Chapter 475: End Of An Alpha

The fight was an intense one.

Henry and Roman met head-on, the crash of their bodies sending shockwaves across the clearing, dirt spraying in all directions.

Henry snapped his jaws, catching Roman by the shoulder and flung him across the shore. Roman landed hard, a whimper escaping him as he rolled to his feet. But he didn’t stay down. He was seeing this to the end.

Snarling, Roman charged at the Alpha once again. Their fangs clashed while they clawed at each other, the scent of blood and fur and rage saturating the air.

Henry was older, bulkier, and stronger in every way. His strikes hit like a boulder and each blow sent Roman staggering. Yet the younger Alpha kept getting back up.

He ducked under a slash and bit down hard on Henry’s leg. Henry let out a furious howl, bucking wildly until Roman was forced to release. Roman then used the momentum to leap behind him, his claws raking across the thick hide.

Henry spun with brutal speed and caught him in the ribs. Roman gasped. Pain shot through his side as he was tossed again.

"You annoying fool," Henry growled, circling him. "You are willing to die for that wretch!"

Roman didn’t answer the mad man. Rather, he crouched low, and charged at him as their bodies collided once more.

This time, Roman didn’t pull back. He bit down near Henry’s neck and held, even as the older wolf slammed him into a tree, the bark exploding around them.

Roman kept going.

He let go and slammed into Henry’s chest and drove him back several paces. Then he struck with everything he had, ramming his head into Henry’s jaw.

There was a cracking sound and Henry reeled from the impact. Blood burst from his mouth and splattered the ground. He snarled in fury, red dripping from his teeth. His eyes burned with such fresh hatred that even Violet shivered from the spot. That man was going to kill Roman and he wouldn’t go easy on him.

Roman didn’t even get a second to relish his short-lived upper hand before Henry pounced. The older wolf was done playing around.

He tackled Roman to the ground, his claws shredding fur and flesh. Roman screamed, writhing as Henry sank his teeth deep into his side and shook.

"Roman!" Violet screamed as his bones cracked and blood sprayed. Roman was fighting back but he was no match. He cried out as Henry slammed him into the mud, his fangs poised over his artery for the kill.

Then lightning flashed across the sky right as a black wolf burst forth from the trees like a blur and slammed into Henry with the force of a storm.

Henry howled in pain as sharp fangs tore into his side. He twisted off Roman, staggering back as blood poured from a gaping wound in his ribs. He had no choice but to shift into his human form to heal better.

Roman groaned behind Asher’s wolf as he too shifted to his human form, blood streaming from his wounds.

Asher now stood between them, his black wolf form rigid and snarling. His eyes glowed with fury while his hackles were raised with his teeth bared.

Henry was stunned. "You’d protect him? Against me?"

But Asher shifted into his human form, his eyes colder than the grave.

"Anyone who hurts my loved ones is an enemy," he said.

"What...?"

Henry’s eyes filled with rage. Had he known this fool would turn out like this, he might as well have ended him long ago. He had thought to give Asher a chance and spare him the fate that awaited his friends tonight, but in the end, he would indeed need another heir.

But what Henry never expected was for more people to emerge from the forest. And the worst part was that they were not his people. The cardinal alphas were complete, alongside that healer, Adele — who must have saved the heirs from meeting death.

Above all, Elijah’s nephew was here.

For the first time that night, dread washed over Henry and he wasn’t so sure of his plans anymore. If the rest of the cardinal alphas were The cardinal alphas were still alive, that meant they had survived Patrick’s people somehow.

Henry had understood the risk of exposing himself, but he had thought it would be easy to grab Violet and leave, while Patrick’s men finished the job. Who knew the boys were so determined to protect Violet to the point of death. Else he would have abandoned the plan.

Now, everyone would know what he had done and no matter, even if he survives tonight, he would be labeled a traitor and Elijah would personally kill him himself.

