Chapter Eighty Five

CHRIS

I, Chris Parker, the vibrant leader and alpha of the hallowed manes pack was now subjected to a life of misery. My guards who were once my loyal subordinates were now against me, torturing the hell out of me.

I endured the torment of the dungeon with only one motive in mind, vengeance. The pain of the wolfsbane coursing my veins only served as fuel to my determination. I gritted my teeth in agony as the wolfsbane began to take its toll on me. But I refused to give my captors the satisfaction of seeing my falter.

After much torture, Lothar decided to pay me a visit. The scorn on his face infuriated me, causing me to curse under my breath.

"You look a mess, Chris. I didn't reckon that my boys would be this harsh to their Alpha," he mocked.

"You bloody traitor. I should give it to you. You played your game so well, betraying both father and son," I said.

"Oh please don't flatter me. I was just one step ahead of you folks in everything. You know, I wasn't originally from here. Your father took me in and made me his beta. How could he trust a total stranger?" Lothar said.

"The elders warned him against me but he turned deaf ears to their warnings. He was a foolish man."

Lothar continued to spin tales of his betrayal and deceit while I listened with a steely resolve. Now I knew the depth of Lothar's treachery and my blood boiled at his audacity.

"Renounce the throne for me and I might spare you for old times sake."

"You're crazy. I'll never renounce my throne for you, never," I sneered.

Lothar laughed. "This is not a negotiation, Chris."

"Kill me instead. I'll never give up my right to you," I said with determination and a new sense of resolve.

Lothar fumed. "I will give you until nightfall to make up your mind, otherwise I'll make your little mate a toy for my guards."

"I'll fight you until my last breath," I yelled.

As I spoke, my heart clenched with fear for Lucy. The thought of her falling into the clutches of those traitors consumed me. I knew I was powerless to save her in my current predicament.

As Lothar departed, I began to plot ways to escape from this place. My beta, Glen, weak as well tried to come up with a perfect plan to escape. Our minds raced with strategies and contingencies.

"We will get out of here, I promise," Glen said. "And when we do, we will make Lothar pay for his crimes. No one threatens my pack and gets away with it."

At nightfall, I expected Lothar to show up like he said he would but he didn't. That wasn't my major concern, my main worry was Lucy. I hadn't set my eyes on my since the day we were captured, Lothar had held her in a separate place.

One cold night, while we were asleep, I heard the dangling sound of keys at the gate. At first, I had thought it was Lothar until I sensed the presence of Lucy. Her eyes were filled with tears and fear as she struggled to find the right key to the gates.

"Lucy, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm getting you out of here," she said, her voice trembling.

"No, find a way out of this place. I'll come find you when all of this is over," I said but she shook her head in disapproval.

She continued to struggle with the locks, her body shaking visibly. Just then, Lothar and his guards came in. Immediately they grabbed her, taking the keys away from her.

"You think you can outsmart me," Lothar said, pulling her hair.

"Get your hands off her. This is between you and I, let her go," I snapped.

"I will if you renounce your throne for ms," Lothar said.

"Never!! You'll have to kill me instead," I said, my voice filled with determination.

"Alright, if that's what you want. Boys, she's all yours," Lothar said, handing Lucy over to them.

Lucy screamed as she was carried away by the guards. "Let me go!!" she cried.

"Whatever happens to her tonight is your fault," Lothar said and departed.

I banged the gate in rage as I continued to hear Lucy's screams. The more her screams grew louder, the more my rage grew.

My blood boiled in fury, and my wolf too growled in pain as I thought of the things they did to her. The thought of it made my rage grow as I fumed.

As the chaos erupted around me, I felt my humanity slip away, consumed by the primal rage of my wolf. With each passing moment, the boundaries between man and beast blurred until I was no longer human.

My transformation was swift and brutal, my muscles rippling as I tore through the dungeon gate with force.

The sound of Lucy's screams mingled with the pounding of my heart as I fought to reach her. My mind was consumed with only one purpose; to protect her at all cost. The guards who had dared to touch her were now filled with terror at the sight of my wolf.

With anger, I carved a path of destruction through my enemies. My dark red eyes glared into theirs, I growled ferociously as my claw tore at their flesh.

They screamed and pleaded for mercy but I didn't listen.

After I had killed them all, I sought after Lucy, my senses honed to a razor's edge as I searched for her. Eventually, I found her hiding in a corner, her eyes widened in fear at the monstrous figure before her.

I gave out a low growl of reassurance, as I nudged her gently with my fur. Gradually I returned to my human form, pulling her close to me.

"I'm here, nothing is going to happen to you. I'll protect you," I assured.

I handed her over to Glen. "Stay with her. I'll end this madness tonight."

Leaving them behind, I went in search of Lothar. My anger fumed as I recalled all that the mage told me. All this while he had been the enemy within and I was too blind to see it. I was going to make him pay for betraying my trust.

"Looking for me," Lothar called from a distance. He stood arms akimbo with a grin on his face. "Let's get this over with."

My upper lips curled over my sharp incisors. "You traitor!" I said in wolf speak.

Without another word, I launched at Lothar, claws spread and ready to kill.

Lothar and I collided, tearing at each other. He swiped at me, cutting a gash in my ear. I bit into his shoulder, he groaned and tried to shake me off but my fangs were pierced deep into his flesh.

Soon my teeth lost grip and I fell to the ground. "What makes you think a tiny pup like you can go against me?" Lothar snapped.

I yanked him backward and threw him into a thick tree, cracking his ribs. He fell to the ground in a thud, breathing heavily and wincing from the pain.

I sauntered towards him, a smirk implanted on my face. I towered over him, who kept his head down. He was bleeding and weak so I had the advantage.

Without any sense of remorse, I struck him with my paw, his blood splattering over my body. "This is for my father," I said.

Striking him again, I said. "This is for my pack."

Lothar laid there, laughing weakly. "You're tougher than I thought," he said, whining in pain.

I stood over him, watching as life slowly slipped out of him. I got the revenge I wanted but this was far from over.