Chapter 22: Broken Ties: The Duel of Love and Duty

(POV: Nicollas)

Now seeing Lina face to face, with her standing at the forefront of Deniel's army, it makes my heart bleed a little more.

Damn... I had so many plans... When I found her, I was going to perform the ritual to official make her the Luna of my territory. Because she already is, or was, mine from the day we cohabited, but now I don't know anything anymore.

I dreamed of our babies running through the garden, us chasing after them. I planned it every night, or day, it doesn't matter. Claiming her completely as mine after one of our senseless fights, spending all the remaining centuries of our lives together...

So many plans, all gone to waste. Why did I deceive myself into thinking she loved me too?

Argh! How foolish I was.

"Supreme?" Lukky's voice snaps me out of my reverie.

"Speak!"

"Are we going to fight against our Luna?" he asks, astonished. "I can't! She's not only my Luna, she's my friend and my sister!"

"Oh, what a lovely thought," I scoff at what I only heard. "Will she think the same way when she rips your head off to eradicate our species?" I ask severe and angrily, looking into his eyes.

"No, I don't think she'll think that way, but one's mistake doesn't justify the other's. It's wrong to go against family, and to me, she is a part of my family. I don't know the reasons that led her to the other side."

I sense my face burning with anger. Even though this idiot knows she won't feel pity for any of us, not even for me as her mate. He refuses to fight because he thinks it's wrong. Argh!

"THEN GO TO THEIR SIDE! AND HELP THEM WIPE OUT OUR SPECIES AND KILL MILLY TOO!" I shout, unable to control my anger and frustration.

"Don't worry, I won't join Deniel's army, but I won't fight against Lina either, and let me take care of Milly. Because I know she would never rise against Lina, even in her current state!" Lukky says, turning his back to me. I watch his figure disappear from my field of vision.

Damn it! I'm so angry at myself for thinking he's right, even though I know she couldn't care less about any of us.

I stop berating myself mentally when I hear Deniel's voice.

"Finally, I will wipe out your entire race!" I look at him, a few steps ahead of his army. I can only hear him because of my perfect wolf hearing for my age. "Nicollas, today will be your last day breathing here."

"Oh, don't make me laugh, Deniel. You know that the only one who won't see the sun rise here again is you."

"We'll see about that," he says with a sinister smile on his lips.

Deniel turns and retreats behind his army.

Coward! He's hiding behind these beasts. Behind Lina!

"ATTACK!" Deniel shouts from the other side. Lina raises her sword and starts running, with the beasts following behind.

"FOR OUR SPECIES!" I shout, and all the warriors (including me) transform and together we head into the war, where we will fight for our future.

In front of my lupine army, I make my way through the beasts. Heading straight for Lina and stopping only a few steps in front of her. I watch her sheathe her sword and hand it to one of the creatures. Without breaking eye contact with me, she transforms, and for a brief moment. I notice hesitation in my companion, but it apace fades away.

The air is heavy and, although the facts are clear, it hurts to be on the opposite side of my beloved companion. Lina has become an enemy. Not only for me, but for our entire species.

We position ourselves for attack, our fur standing on end and our fangs bared.

We circle each other, our eyes locked in an intense duel. The scent of the battlefield surrounds us. Mingling with the adrenaline coursing through our veins. I can feel raw strength pulsating in my muscles.

Lina lunges, her fangs bared, trying to strike me with her sharp claws. I swiftly dodge, narrowly avoiding her attack. I counter with a quick strike, aiming to catch Lina off guard. But she is fast, evading my blow with agility and grace.

Lina bites down hard on my shoulder, warm blood dripping to the ground. I roar in pain but use my hind legs to kick her abdomen and push her away. My blood flows abundant. I sense the tension among my pack members, after all, I, the alpha supreme, am bleeding. But soon, my wound stops bleeding, and everyone returns to focusing on their own battles.

Lina snarls at me, and I can smell the mixture of my blood and her saliva. Irritated, I charge towards her, propelling myself on my hind legs, leaping onto Lina. But she turns and strikes me with her front paws. We tumble to the ground, exchanging blows, claws, and bites, blood flowing from both of us as we give it our all.

We exchange blows, our paws connecting with force. Each impact reverberating through our bodies. I try desperate to communicate with her, but it seems as though we are blocked.

As the fight intensifies, I can see the conflict in Lina's eyes. Part of her still remembers the love we shared, the bond we once had. But it is overshadowed by the darkness that has consumed her. Leading her to align herself with our sworn enemy.

With each clash, memories flash before my eyes-images of the moments we shared, of the first time I saw her in the forest, of when I memorized every inch of her body, and of when we made love for the first time. Yet, I cannot let sentimentality cloud my judgment. I must protect my pack, my family, and defend the survival of our species.

We continue to duel, our growls and roars filling the air. The ground beneath our paws trembles with the intensity of our fight. Blood stains our fur, a testament to the ferocity of our battle.

Lina's attacks grow more desperate, but I refuse to surrender. I fight for what is right, for the harmony we once knew and can still reclaim.

Now the time for the true clash has come. Lina and I are competing for dominance. But unlike before, I sense my body forced to lower itself. Lina is much stronger than before. She snarls fiercely, heightening her dominance even more. Despite utilizing every ounce of strength in my body, I kneel before Lina's dominance. Everyone around us stops and watches as Lina stands before me, and I bow my head, crushed by her dominance.

I don't whimper or beg for mercy; I am on the ground, wounded and exhausted. I struggle to catch my breath, my body aching from the wounds inflicted upon me. I can no longer heal my wounds. My body is forced back into its human form, and the transformation is agonizing, as if it were the first time. I sense even weaker in my original form.

Lina, her once fierce and determined eyes now filled with a mixture of triumph and sorrow, approaches me. She also reverts to her human form. I notice many scars on her naked body; she indeed worked hard to become stronger than me.

One of the beasts under Lina's command approaches and hands her the sword. She draws the blade from its sheath and holds it firm.

I stare at her, my own eyes filled with a mixture of defiance and resignation. She raises the sword, pointing it towards my chest. The weight of her decision hangs heavy in the air, and I prepare myself for what is to come.

In that moment, time seems to stand still. I see the conflict within Lina, the struggle between duty and love. The bond we once shared is now fractured, shattered by the choices we've made and the path we've taken.

I close my eyes, preparing myself for the end. A mix of emotions floods through me-regret for the lost possibilities, sadness for the love that once burned brilliance between us, and acceptance of my fate. I have fought fierce, but I understand that in this battle, my defeat is inevitable.

The sound of steel cutting the air reaches my ears and I wait for the impact. For the pain that will extinguish my existence.