Chapter 59
Chapter 59
POV Jared
I followed Lucan calmly through the dark forest sky, in the fascinating form of a massive black eagle. My shapeshifting had come as a surprise to me—something I now wished to explore more deeply. Knowing I wasn’t a killer helped me stop repressing my other natures. My human consciousness remained whole in every form once I accepted them, and that gave me peace now.
I was ready to catch Lucan off guard, hoping to confirm if my suspicions were true. Deep down, I blamed myself for not being more alert after his first challenge. I never thought he could be a traitor—a cruel murderer—just to gain the power of my pack.
Cautiously, I descended to the forest's center in human form, waiting for the male who had been trying so hard to take everything that belonged to me. Leaning against one of the towering trees, I chewed a mint leaf while gazing at the stars above. I had blocked the mental connection with Kat, but that didn’t stop me from thinking about her—and how damn lucky I was to have her by my side.
It took only minutes before the other wolf appeared before me. Lucan looked startled. He clearly hadn’t expected to see me here.
"Lucan," I greeted, folding my arms across my chest, staring at the suspicious male before me. "I'd like a word. Please. Shift."
It wasn’t a real request. An Alpha always gives orders with a polite tone.
“Damn it,” Lucan muttered, unable to hide his surprise or unease at being caught. His advantage was exposed too soon, and that made him impulsive. He already knew about the strange transformations I occasionally underwent, but his confusion and memory gaps had always given him hope that I wasn’t fit to lead. Now he stood there, unsure of what to do, breathing deeply to confirm we were alone—just the two of us, isolated in the middle of nowhere. That filled him with confidence.
He shifted into human form and faced me defiantly.
“We don’t seem to have any unfinished business,” Lucan growled through clenched teeth. He was clearly bitter, having witnessed the gods bless me once again. I had everything—strength, a mate, and now a new power that made me even more formidable.
“I think you’ve done more than your duties required,” I replied, unfolding my arms and pretending to sway, steadying myself against the tree. “You’ve been following me, haven’t you?” I cleared my throat, locking eyes with him. “I want to know—how long?”
“Why?” Lucan straightened, his eyes flashing with a strange gleam as he noticed what he thought was the beginning of one of my episodes. He believed this was his opportunity again. With a smug grin, he stepped sideways toward me. “Think you’ve done something you shouldn’t?”
“No.” I feigned frustration, running my fingers through my hair like a man on edge, though I felt nothing but focus. Growling the words, I pushed. “Say it. Have you been following me?”
“Well... yes.”
Lucan saw that I wasn’t fully alert—even though I stood confident, calm. The scent of my bond with Kat still clung to me, and that enraged him even more. She could’ve been his too.
“Since when?”
It was a dangerous plan, but it was working. If Lucan wasn’t the murderer, maybe he’d mention what he had seen during those nights. If he was, his guard might drop in the face of my supposed weakness. He was arrogant—always eager to boast.
“Did you see who killed Magnus?”
“I did.”
Lucan smiled darkly just as I stepped toward him—and dropped to my knees as the familiar illness hit. I groaned in pain, collapsing onto the damp earth.
“He was like you,” Lucan said, circling me with a predator's gait. “Alone, confused...”
He kicked me savagely in the stomach. I grunted in pain, rolling across the wet soil as dew began to settle under the night sky.
“You know, I’ve been watching you for a long time,” he said, pleased by how helpless I seemed. He was enjoying this. “I knew what you were—before you even discovered it. And I also knew that during your little episodes, you’re completely vulnerable. You don’t even know who you are... or where you are. Those minutes could be fatal.”
He laughed, kicking me again just as I tried to stand.
“So I came up with a plan—to drive you insane first. The doubt... it haunted you, didn’t it, Jared?”
He grabbed my hair, forcing me to look up at him. “There was so much blood on you that night... I had an idea.”
His eyes had turned feral, his claws ready to strike. “Why not let you take the blame for Magnus’s death? You never thought it could be me, did you? A weak worm like me? Too stupid to come up with something that clever, right? That’s how you see me, isn’t it, you bastard?”
He spat the words, trembling with rage and madness.
“So... it was you.”
I was waiting for just that one final word. I stayed alert, ready for the next blow. I would avenge my Beta—my friend.
“You still doubt it?” Lucan shouted. “Of course I killed him. And you… you’ll be next.”
He raised his claws for a fatal strike to my chest—but his eyes widened in shock when he saw me suddenly back on my feet, at full strength.
“Chasing leadership again?” I said, moving fast into a defensive stance. “I thought you’d learned your lesson last time, Lucan.”
My voice came out as a growl. Lucan stood frozen for a moment, seeing me fully prepared. His eyes burned red with rage as I shifted into my ferocious black wolf form.