Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 80: Clash of Titans

Chapter 80: Clash of Titans

ADRIAN’S POV

The night was quiet and cold, with darkness covering everything like a heavy blanket. Each step I took was slow and careful, matching the nervous energy racing through my head. We had arrived at the borders of Redfield without incident, but as we prepared to cross into the city, something stopped me—a scent.

Her scent. Lavender and honey, warm and soft.

It hit me like a flash of lightning. Teresa. My Teresa. Her familiar fragrance, tinged with the faintest hint of our babies, clung to the air like a whispered invite. But why here? Why on a trail that led deeper into the forest —a dangerous place for anyone, let alone a woman with children. Away from the safety of Redfield?

I inhaled again, my sharp senses dissecting the layers of her essence. She wasn’t alone, and the scent of wolves—filthy mutts—intermingled with hers.

"Adrian?" Harry stepped closer, his tone laced with uncertainty.

I raised a hand to silence him, my gaze fixed on the dark trail ahead. "Her scent is here," I said softly, more to myself than to him.

Harry hesitated. "Could it be a trap? The wolves—"

"I am well aware of the risks," I cut him off, my voice calm but with an edge sharp enough to make him flinch. "But if she’s truly out here, then something is amiss. Teresa would never willingly place herself or her children in danger."

A moment of hesitation passed as I wrestled with the decision. If I sent the coven ahead to investigate, there was no guarantee their... appetites wouldn’t lead to an accident. Teresa and her children were not negotiable. I could not, would not, risk them.

Turning to my coven, I split them into two groups. "Harry, take half into Redfield. Ensure we aren’t being diverted; also, do not engage unless provoked."

They nodded without question.

"And the rest of us?" Brian asked.

My eyes turned to the shadowed trail leading into the forest. "The rest of you come with me. Stay close, stay quiet, and under no circumstances engage unless I command it."

My coven moved as shadows do—silent and obedient. We descended into the forest, the air thick with eagerness and the promise of spiling blood.

The trail led us to a clearing, the moonlight bathing the scene in an otherworldly glow. That’s when I saw him—A tall man, dark hair and intense green eyes. He stood there, an imposing figure with an air of arrogance that practically demanded to be challenged. A woman who had no scent on her —so I presumed was a witch— stood by his side, his wolves flanked them, their predatory eyes locked on us. The other thing I noticed, Teresa and my babies weren’t here so it was just a trap.

The moment the man’s eyes caught mine, I let my voice drip with mockery, ensuring it carried across the tension-choked air. "Well, what a warm welcome," I drawled, savoring the way their eyes flicked to me, every one of them ready to pounce.

The man stepped forward, practically vibrating with raw energy. Amusing, but predictable. Before he could make a move, the witch shot him a sharp, warning glance. I almost laughed. The tension between them was laughable.

I shifted my focus to the man, the one that smelled like my babies, the one Teresa had so foolishly given her beautiful self to. His defiance amused me, and I couldn’t resist taunting him. My lips curled into a deliberate, slow smile. "And you must be the infamous wolf my Teresa ran away from." I inclined my head, keeping my tone smooth and taunting. "A pleasure, I’m sure."

"Wow, aren’t you a hypocrite?" The man replied with a smirk.

To every corner of the clearing, I started hearing witches chanting in unison as runes I didn’t notice before, around the axis flared with an otherworldly light. The energy in the air changed, and I allowed my expression to harden, my amusement fading into something colder.

"Interesting," I murmured, my voice low as my gaze swept over the glowing runes. "You think you can trap me?"

They didn’t bother responding. A mistake. The moment hung in the air for only a heartbeat before I moved, faster than their mortal eyes could track. The spot I’d stood on crackled with residual energy as I reappeared on the far side of the circle. The suddenness of it all threw them into chaos.

"Hold the line!" The witch standing with the man barked, her voice rising above the growing cacophony.

My coven, witches and their loyal wolves sprang into action. Bodies collided, claws clashed with spells, and the clearing descended into chaos. Amid the fray, the man came at me, his movements sharp and swift, his energy burning hotter than most I’d encountered.

Curiosity piqued, I sidestepped his first strike effortlessly, studying him. "You’re different from the normal wolf," I said, my tone calm, infuriatingly so. I enjoyed the flicker of anger that flashed in his eyes.

