Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Reuben
Willow fell into Dark’s trap because of me! My heart sank with this dreadful realization. She sensed my wolf disappearing and on the brink of death. If I had resisted the effects of the silver and wolfsbane earlier, she wouldn’t have panicked. Clearly, if Ceri had also vanished, I would have been triggered as well. The most triggering thing for her must have been the imperial decree for my execution. She must have gone somewhere to prove my innocence, but where? Palace or Wade
Moon!
I clenched my fist in anger, my claws emerging as I grabbed Black’s hair while he coughed and rolled on the ground for air.
“WHERE HAS SHE GONE?” I yelled at his flushed face and wet eyes. He had just returned from the gates of Hell, his whole body was shivering, his throat burned like crazy. “TELL ME QUICKLY YOU F**KER, WHERE HAS SHE BEEN LURED TO?!” I gritted my teeth, nearly ripping his hair out.
He gasped out in pain as he glared into my eyes for a moment before an evil smile crept onto his lips. “My dear cousin, you always were everyone’s favorite, the powerful Alpha Reuben that the entire world is afraid of, wants me to reveal where his soulmate is?” he taunted, relishing in my panic.
As he said that, my hand gripping his hair shook in anger. Black was a few months older than me and the only son of the Alpha King. We grew up in the palace together, but Black and I were like Earth and Moon. He believed that he was the best at everything, studies, sports, fighting, even when it came to proper etiquette. He was the perfect Prince, a gem to the Kingdom and its future.
On the contrary, I was the rebellious carefree Prince who disregarded rules and regulations, never took anything seriously, and believed in living in the present. The future didn’t concern me; I simply studied, fought, and engaged in activities to pass the time occasionally to avoid my father’s nagging. Simply put I was temperamental and loathed being constrained by laws and regulations.
However, when we turned sixteen the Alpha King selected me as the Crown Prince instead of his own son. I became his primary choice to ascend to the throne in the future. Naturally, Black, who had meticulously groomed himself into the very image of a flawless King since childhood in order to inherit his father’s position, couldn’t bear the fact that his father didn’t deem him worthy of wearing the crown.
Since that day, things between Black and I had become strange. He distanced himself from me without a word. I was not blind to his actions or the cause behind them. I detested when power and money disrupt relationships. Therefore, I personally informed my father of my decision to abdicate the throne. I had never aspired to the throne. Naturally, my father was enraged. He desired nothing more than for me to become King and govern the realm. As always, we engaged in a heated argument that concluded with his inquiry: why had I refused the crown? At that moment, I lacked an answer to his question. However, a few days later, when I encountered Willow, I discovered my answer. She gave purpose to my life, loving a person who could not love himself. She embraced the real me, flaws and all.
I yearned to live a life filled with love alongside my soulmate, where no one would dictate our fate. Therefore, I informed the King that I refused to accept the crown. While he expressed disappointment in my decision, I cared little as being with Willow was my sole desire. In order to be relieved of my claim to the crown, I had to accept a term of service to the royal family of five years, that consisted of wars and fights. Following my rejection, the King had no other option but to crown Black. From that day forth, I visited the palace sparingly, ensuring that the chances of encountering Black were slim to none. I simply couldn’t bear the sight of him, as it served as a constant reminder
of how he showed his colors because of the crown during that time. In essence, I unofficially severed ties with him that day.
Over time, I moved on from what happened, but Black remained trapped in the past. Unable to come to terms with being his father’s second choice, he clung to the crown I had discarded.
“You….” I seized his throat, locking eyes with him. “How dare you involve my innocent soulmate in your pathetic vendetta? Trading your dignity as a person and a royal to Dark just to spite me?” My eyes burned with fury, my claws poised to tear into his throat.
“Did you misunderstand something?” he chuckled, causing me to pause, “I can’t deny that I wanted revenge against you and used your beloved mate’s betrayal, but I desire something greater. Something far superior. Something only attainable through the deal I struck with Dark,” he looked proud.
“YOU F**KING MUTT!!” I lost my mind and started punching him continuously. “WHAT KIND OF DEAL DID YOU MAKE USING MY MATE?!” I roared, nearly ruining his face, never giving him a chance to defend or attack.
escape
His eyes flashed with pain and fear. He realized that after a few more hits he was going to die. There was no way he could
from the hold I had on him. That’s when Black did what could save his life. He used his royal powers that we could use once in our life to escape. With his energy, I was thrown away from his body. Ignoring the pain and my bleeding head, I looked over only to find him gone.
“F**KKKK…” I roared in anger, punching on the ground. What kind of deal had he made with Dark?! It was obviously related to Willow. “AAAARRGGHH…” I punched the ground again and again
before I got up and blankly looked up to the sky.
