Chapter 148
LUCIAN’S P.O.V.
The screams echoed through the woods, sharper and more desperate now. My ears twitched, honing in on the sounds. Ares growled low in my mind, my instincts screaming at me to move, to protect.
“Teresa, get on,” I commanded, my voice a growl that left no room for argument.
“Lucian p>
“Now!” My tone softened slightly. “Please p>
I felt her hands grip my fur, hesitant but firm, before she hoisted herself onto my back. The moment her weight settled, I bolted through the woods, my paws barely brushing the ground. The wind howled past us, the trees a blur in my heightened senses. Every sound—every heartbeat, every rustle of leaves—painted a vivid picture of the chaos awaiting us.
“Lucian, what’s happening?” Teresa’s voice trembled, but I could hear the steel beneath the fear. She wasn’t just scared; she was ready to fight.
I reached out through the mind link. “Rylan. What’s going on p>
His response came almost instantly, his voice taut with urgency. “Intruders. There’s been a breach. Someone from the pack let them in. Wolves are everywhere—hostile, vicious. We’re holding them off, but it’s bad. We need you here now p>
The growl that ripped through me was pure fury. Betrayal within my pack? The thought was like poison.
“Hold them off. I’m coming.” I responded, pushing myself faster. The trees whipped past, the forest floor a blur beneath my paws.
Teresa’s fingers tightened against my fur. “Lucian, what is it?” she asked, her voice laced with panic.
“It’s a breach,” I said through the link, my voice clipped. “Intruders in the pack. We’ll handle it,” I reassured her.
I felt her tense on my back, her hands gripping tighter. “The children—Lucian, the babies p>
Her panic was like a knife to my chest. “Max, Adam,” I snapped through the link, “I need you to meet Teresa at the pack house. Escort her to check on the children and protect them at all costs. No excuses p>
“Understood, Alpha,” came Max’s steady reply, followed by Adam’s quick, “We’re on it p>
I felt Teresa relax slightly at my words, but I knew her mind was still spinning. She trusted me, but she was ready to tear anyone apart to protect those kids.
The pack house came into view, and the scene hit me like a tidal wave. Wolves everywhere. The metallic tang of blood filled the air, so thick it was suffocating. The snarls, growls, and pained cries of wolves locked in battle painted a chaotic tapestry of sound and smell. My senses allowed me to feel everything—the pulse of every heart, the precise position of every wolf, the movement of claws and fangs.
Teresa slid off my back as I came to a halt. Her hand brushed my fur, lingering for a moment. Then she did something that made both me and Ares freeze. She leaned down and kissed the top of my massive wolf head.
Ares practically preened, his delight radiating through me.
Then Teresa did another thing that made my chest tighten. “Ares,” she said, her voice soft but steady. It was the first time she’d spoken to him directly since that night in Adrian’s Valley. “Take care of Lucian. Take care of yourself and this pack. I’m trusting you p>
The happiness surging through Ares was almost overwhelming. He had waited for this moment.
“I will,” he rumbled back to her, his voice echoing through the link. “And Lucian Her voice softened, a rare vulnerability slipping through. “Don’t die on me p>
Before I could respond, she was gone, sprinting toward the double doors of the pack house. I watched her go, stunned and—if I was honest—grateful. Ares broke into my thoughts, his voice filled with determination. “She kissed me, Lucian. Did you feel it? She kissed me. And she spoke to me p>
I chuckled darkly. “Don’t let it go to your head p>
“Too late. Tonight, I’ll show them all what happens when they mess with our pack p>
We turned toward the battlefield, and Ares surged forward, our movements in perfect harmony. We tore through the intruders like a storm, claws and fangs finding their marks with deadly precision. But even as I fought, something gnawed at me. The scent of these wolves—familiar yet wrong—stuck in my mind.
“These wolves are from Alpha Edmond’s pack.” Ares’s voice was incredulous, his confusion mirroring my own. Edmond was an ally, a friend. Why would his wolves be here, attacking us?
I didn’t have time to dwell on the thought. Another wolf lunged at me, and I dispatched it with a swipe of my claws. The fury boiling inside me reached its peak. I threw my head back and let out a commanding howl, a sound so powerful it pierced through the chaos like ice.
The fighting stopped almost instantly, every wolf turning to face me. I shifted back to my human form, my voice echoing with authority as I addressed the intruders. “You’re from Alpha Edmond’s pack, aren’t you?” My tone was cold, steady. “Why are you attacking us? Edmond is my ally, my friend. What is the meaning of this betrayal p>
No one answered. My anger surged. The air was thick with tension, every wolf waiting for someone else to speak. Then, from amidst the chaos, I heard it—a voice I knew well, calm and unhurried, yet carrying an edge that could cut through steel.
“Lucian p>
My heart stilled. I didn’t need my eyes to recognize that voice. Edmond. I heard his footsteps, slow and deliberate, moving toward me through the carnage. Every instinct screamed at me to prepare for the worst, but a part of me clung to disbelief.
Could Edmond—the man who had stood by me through so much—really be the one behind this?
“Edmond?” I breathed, my voice barely audible.
But he heard me. Of course, he did. And his response, cool and measured as ever, sent a chill down my spine. “I came across a little curious tale, Lucian, and I was like why not? Let’s talk p>
I stood frozen, the weight of his words crashing down on me as the world around us seemed to hold its breath.