Chapter 11 - Chapter11 The Alpha King Defends His Mate, Snaps the Scumbag’s Arm in Front of the Whole Pack

The explosion shook the Voss Estate to its foundations, a deafening roar that drowned out Brian's hysterical laughter and the distant howls of Valerius's rogue packs. Flames erupted from the west wing, orange and crimson tongues licking at the night sky, casting flickering shadows over the chaos unfolding at the front gates. The Lunar Ward, once impenetrable and glowing with silver magic, lay in tatters, its runes extinguished, leaving the estate exposed to the dark forces closing in from all sides. Screams echoed from inside the house—guards, mages, pack members caught off guard by the sudden attack—each cry a sharp reminder that Valerius had kept his word: he was already inside, and he was not alone.Alphard's arm tightened around Elaine's waist, his body coiling like a spring, every muscle taut with primal rage and protective instinct. His scarlet eyes blazed with a fury that could incinerate stone, scanning the grounds for any sign of the enemy, but his gaze kept snapping back to Elaine, to the hand she had pressed to her lower belly, to the faint, precious spark of life growing there. He had sworn to protect them, to burn the world down before any harm came to either of them, and he would not break that vow—not now, not ever."Take her to the safe room," Alphard snarled, his voice rough and commanding, not sparing a glance at the guards beside him. "Double the protection. No one—no one—gets in. If Valerius's men breach the doors, you fight to the death. Do you understand?"The guards nodded frantically, their hands gripping their silver swords, their faces pale but resolute. "Yes, Alpha King!"But Elaine's hand tightened around Alphard's forearm, stopping him before he could step away. She stood tall, her back straight, her silver-blue eyes cold and unyielding, the faint silver glow of her Lunar Goddess power humming beneath her skin—a quiet but unshakable reminder of the strength she carried within her. She was not a damsel to be hidden away, not anymore. She was Selene reborn, the mate of the Alpha King, the mother of the child who would end the curse, and she would stand beside him, not behind him."I'm not going to the safe room," she said, her voice steady, cutting through the chaos. "I'm staying with you. We fight together—remember? You don't get to face this alone. Not when our child is counting on both of us."Alphard's scarlet eyes locked onto hers, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths—rage, fear, pride, love. He wanted to shield her, to lock her away where no harm could reach her, but he knew she was right. She was not the weak, naive girl she had been in her past life. She was a goddess, a warrior, his equal. And together, they were unstoppable.He leaned down, pressing a quick, fierce kiss to her forehead, his voice dropping to a whisper, warm and urgent against her skin. "Stay close. If anything happens—if you so much as feel a hint of danger—you run. Do not hesitate. I will find you. I promise."Elaine nodded, her hand sliding into his, their fingers lacing together, a silent vow passing between them. Together, they turned back to the chaos, to Brian, who was still cackling like a madman as the guards dragged him toward the dungeons, his screams echoing through the night."He's already here! You're all going to die!" Brian shrieked, struggling against the guards' grip, his eyes wild with madness and malice. "Valerius will kill your baby, Elaine! He'll tear it from your womb and use its blood to become a god! And you, Alpha King? He'll skin you alive and wear your pelt as a trophy! You think you can stop him? You think your little moon goddess can save you? You're fools! All of you!"The guards tightened their grip on Brian, yanking him forward, but he twisted violently, breaking free for a split second. With a feral snarl, he lunged toward Elaine, his hands outstretched, his nails sharpened to points—tainted with the black magic of the Shadow Moon Coven, glistening with a venom that could kill a wolf in seconds. His target was not her heart, not her throat, but her stomach—the place where their child grew, the place where their hope for the future lay.Time slowed to a crawl. Elaine felt Alphard's hand tighten around hers, felt the surge of his Alpha power as he moved faster than the eye could follow. She saw the terror in Brian's eyes, the unhinged desperation of a man who had lost everything and had nothing left to lose. She felt the faint flutter of her child, a tiny, reassuring spark of life, and she knew—Alphard would not let him touch her. Not ever.Alphard's roar shook the night, a primal, unearthly sound that made the ground tremble and the guards freeze in their tracks. He launched himself in front of Elaine, his body a solid wall of muscle and fury, and caught Brian's wrist mid-lunge. His fingers closed around Brian's arm like a vice, the sound of cracking bone echoing through the night—a sharp, sickening snap that made every wolf in the vicinity wince.Brian's scream of agony pierced the air, high