Chapter 85
Victoria's POV
Darkness swallowed everything.
When those shadow chains finally released me, I was no longer on the battlefield.
Uma had abducted me with her thorn chains. I heard my mother calling my name in the distance, but her voice grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared completely.
We had parted ways.
I don't know how much time passed before I crashed hard onto solid ground. My knees struck stone, pain shooting through me sharp enough to make me gasp. Opening my eyes, I found myself lying in a dim stone chamber.
"Get up." Nicholas's voice came from above, laced with impatience.
I struggled to my feet. He stood by the door, pale as a corpse, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Where are we?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
"Blood River Pack's Wolf House." His answer was curt as he pushed open the heavy wooden door. "Come on. We need to report to the Alpha."
I followed him out of the stone chamber into a narrow corridor.
This place was worse than I'd imagined—rusted chains and various torture devices I couldn't name hung on the walls, dried bloodstains marking the floor. I caught the scent of wolves mixed with sweat, blood, and sex.
Sounds drifted from the end of the corridor.
At first I thought someone was fighting, but I quickly realized it was something else—the wanton moans of she-wolves and the low groans of a male, accompanied by the sounds of flesh striking flesh.
Heat flooded my face. Nicholas seemed accustomed to it. He stopped before an ornately carved wooden door, took a deep breath, then raised a trembling hand to knock.
"Alpha, sir," his voice shook, "Nicholas requests an audience."
The sounds within ceased. After a moment of silence, a languid male voice responded: "Enter."
Nicholas pushed open the door and I followed. The room was much more spacious than the corridor but equally dim, lit only by a few flickering candles. Heavy musk and alcohol saturated the air.
Torn clothing and empty bottles littered the floor.
A man emerged from the inner chamber.
He wore a silk robe, the open front revealing a muscular chest and abs covered in scratches and bite marks. His shoulder-length hair was black streaked with silver, carelessly loose.
Most striking were his eyes—dark red, like congealed blood, holding an inhuman coldness.
This was the Alpha of Blood River Pack, Louis Anderson.
"Alpha, sir," Nicholas immediately dropped to his knees, forehead to the floor, "your servant has returned."
"You look younger still. May Blood River prosper under your leadership for ten thousand years." Nicholas spoke those fawning words.
Louis ignored our flattery. He walked to an armchair and sat, crossing his legs, studying Nicholas with those blood-red eyes.
The room fell terrifyingly silent. I could hear my own heartbeat.
"I gave you so many warriors," Louis finally spoke, his voice unnervingly calm, "plus witches and the assistance of dark flames." He paused. "Yet you didn't bring back the fire element?"
"Alpha, sir, please let me explain—" Fear saturated Nicholas's voice.
"Silver Moon Pack has both ice and fire, two primal elements," he spoke rapidly, "plus those defected generals, Brian and the others... We, we truly didn't expect they would—"
"You have failed my expectations!" Louis cut him off, his tone still calm.
But that calm was more terrifying than any rage. I watched Nicholas's body begin to tremble.
"Those who fail me must die!" Louis stood, his robe's belt loosening to reveal more skin.
Nicholas's head snapped up, terror flashing in his eyes. He turned to flee, but it was already too late.
Black thorn chains shot from the shadows, Uma's figure materializing in the corner. The chains wrapped around Nicholas's limbs like living things, dragging him back before Louis. He struggled desperately, begging continuously: "Alpha, sir! Please give me one more chance! I can redeem myself! I know many of Silver Moon's secrets! I—"
Louis raised his right hand.
I saw electricity gathering in his palm, blue-white lightning crackling and illuminating the entire room. In that instant, Louis's face appeared particularly savage in the electric light, like some ancient demon.
"No—!" Nicholas's scream was drowned by the thunder of lightning.
The current struck his chest. His body convulsed violently, skin beginning to char, the stench of burning flesh spreading. His howls grew weaker and weaker until they became incoherent whimpers.
After a few more seconds, he went completely still, only his charred corpse still smoking.
I froze in place.
Lightning element.
The fifth element that had never appeared, the stuff of legend.
I'd thought it was just rumor, a story to frighten enemies. But now I'd seen it with my own eyes. Louis Anderson not only possessed lightning power, but was terrifyingly strong.
The thorn chains released Nicholas's body, letting it collapse to the floor.
Uma emerged fully from the shadows, bowing to Louis.
"Stella is dead," she reported in that hollow voice. "Currently Silver Moon Pack controls two elements. A rash attack would not yield favorable results."
Louis silently regarded the body on the floor, seemingly contemplating. After a while, he turned and walked back to his chair, sitting once more.
"Unless," he said slowly, "we can also control two elemental powers."
His fingers tapped the armrest.
"But forget about Stone Ridge Pack's earth element. We've attacked them several times, only to retreat defeated each time. Their alliance with the goblins is unbreakable." He paused. "Moreover, earth element has a rather strong restraining effect on lightning element."
Uma said carefully: "I've heard whispers that wind element has appeared at Free Haven."
Louis's eyes brightened slightly.
"That's just a trading port established by a bunch of rogue wolves," Uma continued. "It has absolutely no military power. Conquering it would be child's play."
"Free Haven..." Louis repeated the words, as if savoring their taste. "Wind element."
"Also," Uma's voice dropped lower, "I saw Silver Moon Pack's sacred artifact."
Louis's head snapped up: "What artifact?"
"The Orta Crown." Uma said. "That crown can absorb and fuse the power of all five elements. If one controls it, it could trigger world-destroying effects."
The room fell deathly silent.
Then Louis laughed. The sound was low, full of greed, echoing through the dim chamber.
"The Orta Crown," his eyes glittered with mad light, "that will be mine."
Uma's figure began to blur, transforming into black mist before disappearing into a black ring on Louis's hand. The room grew quiet again, leaving only the crackling of burning candles and my own rapid breathing.
Only then did Louis look at me.
I tried to stand straight, but my legs were shaking.
I had just witnessed an execution, and realized this man was more dangerous, more powerful, and more insane than I'd imagined.
"Oh," Louis stood and walked toward me, his face suddenly showing a gentle expression, "poor child."
His hand touched my cheek, that false tenderness making me want to vomit.
"Just lost your mother," he said softly, as if comforting an injured animal. "Do you want revenge for your mother?"
My eyes burned.
Mother was dead. Stella had died in that battle, and I hadn't even seen her one last time. All the anger, grief, and fear suddenly surged up, choking my throat.
"Yes," I heard myself say, voice hoarse. "I want to kill them all."
Louis nodded with satisfaction. His finger brushed my eye corner, wiping away a tear.
"Then first," he said, "you must demonstrate your value to me."
I raised my head, meeting those blood-red eyes directly.
"I'm willing to do anything for you."
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew there was no turning back. But I didn't care. Mother was dead, Kane had betrayed me, I'd lost everything. Now I only wanted revenge, only wanted to watch those people pay the price.
Louis stepped back, studying me like evaluating a commodity's worth. Then he laughed, the sound growing louder and louder until it became unrestrained mad laughter, echoing through the empty hall.
Candlelight flickered, casting twisted shadows on the walls. Nicholas's corpse still smoked on the floor, the air thick with the scent of death.
And I stood there, knowing I had just sold my soul to the devil.
But I had no regrets.