Heather’s Wrath

Kayden - POV

I stood in the ruins of the Night Angel Pack building, deep in the heart of the human city. The air was thick with decay and a sense of foreboding. “What the hell did you drag me here for?” I snapped, my patience already worn thin.

“Shut up and walk,” Damon growled, his usual temper flaring. He’d barely said a word during the entire ride, but his silence now

only added to my unease. I wanted to text Heather, let her know I was in New York and would teleport back home as soon as this was over—but of course, my phone was dead. Typical.

“How long is this going to take?” I asked, my frustration bubbling over.

“Honestly? I don’t know,” Damon admitted, his tone clipped.

“You mentioned coming to this place,” I pressed, trying to make sense of why we were standing in this desolate hellhole.

“No, I didn’t,” he shot back. “I told Stella I was going on a business trip. That’s it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re a dead man if she finds out you’re here. Didn’t she nearly lose you the last time this place almost killed you?”

He grunted, avoiding my gaze. “Yeah, well, I need to check if the human heart trapped in glass is still here. If it’s still beating...or if it’s finally disappeared for good.”

“And if it’s still there?” I asked cautiously.

“Then we destroy it,” Damon said firmly. “You and I can take it out. If we don’t, that malicious thing will keep poisoning everything.”

I sighed. “Fair enough. But if this goes south, we teleport out. No unnecessary heroics.”

Damon nodded, but his face was grim. As we stepped closer to the glass case, my stomach twisted. There it was—the black, beating heart, still alive.

“Oh, so you’re back,” a voice echoed in my head, venomous and sharp. I froze, my eyes darting to Damon.

“You heard that?” I asked. He gave me a grim nod, his eyes locked on the pulsing heart.

“And you brought Alpha Kayden with you this time,” the voice taunted. It was coming from the heart itself, its malicious energy radiating in waves.

“Why don’t you disappear already?” Damon hissed.

The heart’s voice chuckled darkly. “How many times must I explain this? I will leave the day my master reclaims me.”

“Who’s your master?” I asked, stepping forward.

“The new king of the dark,” it whispered, its voice dripping with malice.

“That’s impossible,” I growled. “The last king—Ravengrim—was banished to the abandoned vortex. He’s as good as dead.”

The heart’s laugh was cold and mocking. “He is no longer a king. A man defeated in war can’t keep his crown. His power is fading, and the Ravens trapped in the vortex are dying slowly.”

“We should destroy this thing before a new king rises,” Damon barked. “I want the next generation to grow up in peace.”

“What is it with Alpha Lycans and their obsession with dying for honor?” the heart sneered. “It’s like you have a death wish.”

“Shut up,” Damon growled. “You’re nothing but a pathetic remnant.”

“Pathetic?” The voice sounded offended. “I have a name. Call me Ravengrim.”

I scoffed. “Seriously? You’re naming yourself after your former master?”

The voice bristled. “It was my power that made Ravengrim the king of the dark. I am the source of his strength! And you, Alpha

Kayden, possess my brother’s power—the Xael energy. The one that always stood in opposition to me.”

“Why?” I demanded, my fists clenching.

“Because that goody-two-shoes power of yours exists to protect the weak,” Ravengrim spat. “You’re all weak! The goddess’s power that runs through you is nothing compared to mine. I could destroy you all and fulfill the dream of ultimate dominance.”

“Never,” Damon snarled. “I’ll kill you before you touch another innocent life.”

“You can’t kill me,” Ravengrim mocked. “I’m indestructible.”

Damon roared and charged, his power surging in a burst of light magic. I followed his lead, trying to break through the heart’s defenses. But as I moved closer, a dark whirlwind erupted, pushing me back with terrifying force. Damon and I both hit the ground hard.

Through my dazed vision, I saw a crack form on the glass case—but before I could move, it healed itself as if mocking us. This place was a fortress of dark magic, feeding off the very air. It was no wonder Ravengrim was so confident. Here, it had the upper hand.

“Shit, that hurt,” Damon groaned, struggling to his feet.

“We can’t win here,” I mind-linked him. “Our powers are too weak in this place.”

“Damn it,” he growled back. “We can’t leave this thing alive. I won’t let Olivia face this monster. Do you want your heir, your pack’s future, to be in danger?”

His words hit me hard. “No, I don’t,” I admitted. “But fighting here is suicide.”

“I don’t care,” Damon shot back. “I’m not running. If we die protecting our families, so be it.”

He wasn’t going to back down, and I couldn’t let him throw his life away. I gathered my remaining strength and activated my teleportation ability. Before Damon could protest, I sent him back to his pack and teleported myself to mine, narrowly escaping the dark magic that had begun to encroach on us.

I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through me. “Kayden!” Heather’s voice broke through my haze. I looked up to see her rushing toward me, her face etched with worry.

Harris was right behind her, and between the two of them, they managed to get me to the infirmary. I could barely stand as the doctor began treating me, but Heather wouldn’t leave my side. Her eyes burned with a mixture of anger and concern.

“What happened?” she demanded as soon as the doctor left. Her tone was sharp—commanding, even. It reminded me of my mother scolding my father when he’d kept secrets.

“Talk, Kayden,” she pressed, her arms crossed. “Now.”

I sighed, knowing I couldn’t avoid her wrath. “I went to the ruins of the Night Angel Pack,” I admitted.

Her eyes narrowed. “The place where the human heart beats with dark magic? The same place that nearly killed Damon a few months ago?”

I nodded, and her expression darkened. “Are you insane?” she hissed. “Why would you go there?”

“Damon and I thought we could destroy it,” I explained. “But it’s stronger than we expected. We couldn’t even make a dent.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she cupped my face in her hands. “What if something happened to you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

I felt a pang of guilt as I pulled her into my arms. “I’m sorry, Heather. I won’t let it happen again. I promise.”

“Promise me,” she insisted, her voice breaking.

“I promise,” I said softly, kissing her forehead.

She relaxed slightly in my arms, though I could feel her lingering anger. I knew this wasn’t over—not for Damon, and not for me.

That thing had to be dealt with. But for now, I was home, safe with Heather.

As I recovered, she updated me on the situation. “I spoke to Janice and Rosaline while you were gone,” she said.

“And? Did they give you anything?” I asked.

“Janice called two hours ago. I sent the troops to the location she gave me.”

“Good work, Hea,” I said, genuinely impressed. “What happened?”

Her expression darkened. “When the troops arrived, all the Raven elders were already dead.”

“What?” I frowned, trying to process this. “What killed them?”

“The captain said it looked like their power had been drained,” she said, her voice uneasy.

I sighed, my mind racing. Whatever had done this, it was something new—and it wasn’t over yet. Problem for another day.