Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 137: The Challenge

Chapter 137: The Challenge

LUCIAN’S P.O.V.

The knock at the door still echoed in my mind as I left the room, Teresa trailing closely behind me. Her scent—honey and lavender—wrapped around me like armor, calming the fire that had ignited in my chest at Alex’s words. Maverick was here, and he wasn’t alone.

The wooden floor beneath my boots groaned with each step as I descended the grand staircase. The faint hum of murmured voices beyond the mansion’s double doors grew louder with each passing second. My heightened senses picked up every tremble of excitement, every whisper of doubt in the crowd. The air was thick with anticipation, the scent of damp earth mingling with sweat and fear.

Teresa’s hand brushed my arm, grounding me for a brief moment. "Lucian," she said softly, her voice steady despite the tension. "Are you sure about this?"

I turned my head slightly toward her, a small, sharp smile tugging at my lips. "This isn’t the first time someone’s underestimated me, Teresa. It won’t be the last."

Ares stirred in my mind, his growl vibrating through my chest. "Let’s make them remember who we are," he snarled, the primal hunger in his voice making my muscles tense.

I pushed open the double doors with deliberate force, the cool night air rushing to meet me. The murmurs ceased instantly, the crowd falling silent as I stepped into view. My boots crunched against the gravel, and I could feel the heat of dozens of gazes boring into me. The faint shuffle of feet and the erratic thump of heartbeats painted a vivid picture of the scene.

Maverick stood at the center of the crowd, his presence unmistakable. His breathing was steady, but his heart raced—a telltale sign of arrogance masking fear. The bastard smelled of rage and desperation, his aura tainted with the unmistakable stench of envy.

"Lucian Blackwood," Maverick called, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Finally decided to grace us with your presence? Or did your little human have to guide you here like a child?"

A growl rumbled low in my throat, but I kept my composure. Teresa’s hand tightened around my arm briefly before she stepped aside, giving me space.

Ares growled louder, his voice resonating in my head like a thunderstorm. "He dares insult our mate for the second time in one day? Let me tear him apart, Lucian. Let me remind him of his place."

"Maverick," I said, my tone calm yet laced with unmistakable authority. "If you’ve come here to challenge me, you’ll regret it."

He laughed, a sharp, bitter sound that grated on my nerves. "Challenge you? You mean the blind Alpha who can’t even see his own reflection? You’re a disgrace, Blackwood. This pack deserves a leader who can actually protect them—not someone who needs his mate to do the job for him."

The crowd shifted uneasily, the weight of his words stirring murmurs among them. My fists clenched at my sides, but I let Ares’s simmering rage fuel me.

"You talk too much, Maverick," I said, stepping forward. "If you want my position, come and take it. But let me warn you—this won’t end well for you."

Maverick wasted no time, his wolf bursting forth in a flash of fur and teeth. The sound of his transformation was violent, bones snapping and reshaping as his snarl filled the night air.

Ares surged forward within me, my body shifting effortlessly into my wolf form. The sensation was both familiar and exhilarating—muscles coiling like springs, claws digging into the earth. Ares’s senses sharpened, and the world became a vivid tapestry of scents and sounds.

Maverick lunged, his claws aimed for my throat, but I sidestepped easily, the gravel crunching beneath my paws. His growl turned into a frustrated roar as I darted around him, my movements precise and deliberate.

"Pathetic," Ares scoffed in my mind. "He’s slow. Weak."

Maverick came at me again, his teeth snapping dangerously close to my shoulder. I countered with a brutal swipe of my claws, feeling the satisfying give of flesh beneath them. He yelped, stumbling back, but his stubbornness pushed him forward once more.

The crowd was silent, their collective heartbeats pounding like a drumbeat in my ears. The scent of blood filled the air as Maverick’s wounds bled freely, but he refused to yield.

"You’re nothing!" Maverick snarled through the mind link, his voice tinged with desperation. "A blind wolf pretending to be an Alpha. You’ll never be enough!"

I didn’t respond. Instead, I let Ares take over completely, his primal instincts guiding every move. My claws slashed through the air, meeting Maverick’s chest with a force that sent him sprawling to the ground.

"Yield," I commanded through the mind link, my voice cold and unyielding.

Maverick struggled to his feet, his breaths ragged. "Never," he spat, his defiance unwavering even as his body trembled with exhaustion.

Ares growled in satisfaction, his hunger for dominance taking over. "He made his choice. Let’s end this."

With a swift, decisive movement, I sank my teeth into Maverick’s neck, the taste of blood sharp and metallic. His struggles ceased almost instantly, his body going limp beneath me. I released him, standing tall. The crowd erupted into chaos—some cheering, others frozen in shock.

The scent of death lingered in the air, a grim reminder of the price of defiance. I shifted back into my human form, my chest heaving with exertion. Teresa was at my side in an instant, her hand warm and steady on my arm.

"You’re bleeding," she said, her voice shaking.

"It’s not mine," I replied, my tone calm despite the adrenaline still coursing through me. I turned to the crowd, sensing their uncertainty. "Let this be a warning," I said, my voice carrying the weight of authority. "I may be blind, but I am not weak. And neither is this pack."

The murmurs grew louder, but no one dared challenge me further. Slowly, they began to disperse, leaving Teresa, Alex, and me alone in the aftermath.

Teresa’s hand felt so warm and nice in mine. "You didn’t have to kill him," she whispered.

I turned my head toward her, though I couldn’t see the expression on her face. "Yes, I did," I said softly. "He left me no choice."

For a moment, there was silence between us, heavy with unspoken emotions. Then Alex cleared his throat, his voice hesitant.

"What now Alpha?" he asked.

I tightened my grip on Teresa’s hand, a sly grin forming despite the tension still lingering in the air. "Now," I said, my voice laced with quiet confidence, "my Luna and I can finally go back to our room, soak in a well-earned bath, and scrub away the grime of this long, exhausting day."