Into the Alpha’s Keep Chapter 113: 113

"The little wolf has just arrived, and already here you are, all deluded and hopeful. He's only here for the mark, my dear. Once he realizes that I've kept my word and removed it, you’ll be of no use to him. And by the end of the day, you’ll be dead and forgotten." He yanked me roughly by the shoulder, the bone cracking and dislocating, pulling a high-pitched scream of pain from me. "You're weak!" he spat, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "I hope you don’t die during the ritual; it’ll ruin all my fun if you do. I want to see you suffer as I remove the mark from you, and then, as I dismember you. And then, when you’re almost dead and your little wolf shows up, I want you to watch how he’ll feel relieved and grateful that I freed him from you. But don’t worry, after all of this, you can die in peace, I’ll set you free."

"You’re a fucking lunatic!" I hissed through clenched teeth.

He laughed and shook his head, shameless.

"Add to your list of... compliments for me that, besides all of that, I’ll also be your reaper."

The hanging arm ached, as did the silver burns on my wrists, the empty stomach, and the bruised muscles from the beatings over the last few days and the hours spent on the hard floor.

I needed to be strong. I had to hold on, though I was already at my limit, weakened, debilitated, and hurt.

Despite the cold seeping into my bones, I struggled to keep my mind clear and my determination firm. I knew I couldn’t succumb to the fear of his promise. My only chance of survival lay in the courage I could find within myself, to fight for the life growing inside me, even if it meant facing the worst nightmare fate had planned for me.

I needed to get rid of Hunter as soon as possible. He had to die, and I had to escape.

***

POV Fenrir Dăneşti

The sun rose on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange as we moved cautiously through the forest. My heart raced with a mix of anxiety and determination, and my senses were sharp, alert for any sign of imminent danger. The smell of moss and the wolves of Eclipse filled the air, mingled with the scent of the oaks that grew around us.

As we neared the village, my heart beat louder, driven by the urgency of the approaching battle. Every muscle in my body was tense, ready for the clash that was to come.

We stopped, observing the men who were dozing, sitting, but should have been guarding the place.

My eyes narrowed, and then a roar erupted from my lips, echoing through the forest and announcing our presence.

The wolves jolted awake, but it was too late. My men advanced and tore their heads off, separating them from their bodies. Both fell onto the soft snow, dead.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for more of them to appear in our path.

I extended my arm with extended claws and drove them into one of their hearts, breaking the rib cage, skin, and muscle. The blood warmed my cold hand. I felt the organ pulse in my fingers before pushing it away from the body.

The wolf fell dead at my feet.

My teeth were clenched, and the muscle of my jaw was taut.

Another appeared in front of me. I scraped my claws across its throat, rupturing the vein and spilling blood in all directions.

The silence was shattered by screams of hysteria and orders being shouted to try to contain the threat. More of them advanced, and all of them died by our hands.

A bell rang, an alert of what was happening for the people still asleep.

I tore the head off a male who was approaching me, throwing it to the other side of the field. I grabbed the bow he held, nocked an arrow, and shot, hitting the skull of the wolf who was ringing the bell atop a tower at the entrance.

It collapsed sideways and fell, sinking into the ground.

I grabbed a torch and threw it into one of the houses, setting it on fire.

My plans weren't just about killing all the wolves in the village but also burning everything, reducing Eclipse to dust.

A large wolf with light fur charged at my side, leaping in the air to strike me. I crouched, dodging the sharp teeth. It landed a few meters away before turning toward me. I struck my extended finger with my claw into its eye with all my force, exploding the cornea in a mix of water and blood. It growled and howled in pain, trying to pull the damaged eye away from my claws. I didn’t allow it, grabbed its neck, and twisted it to the side, breaking it.

I scanned the village with my eyes, looking for Andrei. He was tearing the head off a female, hissing with his elongated fangs visible.

None of my men were injured as they advanced, killing anyone who appeared in their way and setting the rest on fire, following my orders.

I focused on the bond with Savannah, the soul connection we shared. She was near, but not close enough, as though she was being pulled away from me.

I started to walk when an arrow shot toward me, hitting my arm. The silver pierced my skin, burning and passing through the bone.

