Chapter 103
Elara’s POV
“Kill a friend?” My voice barely rose above a whisper, but the words burned with rage in my chest.
I couldn’t believe it. Not in a million years. This wasn’t what we had signed up for. This this was insane,
“Fuck them” Relen’s voice cracked through the tension, a snarl curling in his words. “They’re fucking with us, Elara. Do you see this? They’re playing games with our lives.”
Thorne, as usual, was calm, Too calm. His gaze swept over the arena, his jaw clenched, eyes cold like ice. I hated the look in his eyes. The one that meant he was already thinking about how to tum this to his advantage.
“The Rogue King is here somewhere,” he said, his voice deep, low, like a predator sizing up its prey.
“How do you know? Raclen frowned, his gaze flickering nervously over the crowd.
“I have a feeling.” Thome replied, his tone unshaken. “And someone like him wouldn’t miss such a grand performance.”
He scanned the stands, his lips curling into a small, dangerous smile.
“it’d be best to kill him now, before the night ends”
I bit my lip. Thome was right about one thing–this was the perfect chance to strike. The Rogue King could be among them, and we couldn’t waste it. But then again, the risk was immense. We didn’t even have our wolves. How could we possibly fight him without that advantage?
“Okay, let’s pretend we find him out there,” Raelon spoke up again, his voice tinged with concern. “But how do you plan to face the Rogue King without your noli?”
Thorne stretched, his body exuding confidence and arrogance. I could almost feel his energy pulling at the air,
“You never know unless you try,” he said, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
“No! Hell not” Raelen shook his head furiously. “You’re strong, Thorne, I know that. But the Rogue King? You’ve seen him. We’ve fought him for decades. We couldn’t even finish him off with everything we had. And now, you think you can take him down without your wolf? This alliance can’t lose you!”
Jory, standing a little off to the side, nodded in agreement, his expression grim, “agree. It’s too risky. We’ll find another chance.”
Thorne’s gaze hardened, his voice ice–cold, “I won’t leave here empty–handed”
My chest tightened. I knew Thome. He was relentless, never backing down from a fight. But this wasn’t just another battle, it was the kind of fight that
could kill them all.
“And if that accomplishment ends with your death Racen challenged “The Rogue King will love that. It’s two against one now, Thorne, Elara, what do you say?
All eyes turned to me, their silent plea hanging heavy in the air. I clenched my jaw, my heart pounding in my throat. Thome had always been fearless, charging into danger without hesitation. It was one of the things I admired most about him, but this… this was different.
Topened my mouth to speak, but my words caught. How could I let him do this?
Before I could form a coherent thought, a voicerang out from the stands, cutting through the tension.
“What’s the delay here? I don’t have all night”
Jory hissed in frustration, his voice urgent. “Let’s go, before it’s too late, Alpha Thanel”
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Chapter 103
But Thome didn’t badge. His eyes locked onto minu
the weight of his store like a physical for
“must me on this, Elara,” he urged, his voice more intense than had ever heard it.
I could feel my pulse in my fingertips. The decision was too big, no hovy. My thenat rightened as I tried to speak, but
Then I heard the unmidakable sound of something scraping the ground. A noise that shouldn’t have been there, shouldn’t have bee happening.
Twhipped around just in time to see Bex pick up a knife, the metal glinting under the moonlight. My breath hitched in my throat.
“What the fuck are you doing, Bex?!” I cried out, my voice higher than I meant it to be, panic starting to build in my chest.
He stood a few steps away, his hands gripping the life with determination in his eyes.
“Don’t be stupid, Bex!” Raelen barked, his voice shaking with raw anger. “Drop the fucking knife?”
But Bes didn’t move. He just stood there, his jaw clenched, eyes hollow, lost. I couldn’t breathe. Was he really going to kill one of us?
“I’m sorry, prys” Bex’s voice was hearse, barely audible.
I watched, helpless, as his grip tightened around the handle.
“But I can’t do this anymore. I’ve come this far, and it feels like nothing’s changing. All the sleepless nights, the regrets…it’s tearing me apart
Jory growled low, his wolf form suddenly springing to file in front of me, his massive body blocking the path to Bee
“Drop the knife, Bex!” Thorne commanded, his voice sharp like a whip
But Bex smiled, a bitter twist to his lips. The smile was small, sad–defeated.
Then, without warning, he turned the blade inward, pressing it to his own chest.
“No!” I screamed, my legs already moving before my brain caught up.
But it was too late.
Bex collapsed to the ground, the life leaving his eyes too quickly for us to stop it. Blood poured from the wound as Raelen knelt beside him, his hands pressing uselessly against the growing crimson stain.
“Why, Box? Why?” Ruelen sobbed, the raw pain in his voice shattering me. “Why the fuck, man?!”
Bex’s eyes flickered weakly. “You have to kill him,” he whispered, barely audible. “You have to kill him for Serena Avenge her…”
His voice trailed off, and a fragile smile played on this lips, as though he had found some small measure of peace. “I was a traitor, but I couldn’t keep living with it. Just make it count. Kill him… for both of us.”
Tears filled my eyes, my chest breaking with the weight of his final words.
Thorne gripped his hand as it fell limp. “You have my word,” he muttered, his voice dark and filled with a promise.
Bex let out one last breath, his eyes lifting to the full moon above. “Serena,” he whispered.
And then he was gone.
I stood there, stunned. My entire world had just tilted. Everything had shattered. Bexwds dead. And we were no closer to killing the Rogue
before.
“We can’t let Bex’s death be for nothing.” Thorne said, his voice quiet but fierce.
Chapter 103
He looked at Jory, who was silent for a moment. After a few long seconds, Jory nodded reluctantly.
Thorne’s gare shifted back to me, his intensity never wavering: “Remember what I told you before we left Cragin Fortress?
I blinked, my heart racing, Whit was he talking about?
Jory met Thorne’s pace, a silent understanding passing between them.
Thorne’s eyes softened for a montent before he said, “Stick to the plan when the time comes.”
Stick to the plan? What plan?
I didn’t know what they were talking about, and I couldn’t ask, not now. The situation was too grim..
Before I could wrap my head around anything, a loud, manic laughter rang out from the stands.
We all turned, startled by the sound.
A tall figure stood up from the crowd, moving toward us with an ease that made my stomach twist.
When he finally stopped into the light, I saw him.
Lance.
The Rogue King,
It all clicked into place. The kind, helpful blacksmith I had once saved from the rogue’s hands. The one who had been hiding in plain sight
The same man who had killed Serena.
And Miela.
“Why the furious look, my friends?” Lance chuckled, the joy in his voice sickening
It hit me like a ton of bricks. All the lies, all the betrayals. He was the one pulling the strings the entire time.
The one who’d destroyed everything.
Thorne’s eyes burned with rage.
“Because you’ve been hiding in the shadows like a fucking rat,” he spat
Lance just laughed. “True. But not everyone is bom with an Alpha aura, Still, it’s not too late. Today’s the day we finally meet, isn’t it?”
Thorne’s muscles tensed. “Yes,” he growled, his lists clenched. “And it’s the day you die.
Without another word, Thorne leapt forward, his roar shaking the air around us. His Alpha power surged through the arena, knocking everyone–Lance included–back in stunned silence.
And just like that, Thorne was upon him, gripping Lante’s throat with a deadly strength.
With a sickening crack, Lance’s neck snapped like a twig
The Rogue King was dead.
