Chapter 162: Brothers at odds

Christopher

The piercing sound took us by surprise. A sharp, agonizing screech tore through my ears like someone was drilling into my skull. I screamed, but I couldn’t hear my own voice. I dropped to my knees, clutching my head, trying to block it out, but it was impossible.

I saw Joaquin writhing on the ground, his face contorted in agony. He wasn’t attacking me anymore. The war seemed to pause—only a few wolves could still fight while the humans looked disoriented, striking at them blindly. It was a temporary halt, and I quickly realized Olivia was behind it.

Gunshots rang out. Drones filled the sky. The battle was shifting in our favor.

Trent was groaning, and as I struggled to stand, I realized the sound was affecting me less now. Two hunters rushed at me—I tore into them without mercy, then turned back toward my brother. Through the haze of pain, I saw smoke rising from the city. An attack, though it didn’t seem severe. My heart clenched at the thought of my love, fear gripping me.

The screeching seemed to last forever, but when it finally stopped, I was left dazed, as if waking from a nightmare. My vision cleared just in time to see Joaquin getting to his feet, a knife in hand.

Without thinking, I struck his wrist, sending the weapon flying. He was weak. I stared at him, my rage barely contained, and stepped forward.

“Now it’s a fair fight,” I said, my voice rough. He straightened, a twisted smile on his lips.

“There’s no such thing as fairness in war, brother. Always thinking you’re better, always believing you’re superior.”

“I never thought that!” I roared, launching at him. Joaquin swung a fist at my face. I ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding it, and countered with a strike to the side of his head. He staggered but recovered quickly, lashing out with a low kick that caught me in the leg, knocking me off balance.

Around us, the battle raged on, with shouts and howls, the scent of blood and damp earth thick in the air. Drones continued their assault. In the distance, Alpha Samuel was fighting in his wolf form, his roars shaking the battlefield.

“You’ll regret ever facing me!” Joaquin bellowed, charging with his fists raised. But I met him with a brutal elbow to the jaw. He stumbled back, spitting blood.

“Still Daddy’s favorite, huh? The perfect son.”

“Don’t talk about him! You killed him! I growled.

“He cast you aside, abandoned your mother, called you a half-breed, and yet you still defend him?” he spat. Fury erupted inside me. I slammed into him with my shoulder, ramming him against a tree. Joaquín groaned but used the momentum to drive his knee into my stomach. The blow knocked the breath from me. He aimed a punch at the back of my head—I twisted just in time, blocking it with my forearm before landing an uppercut that made him reel.

“You were always a disgrace,” I snarled. “Always betraying your pack, your family, your people—everything sacred to a wolf.” Joaquín laughed, a wild, unhinged sound.

“Really? And here you are, hunting me down, your own blood, ready to kill me. You betrayed your pack! You’re no better than me!” he shouted, his wolf surging beneath his skin. He lunged with a downward strike, but I ducked, grabbing him by the waist and slamming him into the ground.

He rolled quickly and leaped to his feet, sending a kick toward my side. I blocked it with my arm and countered with a punch to his ribs. He doubled over, but instead of retreating, he grabbed my shirt and threw me against a tree. The impact splintered the wood beneath me. His fist shot toward my face—I turned my head at the last second, and his punch shattered the bark instead of my jaw. That was close.

“We can’t let him take control,” Trent warned in my mind.

I shifted into my wolf. Joaquín smirked, and within seconds, I saw his pale gray, almost white, wolf standing before me. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction, I lunged, sinking my teeth into his leg before slamming my head against his. Joaquín barely held himself up, panting. I looked at him, chest heaving. It was now or never. If I let him live, he would continue bringing pain, continue destroying everything we had fought to protect.

“Chris…” A voice reached my ears. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Casandra, Cedric, and Dylan standing—alive. My allies had won. Joaquin had lied. He didn’t have my mate. He didn’t have my friends or my family. The city would be safe. The battle was over.

Except for mine.

Joaquin coughed blood, then lunged for my throat. In a single motion, I caught him by the neck and threw him to the ground, pinning him beneath my paw. He shifted back, and so did I. I placed a foot on his chest. He was wounded. His eyes, filled with desperation, locked onto mine.

“Brother, please… don’t do this,” he whispered. “We had a hard life. What would our father think if he saw this?” I couldn’t believe him. My allies’ outrage filled the air. My sister stared at him in shock. Everything around me seemed to freeze. Joaquin was defeated. And now, he was begging. For a fraction of a second, my resolve wavered. Then I saw it. The cunning gleam in his eyes. His hand, creeping toward the knife. Waiting for the moment. I knew it a second before he moved. He tried to strike, but I caught him by the throat before he could do anything. I squeezed. His body jerked, struggling.

“Father knew who you were, Joaquin,” I whispered, tightening my grip. “And he knew you never deserved to be alpha.”

Joaquin’s eyes widened in horror—then his body went still. I let go. His lifeless form hit the ground with a dull thud. The forest was silent. Only my own breathing remained. I felt relief but no pleasure. Not satisfaction. Just the weight of knowing this had to be done. I turned to Casandra, Cedric, and Dylan. A small, weary smile crossed my lips. They were safe.

“It’s over now, brother,” Casandra whispered, pulling me into a hug. We cried for everything we had endured. Somehow, I had known my fate would end here, like this. I had thought I might die. But I was still standing.

It was over.

In the distance, I heard Samuel’s voice. He was already organizing aid for the wounded and securing prisoners. But in my mind, there was only one thought. I needed to see my Luna. Aaron emerged from the undergrowth, his face covered in sweat.

“Alpha, thank the goddess. The city was under attack. The sick broke through. But it’s all under control now. I see it’s the same here,” he reported urgently.

“We won, Beta,” I whispered. A grin spread across his face, mirroring those of my allies.

“We won!”

“Long live Silver Claws!”

“Long live the wolves and Shadowmoon City!”

I nodded, finally feeling the weight of battle lift from me. I greeted my allies, checked on the wounded, and planned our next steps. Then, I ran—toward the city—my city, now safe.

Searching for her. Because only with her would I be whole.