Adolphus' POV
The chaos around me was overwhelming. The sounds of people screaming, of steel clashing against steel, and the bloodied cries filled the air.
But none of it mattered. None of it was important at this moment. The only thing that mattered was Dorian.
He had to pay. For everything he had done. For everything he was still doing to my people. I could feel the anger burning inside me, a fire that consumed everything else in its path.
And with every beat of my heart, that fire pushed me forward, making me do the unthinkable.
I didn't know how much longer I could hold myself together, but as I faced Dorian, everything else faded into the background.
The rage, the determination, the will to protect my people, and most importantly, my Katrina, it all coursed through me.
I watched him closely, the man who had tried to take everything from me. My pack, my family, my future. Dorian stood there, his eyes cold, calculating, and filled with nothing but hatred. And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this had been his plan all along, to destroy me, to take my place.
Pain seared into my chest, and I instinctively kicked the weapon away from Dorian’s grasp.
My transformed, chaotic form whipped around him like a living serpent, twisting and turning with ruthless precision. It coiled around him, locking him in place.
I could feel him struggle against the hold, but it was futile. There was nowhere for him to go now.
“Tell your men to stop killing the people of Crimson Pack now!” I commanded, my voice laced with authority. My tail tightened around his body, squeezing the life out of him, but not enough to kill him yet.
His breath came in ragged gasps, and I could see the panic in his eyes. He tried to speak, but his voice was a mere whisper, caught in the chokehold of my tail. I didn’t release my grip, not yet.
“Will you tell them to stop?” I called out again, the pressure mounting on him.
He nodded, his face turning a sickly shade of blue as he fought for air. It was then that I finally loosened my tail, giving him enough space to croak out an order to his men.
His voice was weak but audible as he commanded them to cease their attacks. The sound of chaos simmered down to an unsettling quiet, the tension in the air palpable.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He had to pay for what he had done. But my focus shifted for a brief moment when I saw Katrina.
She was holding Cassandra, who was bleeding heavily. My heart skipped a beat as I saw my mate desperately trying to help her.
She called out for the doctor, her voice filled with panic and fear. And just like that, they rushed to take Cassandra inside, presumably to try and save her.
I felt a pang of guilt, knowing I had caused this. The pack’s blood was on my hands, all because I had hesitated. I should have acted faster. But now wasn’t the time for guilt. It was time to end this once and for all.
I spun back to face Dorian, my anger boiling inside me. But his face, the smirk I had grown so accustomed to, had returned.
He was still mocking me, as if he hadn’t just been moments away from death at my hands.
"Why do you want to kill me so bad?" I asked, the words coming out more as a growl than a question. I couldn’t understand it. What had I ever done to him to deserve this?
He chuckled, though it was laced with bitterness. "Because I knew you'd become the Alpha if you remained alive," Dorian sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
My grip on the hilt of my sword tightened as I stared at him, but before I could even react, Dorian dropped to his feet.
Everything happened in a blur. He moved so fast, faster than I anticipated. And before I could stop him, I felt the searing pain of his blade piercing through my abdomen.
My vision blurred, and I stumbled back, the blood pouring from my wound. My breath caught in my throat as I tried to stay upright.
I couldn’t believe it. This was it. This was the moment I had been fearing. The pain was unbearable, and I could already feel the life draining from my body. The blood continued to spill, each drop a reminder of my vulnerability.
I couldn’t help the shock that painted my features as I looked down at the gaping wound in my abdomen. My sword!
I reacted on instinct. My hand gripped my weapon, and in one swift motion, I shoved the blade into Dorian’s chest.
His eyes widened in surprise as the force of my strike drove the sword through him. Blood splattered everywhere as his mouth fell open, and he gasped for air, never expecting me to strike back.
I watched as he crumpled to the floor, a gurgle escaping his throat. But despite the shock on his face, there was something else there, something that felt like a twisted form of satisfaction.
He had never believed I could defeat him, never believed I would outsmart him. But at that moment, I did.
But it was too late for me.
I felt the darkness closing in. The world around me spun, my vision swimming in and out of focus. My chest ached, and I could feel my legs giving way beneath me.
I barely registered the sound of Katrina screaming my name, her voice shrill and full of panic.
"Adolphus!" Her cry echoed in my ears, but I couldn’t respond. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her I wasn’t really Adolphus, that my name was Marcus and that my father was Adolphus, but my body was betraying me.
I wanted to say it. I wanted to explain everything to her, but all I could manage was a weak breath as I collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.
The last thing I saw was her face, her eyes wide with fear, before everything went dark.