Chapter 151 Feral (2)

Alaric’s heart slammed against his chest as his gaze met Damon’s pitch-black eyes. His breath hitched as Damon looked unrecognisable and predatory, blood dripping from his claws.

Alaric quickly averted his gaze, scanning the ground where body parts were scattered. The sight was bloody and gruesome.

Most of the deceased were alphas, and Damon had killed them with little to no effort.

Alaric couldn’t understand what had made him lose his mind to this extent. It couldn’t just be because he lost Ember, right? He thought to himself.

He knew he needed to act fast to avoid more bloodshed, and the rest of the werewolves remained quiet. Some legs trembled so badly it looked like it would give them away.

Others looked pale, already accepting that death was close.

"Do not move," Alaric mindlinked the remaining pack wolves. "Just stay calm if you want to live."

He hoped they listened, because he wasn’t sure he could stop Damon if he decided to attack again.

Damon stood with his chest heaving, growling and baring his teeth. His eyes swept over the rest of the pack. He tilted his head slightly, as if observing every single one of them.

Damon snarled low, his body twitching like he was about to pounce. Alaric’s chest tightened from the way he shifted his focus quickly.

’Okay, time for plan B,’ Alaric thought to himself.

He mindlinked Theo, who had a sad look in his eyes. His glasses were a little fogged up. "Theo, shift with me. We need to lure him to the containment chamber."



Theo’s eyes widened, then settled back into calmness. He had never thought his father would use that chamber again. "Is it even possible for us to outrun him? He’s more powerful now than ever."

"I don’t know," Alaric replied. "But it’s the only chance we’ve got. And let’s hope he doesn’t kill you. You’re my safety card."

Alaric’s bones cracked as he shifted into his black wolf form. The moment his paws hit the ground, he took off. A golden-brown wolf followed right behind him.

They bolted through the woods toward the castle.

Their paws thudded against the earth. The wind howled past them as their ears flattened back from the speed. Leaves and branches blurred around them as they darted through the trees. Alaric didn’t need to look back, because he could already hear Damon coming.

Twigs snapped behind them, followed by a deep growl that made the forest tremble. Damon was fast, already catching up. His murderous aura spread through the air.

Alaric panicked and ran faster, pushing himself past his limit. Every breath burned his lungs. Getting caught by Damon was a death sentence. Being his friend wouldn’t save him.

He glanced at Theo. The younger wolf looked focused, but Alaric could feel the doubt in him through the link. His fear was loud and clear.

"He’s not like before," Theo’s voice trembled through the mindlink. "Is that really... him?"

Alaric didn’t answer immediately. Because even he didn’t know.

What chased them wasn’t the Alpha they respected. It was something else... something lost to madness.

"This isn’t the first time Damon lost control," Alaric finally said. "But it’s never been this bad."

"Why?" Theo asked, his voice tight. "What changed?"

"This time," Alaric said quietly, "I don’t know."



Another growl echoed behind them, closer than before.

Alaric could feel the heat of Damon’s aura, the ground shaking under his weight. He pushed harder. His paws scraped the forest floor, flinging dirt behind him.

"He loved her, didn’t he?" Theo asked softly.

Alaric didn’t respond. He didn’t need to, because they both knew the answer.

Theo’s thoughts spiraled. The beast chasing them wasn’t just any beast. It was his father, the man he’d looked up to his whole life. The one who had led the pack through everything, but now, that man was buried beneath grief and rage.

Could they really bring him back?

Alaric veered slightly, heading toward the back of the castle. The trees thinned, revealing the old stone walls. He led Theo around the side, through a narrow path hidden by thorny hedges and thick bushes. The hidden basement came into view.

It had been built generations ago, sealed and warded for emergencies. If they could lure Damon inside, maybe they’d have a chance. A few minutes was all they needed.

A roar exploded behind them as Damon swung his claws. They dodged quickly, but the sudden move threw them off for a second.

Theo stumbled. "He’s right behind us...!"

"Keep running!" Alaric growled through the mindlink.

Damon lunged again. His claws swiped at Theo’s hind leg, missing by a few inches. Theo yelped and pushed forward, adrenaline pushing him faster like never before.

Alaric broke away from Theo and ran ahead, keeping Damon focused on him. If someone had to get caught, it would be him.

The stone wall came into view. He darted around the bushes and skidded down the narrow slope toward a door half-covered in moss.

He and Theo reached the iron gate and slipped through just as Damon busrt through the trees behind them.



Alaric slammed his paw on the stone tile beside the door. It creaked open slowly.

"Come on, open faster." His eyes flicked back to Damon, who had stopped a few steps away.

Theo stood beside him, with his fangs bared.

Damon’s claws dug into the ground. A low growl rumbled in his throat. His eyes locked on the entrance... but he didn’t move.

Alaric’s heart pounded. "Come on," he whispered.

Damon took one step forward, then another. But he stopped. His body tensed, like he was resisting something.

"He knows," Theo whispered. "He knows it’s a trap." He looked uneasy.

"Maybe," Alaric said, "or maybe some part of him still remembers."

Another low growl came from Damon, but it wasn’t as wild as before. His breathing slowed as his chest heaved heavily.

Alaric took a step back into the chamber, making sure Damon saw him.

"Come on," he said quietly. "Just a few more steps."

Damon stared at them. He looked torn, unsure if he should enter or not.