and shrill, drowning out the crackle of flames and the distant howls. His arm hung limp at his side, bent at an unnatural angle, blood seeping through his torn sleeve, his face contorted with pain and terror. Alphard did not let go. He tightened his grip, twisting Brian's arm slightly, drawing another scream from his lips, his scarlet eyes locked onto Brian's, cold and unforgiving, filled with a rage that had been building for 300 years—rage at the man who had hurt his mate, who had threatened his child, who had dared to stand in the way of their destiny."You will not touch her," Alphard snarled, his voice dripping with venom, his Alpha power radiating from him in waves so thick and oppressive that the guards and pack members around them dropped to their knees, their heads bowed in deference and fear. "You will not threaten my child. You will not speak my mate's name. You will not even breathe in her direction. Do you understand me?"Brian whimpered, tears streaming down his dirty face, his body trembling with pain and terror. He tried to speak, to beg, to apologize, but all that came out was a strangled, gurgling sound. His arm throbbed, the pain so intense he could barely think, and the look in Alphard's eyes—cold, ruthless, unyielding—told him that the Alpha King would not hesitate to kill him. Right here. Right now. In front of the entire pack."I-I'm sorry," Brian stammered, his voice broken, his head hanging in shame. "I'm so sorry, Elaine. I'm sorry for everything. I was wrong. I was stupid. Valerius made me do it! He threatened to kill me! Please—please forgive me. I'll do anything. I'll fight for you. I'll protect you and your baby. Just let me live. Please."Elaine stepped forward, her hand still in Alphard's, her face completely impassive. She looked down at Brian, at his broken arm, at his tear-stained face, at the desperation in his eyes, and felt nothing. No pity. No anger. No sadness. Just cold, empty contempt. This was the man who had lied to her, manipulated her, killed her parents, and pushed her off a cliff. This was the man who had sworn to kill her child, to destroy everything she loved. And now, he was begging for mercy—a mercy he did not deserve."You want forgiveness?" she said, her voice clear and sharp, cutting through Brian's whimpers. "You want a second chance? You had your chance, Brian. You had it when you smiled at me in the garden, when you told me you loved me, when you promised to protect me. You threw it away. You chose power. You chose Valerius. You chose to betray me. And now, you want me to forgive you? You want me to let you live? You are delusional."She leaned down, her silver-blue eyes locking onto Brian's, her voice dropping to a cold, menacing whisper. "You will die for what you did. Not today. Not yet. But you will die. You will rot in the dungeons, in the dark, where you belong. You will hear the howls of Valerius's packs. You will hear the screams of the pack members you helped hurt. You will think of me. Of the child you tried to kill. And you will suffer. For the rest of your miserable life."Brian's face drained of color, his body going limp in the guards' grip, his eyes wide with terror. He knew she meant it. He knew he would spend the rest of his days in the dark, in pain, haunted by his mistakes. And there was nothing he could do to stop it.Alphard released Brian's broken arm, shoving him roughly into the guards' arms. "Take him to the deepest cell in the dungeons. Chain him. Feed him only bread and water. And if he so much as utters a word about my mate or my child—rip out his tongue. Do I make myself clear?""Yes, Alpha King!" the guards barked, dragging Brian away, his screams of agony and绝望 fading into the night as they disappeared into the depths of the estate. The pack members watched in silence, their heads bowed, their faces a mix of fear and reverence. They had seen their Alpha King's wrath. They had seen him defend his mate with a ferocity that made even the bravest wolves tremble. And they knew—no one, not even Valerius, could stand against him when he was protecting what was his.But the chaos was far from over. The explosion in the west wing had been a distraction—a way to draw the guards away from the main entrance, to weaken their defenses. As Alphard turned to survey the damage, his scarlet eyes narrowing at the flames consuming the west wing, a low, menacing growl erupted from the tree line, loud and bloodthirsty, growing closer by the second. Thousands of rogue wolves, their fur matted and dirty, their eyes glowing with feral hunger, emerged from the darkness, surrounding the estate, their howls echoing through the mountains."Alpha King!" a guard shouted, pointing toward the east wing. "They're breaching the east gate! The mages are fighting them, but there are too many!"Alphard cursed under his breath, his arm tightening around Elaine's waist, pulling her closer. He scanned the grounds, his mind racing, calculating, planning. The rogue packs were too many—they outnumbered them 10 to 1. The Lunar Ward was gone. Valerius was inside the estate, somewhere, plotting, waiting