The Werewolf's Redemption

Ran back

Author's POV

Darius heard a low, ragged growl. His head snapped in the direction of the sound, and his breath caught in his throat. Amidst the wreckage and blood, a figure lay motionless on the ground. Recognition struck him like a thunderbolt.

"Uncle!" Darius rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside the broken body. His hands trembled as he reached out, cradling the man against him.

His relief was short-lived. As he lifted his uncle slightly, a cold horror gripped him—half of his body was gone. Torn apart.

Darius' throat tightened. "No… no, no, no… Uncle!"

The older man’s eyelids fluttered, his gaze unfocused. His voice came in a whisper, barely more than a breath. "Who… who are you?"

"It’s me, Uncle. Darius."

A faint, wavering smile crossed the man's bloodied lips. "Darius… you’re okay? Thank the Moon… your father… he was worried about you."

Darius swallowed against the lump in his throat. "Uncle, what happened?"

His uncle’s expression twisted in pain as he struggled to recall. "I… I don’t remember everything… There were people… Silver bullets… They came so fast… We never saw them coming…" His voice faltered, breath hitching.

Darius clenched his jaw, his entire body shaking. "This is my fault. I ran away. I led them here… I put everyone in danger…"

His uncle let out a wheezing chuckle, though it ended in a cough. "Well… I wouldn’t say entirely your fault…" He paused, eyes glimmering weakly with a teasing glint. "Okay… maybe a little bit."

Despite himself, Darius let out a strangled laugh, but the sound quickly broke into a sob.

"But hey… what’s done is done, champ," his uncle continued, his voice growing weaker. "No point in regrets now…"

Darius swallowed hard, gripping his uncle’s remaining hand. "Is everyone gone?"

"Not… everyone," his uncle murmured. "Some made it out. They’re still fighting… Still alive…"

Darius felt his heart pound. "What about my father? Is he safe?"

His uncle’s breathing was becoming shallower, his words slipping away like sand through fingers. "I… don’t know…"

Darius' hands clenched into fists. "I’ll find him. I’ll make them pay for this. I swear—"

The body in his arms went still.

Darius froze. "Uncle?"

Silence.

A sharp, suffocating pain tore through him. "No… no, no, no, Uncle!" His voice cracked as he shook the lifeless form in his arms. But there was no response. No heartbeat.

Grief overwhelmed him, a raw, unrelenting force that shattered through his body. He threw his head back and screamed, the sound filled with anguish and fury.

Tears streaked down his face as he clutched his uncle’s body, his cries echoing in the ruins of what was once his home.

Darius rose slowly, his body trembling, his fists clenched so tightly that his claws dug into his palms. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest rising and falling with the sheer force of his grief. His uncle’s blood soaked his hands, his clothes—his soul.

Then, his sorrow twisted into something dark. Something violent.

Rage.

His red eyes burned with fury as he turned toward the distant lab, its cold metal structure standing against the stormy sky. His mind was consumed with a singular thought—Kline.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled in his throat as he took off in a dead sprint, the wind whipping past him. The ground trembled beneath each powerful step, his muscles coiled like a predator closing in on its prey.

The ruins of his home blurred in his periphery, bodies of his fallen pack flashing past him like ghostly reminders of his failure. But there was no time for guilt. No time for hesitation.

Only vengeance.

*****

Darius stormed into the lab, his fury uncontrollable as he tore through everything in his path. Scientists and guards barely had time to react before he sent them crashing into walls, equipment shattering under his raw power.

"WHERE IS HE?!" he roared, his voice echoing through the ruined facility. He ripped apart machines, overturned tables, and crushed anything in sight, his body radiating rage.

Then, amidst the chaos, a slow, mocking clap rang through the air.

"There’s my test subject."

Darius' head snapped up, his red eyes locking onto the figure standing at the top of the stairs. Kline stood there, smug as ever, watching the destruction below with amusement.

"How on earth did you get so powerful?" Kline mused, tilting his head. "Not long ago, you were too weak to break out of a simple cage. Now, you’ve reduced half my lab to rubble." He chuckled. "You really are the Alpha."

Darius' chest heaved as he glared at the man who had destroyed his life. His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.

"You," he growled, his voice low and deadly. "You f*****g psycho… You killed my people!"

Kline shrugged, completely unfazed. "I mean, they were bound to die eventually." A satisfied smirk spread across his lips. "I just sped up the process."

"You bastard!" Darius snarled and lunged forward, his body a blur. But the moment he did, Kline moved swiftly, pulling something—or rather, someone—into view.

Genevieve.

She struggled in his grasp, a gun pressed firmly against her temple.

"Oh, kid, I wouldn’t do that if I were you," Kline taunted, tightening his grip on her hair. "Did you really think I’d let you storm in here, destroy my lab like a rabid beast, and just let you kill me?"

Genevieve thrashed against him. "Don’t worry about me! Just—"

Kline silenced her instantly, yanking her hair back and pressing the barrel harder against her skull.

"Shut the f**k up, you b***h," he snapped, his tone dripping with irritation.

Darius' body tensed. "Let. Her. Go."

Kline smirked. "Really? You’re going to protect her? The woman who helped create the very power that wiped out your people?" He let out a low chuckle. "What, do you love her or something?"

Darius’ jaw tightened, his anger reaching a dangerous level. "For the last time—let her go."

Kline's eyes gleamed with amusement. "I am Kline," he declared, puffing out his chest. "The man who perfected power itself. Not even you can destroy me."

Darius took a slow, deliberate step forward, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "And I am Darius." His glare darkened. "The Alpha."

Kline flinched, gripping Genevieve tighter. "Stay the f**k back, or I’ll shoot her!" he warned, stepping away.

But Darius didn’t stop.

Genevieve saw her moment. In a swift motion, she yanked a pen from her pocket and drove it deep into Kline’s thigh.

"Aghh!" Kline howled in pain, his grip loosening just enough for her to slap the gun from his hand. She broke free, sprinting toward Darius, who instinctively moved to shield her.

Kline, clutching his bleeding leg, cursed under his breath before turning and limping away into the shadows.

Darius barely spared him a glance. His focus was on Genevieve.

"You okay?" His voice was steady, but his face was unreadable.

Genevieve nodded, breathless. "Yeah. Are you?"

He gave a short nod, then just… stared at her. His body was tense, his fists still clenched as if restraining himself.

"You had nothing to do with this… right?" His voice was low, dangerous.

Genevieve hesitated. "Darius, I—"

His expression darkened. "I’m going to assume you didn’t… because I’m trying not to hurt you right now."

"I’m sorry," she whispered.

But his face twisted with fury.

"Go." His voice was cold, sharp as a blade. "Get the hell out of here. And don’t ever let me see you again."

Genevieve’s throat tightened, her eyes glistening. "I hope we meet again someday," she murmured.

Darius' gaze hardened. "I hope we don’t."

And without another word, he turned and walked away, heading in the direction Kline had disappeared.