Chapter20_THE FALL
1303 Words
The royal pack house trembled beneath the fury of war.
Commander Megan raced through the blood-soaked corridor, every instinct screaming that he was already too late.
The scent of death clung to the air.
Midnight warriors...
Red Claw warriors...
Their blood mixed upon the ancient stone like a grim offering beneath the moon.
Then he stopped.
Before him stood the final entrance leading into the sacred royal quarters, the private sanctuary reserved only for the Alpha, his Luna, and those summoned by the Blackthorne bloodline.
Its massive doors no longer looked like wood or stone.
Ancient crimson runes crawled across them like living serpents.
A shaman's seal.
Megan's eyes narrowed.
"They sealed it..."
The realization struck him instantly.
This was never meant to keep people out.
It was meant to keep him out.
To delay him.
Exactly as Alpha Darius had planned.
His fists clenched.
"No..."
"My Alpha needs me."
His wolf answered.
Power exploded from his body.
The corridor shook violently.
Walls cracked.
The ancient seal glowed brighter, fighting against the overwhelming force pressing against it.
Megan took one step.
Another.
His eyes burned silver.
Veins spread across his neck as every ounce of his aura surged forward.
"BREAK!"
BOOOOM!
The doors erupted into splinters.
The shamanic seal shattered into thousands of crimson fragments that dissolved into ash.
The shock wave tore through the royal chamber.
Red Claw warriors were hurled backward like leaves caught in a storm.
Some slammed into pillars.
Others crashed through tables.
Several never rose again.
Even Rogan staggered backward, planting his sword into the ground to steady himself.
His muscles trembled.
"So..."
"So this..."
"...is Midnight Blade."
Only one figure remained unmoved.
Alpha Darius.
His cloak fluttered gently in the fading shock wave.
Though one foot had shifted half a step from the impact, his expression remained unreadable.
Then...
Megan stepped through the ruined doorway.
What greeted him stole even his breath.
The royal chamber looked like a battlefield.
Bodies covered the floor.
Broken weapons.
Splintered pillars.
Blood everywhere.
And at the center...
Alpha Kael still stood.
His breathing was ragged.
Blood ran freely from the corner of his mouth.
His clothes had been torn in dozens of places.
The poison was visibly consuming him.
Yet...
He still fought.
A Red Claw elite lunged.
Kael's claws flashed once.
The warrior's body hit the floor before he realized he had died.
Another attacked from behind.
Kael turned.
One punch shattered the warrior's ribs.
The man collapsed instantly.
Even poisoned...
Even weakened...
The Alpha of Midnight remained a monster on the battlefield.
Across from him...
Alpha Darius smiled coldly, circling like a patient predator waiting for exhaustion to finish what poison had begun.
Then Kael saw Megan.
For the briefest moment...
Relief crossed his eyes.
"Megan..."
Before another word could be spoken..
Rogan stepped between them.
His great sword scraped across the floor.
"You won't reach your Alpha."
Megan slowly unsheathed Midnight Blade.
Steel sang through the chamber.
His voice became ice.
"Move."
Rogan smiled.
"I've waited for this."
Their wolves exploded simultaneously.
The chamber shook again.
Elsewhere...
Far from the royal chamber...
Ramona burst into Viera's quarters.
Her breathing came in frantic gasps.
"Viera!"
Viera immediately stood, clutching little Regan close against her chest.
"What happened?"
"They've invaded!"
Ramona rushed forward.
"They're killing everyone."
"We have to leave. Now."
Viera's face was drained of color.
"Megan..."
"I don't know where he is."
Ramona quickly gathered blankets and supplies.
"We don't have time."
"They've been targeting Commander Megan from the beginning."
Her eyes fell upon the infant.
Regan whimpered softly.
His tiny veins still carried faint traces of the poison beneath his skin.
Ramona frowned.
She gently touched his forehead.
"The antidote is working..."
"...but not completely."
Viera nodded, tears gathering.
"My son is fighting."
"He's his father's child."
Ramona gave a weak smile.
"He is."
"But this is still fifty-fifty."
Silence filled the room.
