NEVER ALONE

The Alpha Hunter

Chapter 4: The Alpha Hunter

The rooftops trembled.

Concrete cracked.

A deep, thunderous growl rolled across the street like a distant earthquake.

Every soldier froze.

Even the two Hunters beside Ethan lowered their massive bodies, their claws scraping against the pavement as they backed away slowly.

Fear.

The monsters were afraid.

Ethan felt a cold chill crawl down his spine.

“What… is that thing?” he whispered.

Raven’s grip on his arm tightened.

Her usually calm face now looked tense.

“That,” she said quietly, “is the Alpha Hunter.”

Before Ethan could ask another question—

BOOM.

Something enormous landed on the roof of the building above them.

Dust and broken pieces of concrete rained down onto the street.

The soldiers quickly raised their weapons again.

“Target incoming!” one of them shouted.

Everyone looked up.

And then they saw it.

The creature slowly stepped into view.

Ethan’s breath caught in his throat.

It was huge.

At least three times the size of the Hunters standing beside him.

Its body was covered in dark armor-like skin, thicker and more terrifying than anything Ethan had seen before. Massive claws gripped the edge of the rooftop, leaving deep marks in the concrete.

But the most terrifying part was its eyes.

They burned with a deep crimson glow.

Intelligent.

Angry.

Ancient.

The Alpha Hunter looked down at the street below.

Its gaze locked instantly onto Ethan.

The creature let out a roar so powerful it shook the windows of nearby buildings.

Several soldiers stumbled backward in fear.

“Oh God…” one whispered.

The hunter leader stared at the monster in disbelief.

“This isn’t possible,” he muttered.

Raven stepped slightly in front of Ethan.

“We need to leave now.”

Ethan swallowed hard.

“Yeah… I completely agree with that plan.”

But the Alpha Hunter moved first.

With a powerful leap, the creature jumped from the rooftop.

The ground exploded beneath its weight as it landed in the middle of the street.

BOOM.

The shockwave knocked several soldiers off their feet.

Cars nearby shook violently.

The Alpha Hunter slowly raised its massive head.

It sniffed the air.

Then it began walking toward Ethan.

Each step cracked the pavement beneath its claws.

The two Hunters beside Ethan whimpered softly and stepped back.

They wouldn’t fight it.

They couldn’t.

The hunter leader shouted angrily.

“Fire!”

Instantly, the soldiers opened fire.

Gunshots exploded through the night.

Bullets slammed into the Alpha Hunter’s body.

But the creature didn’t even flinch.

The bullets bounced harmlessly off its armored skin.

The monster slowly turned its head toward the soldiers.

It looked annoyed.

Then it moved.

Faster than anything that size should be able to move.

Within seconds it was among them.

Its massive claw swung through the air.

A soldier screamed as he was thrown across the street.

Another soldier fired desperately.

The Alpha Hunter grabbed him and slammed him into the ground.

Panic spread through the entire group.

“Fall back!” someone shouted.

But it was too late.

The monster was unstoppable.

Ethan stood frozen, watching the chaos.

“This… this is insane,” he whispered.

Raven grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her.

“Listen to me carefully,” she said.

“That creature isn’t here for them.”

Ethan felt his stomach twist.

“It’s here for you.”

Behind them, the Alpha Hunter lifted its head again.

Its glowing red eyes locked onto Ethan.

The creature growled deeply.

Then it began walking toward him.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Like a king approaching his throne.

Raven stepped forward again, raising her glowing blue blade.

“Stay behind me.”

Ethan shook his head.

“That thing just destroyed a squad of soldiers.”

“I know.”

“You can’t fight it!”

Raven didn’t respond.

Instead, she rushed forward.

With incredible speed, she leaped into the air and slashed her blade across the Alpha Hunter’s shoulder.

Blue light flashed across the creature’s armor.

For the first time—

The monster reacted.

It roared in anger and swung its massive claw.

Raven barely dodged the attack.

The claw smashed into the ground, creating a deep crater.

She landed lightly on the pavement and attacked again.

But this time the Alpha Hunter was ready.

It moved faster than expected.

Its tail whipped through the air and slammed into Raven.

She crashed into a nearby car, denting the metal.

“Raven!” Ethan shouted.

The Alpha Hunter ignored her.

Its focus was only on him.

It slowly approached.

Each step felt like thunder.

Ethan’s heart raced.

The strange power inside him began stirring again.

The ancient voice whispered softly.

Do not fear.

Command.

Ethan shook his head.

“I don’t know how!”

The creature was now only a few meters away.

Its massive red eyes studied him.

Waiting.

Testing.

Raven struggled to stand.

“Ethan… don’t run,” she said weakly.

“What?!”

“Face it.”

Ethan stared at her in disbelief.

“That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard!”

But the voice inside him grew louder.

You are the master.

The Alpha Hunter lowered its head slightly.

Ethan slowly raised his hand again.

His silver eyes glowed brighter.

“I… I don’t know if this will work,” he whispered.

The Alpha Hunter stopped moving.

The entire street went silent.

Even the remaining soldiers froze.

Ethan took a deep breath.

Then he spoke.

“Stop.”

For a moment—

Nothing happened.

Then the Alpha Hunter slowly lowered its massive body.

The ground shook slightly as the enormous creature knelt before him.

A shocked silence filled the street.

Raven stared in disbelief.

The surviving soldiers backed away in fear.

Even the hunter leader looked stunned.

Ethan’s hand trembled.

“Did… did I just control that thing?”

The Alpha Hunter lifted its head slowly.

Its red eyes flickered.

Then something incredible happened.

The crimson glow faded.

Replaced by the same silver light that filled Ethan’s eyes.

The creature bowed its massive head.

Complete submission.

The ancient voice whispered again.

The king has returned.

Ethan’s heart pounded.

“What does that mean?”

No one answered.

But the hunter leader’s face had gone completely pale.

He whispered in horror.

“He’s not just a descendant…”

His voice trembled.

“He’s the Alpha King.”

Raven slowly walked toward Ethan.

Her voice was filled with awe.

“All this time…”

She looked into his glowing silver eyes.

“We thought your bloodline controlled monsters.”

She glanced at the kneeling Alpha Hunter.

“But the truth is much worse.”

Ethan frowned.

“Worse?”

Raven nodded slowly.

“You don’t control them.”

Another deep rumble shook the city.

Far away in the darkness, other distant roars answered the Alpha Hunter’s call.

Dozens of them.

Raven finished her sentence quietly.

“They belong to you.”