# Chapter 258:

# Chapter 258:
Michael's POV


I lay crushed against the cold marble floor of the banquet hall, feeling like a ton of concrete was pressing down on my chest. My limbs weighed like lead, and every attempt to move sent razor-sharp pain through my muscles. My throat and mouth felt invaded by Selena's magic, preventing me from making even the slightest sound.


I silently cursed myself. We should have left immediately after examining the murals. I'd let my guard down, impressed by Melinda's display of strange powers earlier. That momentary lapse had given Selena the opportunity to ambush us.


Melinda had fallen beside me, also fighting against the invisible weight crushing her down. I strained to reach her, to protect her, but even extending my arm toward her felt like pushing through solidified cement. Each inch of movement was agony, like blades slicing into my flesh.


If I could take any amount of pain to keep her safe, I would.


Selena's attention shifted to me when she noticed my movement. She abandoned Melinda momentarily, which was exactly what I'd hoped for. Stalking toward me, she grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back. I could see her other hand raised, ready to cast what I knew would be a killing spell.


What she didn't know was that I was counting on this. I'd prepared for this moment.


While Selena was busy delivering her monologue about human and werewolf history and the Alpha King's descendants' curse, I'd been working with every ounce of strength I had left to reach inside my jacket sleeve. Matthew had brought me the antidote when I attended my father's funeral. I'd asked him through our werewolf telepathic link to bring it—just in case.


The small syringe was tucked securely in a hidden pocket I'd sewn myself, designed specifically for emergencies. I'd managed to slide it out and remove the cap while Selena was distracted with her self-important speech. That took almost all my remaining strength, leaving me with barely enough to lift my arm for the injection when the time came.


I needed Selena to get close enough and be distracted enough that I could ensure every drop of the antidote entered her system. One shot. That's all I had.


Suddenly, Melinda did something unexpected. She'd somehow managed to extract a scalpel from her boot and was pressing it against her wrist. Blood beaded on her skin, and simultaneously, a drop appeared on Selena's wrist as well.


Selena screamed in shock, "What the—" She released me, staggering backward, clutching her bleeding wrist to her chest.


Melinda's voice was strained but determined. "I'll do it." Her medical training made her threat terrifyingly credible. She knew exactly which vein to open that would cause fatal blood loss within minutes. "If you hurt Michael, we both die. After all, twins of Alpha blood—neither can exist without the other, remember?"


"You bitch!" Selena howled, lunging toward Melinda again.


Melinda dodged, pressing the blade deeper. More blood welled from both their wrists.


"Touch Michael," Melinda growled, "and I'll make sure we both bleed out right here."


Selena's ankle was now inches from my hand. This was my chance. Melinda gave me an almost imperceptible nod, so subtle Selena couldn't detect it.


I gritted my teeth through the pain and with one final surge of strength, lunged forward and plunged the needle into Selena's leg. The exertion felt like my muscles were being torn from my bones, but I forced myself to press the plunger all the way down, ensuring every drop of the antidote entered her system.


"Ow—that hurt!" Selena cried out, stumbling backward. Her face contorted with pain as she yanked the needle from her leg and threw it to the floor. "What did you—"


Her question died on her lips as she began to writhe and scream, clutching at her leg. Then her entire body. She collapsed to the floor, thrashing and howling in agony.


To my horror, Melinda also fell, screaming in pain. The twins' connection meant they were sharing this experience too.


I pushed myself up on my hands, dragging my still-leaden body across the floor to Melinda. I pulled her close, cradling her against me as she convulsed and cried out. All I could do was hold her, watching her face contort with the same pain Selena was experiencing, praying this would end quickly.


Please let this work. Please let her be okay. Don't take her from me.


I wasn't sure how long the antidote would take to work, or what effects it might have on Melinda. Linda Perry had developed it to neutralize werewolf abilities—to turn werewolves human. But Melinda had never fully transformed or embraced her werewolf nature. Would it affect her differently? Would it remove whatever innate connection she had to her wolf?


The screaming suddenly stopped. Both women went quiet, their bodies relaxing from their rigid postures of pain. Melinda lay across my lap, her face gradually softening, her tightly closed eyes fluttering open. Tears streaked her cheeks as she looked up at me in surprise.


We heard Selena struggling to her feet behind us.


"Ha!" she snarled, still clutching her leg but backing up against the lab bench. "Your poison doesn't work on me. See? I'm still standing."


I kept my eyes on Melinda for a few moments longer, looking for any sign that she had been harmed by the antidote. We stared at each other.


«Are you okay?» I asked through our mental link.


Melinda gave a slow, subtle nod.


I fought back the urge to sigh with relief. If Melinda still had her werewolf abilities—enough to maintain our telepathic connection—then the antidote hadn't stripped her of her nature. But that also meant Selena might still have her powers too.


I turned my head to look at Selena. Her face was pale, but her expression was dark with fury.


She raised her hand and muttered a spell, attempting to cast something at us.


Nothing happened.


She looked down at her hand in confusion. "What the fuck?" she whispered. She shook her head and made the spell-casting gesture again, her lips moving as she recited the incantation.


Again, nothing.


When I'd decided to use the antidote against Selena, I wasn't sure if it would work on a pureblood werewolf. It had been a gamble—a desperate move to change the course of our fate.


I hadn't wanted Selena to die. She didn't need to. She just needed to be stripped of her power.


Selena stood before us, weakened and human.