Chapter 26: New rules
The next morning, Damien walked onto the school field, holding a hockey stick in his hand. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, and the field was quiet, dew still fresh on the grass. He needed to clear his head, to feel normal again even if just for a little while.
He lined up a puck and slapped it across the field, the sound echoing in the still air. It went it, then he kicked in another one. Sweat dripped down his brow as he kept going, his muscles were aching but his mind remained focused.
“You really think hitting that puck will save you?” a cold voice called out behind him.
Damien froze, he turned slowly and saw peter who stood at the edge of the field, dressed in all black, his hands in his pockets and that same deadly smirk on his face.
“I thought I told you this wasn’t over,” Peter said, walking closer.
Damien tightened his grip on the hockey stick. “You’re not welcome here.”
Peter chuckled. “Neither were you… yet here we are. I just came to remind you your power isn’t yours, it’s mine and soon, I’ll take it.”
Peter chuckled coldly, his eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight. “You’re not the rightful Alpha.”
Damien stood still, eyes fixed on him, jaw tight. “You always talk big, Peter but tell me, if I’m not worthy, why was I the one who got bitten and not you?”
Peter’s lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. “Because Daniel was a fool, giving the power of the True Alpha to someone who thinks playing hockey makes him strong? What a joke.”
Damien’s eyes narrowed. “Funny. I remember you saying deserve this power bank, so why do you want it.”
“That’s because It looks disappointing with you.” Peter growled, stepping closer. “I trained for years, learned the old ways, bled for my pack, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
Damien’s fists clenched. “No, I was chosen. You weren’t and that’s eating you alive.”
Peter’s face twisted. “Don’t flatter yourself. You were never chosen, you were just a safer option. Daniel couldn’t handle someone stronger than him, someone with real vision. That’s why he gave it to you because you’d follow orders.”
“You’re wrong,” Damien snapped.
Peter’s expression darkened. “That’s where you’re mistaken. I didn’t just try, I did. He was supposed to die that night. I wanted him out of the way, and you… well, you were collateral. Unfortunately, he was too weak to finish you off. But I won’t make the same mistake.”
Damien smirked slightly, stepping forward. “You’ve always seen yourself as better than everyone, including me but the truth is you’re just angry. Angry that no matter what you do, no one chooses you.”
Peter growled, and without warning, he lunged, his claws extended midair, Peter tackled Damien to the ground, his fists slashing the air. Damien rolled, landing a punch to Peter’s ribs, sending him crashing into a tree. Peter snarled and charged again, slashing across Damien’s chest.
Blood stained Damien’s shirt, but he didn’t stop. He ducked Peter’s next blow and countered with a hard elbow to the jaw, making Peter stumble.
“You really think killing me will make you Alpha?” Damien spat, breathing hard. “It doesn’t work that way, Peter.”
“I don’t care,” Peter snarled. “I just want to see you bleed.”
They clashed again with his teeth, claws and fists. Peter was faster, fueled by rage but Damien was focused. Every blow he took, he returned twice as hard.
Peter’s eyes flashed red. “This should’ve been mine! All of it!”
“Then take it!” Damien roared, unleashing a burst of energy that sent Peter flying backward.
Peter slammed into the dirt, coughing. Damien stalked forward, blood dripping from his brow.
“You don’t get to rewrite fate,” Damien said, his voice cold. “You don’t get to take what was never yours.”
Peter tried to rise, trembling. “I’ll kill you…”
Damien pressed his boot to Peter’s chest, holding him down. “No, you won’t because deep down, you know you’ll never be stronger than me and that’s what really kills you.”
Peter growled weakly.
Damien stepped back, his eyes glowing. “Next time you want to challenge me… come ready to die.”
“Would you look at that,” Bryce said as he stepped forward, his voice laced with sarcasm and amusement. A smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his boots crunched over the gravel.
His gaze locked on Damien, who instinctively extended his claws, his posture shifting into defense.
“Ohh… it’s Daddy Alpha,” Neo taunted, circling behind Bryce with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Hey, letter boy—what’s up?” he added, mockingly referring to Damien’s status as Alpha by inheritance.
“You three,” Peter snarled, baring his teeth, irritation flashing across his face.
“Yeah, it’s us,” Nate said coolly, stepping up beside the others. “Thought we’d crash the party.”
Damien’s eyes shifted between the three intruders and Peter. This wasn’t just a fight, it was an ambush.
Bryce lunged first, aiming for Damien’s ribs. Damien parried, twisting and slamming his fist into Bryce’s jaw. Neo came from behind, his claws slashing through the air. Damien ducked, barely avoiding the blow, and elbowed Neo hard in the stomach.
Damien didn’t wait, he rushed at them with a roar, fury blazing in his eyes. They all clashed in the center, claw meeting claw and fang meeting fang. Damien grunted as Nate’s strength bore down on him but he didn’t back down.
A sudden growl split the air.
To Damien’s shock, Peter leapt into the fight, his body crashing into Bryce, sending him flying.
“You?” Damien gasped, dodging another blow from Nate. “Why are you helping me?”
“I don’t like traitors,” peter growled. “And I hate cowards even more.”
Together, they pushed back, Damien and Peter moving in sync, forcing Peter thr there back. Just when it seemed they might win, Neo pulled something from his belt.
“No!” Damien shouted.
But it was too late.
Neo stabbed peter deep in the side with a wolfsbane-coated blade. Peter gasped, stumbling, blood pouring from the wound.
“Pete!” Damien yelled, catching him as he fell.
Bryce seized the moment. With a snarl, he tackled Damien, locking him in a brutal grip. Peter dragged Damien and they both disappeared.