I let out a snarl, grinding my teeth. I gripped the arrow’s tip, burning my palm with the silver, and snapped it in half, pulling it out of my skin. I wouldn't be able to heal while it was embedded in me.

I looked back, fixing my gaze on the wolf who had shot me, and then I ran toward him, slashing my claws into his chest, tearing a hole through his slender body. He dropped his bow and fell, bleeding and dying due to the severity of the wound. Not even his genes could heal him from something like that.

The hole in my arm was healing, slowly closing, as bone, skin, and muscle were regenerating.

I walked through the village, crushing the snow beneath my boots. The screams of despair were like music to my ears, and the laments, a sweet melody.

I grabbed a torch hanging from a sconce at the entrance of a house. I broke the glass with my elbow and threw it inside, setting it ablaze.

A she-wolf lunged at me, scratching my chest, tearing skin and blood.

I shook my head and clicked my tongue.

“There is only one omega with the right to do what you did,” I announced, staring the black-haired, brown-eyed female up and down. “And it’s not with those intentions, if you know what I mean.”

She tried to scratch me again, but I grabbed her wrist and twisted it to the side, breaking it. She screamed loudly.

“You damn bastard! Our alpha will deal with you!” she hissed, trying to pull away from me.

I tilted my head, pretending to consider.

“Well… he can try,” I twisted her elbow, breaking another part of her arm. “For your misfortune, you're not on the list of people who deserve to be saved.”

“Fuck you!”

I looked at the growing fire inside the house, engulfing everything inside.

I snorted, rolling my eyes.

“My patience is gone. I need to find my mate.”

I lifted her in my arms as if she weighed nothing, taking her off the ground. Then, with strength, I threw her into the glass window, which exploded upon impact with her large body. The shards scattered everywhere. She rolled inside the burning house, landing in what should have been the dining room. The fire hit her, burning the dress before spreading through her skin and hair.

The she-wolf screamed and tried to get up, run outside, but she didn't have enough strength. The smell of burned flesh hit me. I watched her skin disintegrate until nothing was left but a charred body.

I rubbed my palms on my pants, wiping my hands, and continued on my way, humming softly.

I managed to walk for two streets in peace before being attacked by two more wolves. I tore off one’s head and the other’s heart. My clothes, skin, and hair were soaked in the blood of Eclipse wolves, giving me immense satisfaction, just as I had long desired.

I heard the sound of the arrow being shot the moment I turned my head to the left. I extended my arm, closing my palm around it, keeping it inches from my face.

The silver burned me.

I let out a low grunt and threw the arrow on the ground brusquely. I glared at the wolf who tried to hit me. He looked terrified, trying to adjust another arrow in his bow, pulling it from the quiver on his back.

In the blink of an eye, I was in front of him.

“How dare you?” I asked in a low, threatening whisper.

“Alpha Caspian ordered us to kill you,” he panted, trembling.

I grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground. The wolf groaned and flared his nostrils, trying to breathe, but being prevented.

“Where is Alpha Caspian? Where is my mate?” I narrowed my gaze and brought my face close to his, exhaling the pheromones of fear.

“I… I don’t know,” he gasped, pulling air through the one remaining passage not compressed.

I squeezed his throat a little tighter, feeling his bones crack through my fingers.

“You’d better tell me the truth. I’m about to kill you, one way or another, just choose which way you prefer: more aggressive or less aggressive?”

He shook his head vehemently. His eyes were turning red and the skin of his face was turning purple due to lack of air.

I let out an exasperated sigh and then squeezed my hand tightly. The bones gave way, and the throat ruptured, the trachea being completely crushed by my fingers. His blood exploded onto me. I dropped him, dead, into the snow and wiped my palm on my worn jeans again.

Those wolves liked to die in suffering, no matter how much I tried to be merciful.

I continued my path through the village, peering through the windows of all the houses, trying to find Savannah, Hunter, or Caspian.

I smelled her in one of the streets. My heart raced, and I shot uncontrollably in that direction. I pushed open the semi-closed door of what seemed to be an old, abandoned shed.

Her scent was ingrained in the place, showing she had been there. I entered, flaring my nostrils, sniffing. My wolf had spent a few days in that environment, which explained the strong scent left behind.

A growl rumbled through my chest.