Alpha's STOLEN Mate Chapter 173

Elowen

Kaius in his black wolf form was magnificent and terrifying in equal measure. Larger than any normal wolf, larger even than my white wolf form. His fur was midnight black, and his eyes—his eyes burned with a fury I'd never seen before. Not just anger. Something deeper. Something primal.

Zane picked himself up from the rubble, his Blood Lord form flickering slightly from the impact. For the first time since transforming, he looked genuinely surprised.

Then his surprise melted into that familiar cold amusement. "Well, well. The King himself graces us with his presence." He dusted off his bloodstained cape theatrically. "Tell me, Your Majesty—is this an official declaration of war? Because I assure you, I'm quite prepared to engage in inter-species conflict if necessary."

Kaius didn't respond. Didn't growl. Didn't make a sound. He simply began to circle Zane with predatory grace, his movements those of a hunter sizing up prey.

*Yes. Yes! Tear him apart!*

Zane's smile widened as he tracked Kaius's movement. "Oh, I see. The strong, silent type in wolf form." He laughed. "Though I must say, your timing is impeccable. Did you come racing here because you sensed your mate in danger? Or—" His tone turned mocking. "—because you were jealous of her extended stay in my territory?"

Kaius's lip curled back in a silent snarl.

"Can't blame you for being suspicious," Zane continued, deliberately baiting. "After all, she and I have gotten quite... close during her time here. And you know how wolves are—always in heat, always looking for the next—"

Kaius exploded into motion before Zane could finish the sentence.

The black wolf moved faster than I'd ever seen him move, his jaws aimed at Zane's throat with lethal precision. The attack was pure rage given physical form, all strategy abandoned in favor of murderous intent.

But Zane, empowered by Evelyn's absorbed bloodline, was ready. He sidestepped with supernatural speed, then caught Kaius by the scruff and used his momentum to throw him aside.

"Good try!" Zane's laugh was infuriating. "But I've fought wolves for centuries, Your Majesty. Your kind's tactics are quite predictable."

Kaius recovered in mid-air, twisting to land on his feet. He charged again, and again Zane deflected with minimal effort. The vampire was toying with him, just as he'd toyed with me.

"This is pointless, you know," Zane called out, dodging another attack. "You can't hurt me in wolf form. The magic I absorbed makes me nearly immune to your kind's abilities. You're just exhausting yourself."

He punctuated his words by catching Kaius's next lunge and slamming him into the ground hard enough to crack stone.

*No! He's too strong! Kaius, please, don't—*

"I'll make you a deal," Zane said, circling the downed black wolf. "A generous one, considering. Leave. Now. Leave your mate here, where she belongs. Walk away, and I'll consider our alliance intact. No war. No conflict. Just a simple exchange—your political stability for one troublesome female."

He spread his hands in a gesture of false reasonableness. "This is between her and me, after all. A personal matter. Why drag both our peoples into conflict over—"

"You can go to hell."

The words were spoken in a voice that was almost human, but not quite. Lower. Rougher. More bestial.

Everyone froze.

Kaius shouldn't be able to speak in wolf form. It was impossible. Wolves couldn't form words, couldn't—

His body began to change.

Not shifting back to human. Not remaining wolf.

Something in between. Something else entirely.

His form grew even larger, muscles swelling to inhuman proportions. His front legs reformed into massive arms, clawed hands that looked capable of tearing through stone. His hind legs strengthened, allowing him to rise to his full height—easily eight feet tall, towering over even Zane's Blood Lord form.

His face remained wolf-like but more pronounced, more powerful. His jaw could crush skulls. His fangs were as long as daggers. Black fur covered his entire body, rippling over muscles that seemed carved from granite.

A Lycan. The ultimate predator form that few Alphas could achieve. Half-man, half-wolf, combining the best attributes of both.

The transformation seemed to take forever and no time at all. When it was complete, Kaius stood there in all his terrible glory, radiating power that made the air itself feel heavy.

Zane's mouth had fallen open in genuine shock. For several seconds, he simply stared.

Then, slowly, his surprise transformed into something else. His lips curved into a smile—but this one wasn't mocking or confident. This one was the smile of someone who'd just realized the game had become genuinely interesting.

"Oh," Zane breathed, his vampire fangs extending fully as his Blood Lord aura intensified to match the challenge. "So the wolf king has teeth after all."

He rolled his shoulders, crimson energy crackling around him like a living thing. "Well then. Let's see if you can bite."