The Werewolf's Bride

Chapter 11: Betrayal in the Night

Chaos erupted in the village as the rider’s warning echoed through the square. Villagers ran in every direction, mothers pulling their children toward the safety of their homes, men grabbing whatever weapons they could find. The air was thick with the scent of fear and smoke from the scattered torches.Jeff stood frozen for a moment, his mind spinning. The rogue werewolves had attacked sooner than anyone had expected. But something didn’t sit right. The timing was too perfect, almost as if it had been planned. He glanced toward Edwin, who had a dark, satisfied smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.“Go!” Jeff urged Isabella, pushing her toward Greta’s cottage. “Find Greta and the others. Prepare them for the fight. I’ll deal with Edwin.”Isabella hesitated, but the look in Jeff’s eyes told her there was no time for argument. She nodded, disappearing into the frantic crowd.Jeff turned his attention back to Edwin, who was already retreating toward the forest. The smirk never left his face, and the look in his eyes was far too calm for someone facing an imminent attack. Something about this wasn’t right.Without hesitation, Jeff chased after him, weaving through the chaos until they were just beyond the village’s borders, hidden in the shadows of the trees.“Edwin!” Jeff’s voice was sharp, cutting through the sounds of the panicking villagers behind them. “What have you done?”Edwin stopped, turning to face him, his smirk deepening into something more sinister. “You catch on quicker than I thought.”Jeff’s heart sank as realization dawned. “You planned this,” he growled, his fists clenching. “You brought the rogues here!”Edwin chuckled, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “You think this village would ever accept a peace with werewolves? The only way to unite them is through fear—fear of something far worse than what I’ve led them to believe about you.”Jeff’s blood boiled. “You’re sacrificing innocent lives for your own twisted goals?”“I’m doing what’s necessary,” Edwin said, his voice cold. “The rogues were more than willing to strike a deal. In exchange for helping me take control of this village, I promised them free reign to hunt afterward. A fair trade, don’t you think?”Jeff’s breath caught in his throat. This wasn’t just a betrayal; this was a s*******r waiting to happen. The rogues weren’t like other werewolves. They had abandoned any sense of honor, living only for blood and chaos. Once they started attacking, they wouldn’t stop until the entire village was torn apart.“You won’t get away with this,” Jeff growled, his anger threatening to unleash the beast within. “I won’t let you.”Edwin took a step back, his expression darkening. “You think you can stop me, Jeff? You’re already losing control. How long before you snap, before the villagers see you for what you really are? A monster, just like the rogues.”The words hit Jeff like a punch to the gut. He could feel the primal power surging through him, the wolf inside clawing to break free. But he couldn’t afford to lose control now. Not with so much at stake.“You don’t have to do this,” Jeff said, his voice strained but steady. “We can still stop the rogues. We can save the village.”Edwin sneered. “Save it? I intend to rule it, once the dust settles.”Before Jeff could react, Edwin raised his hand and let out a sharp whistle. From the shadows of the forest, rogue werewolves emerged, their eyes glowing with hunger and violence. Jeff tensed, his senses screaming danger.But something even more unexpected happened. One of the rogues—their leader—stepped forward, his eyes locking onto Jeff with recognition.“Well, well,” the rogue said, his voice a low growl. “Look who we have here. Jeff, son of Lorcan.”Jeff’s blood ran cold. How did this rogue know his father’s name?“You… know me?” Jeff asked, his heart pounding in his chest.The rogue smiled, baring his sharp teeth. “Oh, I know more than just your name. I knew your father. He was one of us, before he met your mother.”Jeff’s world tilted. His father had always been a mystery, a shadow in his life that he never fully understood. His mother had told him little, only that his father had died when he was young, and that he had left behind a legacy Jeff was never meant to follow.“He never told you, did he?” the rogue taunted. “Your father wasn’t just a werewolf. He was a rogue, just like us. He abandoned the pack, turned his back on the rules of peace. That blood runs in your veins, Jeff. You’re one of us.”Jeff’s heart hammered in his chest as the truth crashed over him. His father had been a rogue? Everything he thought he knew about his family, about his place in the world, was suddenly thrown into chaos.“I’m nothing like you,” Jeff spat, though his voice wavered.The rogue chuckled darkly. “You will be. Sooner or later, the beast inside you will win. You can’t fight what you are.”“No,” Jeff growled, his fists tightening. “I’m not like you. I choose who I am.”The rogue’s smile vanished, replaced with a snarl. “We’ll see about that.”Without warning, the rogue lunged, claws bared. Jeff barely had time to react, his instincts kicking in as he dodged to the side. But before the fight could escalate, the sound of a scream cut through the air from the direction of the village.Isabella.Jeff’s heart clenched. He had to get back to her.Turning away from the rogue, Jeff sprinted toward the village, his mind racing. The rogues were already descending upon the villagers. He could hear the sounds of battle behind him, the clash of metal and the growls of wolves. But all he cared about was finding Isabella—making sure she was safe.As he reached the village square, the sight that met him made his blood run cold. Rogues were everywhere, tearing through the villagers, their savage attacks leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. And in the center of it all, Isabella stood, surrounded by three rogue werewolves, her face pale but her stance firm.Without thinking, Jeff leaped into the fray, shifting mid-air as he barreled into the closest rogue, his claws slashing through fur and flesh. He fought with everything he had, his only thought to protect Isabella.But even as he fought, the words of the rogue leader echoed in his mind. The truth about his father, about the blood that ran in his veins—it was a weight he couldn’t shake.As the last rogue fell, Jeff shifted back, breathing hard as he rushed to Isabella’s side. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and relief.“Jeff,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “What… what just happened?”Jeff swallowed hard, his heart heavy with the burden of the truth. He had to tell her, but now wasn’t the time.“Later,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “Right now, we need to survive.”But deep down, Jeff knew that survival was just the beginning. The real battle was only just starting—the battle for the truth, for his place in the world, and for the love he had found in Isabella’s eyes.