Chapter 40

Alpha Roman’s POV

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“Why isn’t he fully shifting?” Lucas asks.

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“It’s too much. He’s absorbing too much at one time. The pack, his position as Alpha and ruler of the southern kingdom, he’s getting overloaded. It’s what Odette warned. If Gideon takes over, Leo may be lost forever, unable to shift back.

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We continue to watch, all of us wanting to go to him, but knowing that this has to play out. We hold our positions until I see my daughter run out to Leo, dropping down to him and holding him tight.

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“Shit, what is she doing here?” I ask and Lucas pulls at my arm.

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“She’s not alone, look”. Lucas points across the grounds to see all the kids ready to pounce. Jack is holding his arm across them to keep them back. I turn back to Elise and watch in horror as Eric grabs her and threatens to kill her.

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“No, Eric, this ends here! Let her go!” I yell as I charge out into the arena, and Lucas doesn’t hesitate and stands beside me.

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“You stupid fool,” Eric says. “I’ll kill her right now if you don’t back away.”

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We stand our ground and the rest of the Alphas who are watching mind link me for their instructions.

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Come forward, but do not charge. Show them that they have no place to go.

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From all sides, my allies come out of the woods and begin to surround them, but Eric is cunning. I know that there are far more of his warriors hiding and that we simply do not see them.

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“You think you can come to my land and have the upper hand?” Eric pulls his grip tighter on Elise. “You have no authority here, Roman. Take your pack of mutts and go home. Maybe I’ll send this bitch with you if my dear nephew does as he’s told.”

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I see Eric’s eyes glaze over for just a moment, no doubt mind linking his pack, and suddenly, as if from nowhere, his full army drops all around us. There are hundreds of them, but they don’t look right. Their eyes look lifeless, and they stand still, as if waiting for their next order.

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“What’s wrong with them?” Alpha Jonathan is standing beside me, and he is scared, I can feel it. “Those men there, they are from my pack. They were like uncles to me and always there for my dad. They would never do this.”

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“That’s why, look there,” Odette is beside us now and points to a woman standing in the shadows.

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“The witch, be careful Roman.” Lucas advises.

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“Did you think I wouldn’t be prepared for you? I’ve been waiting a long time for this and that stupid kid confirmed you were hiding my nephew, your daughter’s mate of all things. We are going to be family!” He says in a sickening way.

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I don't want to take my eyes off him, but I notice that the witch is cloaked in shadows and chanting incantations, her hands weaving dark magic that bind Eric's warriors to her will.

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"Eric, this madness ends tonight. Release them from the witch's control and face me honorably."

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Eric just laughs at me and grips Elise closer to him. "It's not you I need to face, it's my dear nephew, the weakling that he is. And besides, there is no honor in power Roman, only victory"

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Eric's lips curl into a demonic smile and he holds his claw up to Elise’s cheek. She screams as he slices her cheek open and tosses her to the ground.

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He raises his hand and his warriors, their eyes are glazed and lifeless, and they surge forward with a feral roar.

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The clash is immediate and brutal. My pack meets the onslaught with unmatched ferocity, their claws and fangs flashing in the moonlight. The air is filled with the sounds of growls, snarls, and the clash of bodies.

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I can hear the witch’s magic crackling in the air, her control over Eric's warriors is evident as they move with unnatural precision. My pack is struggling against the relentless assault, but their loyalty and determination keep them fighting.

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A battle that has just started is quickly interrupted when a howl begins. At first, it's a low, guttural growl, resonating deep within the earth. It rises slowly, building in intensity and volume, echoing through the trees and sending shivers down the spine of every creature within earshot. The sound is both haunting and mesmerizing, a blend of primal fury and divine authority.

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As the howl reaches its peak, Leo’s hands and feet morph into massive, clawed paws, and a thick, luxurious coat of fur sprouts from his skin, shimmering with shades of electric blue and green, and midnight black. His face elongates into a powerful snout, and his ears become pointed. Leo has transformed and Gideon is before us. A majestic wolf, towering over the pack grounds, and he is mythical in appearance, a creature of legend brought to life. Gideon's presence is both awe-inspiring and intimidating, he has raw power and graceful elegance.

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As the transformation completes, the howl seems to split the very fabric of the night, a cry so powerful it feels as though the stars themselves tremble in response. His voice is layered with a multitude of tones, from the deepest bass to the highest, most piercing notes, creating a symphony of terror that reverberates through the forest.

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His hypnotic eyes search the chaos and land on Eric, and I can see that they are looking at each other with pure hatred. They lunge at one another, their powerful bodies colliding with a force and Lucas's wolf takes advantage of the distraction and I watch him charge towards the witch with Jack by his side. A torrent of dark energy is unleashed against them and Jack is tossed like a rag doll into the woods, landing motionless against a tree, but Lucas manages to dodge her and he plunges his claws deep into her neck, breaking her spell.

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As her spell dissolves most of the warriors stand in confusion, and those that remain loyal to Eric are dwindling in numbers.

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Eric realizes he is losing the battle and in a panic he darts around the grounds and finds Aria and pounces on her, grabbing her tight and pulling her into his chest. He fishes out a syringe and prepares to plunge it into her neck.

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"This was meant for you, but I'd prefer to kill you with my bare hands. I'll just use this on your mother instead. Unless you want to make a trade...you for her." Eric smirks.

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"There will be no trade," he says and we all watch in disbelief as Eric's hand is bent backwards involuntarily and the syringe drops to the ground. Eric takes his other hand and rips open Aria with his claws in a rage and lets her to slump to the ground.

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A second later Eric is pinned to the ground and a powerful blow is delivered to his head.

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"This is for Frank and Angie."

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A second blow comes, "and your countless victims," he says and then he stands up and without touching Eric, he raises him off the ground rendering him helpless.

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"This is for my father and mother!" He breaks each of Eric's legs and arms, limbs bending in impossible directions and he screams out in agony.

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"But this is for me," his voice is low and he approaches Eric and reaches out and grabs him by the neck and slams him to the ground.

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"Death is something you don't deserve. Death is something you will wish for, day in and day out. You will go to sleep every night hoping you don't wake up the next morning, and when you wake you will live another day of hell, just like you made me do in that dungeon."

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When he says this, I realize that it isn't Gideon that has control, it's Leo. Just as Gideon can take control in human form, Leo can take control in wolf form.

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He looks over to me, letting me know that I'm to take over and quickly we pull Eric into custody and once he is secured, Leo transforms back to human form and drops down beside his mother and cradles her in his arms.

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"Please don't go, don't leave me," he says and he clutches her tight against his chest until he too loses consciousness and falls motionless beside her.