Chapter206 The Death of Grayson

Chapter206 The Death of Grayson
Third Person POV
Grayson stared at the white light around Emma's hands. A muscle in his jaw twitched.
He watched the steady glow, and something vicious moved through his eyes.
He knew exactly what the white wolf's awakening meant. If he couldn't finish both Klaus and Emma tonight, he would never get another chance.
Grayson stepped forward.
"So the Winston bloodline really did pass to you." His voice came out rough, his eyes locked on Emma. "You both have to die."
Emma lifted her head and looked at him. The white light in her palms lit up her face through the blood and grime.
Grayson finally dropped the pretense. He turned his gaze to Klaus, and his voice turned ugly.
"I've been waiting for this for a long time. Your father reserved the Alpha seat for you the moment you were born. The Elder Council has always only recognized you. I spent decades as Grand Elder. I gave everything to the Golden Moon Pack. And I still had to stand behind you."
The hatred in his eyes deepened with every word.
"The two of you have lived long enough."
The words echoed through the corridor. Everyone heard them clearly.
Steven pressed against the wall, tightening his grip on the knife. Andrew raised his gun and fixed it on the center of Grayson's chest.
Klaus knelt in the blood and listened. His eyes were cold with pure killing intent.
Grayson snapped his hand up toward the men behind him.
"Open fire."
They pulled their triggers at the same moment.
This time, Klaus didn't take it lying down.
The white wolf's purifying energy had been working through his body, pushing back the silver toxin. The wound in his chest was still bleeding. His body was still wrecked from the surgery. But he had crossed back from the edge of dying, and he could move.
Klaus planted his hands on the floor and pushed himself to his feet.
Emma stood up beside him.
Her hands were soaked in blood. The white light in her palms flared brighter as her emotions surged.
This was the first time they had ever truly stood on the same side.
Klaus's memories were coming back. Emma's white wolf power had just woken up.
Klaus turned slightly and pulled Emma in close to his left.
"Stay with me," he said quietly.
This time, Emma didn't step behind him.
She stood at his side, her eyes fixed on the enemies rushing toward them.
Klaus looked past her at Grayson.
"You've been wanting my seat for years. At least you finally said it out loud."
Grayson felt something drop in his chest when those eyes landed on him.
He didn't hesitate. He pulled a handgun from inside his coat and fired at Klaus.
The shot rang out at the same moment the white light in Emma's palms blazed.
The closest attacker flinched under the pressure of the white wolf's aura, his movement slowing just a beat.
Klaus was already moving. He closed the gap in an instant, grabbed the man's gun hand, and snapped his wrist.
Then he ripped the weapon free and kicked the man clear across the corridor.
The other three came from different angles.
Steven and Andrew opened fire from both sides, carving a lane forward for Klaus and Emma.
One of the men turned his gun toward Emma.
Emma didn't freeze this time. The force that had just woken inside her seemed to be guiding her instincts without any conscious decision on her part.
She raised her hand. The white light spread from her palm and formed a thin barrier between her and the bullet.
The round hit it and slowed visibly before grazing her shoulder and punching into the wall behind her.
Klaus was on the man before he could fire again, and the fight was over in one motion.
Another attacker lunged at Klaus from behind.
The impact tore at the wound in his chest. Blood surged back through the bandaging.
Emma saw it happen and moved without thinking. She crossed the space between them and pressed her glowing palm flat against Klaus's back.
Klaus hesitated for just a fraction of a second. He felt a rush of warmth flood into his body and push back against the pain. He turned and drove his elbow into the man's throat.
The man went down and didn't get back up.
Andrew watched from behind his cover, completely still for a moment.
He had never seen anything like it. A man running on silver poisoning and fresh surgical wounds, kept moving by nothing but sheer will and the force of another person's power.
Grayson saw it too. He finally understood what had actually gone wrong tonight. It wasn't how much of Klaus's memory had come back.
It was Emma.
"Kill Emma first!" Grayson shouted.
But it was too late.
Klaus heard those words, and the last thread of restraint in him snapped.
He turned his head and looked at Grayson.
The expression on his face made Grayson's stomach drop.
Grayson read the room and ran. He turned and headed for the fire access door. If he could get out of the building tonight, he still had options. He could still find a way back.
Klaus went after him, leaving a trail of bloody footprints across the floor with every step. His legs were unsteady. But he was fast.
Grayson spun and fired twice.
The first shot clipped Klaus's shoulder and threw up a spray of blood.
The second one veered wide when Emma's white light intercepted it, and the round buried itself in the concrete pillar beside him.
In the next instant, Klaus was right in front of him.
Grayson tried to step back. He raised his cane to block.
Klaus caught him by the throat, one hand, and slammed him into the wall.
The color drained from Grayson's face and came back wrong, flooding purple.
He dropped the cane. Both hands clawed at Klaus's arm. His feet kicked uselessly in the air.
"The crash. Nancy. Emma. And every shot you put in me tonight." Klaus held his gaze, his voice dropping low and quiet. "Time to pay it all back."
Grayson thrashed hard, reaching for the open wound in Klaus's chest. He was trying to make him let go.
Emma walked to within a few feet of them.
She watched his hand reaching for Klaus and raised her own. The white light in her palm came down directly onto Grayson's outstretched hand.
That same force that healed Klaus worked differently on Grayson. His skin went red the moment it made contact, the tissue beginning to break down almost instantly. He let out a raw, terrible scream.
Klaus's grip closed all the way.
A crack split the silence of the corridor.
Grayson's head dropped to one side. His body went slack and slid down the wall.
Every sound in the corridor stopped.
With Grayson dead, the last two men lost all composure. They turned and ran. Steven and his guards caught them before they made it two steps and put them down.
Andrew stood with his gun still raised, staring at the body against the wall. He let out a long, slow breath.
Klaus stood where he was. His body swayed.
He had nothing left. He released Grayson and fell backward.
Emma was there before he hit the ground. She caught him and held on.
Klaus leaned against her shoulder and looked down at her. He raised one blood-covered hand and gently brushed it across her tear-streaked face.
"Emma. Don't be scared. I'm back."