The air was thick with tension as Ethan, Luke, and Jacie stood at the edge of the woods, preparing to enter the barn. But before they could make their move, Ethan sensed an ominous shift—a new presence lurking in the shadows nearby. It was a familiar, sinister scent that sent his instincts into overdrive. Kade, the rogue leader, was here.
The rogue wolves they’d already eliminated had been strong, but none of them had matched Kade in brutality or skill. Ethan’s blood boiled as memories of Kade’s treachery surfaced. This wasn’t just about protecting Sophia and their unborn child; this was personal.
Jacie tightened the dome of silence around the area, ensuring none of their sounds or scents could alert those inside the barn. "I’ll hold the barrier," she whispered, her voice unwavering. "You two, handle him."
Luke nodded, stepping forward to stand beside Ethan. “We take him down together,” he said, his voice a low growl.
Ethan met Luke’s gaze, his jaw clenched. “We end this once and for all.”
Kade emerged from the shadows, his cruel eyes glinting in the moonlight. He looked both amused and unimpressed as he took in Ethan and Luke standing before him. “So, the mighty Alpha Ethan and his loyal lapdog,” he sneered. “You’re both foolish to think you can stand against me.”
Ethan squared his shoulders, his voice a lethal calm. “You made the biggest mistake of your life by coming here, Kade.”
Kade chuckled darkly, rolling his shoulders in mock readiness. “I’ve been waiting for this moment. Taking down the Blue Moon Alpha is something that’ll be remembered for generations.”
Without another word, Kade lunged. Ethan met him head-on, their bodies colliding with a force that shook the ground beneath them. Luke was quick to flank, moving to Kade’s left side, striking with calculated precision. Together, they were a deadly pair, their movements perfectly synchronized.
But Kade was relentless, powerful, and fast. He twisted out of Luke’s grasp, slamming his fist into Ethan’s ribs with enough force to send him skidding back. Ethan gasped, the impact reverberating through his chest, but he regained his footing, snarling as he closed the distance again.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Kade taunted, barely winded.
“Not even close,” Ethan growled.
He launched himself at Kade, using his heightened strength to drive him back. The two alphas grappled fiercely, teeth bared and claws slicing through the air, each trying to get the upper hand. Luke circled, waiting for his moment to strike.
As Kade aimed a brutal punch at Ethan, Luke took the opening, lunging forward to clamp his arm around Kade’s neck. Kade let out a strangled gasp as Luke tightened his hold, but he managed to twist free, slamming his elbow into Luke’s side, forcing him to release.
Ethan moved in an instant, landing a powerful kick to Kade’s knee, buckling it with a sickening crunch. Kade roared in pain, staggering back. But even wounded, he refused to back down.
“You think you can protect her?” Kade spat, blood dripping from his mouth. “Once I’m through with you, I’ll make sure she meets the same fate as her pathetic mother.”
Rage like nothing Ethan had ever felt surged through him. The insult to Sophia, to her mother’s memory, shattered any restraint he had left. With a primal roar, he attacked, his fists a blur of fury as he drove Kade back, punishing him for every word.
Luke was quick to join him, the two of them now in perfect sync. Every time Kade tried to counter, he was met with a relentless barrage of punches, kicks, and strikes. The rogue leader was powerful, but he was weakening, his movements growing sluggish.
In a desperate attempt, Kade clawed at Ethan’s face, leaving a shallow gash across his cheek. But Ethan barely flinched, fueled by pure adrenaline and the need to protect his mate and unborn child.
“Your reign of terror ends here,” Ethan spat, his voice a low growl.
With one final, brutal blow, he slammed his fist into Kade’s chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Kade struggled to get up, blood dripping from his mouth, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Luke stood beside Ethan, his own face bruised but determined. “It’s over, Kade. You’re finished.”
Kade tried to laugh, but it came out as a broken, gurgling sound. “You may have won this fight, but you can’t change what’s coming. That child... it’ll be a curse.” His voice was filled with venom, a final attempt to break them.
Ethan glared down at him, unyielding. “You know nothing of strength or loyalty, Kade. You’ve only ever destroyed. But our child will bring hope, not ruin.”
Without another word, he clenched his fist and delivered the final blow, ending Kade’s life once and for all. A silence settled over the woods as the rogue leader’s body went limp, his twisted legacy finally over.
Jacie stepped forward, her face calm but resolute. “It’s done,” she murmured, glancing at the lifeless form before them. She looked at Ethan and Luke, a small smile of approval on her face. “You did well.”
Ethan exhaled deeply, the reality of the fight hitting him as the adrenaline began to wane. But he couldn’t rest yet. Sophia was still inside, and she needed him.
He turned to Jacie, urgency in his gaze. “The barn?”
Jacie nodded. “The dome is still up. They’re completely isolated in there, unaware of what’s happened out here.”
Ethan exchanged a look with Luke. “Then let’s finish this.”
With Jacie following close behind, they turned toward the barn, resolute and ready to face whatever awaited them inside. The fight with Kade had only strengthened Ethan’s resolve; he would do whatever it took to protect Sophia and the family they were destined to have together.