Chapter 125

ASHER

The night of the vote had finally come. The air was thick with tension as all the alphas gathered in the secret location—a neutral ground, secluded and secure, or at least it was supposed to be. Jax, Knox, and I were standing together, trying to appear calm, but underneath, we were on edge. Everything we’d worked for, all the sacrifices, led to this night. The weight of what was at stake felt almost suffocating.

The room was dimly lit, filled with murmurs and the quiet rustle of alphas settling in their seats. I could feel eyes on me from all directions, scrutinizing, calculating. Some were loyal, others... less so. I caught Knox’s eye, and he gave me a sharp nod. Jax was on the other side, jaw clenched as he scanned the room, ever the vigilant one.

We were called forward to address the assembly, and as I stepped into the center of the room, I forced myself to focus. There was no room for doubt, no room for fear. I spoke about unity, about the future of the pack, about Luca and the world I wanted to build for him. As I spoke, I scanned the crowd, measuring reactions. There were nods of agreement, but also skeptical glances, faces set in stone.

And then, it was time. The voting began.

One by one, each alpha cast their vote. The process was slow, deliberate. My heart pounded in my chest, but outwardly, I remained calm. I had to. This was what we had prepared for, what we had been fighting for.

Jax shifted beside me, pretending to be relaxed, but I knew him too well. Knox, as always, was unreadable, though I could sense the tension in his stance. It felt like hours, but finally, the last vote was cast.

The head alpha in charge of the vote stood at the front of the room, the silence almost unbearable. He began to tally the results, and my heart raced faster with every second. I felt the weight of my brothers’ presence beside me, solid and reassuring.

The alphas watched intently as the tallying continued, every second dragging like it might be the last. Then, finally, the head alpha spoke.

"Asher Black, King of the Wolves."

The words rang in my ears, but before I could even process what had just happened, the room erupted into chaos. Cheers, applause, but then—a deafening blast.

The explosion hit with a force that knocked the breath out of me, sending me crashing to the ground. My vision blurred, ears ringing. The impact had thrown me hard, and for a moment, everything was darkness and confusion. Dust and debris filled the air, screams and shouts echoing in the distance, and all I could think was my brothers.

I forced myself up, my body aching, blood trickling from somewhere on my face. The room was a haze of smoke and destruction. I couldn’t see Jax or Knox, and panic clawed at my chest. I staggered forward, trying to find them through the chaos.

"Jax! Knox!" I shouted, my voice hoarse, desperate.

There was no response.

People were scrambling, some limping, others trying to find their own. I pushed through the smoke, searching. My brothers had to be okay—they had to be.

In the distance, I heard coughing and heavy footsteps, but I couldn’t tell if it was them. The smoke thickened, my head spinning. Time seemed to slow down, every second stretching into eternity.

Where were they? Were they okay? Had everyone made it out? Had I just become king only to lose everything in the same breath?

I pushed forward, ignoring the pain, refusing to stop until I found them, hoping, praying that we had all survived the blast.

KNOX

The explosion ripped through the room, a deafening roar that echoed in my ears. Dust and debris clouded the air, and I struggled to regain my bearings. My heart raced as I pushed through the chaos, desperately searching for Jax and Asher.

“Jax! Asher!” I shouted, my voice barely cutting through the din of panic surrounding me. The sounds of coughing and cries for help filled the space, but there was no response from my brothers.

I stumbled forward, dodging fallen beams and shattered glass, my instincts kicking in. This wasn’t just an accident; it felt deliberate. The smell of smoke mixed with something acrid, and I could sense danger lurking just beyond the haze.

As I moved deeper into the wreckage, shadows shifted at the edge of my vision. A chill crawled down my spine as I recognized the figures emerging from the smoke. They were dressed in dark tactical gear, eyes sharp and predatory. Werewolf hunters. I could feel the hairs on my neck stand on end.

Leading them was a woman with striking features, her eyes a vivid green that pierced through the gloom. It took a moment for recognition to hit me—Emilia, Isabella's mother. The stories had always painted her as a myth, a ghost of the past, but here she was, alive and dangerously close.

I crouched behind a fallen beam, heart pounding. I couldn’t let them see me, couldn’t let them know I was here. The hunters moved with a purpose, scanning the wreckage as they advanced. They were methodical, their eyes trained for threats, for us. And the worst part? I knew they were looking for Isabella.

“Find them!” Emilia commanded, her voice cold and authoritative. “They won’t get away this time.”

My blood ran cold. They weren’t just here to cause chaos; they were here to hunt. My instincts screamed at me to move, to find my brothers and get Isabella out of harm’s way.

I caught a glimpse of Jax through the smoke, hunched over, his body tense. He was alive! Relief surged through me, but it was short-lived as I noticed Emilia’s hunters closing in on his position.

“Jax!” I whispered urgently, but he was too far to hear. I needed to distract them, to give him a chance to escape.

“Hey!” I shouted, forcing my voice to carry over the chaos. I stepped out from my hiding place, hoping to draw their attention. “Over here!”

Emilia turned, her eyes locking onto mine with chilling clarity. “There’s one,” she said with a smirk. “Get him.”

Before I could react, the hunters lunged forward. I dodged to the side, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I sprinted toward Jax. I could hear the footsteps pounding behind me, but I couldn’t look back. I had to reach him.

I tackled Jax to the ground just as a hunter swung at me, the fist grazing my shoulder. I grunted, the impact rattling me, but I kept my grip on Jax. “We have to move!” I yelled, glancing back at the advancing hunters.

“Where’s Asher?” Jax shot back, his eyes wide with worry.

“Don’t know! We need to get to Isabella first!” I pulled him up, urging him to follow me. The exit was close, but we had to navigate through the wreckage and evade the hunters closing in.

The sounds of the hunters shouting commands rang in my ears as we ducked low, weaving through the debris. I could feel the heat of their pursuit, the danger inching closer with every step.

“Go! Go!” I shouted, adrenaline pushing me faster. Just as we reached a doorway, a figure stepped out of the smoke—Emilia. Her expression was a mix of fury and satisfaction, as if she relished the hunt.

“Stop!” she commanded, her voice echoing ominously.

We hesitated, heart pounding. There was nowhere to go, and the reality of our situation crashed over me. But I wouldn’t let fear dictate my actions. I squared my shoulders and prepared to fight for my family, for Isabella.

“Jax, get ready!” I said, shifting into a defensive stance. Together, we faced the threat, determination blazing in our eyes. We were not going down without a fight. Not today.