to strike. And Elaine was pregnant, vulnerable, carrying the child that could end it all."Gather the warriors," Alphard barked, his voice commanding, cutting through the chaos. "Form a perimeter around the main house. Protect the mages. Do not let any rogue wolf step foot inside. I will handle Valerius. I will find him, and I will kill him. Once and for all."The warriors nodded, rushing to their positions, their swords drawn, their howls joining the fray. The mages, their hands glowing with silver magic, took their places beside the warriors, weaving what little protection they could, their faces set with determination. The pack was ready to fight—to die, if necessary—for their Alpha King, their Luna, and the child who would save them all.Elaine squeezed Alphard's hand, her silver-blue eyes locking onto his, her voice steady and unshakable. "Be careful. I need you. Our baby needs you."Alphard leaned down, pressing a soft, tender kiss to her lips, a stark contrast to the rage and violence surrounding them. His hand slid to her stomach, pressing gently against it, his voice thick with emotion. "I will come back to you. I promise. I will not leave you alone. Not ever."He pulled away, his scarlet eyes hardening into the cold, unyielding gaze of the Alpha King. He turned, ready to march into battle, ready to face Valerius, ready to end the 300-year curse once and for all. But before he could take a single step, a soft, familiar voice echoed from behind them—a voice that made Elaine's blood run cold, a voice that made Alphard's body go rigid with shock and betrayal."Alphard. Elaine. Wait."They turned, and Elaine gasped. Standing in the doorway of the main house, her face pale, her eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling, was Lena Voss—her stepmother. The woman who had poisoned her mother, who had helped Brian plot her death, who had been exiled from the pack for her crimes. She was supposed to be in the Northern Ice Mines, rotting away, just like Brian. But here she was, standing in front of them, alive, unharmed, her eyes filled with a desperate, pleading look."Lena?" Elaine whispered, her voice shaking, her hand flying to her stomach, her body tensing with fear. "How? How did you get here? You're supposed to be in the Ice Mines."Lena took a step forward, her hands raised in a gesture of peace, her voice broken, tears streaming down her face. "I escaped. I had to. I have to tell you something. Something important. Something Valerius has been hiding. Something that could change everything."Alphard's scarlet eyes narrowed, his body coiling with suspicion, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "What are you talking about? What secret? And do not lie to me. If you are here to hurt my mate, to hurt my child, I will kill you where you stand. No hesitation. No mercy."Lena shook her head, her tears falling faster, her voice urgent, desperate. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help. I know I've done terrible things. I know I've betrayed you. But I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Valerius manipulated me. He threatened to kill me if I didn't do what he said. He threatened to kill my family. I had no choice. But now—I know the truth. I know what he's planning. And if we don't stop him, if we don't act now, your child will die. And so will all of us."The chaos around them faded into the background. The howls of the rogue wolves, the crackle of the flames, the clashing of steel—all of it disappeared, replaced by the quiet, urgent plea in Lena's voice. Elaine stared at her stepmother, at the guilt and fear in her eyes, at the sincerity in her voice, and felt a flicker of doubt. Could Lena be telling the truth? Could she really have been manipulated by Valerius? Or was this another trick? Another trap?Alphard's jaw tightened, his scarlet eyes locked onto Lena's, searching for any sign of a lie. He saw the fear. The guilt. The desperation. But he also saw the faint, roiling black smoke of the Shadow Moon Coven's magic clinging to her—just like it had clung to Brian. A trap. It had to be a trap."What is the secret?" Alphard snarled, his voice cold and unforgiving. "Spit it out. Now. Before I lose my patience."Lena took a deep breath, her body trembling, her eyes locking onto Elaine's, her voice dropping to a whisper, so quiet only they could hear. "The curse. The one Alphard took. It's not just a curse. It's a bond. A bond between Alphard and Valerius. And your child—the child you're carrying—it's not just the key to breaking the curse. It's the key to uniting the two of them. To making Valerius stronger than any god. And Valerius isn't just here to kill your child. He's here to take it. To raise it as his own. To use its power to rule the world."Elaine froze, her blood turning to ice. Her child. Valerius wanted to take her child. To raise it as his own. To use its power for evil. The thought made her stomach churn, made her heart race with terror. She looked up at Alphard, her eyes wide with fear, and saw the same terror in his scarlet eyes.But before Alphard could speak, before he could react, a loud, cold laugh echoed from the roof of the main house. Valerius stood there, his scarlet eyes blazing with triumph, his broken shoulder bandaged, his body surrounded by black smoke, a dozen Coven witches standing beside him. He had been watching. Listening. