Page 54 of Lycan Prince's Secret Baby

Rage sparked anew as I thought back to the night I’d overheard his contempt for me and my mother. I wanted him to know how long I’d lain in wait for him, how long this retribution had been coming for him, and he hadn’t seen it.

“You once said that I had too much of Tamara’s blood in me. Know that you were right, and it’s her spirit that’s now demanding yours to be spilled.” My declaration hung in the air thick with tension. “I challenge you to fight me. When I spill your blood tonight, know it is my mother’s spirit who will drink it down.”

Adrenaline charged through my veins, anticipation buzzing through my body. I locked eyes with my father, feeling the charge crackling in the night as we squared up with one another—two forces destined to collide.

“So be it,” Reginald hissed, the bloodthirsty glint in his eyes matching my own. “I fed the earth her blood once; tonight, it will drink yours.”

In the blink of an eye, my father’s gray wolf exploded from his human form, muscles rippling and fur glinting in the moonlight. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, brimming with the need for vengeance and blood. With a primal howl echoing in my soul, I merged with my beast and charged toward the man who had shattered my family, ready to claim the justice I had been denied too long.

Chapter 28

Leah

As Kyle stepped forward to challenge his father, the tension crackling in the air felt charged, and then it swooped down to wrap itself around my heart like a vice. Fury radiated from Reginald, the smoldering rage that seared from his ice-hued gaze curdled my blood and sent chills down my spine.

Blood.

He’d threatened to feed the earth my mate’s blood. A fierce defensiveness surged through me, urging me to rush to Kyle’s side, to defend the man I loved with every fiber of my being. But the thundering paws of the gray wolves surrounding us reminded me of the imminent danger, snapping me back to the fact that we had other opponents, those closing in around me and my Blood Moon packmates.

To my far right, the first clash of fangs and fur disrupted the night. Gray and red pelts intertwined in a chaotic dance beneath the brilliant half-moon. Most of the wolves were made up of the seven council members, including Elder Sam. Only two female wolves fought alongside them. I’d recognized Emily and her friend, Kelly, too. We Blood Moons were evenly matched againstour opponents, yet the relief at that fact dissolved as the two smaller females came at me. Their snarls sliced through the cacophony of the battle around me as they homed in on me.

In an instant, Emily and Kelly’s wolves descended upon me like shadows in the night. Emily’s malicious dark eyes danced with the taunts they’d contained when I’d been imprisoned. Behind her, Kelly’s powerful form loomed. The two of them moved like a well-rehearsed performance.

The air buzzed with tension as they approached in a pincer movement. I barely had time to react, my instincts kicking in as I dodged the bulk of Kelly, feeling the rush of wind as she narrowly missed me. But Emily was swift, and her assault was precise. She lunged at me, sinking her fangs into my shoulder with a searing bite, sending shockwaves of painful heat through my body.

A feral growl erupted from deep within my chest, igniting my fight-or-flight response. I twisted away from Emily's grasp, breaking free with a determined surge. The pain was sharp, yet it fueled my resolve as I launched myself toward Kelly, who was now regrouping for another attack. With an agile movement, I lashed out at her, my claws connecting with her flank, my teeth snapping close enough for her to feel my breath.

Yet, Emily was undeterred. She was back on me in an instant, snapping at my heels with ferocity. My heart raced in my chest, pumping raw adrenaline into my veins as I dodged her next attack, ducking low and aiming for her legs in an attempt to trip her up. But her lithe form evaded me with a surprising agility.

As I battled Emily, the chaos around us surged with energy. Snarls and howls filled the night. The sound of teeth clashingscraped through the darkness. I caught glimpses of my packmates—red wolves—surging up against our oppressors.

With renewed determination, I tapped into bitter memories of Emily’s taunts hurled at me and my packmates. In a feigned maneuver to the left, I confused Emily for a split second, then charged right into Kelly, who was caught off guard. My teeth connected with her side, and I tasted the salt of her fur mixed with the sharp tang of blood as she howled in surprise.

Yet, just as victory felt within reach, Emily capitalized on my distraction. She surged past Kelly, sinking her fangs into my front leg once more. Agony burst through me, sharp and overwhelming. I yelped in response, blinding pain bringing me momentarily to my knees.

But, in a blur of movement, Roman’s red wolf hurtled into one of the females and bit the hind leg of the other. Afraid and injured, the female Moonlights turned tail and ran off into the night. Heaving a breath, I leaned against Roman’s flank in gratitude, before he dove into battle again.

Amidst the brief reprieve, I scanned the chaos of the battlefield, breathing in the wildness of red and gray fur coalescing beneath the moonlit sky. My gaze instantly fell upon Kyle’s wolf, still locked in a furious battle with Reginald. Their powerful forms were clashing in a contest that felt like the legends of old when the moon goddess had first favored us with our shifter forms and the Alphas had fought for dominion over the pack lands.

The reprieve didn’t last long as another gray wolf barreled toward me. My heart leaped into my throat, my fur bristling along my back as I readied to engage. But the wolf veered away, and then back toward me, and then away again. Confusionsomersaulted through me. It was as if he were trying to get me to follow him.

As the sleek, gray wolf once more moved away from me, only to double back, dawning comprehension flooded me.

Could this beMark—Roman’s mate?

Tentatively, I broke away from the circle of Moonlights and Blood Moons battling. Excitement pounded through my chest as I hoped I was right about who this male was. As we tore past the Blood Moon quarters, a whirlwind of emotions washed over me. The renovated buildings seemed like a beacon of Kyle’s compassion; hope flickered in my chest for our future and our packs. I silently prayed to Igaluk that Kyle would emerge unscathed and that the moon goddess would grant him the strength and strategy to outmaneuver Reginald.

The gray wolf led me to the house nearest the Council Chambers and the cells—Reginald’s house. In a moment, he shifted into his human form. The man was tall and lean. His wavy brown hair and chocolate gaze made my heart skip as it matched the photo Roman had shared with me of his mate. In a moment, I’d shed my wolf’s form, my skin pebbling as the chill of the night brushed against my body.

“Mark,” I greeted him with a smile.

He nodded. “Leah,” he murmured, a warm smile on his face. “I hoped you’d follow me. I want to free the prisoners, but I wasn’t sure they’d trust me if I freed them alone.”

My heart hurried in my chest. Of course, the Blood Moon prisoners and the Moonlight females were locked up in the cells.With Mark’s stellar performance as one of Reginald’s loyal pack members, I understood why he needed me.

“Are the keys to the cells here?” I demanded, urgency pressing in upon me as I thought of the heated battle still back on the hillside.

He nodded, darting inside. In a moment, he held the cell keys. Without hesitation, we tore down the stairs, hurrying into the cell block within the earth. The scent of decay and moss revived memories of the days I’d once spent imprisoned inside these very walls.

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