"You can’t fight us all," Asher said, stepping forward with a thrill in his voice now. "You’ll die here."

For a second Henry hesitated, his eyes flickering from face to face. He knew he was trapped. But that didn’t mean he would go down alone.

Then he moved, but not toward Asher.

In a flash of speed, Henry dashed to the side, and grabbed Violet from where she lay on the ground, and yanked her up with one arm around her limp body.

"No!" Asher shouted.

The others started to charge but froze as Henry’s teeth bared over Violet’s neck. His snarl stopped them in their tracks.

Violet’s body hung in his grasp, useless, her head lolling. She was still under the drug’s effect and couldn’t fight him.

Asher’s voice dropped, trying to reason with him. "Doing this won’t fix anything."

But Henry’s eyes gleamed with madness. "No. It’ll fix everything," he said. Then added with a sick smile, "When she’s dead."

"No!"

Asher sprinted forward, but it was too late.

Violet screamed in horrible pain as Henry’s jaws clamped down, a horrific sound echoing as he tore through her flesh. Immediately, blood gushed down his chest while Violet’s body went limp.

"No!"

The cardinal alphas screamed in unison.

Lightning cracked as Alaric’s fury struck first. His power slammed into Henry’s shoulder, forcing him to drop Violet and her body hit the ground with a thud.

Asher was already there. His claws tore through Henry’s chest with such force that blood splattered across his face.

But it was Griffin who lost control.

He had felt it. The pain and fear that Violet had felt through the bond. And now, it shattered something inside him.

With a primal roar, he shifted mid-leap, his wolf form slamming into Henry. He tackled him so hard the older man was nearly buried into the dirt.

Then came the beating.

Over and over, Griffin’s claws and fangs tore into Henry. He didn’t stop. Not even when Henry started to scream. Not even when blood sprayed and bones cracked.

Roman tried to call his name.

Alaric stepped forward, but even he held back.

There was no stopping Griffin now.

He ripped into Henry like a beast. The earth trembled beneath the onslaught and the trees shook with every impact.

And then, Griffin’s massive paw slammed into Henry’s chest and pinned him down.

The Alpha coughed, blood spilling from his lips.

Griffin’s jaws closed around his chest. And with one final, guttural growl, he ripped Henry’s heart clean out of his chest.

The muscle thudded in his mouth, still beating. Griffin didn’t hesitate and crushed it in his jaw until it was pulp.

And silence fell.

Griffin stumbled back. His wolf panted hard, chest rising and falling with raw grief and rage. Henry’s body was a mangled mess.

Griffin slowly turned around, shifting back to his human form. Blood was all over his skin like war paint, then he looked around for Violet.

A sharp breath caught in his throat when he recalled Henry hurt her.

His knees nearly buckled but Alaric and Asher stepped beside him. They didn’t say anything nor judge him because they understood.

He had done what any of them would have done.

Their attention snapped back to Violet.

She was still lying there, limp and bloodied, her throat a torn mess of crimson.

"Adele!" Asher shouted, already rushing over.

Adele was already on her knees beside her, her hands glowing as she pressed them to Violet’s wound.

"I’ve got her. Just give me a second."

Griffin, Alaric, and Roman circled around, hearts in their throats, watching every move. Micah gave them space, watching with a tight expression.

Slowly, agonizingly, the torn flesh began to knit back together as the blood stopped leaking and the skin reformed.

They breathed in relief now the wound was gone. Henry’s plan had no worked.

However, Violet didn’t wake up. Instead, her body jerked once, and then again, harder this time. She convulsed violently, her limbs thrashing, with her back arching off the forest floor.

"What’s happening to her?" Asher demanded.

"I—I don’t know!" Adele said, panic creeping into her voice. "I healed her! She should be okay!"

"Fuck!" Griffin snapped, staggering back as the ground beneath his feet suddenly darkened.

"What the—?"

Micah’s eyes widened in horror.

"Get away from her," he said sharply. "Now. All of you."