Chapter 90

Chapter 90
He could feel his son’s presence in the air, a dark energy lurking just beyond sight, an ominous aura that seemed to chill the very air around him. It was his scent—distinct, thick, and somehow altered, as if his son himself had changed into something beyond mortal understanding. The stench of dark magic clung to it, tainted and raw, setting Alpha Jegh's instincts on edge. Somewhere nearby, Asshole was watching, biding his time. Alpha Jegh’s heart pounded as he called out, his voice steady but laced with an unspoken challenge.

"My son! Show yourself!" His voice echoed through the woods, reaching into the mist, reverberating with an authority that could have stirred the dead. But the only response was silence, heavy and oppressive.

Alpha Jegh summoned his power, casting a thick mist across the clearing in an attempt to shield the cottage from Asshole's view. The enchantment shimmered, tendrils of fog weaving between the trees like protective arms. For a moment, he thought it might work—until Eve’s sudden scream tore through the silence. A pang of dread twisted in his chest. "Damn it," he hissed under his breath, realising that his protective mist was already failing, Asshole’s dark magic corroding it like acid.

A sinister laugh rang out, cutting through the mist and echoing across the frosty landscape. Alpha Jegh’s grip tightened on his sword as he scanned the shadows, his eyes narrowing. Asshole's laugh was a sound devoid of warmth, carrying only malice and a chilling promise of pain. It was his intent made manifest, a testament to the hatred he bore.

Only hours ago, Alpha Jegh had fought against monstrous beasts summoned by the vampires, two-headed panther-like creatures with muscles as hard as stone and claws that tore through flesh as though it were paper. He had slain one, but not without cost; blood still seeped from the gash on his shoulder. It was fortunate that Eve had healed him as best she could, though the injury still hindered his movement. Now, the beast of his own making—the son he'd once raised with pride—was hunting him like a predator stalking wounded prey.

"Show yourself, son! We can talk about this, about the pack!" he bellowed once more, his voice both a demand and a plea. He didn’t know if his son would respond with words or violence, but either way, he would be ready. This battle was inevitable, a clash of blood and pride that neither could avoid.

In response, the darkness around him seemed to grow thicker, the shadows deepening as if Asshole’s presence itself bent the light away. Then, a chilling voice spoke, low and mocking. "Oh, father, must you really call out so desperately?" Asshole’s words slithered through the air, each one dripping with scorn.

Alpha Jegh's eyes narrowed as he spotted a figure stepping from the shadows—a tall, lean figure, cloaked in the darkness he wielded like a weapon. Asshole’s face was obscured, but his smile shone like a blade, sharp and venomous.

"Enough! Leave the Alpha alone; leave him to me," Asshole sneered, motioning to the creatures that had followed him, dark beasts formed from the same magic that now clung to his soul. They halted, watching him with predatory patience, awaiting his command.

A spark of anger flared in Alpha Jegh's heart as he looked at his son, whose eyes gleamed with the unnatural glow of someone who had stared too long into the abyss. Asshole’s smirk twisted into a sneer, his eyes alight with hatred and arrogance. The weight of betrayal hung heavy in the air, and he could see that Asshole’s intentions ran deeper than rebellion; they were steeped in a darkness that went beyond anything Jegh had seen in his lifetime.

Alpha Jegh took a step forward, his blade gleaming in the early light. "Such insolence," he murmured, disappointment colouring his words. Despite his anger, there was a sadness in his gaze, a father’s grief for the son he had lost to ambition and darkness. "You’ve become a stranger, my son. The power you seek will destroy you."

Asshole laughed, the sound cold and empty. "Oh, father… I'll be the one to kill you. You should have known this day would come." He spread his arms in a mocking gesture, as if inviting Jegh to attack. "Don’t act so surprised. All this time, you expected me to follow in your footsteps. But I’ll do more than that—I’ll surpass you. I’ll become the Alpha King, and I’ll rule over everything you hold dear."

