Chapter 6 Chapter 6
Leonidas POV
For a terrifying second, I felt my body betray me. My knees almost touched the ground while my muscles trembled violently, my claws digging into the pavement as I forced myself to stay upright. Every instinct inside me screamed the same command.
'Kneel'.
My wolf was roaring in my head, restless and furious, yet underneath that anger was something far more disturbing.
Submission.
I had never felt anything like it before.
Not from another Alpha.
Not from a rival.
Not from anyone.
Yet the fragile girl standing in front of me had just spoken a single word, and my wolf had almost obeyed without question.
I forced myself to straighten up, my jaw tightening as I stared at her.
Sable Draven looked just as shocked as I felt.
Her blue eyes were wide, her chest rising and falling quickly as if she couldn't understand what had just happened.
"I–I didn't mean...", she stammered.
Her voice shook.
Because if she had meant it...then the situation had just become far more dangerous.
The air around us had gone unnaturally quiet.
The crowd of students who had gathered earlier was now standing several feet away, whispering nervously among themselves. Most of them didn't understand what had just happened, but they could feel it.
Power.
Raw, ancient power.
Beside me, Zander Nightshade let out a quiet chuckle.
Of course, he would find this amusing.
Unlike wolves, vampires weren't bound by Omega commands. Their kind functioned differently. Where wolves were ruled by instinct and hierarchy, vampires relied on discipline and control.
Which meant Zander was enjoying this far more than he should.
"Fascinating", he murmured, his eyes fixed on Sable with dangerous interest.
I shot him an annoyed glance.
"This isn't a show, vampire".
Zander merely shrugged.
"Oh, I know", he replied lazily. "But you must admit... watching the mighty Alpha Leonidas Wolfe nearly drop to his knees is quite entertaining".
My wolf growled inside me.
If he wasn't useful right now, I would have wiped that smug expression off his face already.
My attention returned to Sable. She looked pale.
Her shoulders trembled slightly as if she was struggling to stay conscious.
That bitter scent was still in the air.
Suppressants.
The realization made my
stomach tighten. I stepped closer.
"You need to sit down", I said firmly.
Sable shook her head quickly.
"I'm fine".
She was lying.
Even a human could see that, before I could argue with her further, Zander suddenly stiffened beside me.
His gaze shifted past Sable, toward the man standing several feet away.
Caius Draven.
He hadn't moved since the chaos started. But now his eyes were fixed on Sable with a strange intensity.
For a brief moment, something dark flickered across his expression.
Concern.
But also something else.
Calculation.
My wolf immediately bristled.
There was something wrong with that man.
Very wrong.
Elara followed our gaze and noticed him too.
Her face immediately softened.
"Caius…"
She took a small step toward him.
The movement was weak, unsteady.
Caius walked forward calmly, his expression returning to the gentle mask he had worn earlier.
"You should have finished the tea," he said quietly.
The words were simple, but they carried a weight that made my instincts flare.
Elara looked confused.
"I was going to drink it later," she said weakly. "I just didn't want to be late for my first day."
Caius stopped a few feet away from her.
His eyes flicked briefly toward Zander and me.
Sharp.
Observant.
He was studying us.
And I was studying him.
Something about him felt… wrong.
Dangerous.
Yet strangely controlled.
His gaze returned to Elara.
"You shouldn't push your body like that," he said gently. "Your health isn't strong."
Zander suddenly laughed under his breath.
"Health," he repeated softly.
Caius's eyes moved toward him.
Their gazes locked.
For a split second, the air between them grew tense.
Vampire and… something else.
I watched carefully.
Caius didn't smell like a wolf.
But he definitely wasn't human.
Elara swayed slightly.
I moved instinctively to steady her, grabbing her arm before she could fall.
Her skin was warm.
Too warm.
And her scent—
My wolf stirred again.
Stronger now.
Unstable.
Elara looked up at me with tired eyes.
"I'm okay," she whispered.
But the moment she spoke, another wave of that strange pressure rolled through the courtyard.
Several wolves in the crowd suddenly lowered their gazes.
Others looked visibly uncomfortable.
Even my wolf reacted again.
Not submitting this time.
Recognition.
My breath slowed.
Omega.
Not just any Omega.
Something far older.
Far rarer.
Zander seemed to reach the same conclusion.
He stepped closer, his voice quiet but sharp.
"Tell me something, Caius Vale."
Caius turned to face him calmly.
"Yes?"
Zander tilted his head slightly.
"How long have you been suppressing her?"
Silence fell over the courtyard.
Elara blinked.
"Suppressing…?"
Caius's expression didn't change.
But his eyes darkened slightly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Zander smiled.
That slow, dangerous vampire smile meant he had already figured something out.
"The tea," he said.
Elara's eyes widened slightly.
"My medicine?"
Caius spoke before Zander could continue.
"It helps her condition."
"Condition?" Zander repeated.
His voice was almost mocking now.
"Interesting way to describe it."
My patience was wearing thin.
I stepped forward, my voice cold.
"What exactly are you giving her?"
Caius looked at me calmly.
"Something that keeps her safe."
My wolf snarled.
Safe.
Or controlled?
Elara looked between us nervously.
"I don't understand what's happening," she whispered.
Another wave of dizziness seemed to hit her.
Her body sagged against my arm.
Before she could collapse again, I lifted her slightly to keep her steady.
Her heartbeat was racing.
Too fast.
Caius's eyes flickered toward my hand on her arm.
Something dangerous flashed across his face.
"Let go of her."
The words were quiet.
But they carried authority.
I met his gaze without moving.
"No."
For a moment, the tension between us became suffocating.
Zander watched with clear amusement.
Then Elara suddenly gasped softly.
Her fingers tightened weakly against my jacket.
"Something feels… wrong."
The moment she said that, my wolf reacted violently.
A new scent filled the air.
Not Omega.
Not wolf.
Something darker.
Older.
Zander sensed it too.
His expression sharpened instantly.
The wind shifted slightly.
And suddenly I realized something terrifying.
This wasn't just about Elara anymore.
Something else had noticed her awakening.
Something powerful.
Something hunting.
Caius seemed to sense it as well.
For the first time since this entire situation began, his calm expression cracked slightly.
His gaze lifted toward the distant tree line surrounding the campus.
His voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper.
"They're early."
My wolf instantly went on high alert.
"They?" I demanded.
Caius didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at Elara.
Then at me.
Then at Zander.
When he finally spoke, his voice carried a warning none of us could ignore.
"You have no idea what you've just awakened."
A cold wind swept through the courtyard.
And from somewhere deep within the forest surrounding Moonridge—
A long, haunting howl echoed through the air.
My wolf froze.
Because that sound…
It was not from my pack.
And whatever had made it—
Was coming straight for her.