Chapter 60

Chapter 60

POV Jared
I knew this would be a fight to the death. I blocked my thoughts from reaching Kat—something I’d done many times since we bonded, and thankfully, it worked. This wasn’t a place for her. Not when Lucan had always made it clear he wanted both my position as Alpha and my mate. If she were here, I’d be too distracted trying to protect her.

“Bastard,” Lucan cursed, seeing me in perfect condition. Rage consumed him—body and mind. He wouldn’t let me walk away alive. My dominance infuriated him, but still, he circled me, growling in his wolf form, eyes sharp for a single opening—anything to land a fatal or weakening blow.
My words echoed in his head... “A lesson?” He was no student. He was meant to lead the Wolfgang pack. This time would be different, he thought. We were nearly equals now.

He lunged with a vicious snarl, managing to scratch my paw, and growled in satisfaction.
“Fool. Coward,” I growled internally. A fool for thinking he could defeat me just because he’d sensed a moment of weakness. A coward for killing Magnus in a backstab attack. I’d been Alpha too long to fall to a pathetic traitor like him.
Blood poured from my paw, soaking my fur. In his arrogance, Lucan bared his teeth in a twisted grin. I snarled back, teeth flashing. The bastard was getting cocky.

He didn’t see it coming when I leapt at him. He was too busy celebrating a single strike to realize he’d let his guard down. I didn’t hesitate—I ripped off one of his ears. The taste of his blood filled my mouth, strong and sickening. I spat it out in disgust, then bit down on the same paw he used to strike. I heard bone crack beneath my fangs. I didn’t want his blood in my mouth anymore. I flung him away.
Lucan howled in pain as he stumbled back. I hadn’t just blocked his attacks—I’d injured him badly. His paw bled heavily, likely broken. He cursed again when he saw me spit out his ear. Rage blazed in his eyes, stronger now, desperate. He wouldn’t stop—not even if it killed him.
He’d killed Magnus. He thought I’d be just as easy.

I watched him, head tilted slightly—mocking him. He snarled and lunged at me again, going straight for my neck. He was an Alpha too, and he was certain this would be his moment to win. I could hear the words repeating in his mind like a chant: This time I’ll win. This time I’ll win.
I twisted my body to avoid his fangs and attacked again. The fight was brutal—growls, torn fur, ripped skin, cracked bones. One of us would fall here. I knew it. But it wouldn’t be me. I would never leave Kat in the hands of that bastard.
I attacked without mercy. More fur and flesh filled my mouth—I spat it out instantly. I gave him no space to recover. Lucan pulled back, throwing me off just to regain balance.

I was furious. I knew I couldn’t let him live. But then, suddenly, something hit me. A sharp discomfort, a scream that echoed through my soul.
I faltered.

Lucan noticed. He saw the crack in my focus, the pain I couldn’t place, and he lunged again.
We were both panting, covered in blood. For a moment, our eyes locked—burning, furious.
Lucan felt his strength waning. He was losing too much blood, exhausted. But he had one advantage—I was distracted. He didn’t know why, didn’t care. All that mattered was seeing me at his feet, broken.
With a final rush of adrenaline, he growled, blood dripping from his fangs. He glanced toward the horizon, saw my focus shift, my eyes darting—something was pulling me away. And he didn’t miss the opportunity.
He leapt for my neck.

At the last second, I twisted, and his teeth scraped across my side instead.
He clamped down on my thigh with a sickening crunch, tearing tendons, and finally—for the first time—he felt victorious. I was trapped in his jaws, bleeding heavily, and he wouldn’t release me until I submitted.
But Lucan hadn’t realized how quickly things could change.
In a split second, the tables turned.

A blinding pain struck his neck. He went limp.
He couldn’t move. Couldn’t feel. His wolf howled silently, giving its final breath. He knew this was the end. All his plans, dreams of dominance, everything—gone.

His gaze met mine—Jared, the Alpha he’d once thought he could become.
But fate had never chosen him.

I stood over his lifeless body, my mouth still stained with his blood. I couldn’t describe the feeling that consumed me—it was strange, hollow, painful. I had come close to losing everything. Lucan’s last attack had nearly ended me.
It was over. But I didn’t feel victorious.
This was justice for Magnus. A duty. Law. But it never got easier.
I opened my mental link to Kat—and what hit me was a scream. My scream. Echoing in her soul. A death scream.
My heart stopped.

I shifted and ran, desperate. My wings burst from my back—I needed to fly. I needed to reach her.
Fear clawed at me like nothing I’d ever felt. I didn’t know what had happened. I only knew... it wasn’t good.
I flew like my life depended on it.

Because it did.

But the injury on my thigh weakened me. I fought to keep going, to reach her. I shifted again, landing hard, my black wolf form crashing through the forest.
Her voice entered my mind—weak, fading.

“Forgive me…”
I heard her. Kat. She was asking for forgiveness. For what?
For dying?

I had known her for so little time, and now I was losing her.
Then I saw her.

Her body lay against a tree, skin pale. She was barely breathing.
I shifted, trembling—not from pain, not from blood loss—but from the unbearable thought of losing her.
My mate.

I gathered her in my arms. My knees gave out. I was too weak. I fell with her in my lap, holding her like she was everything—and she was.
I kissed her lips, softly. My tears mixed with blood as I rocked her in my arms.
“My Kat… don’t leave me…”

“Forgive me… Jared… for…” she whispered, her gaze full of love. She didn’t need to finish. We both knew what was happening. We both knew what we were.
“I never meant… to leave… so soon…”

“I was blessed to know you…” I whispered between sobs. “To hold you… to love you…” I kissed her nose. “To be yours.”
“You are my life. If you go… I’ll follow.”

I kissed her lips again—cold, still breathing, but barely.
Looking up to the darkened moon, I offered my final plea.

“By Lupkan, I give you my mate… and my heart. Take my life too. Let us return to you… as one.”
I held her tightly, our bodies curled together at the base of the tree. In the forest we both loved, warming each other in what might be our final moments on this earth.