Page 55 of Alpha's Runaway Mate

But she moved faster. The blade in her hand dipped lower, the tip piercing Leo’s delicate vein. I halted abruptly, a growl ripping from my throat as I froze, helpless and enraged.

“No,” I whispered hoarsely. “Please, don’t.”

What happened next unfolded in a blur. The sharp sound of a knife slicing through flesh tore through the air. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought it was Leo’s. My vision blurred with panic until Hecate’s eyes widened in shock.

Her lips parted, and she coughed violently, blood spilling from her mouth. Her grip on Leo loosened, and in that split second, he broke free, bolting toward me. I caught him in my arms, holding him tightly, but my gaze remained fixed on Hecate. She staggered once, then crumpled to the ground lifeless.

And that’s when I saw him. Thane stepped from the shadow, towering over her body. His eyes were glowing red, and a sinister smirk played on his lips, his fangs glinting beneath it. Dark energy radiated off him, thick and suffocating.

“She has served her purpose,” he said coldly, casting a glance over at Hecate’s corpse. “The curse is broken.”

His gaze shifted to me, his eyes burning crimson as his fangs extended longer than I’d ever seen. With a deliberate motion, he twirled his fingers, revealing his long, sharp claws. There was a terrifying viciousness in his expression, a ruthlessness so raw it seemed to distort the very air around him. He inhaled deeply, a sick satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as the veins in his face bulged, pulsating with dark, unrestrained power.

“You’ve denied me this for so many years, Lyra.” His lips curled in a sinister smile, his voice low and taunting. “Oh, I’m going to derive absolute satisfaction in killing you.” His smirk disappeared, replaced by a sneer that chilled me to the bone, and his voice dropped, hard and venomous as he continued. “But hear me well—it won’t be quick, and it won’t be merciful. I’mgoing to tear you apart, piece by piece. I’ll rip the heart from your chest and make you suffer every agonizing second until you beg for death.” He paused, his gaze shifting, and I followed it, dread coiling in my stomach as his eyes landed on Leo. “Then I’ll kill your dear son. His screams will be the sweetest melody I’ll ever hear when I slice his throat.” He dragged the words out, savoring them like a fine meal.

A feral growl rumbled in my chest, but Thane turned back to me, unfazed, his gaze burning with unrelenting hatred. “I won’t stop there, Lyra,” his tone was as sharp as a blade. “I’ll go to that pathetic little town of yours and slaughter every single member of your pack. I’ll raze it to the ground until there’s nothing left—no home, no legacy, no memory of you.” He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with a promise of devastation. “I’ll obliterate everything you’ve ever cared about, Lyra. Everything. And when I’m done with you, you’ll be nothing more than a forgotten footnote in the story of my rise. Just a stepping stone to my path of freedom and domination.”

A cold fury surged through me, but before I could move, he took one menacing step forward, his lips curling into a mocking grin that showed his fangs. “Too bad you won’t be around to witness it.”

Thane lunged, his massive form flying over the tomb in a blur of raw power and murderous intent. Instinctively, I raised my hand, and a shimmering barrier of energy snapped in place. It was as though my thoughts translated directly into magic, a manifestation of my determination to protect myself and my family.

Thane crashed into the barrier with brutal force, snarling as it vibrated under his relentless pounding. I shoved Leo towardKaine as I tried to hold up the barrier. The moment the barrier shattered, he was on me. His backhand came faster than I could react to, as his claws raked across my face, sending me flying. I hit the ground hard, blood filling my mouth.

As I struggled to my feet, wiping the blood from my lips, I locked eyes with him, and I felt my wolf stir within me. With a snarl, I shifted. For the first time in five years, I felt the bond with my wolf—no longer a wild, uncontrollable force, but a steady presence tethered to my will. Her thoughts mingled with mine, her fury mirroring my own. But I was in control. I was in complete control. I embraced it, letting her meld seamlessly with the magic coursing through me. And when she completed her shift, I felt whole, my wolf and witch side bound together. Every nerve in my body came alive, humming with just one purpose as I faced Thane: to protect Leo and my pack, to end the man who had brought us nothing but torment.