I murmured to myself, “This world… can really not stand to see Willow and I together…”
That’s when my sanity finally snapped.
Willow
In my life, my fear had a face and a name. I didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse, but I had the uncanny ability to recognize the real him.
“Welcome home, Rose,” Dark smiled at me.
“You…” My eyes widened, and my voice stuck in my throat. How could he be in the Wade Moon Pack? Where was Alpha Benjamin, and why was the whole pack deserted as if everyone was dead? My limbs were paralyzed under his mismatched gaze,
all I could feel was terror rising in my heart.
I was not hallucinating this time. He truly was standing in front of me. His predatory mismatched eyes, aggressive aura, and superior evil presence all indicated that my living breathing nightmare was standing before me.
But if Dark was in front of me then Black…
Suddenly, my heart pounded in my chest as fear gripped me, I realized that I had fallen into a trap. Black with his imperial decree and the abduction of Reuben, had assisted in orchestrating all of this to trap me.
“I love the look of surprise and fear in your eyes, Rose,” he walked closer to me, each step increasing my heartbeat to the point where I wondered if it would fail.
“You… framed Reuben…” my voice was barely audible.
His expression immediately turned ugly, “Did you just say another man’s name in front of me?” his eyes turned red. “How dare you disrespect me, Rose?” The look in his eyes was akin to a predator that was ready to pounce on its prey.
I clenched my dress at my side, “I saw you in my dreams.” His expression immediately changed to surprise, but I continued. “You have not aged at all. You call me Rose and…”
“And what?” his eyes shone in excitement at hearing the desired word.
“And you are not my soulmate,” I remarked.
As soon as he heard me, his excitement vanished and fury took over. “Rose, you…” just as he began to charge at me, I stepped back at lightning speed, but then something fell between us causing me to flinch. I looked down only to find the Crown Prince Black lying on the ground.
I gasped at the sight of his almost lifeless state. His face was hardly recognizable. How was he suddenly able to appear in the Wade Moon packhouse? And if he was here, then where was my Reuben? And the execution…
“D… Dark…” he crawled on the ground towards Dark’s feet.
Dark remained unmoving, his emotionless gaze fixed on Black. “I completed my part of the deal,” Black wheezed out with great difficulty, giving a hard cough as he looked up to Dark, I separated Willow and Reuben and lured Willow to Wade Moon. Now… make me your heir…” a thick layer of greed flashed in Black’s eyes.
Heir? He made a deal to become Dark’s heir? I looked at them in a confused panic.
“Make me your…” just before Black could continue, Dark grabbed his neck and dug all his claws into it.
“Want to be my heir?” he whispered, causing Black’s eyes to roll back as a large amount of blood gushed out of his mouth, he could no longer struggle.
I recoiled in horror, placing a hand over my mouth as I witnessed Black gasping for his last breath. Then, in a swift motion Dark snapped Black’s neck with a flick of his wrist. “Try again in your next life,” he remarked coldly as he discarded Black’s lifeless body.
I nearly screamed as I watched Black’s body be impaled on a sharp animal showcase.
He could not even make a noise or struggle before he died. My entire body trembled at the sight of his broken neck and torn abdomen. Slowly, I shifted my gaze back to Dark, who stared at me with the intensity of a deranged beast.
“Come here, Mate…” he ordered, his voice heavy and eyes emotionless.
I took a step back in fear, looking at him with wide eyes. He had once again called me… mate. My whole body turned cold as the memory of him trying to violate me weakened my whole being.
He saw me taking a few steps back and his eyes turned red.
“F**KING COME HERE!” he roared.
“NO!” Screaming in fear, I immediately turned around and ran to the door. Those five steps to the door frame seemed miles away when I was desperate to get away. However, just as I was a step away, the door shut itself. I paused flinching only to feel a violet grip on my hair from behind.
“HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT RUNNING AWAY AGAIN?!” Dark turned me around and barked on my
face.
“Let me go!” I screamed, placing my hands on my hair to make him loosen his bloody grip as I stared at him with fearful
eyes.
“Are you not going to call your soulmate for help like you did last time?” he sneered.
“Let’s call him together,” he remarked, clenching my hair tighter.
“REUBEN!” he yelled, looking at me. “That is how you call him, right?
“REUBEN, COME AND SAVE ME!” he yelled again, but his red eyes never turned away from mine.
I witnessed a different level of insanity in his eyes. It was as if he wanted me to call Reuben. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“REUBEN!”
“REUBEN!!”
“REUBEN!!”
“F**KING MAN TG4
he in my face.
My whole body shivered in horror as I realized one thing, that if Reuben came then…
Before I could think more the door of the packhouse was broken down. Dark glanced at the door and the corner of his lips raised lightly, “He came.”