Viera kissed her son's forehead.
"My little warrior..."
"You've survived this long."
"You'll survive a little longer."
Ramona lifted the child into her arms.
"Come."
"We leave now."
They had barely reached the corridor when another young omega stumbled toward them.
She was covered in blood.
"They've reached the royal pack house!"
"They've killed so many..."
"I saw Alpha Kael bleeding..."
Ramona froze.
"What?"
The omega nodded frantically.
"I felt it."
"My chest..."
"It was like something broke."
"The Alpha's aura..."
"It's weakening."
Ramona understood immediately.
Every wolf in Midnight had felt it.
The Alpha's suffering belonged to the entire pack.
She looked toward the royal quarters.
"My Luna..."
Without another word, she turned.
"We're getting her."
The women hurried toward one of the hidden passages known only to trusted maidens.
Inside the inner royal nursery...
Seraphine stood beside the cradle of her newborn son.
Tears glistened in her eyes.
She could hear the battle.
She could hear Kael's growls.
She could feel his pain.
Ramona rushed inside.
"My Luna!"
"We have to leave!"
Seraphine shook her head immediately.
"No."
"My place is beside my Alpha."
"My mate needs me."
Ramona stepped closer.
"You just gave birth."
"The heir needs you alive."
Seraphine clutched the child tighter.
"If Kael falls tonight..."
"...then I fall beside him."
"My Luna, please!"
Before Ramona could plead again.
She frowned.
"Where's Viera?"
Everyone turned.
Silence.
The young omega whispered,
"I..."
"I thought she was behind us..."
Moments earlier...
Viera had stopped running.
Her hand touched the empty pouch at her waist.
The antidote.
She had forgotten it.
Without hesitation she turned back.
"My son still needs it."
She raced into her quarters.
Snatched the small vial.
Then sprinted toward the passage again.
She almost made it.
"Stop!"
Two Red Claw warriors emerged.
One pointed his spear.
"Surrender."
Viera slowly dropped to her knees.
She hid the tiny vial inside her sleeve.
The warriors relaxed.
One turned away.
Another laughed.
That was all the chance she needed.
She sprang to her feet and ran.
"She's escaping!"
An enchanted arrow shot through the air.
THUD!
The arrow pierced deep into her upper shoulder, spinning her violently onto the stone floor.
Pain exploded through her body.
The vial slipped from her sleeve but remained trapped beneath her trembling hand.
She gritted her teeth.
"No..."
"I have to..."
"I have to get this to my son..."
Blood spread beneath her.
She tried to crawl.
Another kick from a Red Claw warrior sent her crashing against the wall.
Her vision blurred.
Still...
Her fingers refused to release the antidote.
The young omega who had doubled back rounded the corner.
"Viera!"
She gasped.
Blood.
The arrow.
The warriors.
She watched in horror as Viera struggled desperately to crawl toward the hidden passage, still protecting the tiny vial with both hands.
The omega covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.
Then she turned and ran.
Back inside the hidden passage...
The young omega burst through the entrance.
Ramona grabbed her shoulders.
"Where's Viera?"
The girl's voice broke.
"She..."
"She went back for the antidote..."
"They caught her..."
"She's alive..."
"...but she's badly wounded."
Ramona closed her eyes.
"No..."
Seraphine instinctively held her newborn closer.
Outside...
The battle only grew louder.
Above them...
Steel clashed.
Walls trembled.
Alpha roars shook the royal pack house to its foundations.
Ramona looked toward the concealed stone staircase leading even deeper beneath the royal residence.
"My Luna..."
"We have to move."
"This refuge may be the only place left that hasn't fallen."
At last...
Seraphine lowered her head.
Not in surrender, but in trust.
"For Kael..."
FFor Midnight..."
She followed.
The hidden stone door slowly closed behind them.
Ab
ove their heads...
Commander Megan and Alpha Kael continued fighting for the soul of the Midnight Pack.
And somewhere in the blood-soaked corridors...
Viera still crawled forward, one hand reaching into the darkness...
The antidote clenched tightly in her fingers.
- Writer
