Chapter 18 The King's Decree

The rhythmic BEEP… BEEP… BEEP of the self-destruct sequence pulsed through the entire Thorne tower, a chilling countdown that vibrated through Caleb’s very bones. The golden dome of Scarlett’s spirit-shield flickered violently around them, struggling to hold against the dual assault of the Void-Curse and the building’s collapsing infrastructure.

“You won’t get out of here, Blackwood!” Julian snarled, a twisted smile on his face even as Caleb’s claws dug deeper into his throat. “The Lunar Key fragment is bound to this building’s core. It will dissolve with us. And my sister’s pathetic soul will finally find its end!”

'Caleb, he’s telling the truth! The core’s energy is draining the fragment!' Scarlett’s astral voice screamed in his mind, her form within the jade pendant flickering like a dying ember. 'You have to get the fragment out, or my body won’t have enough spiritual tether to survive!'

Caleb’s golden eyes narrowed to lethal slits. He looked at the glowing fragment in Julian’s hand, then at his own chest where Scarlett’s fading spirit resided. He knew he couldn’t choose. His wolf, roaring in his soul, demanded both.

With a savage snarl, Caleb slammed Julian against the wall, tearing the Lunar Key fragment from his grasp. The moment the fragment was free, a wave of raw, ancient power surged through the room, briefly pushing back the collapsing walls.

But the self-destruct sequence was accelerating. BEEP…BEEP…BE—

'The roof! The main vents lead to the top!' Scarlett’s voice, though weak, was still guiding him.

Caleb didn’t hesitate. He pulled Scarlett’s physical body from the examination table with one arm, cradling her close. With the other hand, he clutched the glowing Lunar Key fragment.

“Hold on, little witch,” Caleb growled, his golden eyes blazing with a terrifying resolve.

He didn’t run. He launched himself.

Caleb’s legs became springs of coiled steel. He didn’t follow the corridors; he burst through walls, tearing through layers of concrete and reinforced steel as if they were made of paper. Each impact sent shockwaves through the failing building, further destabilizing it. The Void-Curse, fueled by the collapsing structure, lashed at them, but Caleb’s raw Alpha power, combined with Scarlett’s desperate spiritual shield, cleaved a path through the chaos.

They reached the roof just as the final, deafening BOOM echoed from below. The entire building began to buckle, groaning like a dying beast. Above them, a Thorne family helicopter, alerted by the explosion, swooped down, its powerful spotlight sweeping across the crumbling rooftop.

“Blackwood! Drop the Key and the girl! This is your only warning!” a voice boomed from the helicopter’s loudspeakers. It was Julian, miraculously alive, clinging to the chopper’s landing skid, his face a mask of rage and blood.

Caleb looked up, his golden eyes blazing with a terrifying, primal fury. He pressed Scarlett’s limp body closer to his chest, shielding her from the rotor wash. The Lunar Key fragment in his hand pulsed with an almost desperate glow, feeding off the energy of the moon now visible through the smoke.

“You want the Key, Thorne?” Caleb roared, his voice amplified by the raw power of his awakened wolf. “Then come and take it!”

With a single, impossible leap, Caleb launched himself into the air. He didn’t jump away from the helicopter; he jumped towards it. He landed with bone-jarring force on the skids, directly beside Julian.

Julian let out a shriek of terror, losing his grip. Caleb’s hand shot out, not to save him, but to snatch the communicator from Julian’s belt. He shoved Julian away with a brutal kick, sending him plummeting back into the inferno of the collapsing tower.

“This is King Blackwood,” Caleb’s voice boomed through the helicopter’s speaker, calm and utterly ruthless. “Julian Thorne is dead. The Lunar Key is mine. And the next Thorne who sets foot on my land, or so much as looks at my mate, will meet the same fate.”

He ripped the fragment from the communicator and tossed it into the inferno. Then, with a casual grace that defied the chaos, he swung into the helicopter’s cabin, his eyes fixed on the terrified pilot.

“Take us North,” Caleb commanded, his voice holding an absolute, unquestionable authority. “Now.”

As the helicopter peeled away from the fiery wreckage of the Thorne tower, Scarlett’s spirit flickered back into her body. The fragment of the Lunar Key, now pulsing with a steady, vibrant light, nestled itself against her chest. She gasped, her eyes snapping open, and she found herself cradled in Caleb’s lap, his blood-stained hand wrapped protectively around her.

“The Key… Julian…” she whispered, her voice still weak.

Caleb looked down at her, his golden eyes blazing with a fierce triumph. “Julian is gone. The Key is with you. And we are going home, my Queen.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, a possessive, absolute claim. “You are safe now, little witch. You are mine. And no one, not even death, will take you from me.”