Chapter 97 The Death Of Jason

Micah’s POV.

My men lift me on their shoulders, and cheers erupt for our victory. I smile at my fellow wolves, their loyalty warming my heart. I open my mouth to praise them again, but a sharp pain suddenly strikes my chest. It's so severe that it shakes my entire being, and I'm forced to bend down, letting out a painful groan.

Instantly, the wolves surround me, their concern palpable. They ask if I'm alright, but deep down, I know it's not me.

It's worse.

It's Fiona.

I try to reach out to her through the mate bond, but I'm met with a painful emptiness. The connection that I have felt all the time lately is gone. Panic grips my chest as I realize something is very, very wrong.

Ignoring the concerned questions, I feel my body shifting into my Lycan form as I get to my feet, the transformation hastening my pace. The urgency of the situation drives me, and I rush towards our apartment. As if on cue, my men follow me, flanking me as I race against time.

Dread pools in my chest, and deja vu grips me.

Last time I felt this way, Fiona and Amelia were trapped in their burning house in Riviera.

Just the idea terrifies me enough and I am moving in a blur, desperate to reach there quickly.

I come to a halt as I reach my home, a sinking feeling gnawing at the pit of my stomach. The scene before me is apocalyptic. It's as if an explosion has torn through the place.

Ash blankets everything, reducing visibility to near zero. On the periphery, lifeless bodies lie, some severed from the impact of what seems like a blast. Their Warpaw army uniforms are in tatters.

The realization hits me like a blow. Jason didn't retreat to his kingdom to lick his wounds, as I initially thought. Instead, Jeremy must have led him here, to my home, where my family resides.

Panic rises within me as I envision the worst.

With legs that feel like lead, I walk forward, and try to compose myself for my people. My command cuts through the stillness, the hollow sound of my voice ringing in my own ears.

"Check every house and make sure the people residing here are safe. If there is anyone hurt, get them medical attention."

My men disperse, moving with urgency to survey the damage and attend to anyone attacked by Jason’s men. A hand firmly clasps my shoulder and I turn to see Colin there, his eyes shining with silent compassion. It gives me courage to move forward.

Guided by my sense of direction, I navigate through the debris and ash to reach my apartment door.

The air feels thick with despair and the imprint of war is suffocating. I have just taken a few steps when I see someone emerging from amidst the smoke.

It's Jason, and the sight of him sends a surge of rage through me.

He's clearly injured and blood coats his face making him look unhinged. He drags an unconscious Jeremy, a sneer twisting his battered face as his eyes meet mine.

My gaze narrows, and without hesitation, Colin springs into action. Jason, desperate to use Jeremy's unconscious form as a shield, shoves his body forward in an attempt to create a distraction.

But I've grown tired of his dirty tricks.

With swift agility, I close the distance and reach him before he can execute his escape.

Colin seizes the opportunity and grabs the unconscious Jeremy, securing him in place with a knee pressed to his back. I close in on Jason, my claws digging around his throat, and force him to his knees.

"What happened here?" I spit the words out, my voice a low growl laced with anger and contempt. Jason's sneer falters as he struggles to speak, the grip on his throat restricting his ability to articulate.

His eyes dart around, searching for an escape, but my rage pins him in place.

"There is nowhere to run now, Jason. Your army has been destroyed, your men killed and now, it looks like your attack here has not given you the results you wanted. Come clean, or I promise you, the suffering you've caused will be nothing compared to what awaits you." I threaten, the intensity of my gaze boring into his skittish eyes.

As if realizing the truth in my words, he starts to laugh maniacally.

"Well, Prince Micah, if you are so desperate to know, I'll tell you. I know your weakness. Your wife and daughter."

His laughter echoes through the devastation and I feel a surge of disgust as he revels in the perverse pleasure of revealing his sinister plan.

He continues, "I was going to use them against you and make you choose between your throne and family." His words are like poison, each syllable laced with malice. It's clear he relishes in telling me about his master manipulation.

"I took the people here hostage," he boasts smugly. "And like a charm, it worked in getting your wife out."

The more he speaks, the tighter dread grips my chest.

"She came down with her little mutt, and my men had great pleasure in tearing him down," he recounts with a sickening glee.

Havier.

His death hits me like a blow, and my eyes clench shut briefly in grief for the young soldier.

"But," Jason's voice takes on a bitter edge, "your witch of a wife had sneaky little plans. She burst into some kind of energy, killing all my men."

No.

The world around me stops. I stop moving. I stop breathing. His words reverberate in the silence that follows, and my entire world shakes.

The legend of the white wolf comes to me.

No. No. NO.

Seeing the pain on my face, Jason howls with glee.

"So what if you foiled my plans? So what if you kill me? I caused your wife to die. You will never find peace," he taunts, his voice dripping with malevolence.

His evil laughter reverberates through the air, and it fuels the fire of pain and rage within me.

I'm consumed by an overwhelming surge of fury, my rational thoughts drowned out by the maddening desire for revenge. In a primal moment, I lose myself to the darkness that claws at the edges of my consciousness. The world blurs around me, and I lunge at Jason with an unhinged ferocity.

My fists rain down on him, each blow fueled by the grief and anger that threaten to consume me.

I hear Colin's voice, distant and urgent, breaking through the haze. "Stop, Micah, he's dead!"

But I don't stop.

The idea that he could have killed Fiona propels me forward, the sight of Jason's lifeless form not enough to quench the inferno of wrath burning within me.

I draw my claws, slashing at him with merciless anger. Blood spatters the ground, until his head severed from his body.

Colin's voice cuts through the chaos once more, firmer this time. "Micah, it's enough! He's gone!" His words penetrate the fog of my rage, and slowly, I begin to regain control.

Now, the rage is replaced by paranoia and worry.

"Fiona!" I scream like a madman, my voice cutting through the ash. "Fiona, where are you?"

I call out again and again, desperation making me sound like a wild, injured animal. The smoke slowly begins to dissipate, and finally, my eyes latch onto the limp figure on the ground.

Her body lies there, so pale that it looks almost translucent. Ash clings to her hair, turning it into a gray veil. She appears lifeless, like a beautiful yet fragile porcelain doll that has been shattered.

Her clothes are torn, and she lies there unmoving amid the wreckage.

The world around me blurs as I rush towards her. I gather her in my arms, and wrap my cloak around her, covering her body. My heart pounds in my chest as I cradle her fragile form, fear pressing upon me.

I glance down at her face, searching for any sign of life. Her lips are pale and she isn’t breathing. In this moment, time seems to stretch infinitely, and the world narrows down to the woman I hold in my arms.

Anguish wells up in my eyes as I press her close, my voice a choked whisper. "Fiona, please. Wake up. You can't leave me like this."

My hands tremble as they clutch her cold, unresponsive form. "You're stronger than this," I implore, my voice cracking with emotion. "Come back to me. We'll face this together, just like we always have."

But there's no response.

"Fiona, please!" I find myself cajoling, my pleas escalating into desperate threats against the universe itself.

I look up to see if the moon goddess is listening.

"I'll trade anything. My power, my life, anything. Just bring her back." I shout at the sky.

But, there is no answer and the wind carries my words away.

I start to beg her now, the words tumbling out with a sense of futility.

"I love you, Fiona. I can't bear to lose you. Please, open your eyes. Please..."

My voice fades into unintelligible murmurs and for the first time in my life, I feel tears burning the stubble on my cheek. The wolf within me howls in tandem, roaring in agony.

I rock her back and forth, willing her to come to life.

But she remains still.

She is gone and there is nothing I can do about it.

The love of my life has died and with her, I feel my soul dying too.