Page 74 of Alpha's Exiled Mate
“Sam, take over command from here,” I ordered. “I’m going to deal with Jackson myself.”
Without waiting for Sam’s response, I mounted my horse and led a small squad of personal guards charging towardJackson’s position. Several enemy soldiers tried to block our path, but they quickly fell under my blade. When Jackson saw me approaching, the smirk on his face vanished, replaced by a mix of fear and rage.
“It’s over, Jackson,” I said coldly. “Your betrayal and schemes end here.”
“Is that so?” he sneered with a mocking laugh. “Do you think I’d be defeated so easily? You’ve forgotten one thing, Perock—I never have just one plan.”
His words sent a shiver of caution through me, but there was no turning back now—the battle was inevitable, like an arrow already drawn on the bowstring. We clashed fiercely, our swords striking with a deafening clang, sparks flying with every brutal impact.
Jackson’s swordsmanship was impressive, I’ll admit, but his ability to shift into wolf form was far inferior to mine. After a few intense exchanges, I seized a fleeting moment of opportunity, a mere few seconds of vulnerability, and transformed into my wolf form. My body shifted with a guttural growl, muscles tightening, fur bristling like steel needles, and my eyes glowing with primal, untamed ferocity. I could sense him gathering his strength to transform as well, but I wasn’t about to give him the chance.
In my wolf form, my speed and power surged dramatically. My claws sliced through the air like razor-sharp blades as I lunged at Jackson. He raised his sword in a desperate attempt to block, but I was too fast for him to react. With a powerful swipe of my paw, I sent his weapon flying from his grip, the blade clattering to the ground with a sharp, metallic ring. Jackson stumbled backward, his face contorted with fear as he tried to muster the energy to counterattack. But my assault was relentless, a storm of fury with no pause for mercy. With a deep, menacing growl, I pounced forward, my fangs sinking into his shoulder. The sheer force of my attack pinned him to the ground.He struggled, thrashing beneath me, but in my wolf form, I held the absolute upper hand. My claws pressed down on his chest, immobilizing him completely.
“Surrender, Jackson.” I roared in a low, guttural voice, my fangs still clamped around his shoulder as blood slowly seeped out. His eyes burned with defiance and frustration, but his body was too weak to fight back. Finally, he gritted his teeth and let out a furious yet helpless snarl.
He lifted his head, glaring at me with pure hatred in his eyes.
“You can’t win, Perock. Even if you kill me, your days are numbered. The curse will claim your life, and my followers will take your kingdom...”
“My life may be doomed to be short,” I replied calmly, my tone cold and resolute, “but I’ll make sure that before it ends, you and every last one of your conspirators are wiped out.”
With that, my jaws tightened, my fangs piercing deeper into his flesh. Blood gushed as he let out a final, agonized groan. Jackson’s life ended there—his body convulsed once before going limp, his head falling to the side, the hatred in his eyes frozen in the moment of death. I released my grip and slowly rose to my feet, my wolf form still radiating an aura of dominance as the metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air.
Reverting to my human form, I stood tall as Sam hurried over with my battle robe and armor. I quickly donned them, the weight of the gear grounding me after the ferocity of the fight. Raising my bloodstained sword high, I let out a thunderous roar to my soldiers. “Keep fighting! Crush the remaining enemies!”
Bolstered by my command, my army’s morale soared. They swiftly overwhelmed the enemy forces within the city walls. The remaining adversaries, seeing their defeat imminent, began to flee in disarray. But just as they turned to escape, reinforcements from Fellinger arrived from their rear, forminga perfect encirclement. The outcome of the battle was sealed—Jackson’s rebellion was utterly crushed.
I stood at the center of the battlefield, surveying the scene around me. My soldiers were rounding up prisoners and tending to the wounded. The victory had come more easily than I’d anticipated, and that ease stirred a flicker of unease within me. Jackson’s final words echoed in my mind: “I always have a backup plan.”
The smoke of battle slowly dissipated, and the joy of triumph spread among my troops. Yet, my heart grew heavier with each passing moment, an ominous feeling settling over me like a dark cloud.
“Your Majesty, urgent news from the palace!” a messenger shouted as he rode up at a gallop. “Lieutenant Orin has led a squad through the palace guards and is heading toward the safe house!”
My heart sank like a stone. Lilia and Anna were still there!
“Assemble the royal guard! We return to the palace immediately!” I barked the order, swinging onto my horse despite the exhaustion and pain coursing through my body. I spurred the steed forward, racing toward the castle at breakneck speed.
Along the way, the signs of conflict were unmistakable. The bodies of palace guards littered the corridors, and the walls bore the scars of sword strikes and streaks of blood. My pulse quickened with every step, dread tightening its grip on me.
The magic protecting the safe house had been shattered. Orin took them away.
I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, focusing on the bond I shared with Lilia to sense their condition. Within moments, a vision flashed before me, chilling my blood to ice.
I had distrusted Orin for a long time, but I never imagined he’d break through the defensive magic. There he was, holdinga dagger to Anna’s throat. My little girl’s small frame trembled under his control, tears streaming down her pale face.
Lilia stood just a few steps away, her eyes blazing with the fierce, protective rage of a mother beast ready to defend her cub at any cost.
Chapter 24
Lilia
My entire body trembled, but not out of fear—out of rage. The man before me, once a trusted lieutenant, now held a dagger to my daughter’s throat. Anna’s small frame shivered in his grasp, tears soaking her little face. In that moment, I could feel the wolf within me howling, yearning to tear apart this enemy who threatened my cub.
“The castle’s wards are broken,” Orin said, his voice a cold, mocking sneer, his dark eyes glinting with a triumphant malice that made my blood boil. “Jackson’s reserve forces are closing in. Perock’s reign is over, Lilia. It’s only a matter of time.”
Anna was under his control, her face filled with fear, and my heart felt like it was shattering. But then, over Orin’s shoulder, I caught sight of Perock hidden among the bushes.
Perock’s expression was grave. I could sense the suppressed fury radiating from him, yet he didn’t act rashly. Instead, he gave me a subtle nod. We both understood that, right now, Anna’s safety was the top priority.