Elena’s POV
My gaze darted between Damien, Marcus, and this vile creature standing before us. The thing moved first, its twisted features contorting into a malicious grin as its eyes locked onto mine.
"Well, well, princess. I was counting on seeing you again," it purred, its voice like nails on glass.
"What the hell is happening here, Marcus? Are you actually working with this monster?" The words ca out sharper than I intended.
"We’re not working together," Marcus snapped back.
"Then what the fuck is this about?" Damien’s voice was a dangerous rumble, his eyes never leaving Marcus. I stepped closer and placed my hand on Damien’s arm, a silent warning to keep his temper in check. We couldn’t afford to lose Marcus now, not when we needed answers.
"That’s not your concern. I can do whatever I damn well please in my own territory," Marcus snarled.
"Why are you talking to this thing?" I pressed, forcing my voice to stay level despite the rage building inside .
"Who else do I have left to talk to?" Marcus’s shout caught off guard.
I stared at him with wide eyes before turning back to the creature, trying to process what he’d just revealed.
"What do you an?" I demanded.
"I have nobody else. My wife is nothing but a lying cheat. My Beta, my Gamma, the entire pack leadership - none of them give a damn about what I’m going through. Nobody in this pack shows any respect anymore. I’ve allowed these monsters to exist outside our borders for too long, and now everyone’s pointing fingers at for the disaster that’s about to destroy us all," Marcus’s voice cracked with frustration.
"The pack blas you for not dealing with these creatures?" I asked.
"Exactly. They think I’m failing as an Alpha. They believe I should have eliminated them the mont I discovered they were the ones slaughtering humans."
"So why didn’t you?" Damien’s question cut through the tension.
It was a fair question, but then the answer hit like a punch to the gut. I rembered the truth we’d discovered.
These things couldn’t be destroyed. At least, not by conventional ans. Not by anything Marcus possessed.
"Because only I can destroy them," I said quietly.
"And that’s exactly why you’re standing here now. With your shiny new mate and your powerful new family, ready to make look like a complete failure," Marcus’s voice was bitter.
"Marcus, I didn’t co here to humiliate you. I ca to see my mother before she died. Getting attacked by these creatures was inevitable because I’m the one they’re hunting. I’m also the only one capable of stopping them," I explained.
"You didn’t co here to kill ?" Marcus’s question was barely above a whisper.
"People approached , told I needed to return and end your life. They were convinced you were the one murdering humans. But I know better, so I won’t be killing you. However, these monsters are a threat to everything we stand for. We need to eliminate them, and we need to do it imdiately," I said firmly.
"Princess, why would you want to do such a terrible thing?" the creature interrupted, its voice sickeningly sweet. I looked at it briefly before deliberately turning away, refusing to acknowledge its presence. But it wouldn’t accept being ignored. "Don’t turn away from , princess."
"Why does this thing keep calling her princess?" Damien’s voice was deadly quiet.
"Because that’s exactly what she is - my princess. And very soon, she’ll beco my queen. Once my master claims her," the creature replied with obvious satisfaction.
We all froze at those words.
I t Damien’s eyes, seeing my own fear reflected in his gaze. Damien released a threatening growl, making it clear that any attempt to take would result in a bloodbath.
"Your leader wants her as his queen?" Marcus asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"Naturally. You didn’t actually believe this was about you, did you? We knew this was her pack, but by the ti we arrived, she’d already disappeared. We needed to devise a strategy to force her return," the creature explained with obvious pleasure.
"You’ve been murdering innocent humans just to get my attention? Just to force back to the one place I despise more than anywhere else?" The realization hit like ice water.
The creature’s grin widened, confirming my worst fears. All those innocent lives, all that blood and terror, had been nothing more than bait. Bait to lure back to this cursed place.
"Every single death was necessary to bring you ho, princess. My master has been very patient, but his patience has limits. He’s waited long enough to claim what belongs to him."
"She belongs to no one," Damien’s voice was pure violence.
"We shall see about that," the creature replied smoothly.
The pieces were falling into place now, creating a picture that made my blood run cold. This wasn’t about Marcus’s failures as an Alpha. This wasn’t about pack politics or territory disputes. This had always been about . About dragging back to face whatever nightmare was waiting in the shadows.
Marcus looked between us, realization dawning in his eyes. "All of this... the attacks, the deaths, the fear in my pack... it was never about at all."
"No," I said quietly. "It was always about ."
The creature’s laughter echoed through the basent, a sound that promised nothing but darkness ahead.
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