Alpha Jegh’s gaze hardened, his muscles tense as he prepared for the inevitable strike. But Asshole’s taunts cut deeper than any blade. He saw now that Asshole’s ambition was a dark hunger that would consume everyone in its path, a monstrous need that would stop at nothing for power.

"For a son, you are a disappointment," Alpha Jegh said, his voice a quiet rebuke. He knew it was too late to reach Asshole, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying.

Asshole’s eyes flashed, his expression twisting with rage. "Shut up! You’ve always been a tyrant, a master of cruelty, demanding blood and sacrifices while casting aside anything that doesn’t serve your needs. You wanted me to be a monster, didn’t you?" He took a step forward, his voice rising with fury. "Well, here I am. I’ll take everything from you—Phia, your kingdom, your power. I’ll make Phia my slave, and her blood will be mine forever."

"You fool," Jegh spat, his voice low with anger. "You think you can stand against the Vampire King? You’re a child playing with forces you don’t understand."

"I don’t care, old man!" Asshole’s voice rang with defiance. "With dark magic at my command, nothing is impossible. The god of war himself grants me power. Do you believe me now?" His lips curled into a cruel smile, his gaze gleaming with a madness that sent a shiver down Alpha Jegh’s spine.

The truth settled over him like a shadow—his son had truly fallen into darkness, and there would be no redemption. He could see Asshole now, fully, as a creature corrupted by his own ambition, lost to a power that would ultimately destroy him. Yet, even as the threat loomed, Asshole still wore the face of his son, the boy Alpha Jegh had once loved.

"Look at yourself,son," he whispered, sorrow lining his voice. "This is what you’ve become—a slave to power, a puppet of dark forces you don’t even understand. And in the end, it will devour you."

But his sob only laughed, his gaze gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "Then let it devour me, father. I’ll become stronger, darker, more powerful than you ever were." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that burned with venom. "I’ll make sure you die knowing that your legacy ends with me."

In that moment, Alpha Jegh knew there would be no reasoning, no redemption as hele shifted into his massive grey wolf. The time for words was over, and the time for battle had come. He tightened his grip on his sword, his gaze locked on Asshole’s, father and son standing on the precipice of a deadly confrontation. The dawn was rising, but for them, it was the beginning of darkness.

The massive wolf belonging to Asshole let out a thunderous roar, shaking the ground as it charged toward his father with deadly speed. Each of its powerful strides left deep impressions in the earth, its eyes fixed on the figure before it with an intensity that promised a brutal end. Without hesitation, it lunged forward, swinging a colossal paw aimed straight for its father, intending to tear into flesh and bone. Alpha Jehg moved swiftly, narrowly dodging the blow as he rolled to the side, his own reflexes honed from years of battle and leadership. Rising to his feet in one swift motion, he countered with a deft strike of his sword, managing to land a shallow slice across the wolf’s flank, the blade flashing through the darkening forest. The wound didn’t faze the creature; if anything, it seemed to anger it more, and with a snarl, it made another powerful sprint toward its target.

This time, the alpha raised his sword high, meeting the beast head-on. Steel and claws collided, creating a metallic clang that reverberated through the clearing, the sound echoing like thunder. Sparks flew as blade and claw scraped and struck each other, locked in a brutal dance of fury and power. Despite the wolf’s formidable strength, Alpha Jehg held his ground, each muscle in his body tense and ready as he anticipated his son’s every move. His mind, though weary from the weight of age and betrayal, focused on every nuance of the fight.

In a calculated manoeuvre, Alpha Jehg’s wolf form sprang back, creating a momentary gap between them before lunging forward again, his sword aimed with deadly precision. The giant wolf twisted mid-air, swinging its left claw to parry the attack. Yet, just as it seemed it had defended, its right claw shot out in a flash, raking down the alpha’s shoulder and then sinking into his stomach. Pain exploded through the alpha’s body as he felt the talons pierce deep. “Shit!” he cursed through gritted teeth, clutching his abdomen as he staggered back. The agony was searing, and he could feel dark magic clouding his mind, a sickness festering within him that blocked his ability to heal. The once easy flow of magic was now an almost insurmountable struggle, like pushing against a rising tide within himself.