Chapter Three

Xeros Romanov 

My Mate.

Their Queen

My Luna

She would have been dead in a matter of seconds had I decided to delay.

My vision blurred with rage. I felt the beast inside me clawing at the edges of my mind, demanding to be let out. Every instinct I had screamed to tear apart anyone who stood between me and her. She was mine, and they had dared to touch her. Toharm her. 

I could feel my control slipping, my humanity waning as the lycan within me surged forward.I don't remember crossing the distance to her. One moment I was watching in horror, and the next I was at her side, ripping through the ropes that bound her with a single swipe.

 Her body fell into my arms, so fragile, so still. She whimpered just barely, and it was enough to make my blood boil. I was too late. Too late to protect her from whatever hell they'd put her through.

"Alpha King!" a voice called out, but it barely registered in my mind. I turned, my gaze locking onto Alpha Dimitri as he approached, his face a mix of fear and confusion

"Put her down," Dimitri said, his voice trembling slightly. "You're mistaken- this isn't what you think."

His words were meaningless. They did nothing to soothe the fire raging inside me. I had been mistaken before. But this... this was unforgivable

I could barely hear the rest of what he was saying. It was all drowned out by the thunderous roar of rage building inside me. How dare he stand there, trying to explain away this atrocity?

How dare he try to reason with me when my mate was lying there, broken and bruised?

The next thing we both knew, My claws connected with his face, sending him crashing to the ground. I didn't even wait to see if he would get back up. 

I just ran, holding her close, desperate to get her away from this nightmare. 

"Don't worry, King. I'll take care of the rest" Anakin sounded in my head.

I reached the palace in a haze, my mind barely functioning beyond the primal need to protect her. The guards didn't dare stop me, didn't even speak as I barreled through the halls, heading towards the infirmary.

 My voice was almost unrecognizable as I barked orders at the doctors."Save her. Now."

They hesitated. I could see the fear in their eyes as they looked at me, at the murderous intent I knew I was radiating. One of them finally stepped forward, trying to muster the courage to speak

"My king... we...we need you to undress her so we can... treat her injuries.'

I nearly lost it right then. My growl reverberated through the room, causing the doctors to flinchback.

"Get the female doctor. Now." My voice was barely more than a snarl, but they understood the command, and they scrambled to obey

Once they were gone, I looked down at her, my rage simmering beneath the surface. She was so beautiful, even like this. But as I began to undress her, the anger i had been holding back surged forward.

 Her body was covered in bruises,her skin marred by cruel hands. When I saw the whip marks across her back, the anger I felt became something more. It became a deep,searing fury that threatened to consume me entirely.

I couldn't even think straight. I couldn't process the extent of her injuries. My hands were trembling as I removed the last of her clothing revealing the full extent of the horrors she had endured. 

A howl tore from my throat, the sound filled with pain, rage, and something I hadn't felt in a long time-fear.

The door burst open, and the female doctor Martha, hurried in. Her eyes widened in horror as she took in the scene before her-my mate battered and broken, lying in my arms, and me, a king barely holding onto his sanity

"My king,|-"

"I'll kill them all," I growled, cutting her off.   

The words slipped out before I even realized I was speaking. "I'll rip them apart, every last one of them."

Martha took a step back, clearly terrified. But she stayed calm, stayed professional. "Please, my king, let me tend to her. She needs care, and you need to.. calm yourself.

Calm myself? How could I possibly calm myself when the only thing stopping me from tearing this entire place apart was the frail body of my mate lying before me? But i knew she was right.

 If I stayed any longer, I would only make things worse. I would hurt her in my anger, and that was something I could never forgive myself for.

Reluctantly, I handed her over to Martha. I could feel the beast withing me trashing, demanding to be let out, to be unleashed upon those who had done this to her.

 I would only make things worse. I would hurt her in my anger, and that was something I could never forgive myself for.

Just like how I would never forgive myself for allowing this to happen to her.

Reluctantly, I handed her over to Martha. I could no longer handle the beast within me thrashing, demanding to be let out, to be unleashed upon those who had done this to her. 

My hands were shaking as turned away, forcing myself to leave the room. i had to get out, had to put distance between myself and her before I did something I couldn't take back.

The moment I stepped outside, I felt the change coming. It was uncontrollable, unstoppable. My body twisted and contorted, fur sprouting as my bones snapped and reformed. It was a painful feeling I hadn't felt in centuries, but I welcomed it.

I needed it.

With a final, earth-shaking roar, I let the beast take over, my lycan form finally breaking free.

 The palace behind me became a distant memory as I bolted into the forest, the scent of blood and vengeance driving me forward

They would pay. Every last one of them. And when I was done, there would be nothing left but ashes.