Chapter 33 Chapter 33
ELIJAH’S POV
The night felt intense than usual. The fire in my room had burned out, leaving only the cold air and silence behind. I stood there, staring at the door, knowing what I had to do but hating every part of it.
I couldn’t go to the great hall.
Not now. Not with the Alpha kings inside.
If I stepped through those doors, the Elder Council would call it an act of rebellion. The fifteen alpha kings would take it as an insult. Amanda’s father, Elder Matthias, would make sure my name was erased from the throne before sunrise.
And worse—it would start a war.
The kings didn’t fear me. They respected me, yes, but they also wanted what I had. One wrong move from me, and they’d rip the crown off my head and tear the pack apart.
No one would win that war.
But Anna would die first.
That was what Amanda wanted—to humiliate her. And that was what Damon wanted—to kill her.
I closed my eyes and forced myself to breathe. The air burned my lungs. My claws pressed through my palms again, but I didn’t stop them this time. The pain kept me awake.
If I couldn’t go to the hall… someone else had to.
Someone they already feared.
My mind still went straight to him—Damon.
The name itself made my jaw tighten.
He was the one wolf no one dared to stand against. Not because he was strong—though he was—but because he was unpredictable. He was a mix of vampire and wolf. He was an hybrid with no loyalty to anyone.
Even the kings hesitated to speak his name.
And yet, he was the only one who could walk into that hall without being stopped. The guards would move aside. The Council would pretend not to see him. The kings would sit still and say nothing. Because Damon wasn’t afraid of them—and they were terrified of what would happen if they crossed him.
I hated that I needed him.
But I had no choice.
I grabbed my coat and stepped out of my chamber. The palace was quiet, though I could still hear faint laughter echoing from the direction of the great hall. My blood boiled at the sound.
I walked fast down the corridor, my boots striking the floor hard. The walls were lined with torches, their light throwing my shadow across the wall. Every step I took felt like walking closer to something I didn’t want to face.
Damon’s quarters were on the other side—far from the rest of us. Even the guards avoided patrolling near there at night.
It took me a while to find him. His door was half open, light spilling faintly through the crack.
I pushed the door open without knocking.
He was there—sitting on a wooden chair, cleaning a blade that glowed faintly red. His back was to me, but he didn’t turn around.
“Little Brother,” he called out lazily. “To what do I owe this rare and royal visit?”
His voice was calm, smooth, and mocking.
“I need your help,” I said flatly.
He laughed out loudly. “You? Need me?” He finally turned, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. “Did I hear that right, or is the great Alpha losing his mind?”
“I don’t have time for games, Damon.”
He leaned back in his chair, smirking. “You always say that. Yet somehow, you always end up here when things fall apart. Tell me, what did you do this time?”
My jaw tightened. “It’s Anna.”
The smirk vanished from his face for a moment—then returned, slower and sharper. “Ah. The girl you couldn’t kill.”
“Watch your mouth!” I growled.
“Oh, don’t be so serious!” he snapped, standing up. “You’re the one who lied to me, remember? You told me you’d killed her—the last Tribid. You made me believe she was dead. But you didn’t, did you? You just wiped her memories and hid her powers like a coward.”
“I did it to protect her.”
He chuckled, walking closer. “No, Elijah. You did it because you couldn’t stand to lose her. You think love makes you noble, but all it does is make you weak.”
“Enough!” I snapped coldly. “She’s in danger, Damon. Amanda used my name to send her to the great hall. The kings are there, and if anything happens—”
He cut me off with a lazy wave. “Then go save her. You’re Alpha, aren’t you? Go show them your power.”
“I can’t.”
He raised a brow, pretending to be surprised. “Can’t? Or won’t?”
“I can’t!” I snapped, my voice echoing through the room. “If I go there now, it’ll start a war. Amanda’s father will make sure I lose everything—my title, my pack, and my throne. And then they’ll kill her anyway. You know how this works.”
For a moment, he just stared at me. Then he smiled slowly, that cruel, knowing smile that always made me want to punch him.
“So that’s why you’re here,” he said softly. “You want me to clean up your mess again.”
I didn’t answer.
He walked around me like a predator circling prey. “Tell me, Elijah… do you really think she’ll thank you for this? Or she'll fall more in love with me for saving her?”
My claws pressed out again, but I forced myself to stay still.
“She trusts you,” I said through my teeth. “That’s why you’ll get in without trouble. No one will stop you.”
He laughed. “Oh, so that’s your plan. Send the monster to do what the Alpha can’t. Clever, in a pathetic kind of way.”
I turned sharply. “Say what you want, Damon, but I know you don’t want her dead. Not yet. You need her alive until her birthday. I just need her safe.”
He smirked. “You’ve been paying attention, brother.”
“I’m not asking you to save her out of kindness,” I said. “Do it because it helps you. Because you want her alive as much as I do—even if for different reasons.”
He was quiet for a long moment. Then he sighed and tossed the blade onto the table. “You’re lucky I’m in a generous mood tonight.”
“Does that mean you’ll help?”
He looked at me and smiled—that same cold smile that never reached his eyes. “I’ll save your precious girl, but don’t pretend it’ll make her love you more. If anything, it’ll only make her fall for me.”
He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “And isn’t that what you’re afraid of, Elijah? That she’ll see who you really are—a coward hiding behind a crown?”
I said nothing.
I couldn’t.
Damon turned away, reaching for his dark coat. “You stay here, Alpha. Keep your crown clean. Leave the dirty work to me—like always.”
“Don’t hurt her,” I warned quietly.
He stopped at the door and looked back, smirking. “You should know by now, Elijah… I don’t make promises I don’t plan to break.”
The candlelight caught the edge of his eyes — cold, dangerous, and unreadable.
“Damon—”
But he was already gone.
The door slammed shut behind him, and silence filled the room again.
I stood there, heart pounding hard against my chest. I didn’t know what he was going to do. I didn’t even know if Anna would survive his way of saving her.
All I knew was that I couldn’t go myself.
If I did, I’d lose everything. My pack, my power, my people. And maybe, if Damon failed, I’d lose her too.
The fire in the room had died completely now. Only the darkness remained—and the echo of Damon’s footsteps fading into the night.
I closed my eyes.
“Don’t die on me, Anna,” I whispered into the silence. “Please… just hold on.”
Outside, the wind howled through the corridors—and somewhere far off in the palace, I could already hear the faint sound of screams.
Damon had begun.
Even though Anna would think Damon had actually wanted to save her and wouldn’t know I begged him to, I didn’t care.
Even if it hurt, even if it made her trust him more than me, none of it mattered anymore.
I just wanted her safe.