pain engulfs my entire body. They ripped at my flesh, and Aira’s scream only worsened that pain.
“Alex!” She screams as a wolf bars his teeth at her, pinning her to the ground.
Something snaps me in, and I lose complete control of myself. I manage to throw the wolves off my back., grabbing one of them by the throat and ripping its head off their shoulders. I make my way to Aira and do the same to the wolf above her before it dares to cause her any harm.
But as soon as I do that, I am knocked down on my knees once again. More rogues clamp down on my flesh, and I try to fight them off, but they are just too much. Black dots taint my vision, and I find myself growing weaker by the second.
“Enough!” A surge of power fills the room, and suddenly all the wolves tearing and biting at my flesh drop dead. I manage to lift my gaze to find Aira standing right above me, an ominous blue light radiating off her as she points at Jared. “How could you?”
From the corner of my eye, I could see that same cocky and unbothered smirk on Jared’s lips. “It’s nothing personal, sweetheart. But I assure you, this is only the beginning. Until next time, Luna,” Jared says before turning his back to leave.
“There is no way in hell you would walk out of here so easily after everything you have done,” Meredith says, pointing a finger at Jared. Soon every dead creature, both wolf and Lycan, will charge at Jared.
What I witnessed is something that ought to have come straight out of a horror movie.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
He ripped each and every one of them to shreds with his bear hands. His movements were so fast that I could barely even see them. The strength he possessed was one I had never seen before.
To think he was doing all of this in his human form, his weakest form.
He had gotten stronger-a lot stronger.
He rips the head off of the last wolf and drops it leisurely on the floor. He shoots a horrified Aira a look over his shoulder and grins.
“Actually, I can.”
And just like that, he was gone.
“Alex!”
Aira comes to my side just when the darkness finally engulfs me. I harbored only one thought in my mind as I succumbed to the darkness.
That was not the man I once called my best friend; that was a beast.