Chapter 122: Lost Control
The battlefield trembled under the weight of the two powerful packs. Damien stood at the front of the Moonlit Pack warriors, his piercing eyes locked onto Ludwig. Meredith felt her breath hitch.
‘Damien's here...’ she thought. ‘My mate... How did he find us here?’
And as if she had been heard, Damien said through the link, “The Crestfallen Pack sent us a letter requesting reinforcements…”
His gaze flickered at her for the briefest moment. Then he looked at Ludwig and smirked darkly.
“You look surprised, Ludwig.”
Ludwig's lips curled. “You're too late...”
Damien tilted his head. “Too late for what?” His voice was low. “To bury you?”
And then, the war erupted once more.
Magnus and Xavier launched forward first. Their wolves blurred, meeting the Abyssal wolves in a ferocious clash of fangs and claws. Quickly, blood splattered across the battlefield.
Ludwig lunged at Meredith, his massive frame moving like a black shadow. But this time, she was ready. She sidestepped, her fangs grazing his throat, drawing blood. Ludwig growled, swiping his claws toward her chest.
But a massive black wolf intercepted, crashing into Ludwig's side with enough force to send him toward the nearest tree.
"Damien..." she whispered.
His snarl shook the area, his golden eyes ablaze. “She is mine,” he growled.
Ludwig grinned through his bloodied teeth. “Then come take her, Ravenscroft.”
Damien's growl deepened, reverberating through the forest. And then, he attacked.
For the first time in years, Meredith, Magnus, Xavier, and Damien fought as one. Ludwig was fast, but they were faster. Magnus struck from the left, claws tearing into Ludwig's ribs. Xavier buried his fangs into Ludwig's hind leg, twisting viciously.
Meredith lunged and sank her teeth into his shoulder, shaking him.
And then, Damien came last. His massive form crashed into Ludwig, knocking him onto his back.
Ludwig let out a snarl, trying to push himself up, but Damien's teeth sank into his throat with a sickening crunch. Ludwig's eyes widened.
"No..." he choked. "Please..."
Damien clamped down harder, his growl vibrating through Ludwig's entire frame. Ludwig thrashed, struggled, but it was over.
With one final jerk, Damien ripped out his throat. Blood sprayed, and Ludwig finally collapsed.
For a moment, no one moved. The remaining Abyssal wolves staggered back, their leader dead at their feet. Then, quickly, they ran for their lives. One by one, the Abyssal warriors turned tail and disappeared into the night.
The war was over.
The Moonlit Pack had won.
Meredith staggered back, panting heavily. Her limbs trembled. Her eyes lifted to the sky, watching as the first traces of dawn appeared.
And then, she felt it. A familiar warmth behind her.
Slowly, she turned around, and Damien was there. Bloodied, bruised… but whole.
Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke.
The battle is over, she thought. But the war inside herself had just begun.
Meredith staggered, her breaths shallow, her hands trembling at her sides.
Her wolf stirred. A low growl rumbled inside her chest.
“More,” it whispered hungrily. “Give me more...”
Meredith clenched her jaw, shaking her head.
“No,” she whispered fiercely.
But the beast inside her was not satisfied. It wanted more blood. More death.
The world around her blurred, and her eyes turned a dangerous shade of red. Her stomach twisted painfully, and her muscles tensed.
Damien took a slow step forward. “Meredith—”
“No!” Meredith rasped, stumbling back. She was burning from the inside out. “Stay back! Don't come near me!”
Magnus and Xavier approached cautiously.
“Little Wolf, what's wrong?” Magnus asked, his voice rough, his hands already reaching out.
Xavier's brows furrowed. “Are you hurt? Let us—”
“Leave!” Meredith pleaded. “Please, just go—”
But they didn't listen. Not at all.
And then, she finally lost control.
A violent snarl erupted from Meredith's throat as her wolf shoved forward, taking over. She lunged before she could stop it, and her claws slashed through them.
Magnus barely had time to dodge. A deep gash sliced across his forearm, and he hissed, “Little Wolf!”
But she couldn't stop herself. Her wolf was in control now.
Damien and Xavier exchanged a brief, startled glance, and suddenly, their instincts kicked in.
Xavier tried to pin her down first. But Meredith snarled and spun, her elbow catching him in the ribs. He grunted, stumbling back.
"Why, Meredith?"
Before he could recover, she was on him. Her claws dug into his shoulders, pushing him back until they crashed into the dirt. Xavier gasped, stunned by the sheer strength radiating off her.
He knew this wasn't the Meredith they loved. This was something else.
“Little Wolf!” Magnus shouted again, his heart slamming against his ribs.
But she was already moving toward Damien.
Damien didn't move and let her come.
Meredith pounced, but Damien caught her mid-air, his arms locking around her. For a moment, their bodies collided. She thrashed and growled ferociously, but Damien's grip didn't falter even a bit.
His lips brushed against her ear. “Enough, Sweet Pup,” he whispered.
Meredith froze. There was a flicker of recognition in her eyes.
Then, she bit him. Damien staggered back, a snarl ripping through his throat. "Shit..."
Her fangs pierced his shoulder, blood spilling into her mouth. His blood tasted like prey. And her wolf wanted more.
“More…” the beast whispered. “More…”
Meredith knew it right away. Her wolf was going to kill Damien.
“No!”
Magnus suddenly grabbed her from behind, forcing her back. Xavier rushed forward, gripping her wrists. Both of them held her down, struggling to contain the raw force thrashing between them.
Meredith let out a guttural growl. She wasn't herself anymore. Not the woman they loved. Only the beast remained.
“Stop,” Damien's voice broke through the chaos. "Don't hurt her..."
Magnus and Xavier hesitated. Meredith's breath was ragged as she trembled in their grasp.
Suddenly, Damien cupped her face. His eyes softened as he said softly, “Please, come back to us...”
Something inside her cracked. Her wolf whimpered. The haze began to fade.
She gasped sharply as she shifted. Then, she collapsed into Damien's arms, terrified of herself.
The silence that followed echoed around.
Magnus and Xavier panted, still gripping her arms as if she might snap again. Damien just held her as if he'd rather die than let her go.
Meredith's eyes brimmed with tears. “I..." Her throat tightened. "I tried to kill you, Damien...”
Damien didn't respond right away. He just stroked her hair, pressing his lips against her forehead.
“No, Sweet Pup,” he murmured. “You were just fighting to come back to us.”
A choked sob escaped her throat. She had lost control. She had almost killed them all. And yet, they were still here. Holding her. Loving her. Not letting her go.
Tears fell down her cheeks as she buried her face against Damien's chest.
I didn't deserve any of them, she told herself.
And yet, they still chose her. Even when she was nothing but a monster.
Her wolf still prowled beneath her skin. But she gritted her teeth, shaking her head, trying to silence the hunger that had almost consumed her.