radicalducati Chapter 85
Chapter 85
Adolphus's POV
The moment my fist connected with the guard’s face, a satisfying crack echoed through the dimly lit hall.
He staggered back, clutching his nose, but I had no time to relish the moment. More guards surged forward, their weapons drawn and their eyes burning with murderous intent.
Katrina wasted no time. She sprang into action, her movements swift and precise.
She spun, dodged, and struck, taking down three guards at once. The shaman, despite her old age, fought like a warrior who had seen many battles, expertly handling one guard at a time.
The battle was quick but brutal. By the time we stood victorious, the floor was littered with groaning bodies. Katrina wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, her eyes shining with determination. The shaman exhaled sharply and turned to us.
"Dorian knows you are here," she said. "We must act now."
My jaw clenched at the mention of his name. "Then we go to him immediately."
We pushed forward, only to stumble upon a grim sight. The soldiers provided by the women had engaged with Dorian’s men.
The ground was slick with blood. Bodies lay in twisted, lifeless heaps. It was a massacre.
Katrina gritted her teeth. "We were too late."
The shaman shook her head. "No. We are right on time. You must complete the Indigo Light ritual. You cannot defeat Dorian without it."
I turned to her, my brow furrowing. "Ritual? What are you talking about?"
She placed a hand on my shoulder. "To become Alpha in full, you must return to the home where you were raised. The ritual will unlock your true power. But you must defeat Dorian first."
I nodded and turned to my remaining soldiers. "We head for the Pack home now."
The air was tense as we moved. The silence was unsettling, and I kept scanning our surroundings, expecting an ambush. Then suddenly, Katrina gasped and stumbled. I caught her before she could fall.
"Katrina! What’s wrong?" I asked, panic creeping into my voice.
She clutched her stomach, her face contorted in pain. "A vision. A sharp pain, like something ripping through me." Her breathing was ragged. "Adolphus, something terrible is coming."
I turned to the shaman, hoping for answers. Her face was grim. "The bearer of the Eclipse Moon does not see visions without reason."
Katrina met my gaze, her resolve hardening. "We can’t do this today, Adolphus. Something is wrong. We should wait."
The shaman interjected, shaking her head. "There is no time. Dorian is getting married tomorrow night."
Her words hit me like a blow to the chest. "What?!"
Katrina also looked shocked. We knew what it meant for an Alpha to get married. He needed to hold full powers immediately after that.
She nodded. "Once he is married, the position will be his by right. There will be no way to challenge him unless you take the throne by force. And that will be much harder if the people accept him."
Katrina squared her shoulders, determination flaring in her eyes. "Then we don’t have a choice. We end this tonight."
I looked around at my soldiers, gauging their readiness. They were bruised, bloodied, but willing. I turned to Katrina and squeezed her hand. "Then we charge."
We stormed towards the Pack home, our hearts pounding with the weight of the coming battle. But when we arrived, the sight before us stopped us cold.
The Pack home was empty.
No guards. No warriors. No sign of struggle.
Dorian was gone.