The Alpha King's Witch Bride Chapter 346: This Is War

"Who are you?" I drawled carefully, squinting at the man with blackened eyes. "Or rather... Who has control over you right now?"

The leaders gasped throughout the event hall, turning their heads to the man and scrutinising him closely due to my words.

anwhile, the man only grinned, keeping his palm glued to the pillar. He tilted his head, chuckling darkly. "What gave it away? The dark eyes?"

The voice that ca out was all too familiar to . Because I’ve heard it in my head for months, pushing to give in to my darkest desires.

My eyes twitched as I got on my feet, raising my right hand to the ceiling without saying a word.

An invisible force held the man in place before levitating him several feet off the ground, his limbs stiffening like wood.

Kaelos frowned, staring at with concern but I was too focused on the rage simring through .

"What’s going on? Why’s she attacking him for asking a question?" A woman squealed from a corner of the hall.

"Didn’t you see those eyes? He’s possessed!"

"Is he the only one?"

The voices all blurred out in my ears as my hair blew around . "When will the madness end, Ryker? When will you stop hovering over my life?"

The man dangled helplessly in the air but still managed to laugh maniacally, his voice booming through the hall.

"Did that man co alone?" Kaelos’ voice echoed behind .

From the looks of things, it seed that was the case.

"Oh, yeah. He did co with his Luna and Beta." Ryker’s silky voice ca out of the man’s lips, filled with mockery. "But they were a distraction. So I used his body to kill them just to send across this important ssage to the leaders of the Werewolves of North Arica."

My jaw tightened, my breath hitching as I tried keeping my emotions in check.

I had an urge to break the man limb by limb but it wouldn’t affect Ryker. And to everyone else, I’d be killing an innocent person.

’Calm down, Odessa. Calm down...’ I told myself ntally, drawing in steady breaths while Ryker continued.

"I am infiltrating every pack on the continent as we speak. One by one, my artificial hybrids are taking over positions of power and pretending to be normal civilians."

My mind went briefly to Marcellus and then I imagined all the chaos that happened with him... Happening at a continent-wide stage.

Dear goddess...

"My hybrids are your sisters. Your brothers. Your neighbours... Even so of your council mbers and Alphas." Ryker cackled, tilting the man’s head like a doll. "But a fallout from all this can be avoided if you all pledge allegiance to ."

Kaelos was the one who spoke this ti, his voice rippling through the air. "You dare! You’re just bluffing, Ryker."

Ryker sniggered. "Oh, am I, brother?!"

He said that last word like it was a slur. As if being Kaelos’ brother was a stain on his reputation.

But the leaders gathered all had a similar reaction to it.

"Brother?" A man repeated. "What in the goddess’ na is going on here?"

"Wait... The True Lord of the North is the Alpha King’s brother?"

"Unfortunately, that’s correct!" Ryker sighed, the body of the man twitching weirdly in the air. "Balthazar’s seed ended up in the womb of a witch long before Kaelos was born. I am the true Alpha King. I’ve always been."

I could feel Kaelos’ rage coiling so deep through the bond that I almost couldn’t differentiate it from mine.

This was going to escalate fast if I let this bastard continue talking.

"That’s enough for you, buddy." I snapped my fingers, twisting my wrist.

But to my horror, that no longer had an effect on the body as the man plopped to the ground like a rag doll. He slowly rose, his limbs snapping in unnatural angles I didn’t even know were possible.

When his body was set properly, he sighed, scanning his gaze past the faces of the leaders.

Many who sat close to him stood up, shifting away with pure terror as the event hall erupted into chaos.

But the man—Ryker—ignored all of that and stretched out his arms defiantly. "The few Alphas who’ve joined my clause are the enlightened ones. The ones who realise that Kaelos’ making ’peace’ with the witches has made us weak. And that weakness will only continue to spread if we don’t uproot the source."

He pointed his finger at Kaelos, forcing to glance over my shoulder at him. We locked eyes, both of us tense with uncertainty.

’That man could still be alive in there.’ I whispered through the bond but Kaelos shook his head.

’Ryker’s already causing enough damage.’ he blurted. ’I’m putting an end to—’

"Freeze!" A voice yelled from the entrance of the event hall just then.

I snapped my head in that direction, my brows furrowing when I saw pack soldiers rushing into the event hall and surrounding the man being used by Ryker.

Seeing that imdiately sent a bad feeling through .

"Raise your hands where we can see them." Another pack soldier sneered but Ryker didn’t even bother looking at them.

"There’s no need for that. I’m done sending my ssage anyway." Ryker smirked, the blackness in his eyes swirling like ink. "They who seek death shall find it. I implore the leaders of the North Arican packs to ask themselves... Am I really a force you want to be up against?"

Without warning, his skin began cracking like glass, black light seeping through the cracks. The pack soldiers, once gallant and ready to attack, took a few steps back, their eyes widening with dread.

The intensity of the black light only increased until it bloated out the lights in the hall completely.

"Everyone, duck!" Kaelos yelled, grabbing from behind and pulling into his arms, using his body to shield .

And then—

BOOM!

An explosion sounded, sending a gust of wind that blew my hair across my face despite Kaelos shielding . But he was unmoving, staying that way until the force of the blast cleared.

When we opened our eyes again, my gaze imdiately went to the spot where the man had stood a few seconds ago.

There was nothing.

No blood, no remains... Only a black scorch mark on the ground with smoke rising from it.

Fortunately, no one was hurt from the blast but everyone was touched by the ssage Ryker left. By the threat of his power.

"B–Bother?" Alpha Katherine spoke with a shivering voice that managed to echo around the hall. "Alpha King Kaelos, what did... What did he an by that?"

Others joined in the murmurs and commotion.

"He was able to infiltrate the seat of the Alpha King. A building where the power houses of the werewolf race in the continent were gathered." A man spoke with fear dripping in his voice.

"He’s too powerful. This is a failed battle already."

"He could’ve easily killed us all if he wanted. That explosion—"

"ENOUGH!" Kaelos thundered, his voice carrying the force of his Alpha King aura. "Pack soldiers, seal all the exits."

I frowned while still trying to catch my breath, watching as Kaelos finally withdrew his hands from , stepping forward. He looked down at everyone gathered as the pack soldiers followed his orders, locking the doors in the hall.

"No one leaves until they pledge allegiance to ." Kaelos continued, his tone leaving no room for resistance. "You want to join my murderous brother, then I’ll send you to him in pieces. This is war."