Chapter 163 163.Werewolf genetics

Chapter 163 163.Werewolf genetics
Tabitha’s POV

Jace and Evren shift almost simultaneously despite their injuries and leap into the fray. Even wounded, they fight like they’ve been waiting for this moment. Jace barrels into a rogue that tries to circle around the blockade and drives it into the guardrail, snarling as he pins it. Evren takes down another mid-lunge, his wolf form colliding with it and sending both of them rolling across the pavement before he comes out on top. Meanwhile, Reed and Luca follow suit and shift into their

The fight stretches across the narrow coastal road, spilling toward the edge of the cliffs and back toward the rocky wall. Stormblood wolves move like a coordinated unit, forcing rogues into choke points where Deathclaw members are already waiting to overpower them. The rogues try to use their numbers, but the terrain works against them. There’s no room to surround. No room to retreat.

Three shifted rogues break through the chaos and make a beeline for our car.

Andrew swears loudly and fumbles with the door handle as the wolf slams into the side of the vehicle. The rogue claws at the door, teeth snapping as it tries to drag Andrew out through the shattered window.

Andrew throws up his arms in blind defense. “This is not how I die!”

Shit!

As Andrew fights for his life, I frantically scour every inch of his car for any weapons to use. I spot a small screwdriver, grab it, and blindly stab one of the rogues. It whines and falls on the floor as it shifts back to its injured human form.

“Damn! Nice one!” Andrew pants.

“There are two more. You got any more weapons with you?”

“I—uh. This might help?” He whips out a gun from his dashboard.

“Shit, Andrew! You should’ve taken that out sooner!”

“I panicked, okay? Yesterday, I wouldn’t have thought that werewolves exist!”

He takes the gun and shoots at the wolves, but one of the rogues smack the gun away from his hand, leaving us defenseless once again.

“Fuck!”

I swear I see the rogue smirks through its wolf form. The two exchange glances before pounding towards the already wrecked car, targeting Andrew in the driver’s seat.

But the rogue can sink its teeth into him, a massive gray wolf crashes into it from the side and knocks it clear off the car. The two wolves tumble across the asphalt in a blur of fur and flashing teeth. The gray wolf gains the upper hand quickly, pinning the rogue with a growl that rumbles deep and dominant.

A second later, the gray wolf shifts back into human form.

Evelyn stands there, breathing hard, her hair wild around her shoulders and her hands still fisted from the fight.

Andrew’s jaw drops. “Evelyn?”

Evelyn, who is very naked, looks at Andrew and grins. “Hey, cutie. Stay safe out there.”

Evelyn winks at Andrew before shifting back to her majestic gray wolf form.

“Damn. Is everyone on this island a werewolf?” Andrew gasps and turns to me. “Are you a werewolf too?”

“I wish.” I shake my head. “But my mom is.”

“How is it possible that your mom is a werewolf and you’re not?”

“I don’t know. Werewolf genetics? It’s a long story, Andrew.”

As if on cue, a big copper wolf emerges from the shadows while biting a weakened gray wolf on the neck. My hands shake when I recognize the gray wolf.

“M-Mom!”

No, no! Mario got my Mom! Fuck, I shouldn’t have left her there!

The copper wolf releases its grip and shifts mid motion. Mario rises from the ground in human form, blood streaking his chest as he grabs my mom by the throat and yanks her upright in front of him like a shield. His fingers dig into her neck while her feet barely touch the asphalt.

NO!

“Stop!” Mario roars, his voice carrying over the chaos. “Call off your men or I snap her neck right here!”

My mom shifts back in her human form too. Her body trembles as she clutches at his wrist. Blood runs down her temple and stains her collarbone. She looks weak. Too weak.

“Mom!” I scream. “Mario, let her go!”

“Stay in the car!” Andrew shouts, grabbing for my arm. “Tabitha!”

I shove the door open and stumble onto the road despite him.

“Let her go!” I yell at Mario. “Let her go right now!”

Mario throws his head back and laughs. “I will,” he says mockingly. “When the Aldairs kneel and hand over their heads.”

The brothers shift back to their human forms as they face him.

“You’re pathetic,” Jace spits.

“You need a hostage to feel powerful!” Luca adds with contempt.

Mario’s grin widens. “You think this is about power?” he asks. “You spoiled heirs have no idea what you’ve done to this island.”

His grip tightens on my mom’s throat and she gasps.

“The Aldairs are the curse of Kaelara,” he continues. “Your bloodline spread this sickness to humans who never asked for it. You create monsters and then blame the rogues for existing. We are not the plague. You are. And I intend to wipe your family from this island myself.”

“Mario, I sympathize with what happened with your family! But you can’t exercise justice by destroying another family!”

“Justice is what I decided it to be. I was the one who was wronged. We are. And I get to come up with whatever’s going to sate my vengeance. And I say—death to every damn packed werewolves on this island! First to the Aldairs!”

“Let my mom go and we can talk about this!”

“Shut up, kid. You’re not what I want. I came here to kill the Aldai—”

Before he can say another word, a blade bursts through his chest from behind.

WHAT THE…

A long silver sword juts out from his sternum, the tip slick with blood. Mario chokes and looks down in disbelief as the weapon twists.

The hand holding the sword pulls free. Mario collapses to his knees and then to the ground, gurgling as blood pools beneath him.

“What the fuck…” I hear Jace mutter to my side.

Behind him stands Alpha Emery.

His face is splattered with red. He wipes his cheek with the back of his hand and looks at the fallen rogue with nothing in his eyes. Chaos erupts again as more reinforcements flood the road and overpower the remaining rogues. I barely register it because I am already running.

“Mom!” I cry as I drop to my knees beside her.

She is struggling to breathe, her hands shaking as she tries to sit up.

Alpha Emery steps closer and shakes his head.

“Rogues,” he says with disdain. “Foolish creatures who think they can rewrite the laws of this island.”

His gaze shifts to my mom, who is barely conscious.

“My poor wife,” he says, almost gently. “They used you as a pawn.”