Thane stood before me, a towering mass of dark fur and primal rage. His wolf was massive, easily twice my size, midnight black with gleaming eyes that promised death. He radiated raw, feral power, every muscle ripping with the intent to kill. He was terrifying, in every sense of the word. Yet, I wasn’t afraid.

He moved first, a blur of raw, brutal strength, but I was ready. My instincts were sharper, faster, and I darted to the side, narrowly escaping his blow as I swiped at him with my claws, raking across his flank. Blood poured from the gash, but he barely faltered. He spun to attack again, but my magic flared, and a twisting blaze of fire erupted, hurtling toward him. Thane deflected it, shaking the flames off as if they were an annoyance, his growl deep and menacing. He displayed sheer strength and relentless endurance. But I didn’t let up.

The ground beneath us trembled, and I willed the earth to obey me. At that moment, it felt as though nature itself was my ally, and I had the power to control its very elements. Vines, thick and unyielding, erupted from the ground, twisting around his legs and dragging him down. He snarled, thrashing wildly as his claws ripped through the vines. Before he could break free, I lunged and landed a blow on his jaw, causing blood to spill from his muzzle.

He shook off the blow, blood staining his fur as he charged at me with renewed fury. His size and power knocked me off balance. He retaliated by slashing his claws against my chest, and I shrieked in pain, sprawling across the sand.

I ignored the burning agony in my ribs, pushing myself to my feet as blood dripped from my wounds. Fueled by frustration, I summoned a gust of wind. The storm was wild, whipping into a frenzy, and hitting Thane with a force that sent him flying into the tomb and shattering it. He faltered for a moment, and I seized the moment, leaping onto him with a snarl, my claws tearing into his shoulder. He roared, a sound that shook the earth, his massive frame twisting as he threw me off like I weighed nothing. I hit the ground, the impact rattling through my bones. Even with the elements as my ally, Thane moved as if they were nothing.

I rose again, shaky but determined. I conjured a torrent of blazing energy while he was still trying to pull himself back up, and I hurled it across his face and chest. The force sent him crashing back into the already shattered tomb, and for a moment, I thought I had the upper hand as he lay unmoving.

But Thane was relentless. He rose from the rubble, bathed in his own blood, yet his eyes burned with a murderous resolve. In thatmoment of surprise, frustration, a feeling of hopelessness crept in, and he charged at me with a speed that shouldn’t have been possible due to all the wounds he had sustained. I couldn’t react in time. His claws tore across my abdomen, ripping my flesh and fur as I staggered back, choking on the taste of my own blood.

I slammed into the ground with such force that it indented beneath me. Pain shot through every inch of my body, and as I struggled and failed to rise, Thane kicked me, sending me rolling across the sand.

My vision blurred, and my breathing became ragged and shallow. I could feel the life slipping away from me as blood poured from the fatal wounds he had inflicted. My shift happened involuntarily as my wolf was weak due to the intense pain and injury she had sustained.

He was on me in an instant, his massive paws pressing against my chest, crushing the breath out of my lungs. He shifted back to his human form, and I saw a smirk of victory on his face.

“At least tonight,” he sneered, his voice a low, menacing growl, “you’ll stop running.” He pressed down on my chest, pinning me in place. I was too weak to fight, too weak to even struggle. The magic had drained me, and the brutal injuries he’d carved into my flesh left me unable to move.

His claws trailed lazily along my neck, and I felt the sharp sting as they found my jugular. “Any last words, Lyra Winter?” he asked, his face twisted in cruel satisfaction.

I opened my mouth, but blood was all that came out, bubbling out of my lips.

“Nothing?” he asked mockingly. “Well, that’s disappointing,” he grinned. ”Let me leave you with my parting words. I’d forgotten what real power felt like. So, thank you for reminding me.”

His claws dug into my neck. And just as I braced myself for the end, a sudden wave of energy slammed into Thane, throwing him off me. I turned my head to see Leo, tears streaking down his small, determined face.

“Leo, no!” I tried to shout, but my voice was barely a whisper.

Thane recovered too quickly, and he charged forward again. This time, not at me, but straight for Leo. “At least your mother will watch as I slit that tiny throat of yours,” he roared as he went for Leo.

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