"I’m better," he growled, his power surging as he lashed out again, this time with more precision.

I dodged again, grinning as I saw the frustration building in him. "We’ll see about that," I said, my voice laced with a taunting edge.

He took a step closer, his claws extending, his anger barely contained. "Adrian," he spat, his voice cold. "You’ve come a long way to chase a trail of lies."

I tilted my head, letting the words roll off me like water. My lips curled into another slow smile, one meant to unsettle. "Lies?" I echoed, keeping my tone deliberately light. "We’ll see about that."

Our eyes locked, and for a fleeting moment, the world seemed to stop. It was predator against predator, a silent battle of wills crackling with tension, like a storm waiting to explode. Neither of us moved, the air thick with anticipation as we sized each other up.

Then, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the sky, chaos exploded. He lunged first, shifting mid-air in a blur of raw power. Fur darker than midnight streaked with blood-red hues erupted across his body, his massive frame growing larger with every heartbeat. His glowing crimson eyes burned with fury, and he towered over any werewolf I’d ever encountered.

Adrenaline surged through me, a thrill I hadn’t felt in ages. A grin tugged at my lips, sharp and eager. Let him come. Let him try.

His speed was inhuman, his claws slicing through the air with ferocious precision. I dodged by a hair’s breadth, his attack cutting through where I’d been just a second earlier. He was fast—too fast for any wolf I’d faced before—and his strength was almost a match for mine. Almost.

We clashed, every blow resounding like thunder. My fist connected with his jaw, but he retaliated with a strike that sent me skidding back. He didn’t pause, his elemental power surging as the earth beneath us trembled. Thick roots burst from the ground, snaking around my legs to hold me in place.

"Impressive," I said, my voice calm despite the chaos. I ripped free, the roots shattering like brittle twigs. "But not enough."

I surged forward, faster than his eyes could follow, landing a solid hit to his ribs. He stumbled, grunting in pain, but recovered swiftly. His glowing, feral eyes met mine, filled with an unyielding fury.

Fire roared toward me, a blazing inferno barely missing as I twisted out of its path. The searing heat scorched the edge of my coat. "Elemental abilities," I said mockingly, sidestepping another attack. "Charming, but predictable."

"And yet," he growled, his voice dripping with malice echoed in my mind, "you’re still struggling."

He wasn’t wrong. It grated against me—centuries of battles, countless victories, and now this wolf had me on the defensive. His power was nothing I had anticipated, and for the first time in ages, I felt a flicker of something unfamiliar: frustration.

All around us, the battle raged on. My coven, lethal and precise, fought valiantly, but his wolves and witches were overwhelming. For every wolf that fell, another took its place. The witches’ magic crackled through the air, shifting the tide in their favor. I could see it—the numbers dwindling on my side.

The wolf grinned, blood staining his teeth as he taunted, "Is this really the best you’ve got, vampire?"

A low growl escaped my throat, more at myself than at him. I’d underestimated him, underestimated his pack. The witches were an uncalculated variable, and I silently cursed my oversight.

"Your people are falling, Adrian," he sneered, his voice thick with mockery. "You’ve already lost."

I met his gaze, cool and unwavering. "Perhaps," I said, adjusting the cuffs of my coat with deliberate ease. "But you haven’t won yet."

He lunged again, and this time I met him with everything I had. Our clash sent shockwaves through the ground, his fiery aura colliding with my dark power in a blinding burst of energy. For the first time in centuries, I felt the thrill of a true challenge.

Annoying, but thrilling. Frustratingly, I was experiencing a lot of firsts today.

With a sharp whistle, I signaled my coven. They moved as one, shadows slipping away into the night. The man’s brow furrowed, his expression shifting from triumph to suspicion.

"Running already?" he taunted, his smirk widening.

I stepped back, brushing the dust from my coat as though this entire battle had been a mild inconvenience. "For now," I said smoothly, turning to leave. "But don’t mistake this for defeat, wolf. Teresa and the children are mine. And I always get what’s mine."

He snarled at my words, his fury barely contained, but I ignored him. As I vanished into the shadows, I cast one final glance over my shoulder.

"Enjoy your moment," I said, my voice a chilling promise. "It won’t last."

Before he could respond, I disappeared, leaving my parting words hanging in the air like a dagger poised to strike.

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