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike."Well said, Lena," Valerius purred, his voice carrying through the night, dripping with malice and amusement. "You've served me well. Now, bring me the child, Elaine. Bring me the future of the Shadow Moon Coven. Or I will burn this estate to the ground. I will kill every pack member. I will kill Alphard. And then, I will take the child from your cold, dead body."Alphard roared, launching himself toward the house, his claws extended, his fangs bared, ready to tear Valerius apart. But the Coven witches raised their hands, black magic crackling around their fingertips, and a blast of corrupted magic slammed into him, sending him flying backwards, slamming into the iron gates with a sickening crack."Alphard!" Elaine screamed, rushing to his side, her hands flying to his chest, her silver magic flooding into him, trying to heal his wounds. But Valerius was already descending from the roof, his scarlet eyes locked onto her, his smile cold and cruel."It's over, little moon goddess," Valerius said, stepping closer, his hand reaching for her stomach, his fingers glowing with black magic. "Your child is mine. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."Elaine backed away, her silver magic flaring to life, ready to fight, but she knew it was not enough. Valerius was too strong. The Coven witches were too many. The rogue packs were closing in. And Alphard was injured, weakened by the blast of dark magic.But just as Valerius's hand was about to touch her stomach, a bright, blinding silver light erupted from the main house, a light so powerful it pushed Valerius back, searing his skin, making the Coven witches scream in agony. The light came from the study—the same study where Elaine had found her mother's journal, where the ancient scroll still lay, glowing with silver magic.And from the study, a voice echoed—a voice that was not Elaine's, not Alphard's, not Valerius's. A voice that was ancient, powerful, timeless. A voice that made the ground tremble, that made the rogue wolves whimper and cower, that made Valerius's face drain of color."You will not touch my granddaughter. You will not touch her child. You will not defile this sacred ground. The cycle ends here. Tonight."Valerius stared at the study, his eyes wide with terror, his body trembling. "No. It can't be. You're dead. I killed you. 18 years ago. I watched you die."The silver light grew brighter, and a figure stepped out of the study—a woman with silver hair, silver-blue eyes, and the same ancient runes on her cheeks that Elaine bore. She looked exactly like Elaine, exactly like Selene. And she was alive. She was Elaine's mother—Lilith Voss. The woman who had been poisoned by Lena, who had been thought dead for 18 years. The woman who had written the journal, who had foreseen everything.Elaine's mouth fell open, tears streaming down her face. "Mother? You're alive? You're really alive?"Lilith smiled, a soft, sad smile, her eyes locking onto Elaine's, filled with love and regret. "I'm alive, my sweet girl. I've been hiding. Watching. Protecting you. And now, it's time to end this. Once and for all."Valerius's face twisted with rage, his black magic flaring to life, but he hesitated. He stared at Lilith, at the silver light surrounding her, at the power radiating from her, and for the first time in 300 years, he looked afraid. Truly afraid.But before he could react, before Lilith could take another step, a sharp, piercing cry echoed from the dungeons—a cry that made Elaine's heart seize in her chest, a cry that made Alphard's head snap up, a cry that made Lilith's face pale.It was Brian's cry. But it was not a cry of pain. It was a cry of triumph. A cry that meant something terrible had happened. Something that would change everything.Lilith's eyes widened, her silver magic flickering. "No. No, he wouldn't. He can't."Valerius laughed, a loud, triumphant sound, his fear fading, replaced by a wild, unhinged joy. "Oh, but he would. He did. You see, I didn't send Brian here to lure you out. I sent him here to free the one thing that could destroy you all. The one thing you forgot about. The one thing that has been waiting in the dungeons, for 300 years."From the dungeons, a low, menacing growl erupted—a growl that was not human, not wolf, but something else. Something ancient. Something evil. Something that made even Alphard's blood run cold.Valerius smiled, his scarlet eyes locking onto Elaine's, filled with triumph. "The curse has a host. A true host. And now, it's free. And it's coming for you. For your child. For all of you."The growl grew louder, closer, echoing through the estate, and Elaine felt a cold, icy fear settle in her bones. She looked at Alphard, at her mother, at Valerius, and knew—their fight was just beginning. And the worst was yet to come.