Chapter 150

Chapter 150
Asher’s POV

I stepped forward without hesitation, placing myself fully between Phina and him. My body tensed, every instinct locked on Jason as I refused to give him even a step closer. 

“You heard me,” I said, my voice low and firm. He smirked like he had been waiting for this. “Finally,” he replied, rolling his shoulders as if this was nothing more than a game. The look in his eyes said otherwise.

I didn’t wait. With fierce rage, I closed the distance in a single stride, my fist driving straight toward him. He blocked fast, but the impact still echoed through my arm, solid and heavy. 

We moved again. He struck back just as quickly, his blow grazing my shoulder before I twisted away. I countered, aiming for his side, but he shifted with sharp precision, forcing me to adjust mid strike. 

“You’re slower than I remember,” he taunted, his voice calm even as we circled each other. 

“Still talking too much,” I shot back, lunging forward again.

Our blows came faster now, one after the other, each hit carrying more weight. My fists met his guard, his strikes met mine, the sound of impact dull and heavy, like thunder rolling close by. 

The air around us grew thick with tension. I could smell it. Sweat, blood, and something sharper, like iron lingering in every breath. The ground beneath our feet shifted with each movement, dirt scattering as we pushed against each other. 

“Is that all?” he asked, stepping in closer, his voice dropping slightly. I drove my elbow toward him, forcing him back a step. 

“You wish,” I answered, my jaw tightening as I pressed forward again.

Around us, the fight had changed. The noise was still there, but it felt distant, like everything had pulled back just enough to watch. I caught glimpses of my men and his, their movements slower, their attention drawn to us whether they meant to or not. 

Instantly, it wasn’t just another fight anymore. It was a challenge between alphas. Jason came at me again, faster this time, his strike sharper, harder. I met him head on, blocking and pushing back with equal force, refusing to give him ground. Every movement mattered now. Every second counted. I could feel it building, the pressure, the need to go further, to stop holding back. 

“You ready?” he asked, a hint of something darker in his tone. 

I met his gaze without blinking. “I already am.”

The shift was sudden but natural. In a flash, my body transformed, fur sprouting, muscles tensing, claws scraping the dirt beneath me. 

Jason mirrored me instantly, his eyes glinting with something sharper, darker, more dangerous. The pack around us instinctively gave space, stepping back as if the battlefield itself recognized what was happening. 

We circled each other, low growls vibrating through the air. I lunged first, claws slashing, teeth aimed for his shoulder. Jason met me with the same intensity, and the clash of our bodies shook the ground beneath our paws.

Something felt off immediately. His strikes were heavier, more precise, moving faster than they should have. Each time I tried to counter, his form barely wavered. It wasn’t just skill. There was something else powering him, something unnatural. 

“You’ve changed,” I growled, trying to read him. He smirked in a way that made my blood boil even through the wolf form. 

“Oh… you have no idea,” he replied, and then lunged again, faster than I expected.

We collided again, rolling through dirt, snapping teeth just inches from each other’s faces. I barely dodged a lethal swipe, feeling the wind cut across my fur. The taste of iron filled my mouth, sweat mixing with the metallic tang. I tried to rely on instinct, my years of experience guiding my movements. But each strike seemed to carry more force than it should. He hit harder, recovered faster, and every block I made felt like I was barely keeping up. 

“Is that all you’ve got, Asher?” he taunted repetitively and annoyingly, his voice low and mocking as we circled. 

“Not even close,” I snarled back, crouching, preparing for the next clash.

Even as I focused on him, my senses caught Phina. She was moving along the edges of the chaos, still recovering, her energy flickering. My heart clenched. Jason’s gaze darted to her too, and I knew what he wanted. I couldn’t let him get to her. 

I twisted, forcing Jason to redirect as I moved between him and Phina, blocking a strike aimed at her. His claws grazed my flank, a jolt of pain stabbing through me, reminding me that this fight wasn’t just about strength—it was about survival and protection.

The air around us crackled with tension. Fur bristled, muscles tensed, and I realized the fight was far from ordinary. Jason’s advantage was real, and every move I made had to be sharper, faster, and smarter. I growled low, heart hammering, and faced him fully. 

“This ends with me,” I said, the words carrying over the battlefield, for him, for Phina, for everyone watching.

I could feel it coming before it happened, but I couldn’t let Phina take the hit. Jason kept lunging past me, teeth bared, eyes locked on her like she was the prize. I twisted, blocking each strike, claws snapping inches from his face, teeth gnashing against his. 

“You’re predictable,” he taunted, his voice low and cruel. “Always the hero, always in the way.” I growled, ignoring the jab at my pride. My focus was on Phina, on keeping her safe, even if it meant I took every risk.

My muscles screamed with exhaustion, each movement sharper than the last, but I refused to falter. The battlefield seemed to shrink around us, the sounds of the pack fading beneath the pounding of my own heart and the growls reverberating through the air. 

Every swipe, every dodge, every snap of his claws made the cold wind bite deeper, dust stinging my eyes. Jason feinted to the left, and I followed instinct, moving to shield her again. 

“Always a step behind,” he sneered, snapping at my side as he shifted his weight.

Pain exploded across my ribs before I even realized what had happened. My legs buckled under me, claws digging into the dirt to keep from falling completely. Heat and shock flared through my body, my breath catching in a hiss as I staggered. 

I saw Phina freeze for a fraction of a second, eyes wide, her energy flickering. My chest heaved, every inhale a reminder that I couldn’t let the weakness show—not yet. Jason circled, a wolf shadow in the dim light, growling low. 

“Even the great Asher can bleed,” he mocked, teeth glinting as he pressed his advantage.

I forced myself to rise, every step a stab of agony through my side, claws leaving shallow gouges in the dirt as I tried to steady my stance. The cold evening air tasted metallic, mixed with the scent of blood, sweat, and the faint smoke from earlier skirmishes. 

My vision blurred at the edges, but I kept my eyes on him. Jason’s movements were faster than expected, and I realized I had opened a gap by protecting Phina. I tightened my jaw, fighting the pain that seared through me. “This isn’t over,” I growled, teeth bared and claws ready, though every muscle screamed against me.

He tilted his head, a wicked smirk playing across his snout. “Oh, it’s just beginning,” he said, and lunged again.

Crap… I muttered to myself as I was failing terribly at the most important fight of my life.