Chapter 0323

**** TRIGGER WARNING: MISCARRIAGE ****

Athena

"Nobody fucking move!" Alexander's roar echoes across the clearing as I glance toward Brianna.

Sebastian desperately presses against her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. Zachary cups her face, forcing her to maintain eye contact instead of looking down at her wounds. He speaks to her softly, attempting to keep her calm. From where I stand, I can see her body trembling violently, blood already forming a dark pool around her. Alexander grabs my face and turns it toward him. "You need to control them. You can't help Brianna until you do."

'He's right. We have to do this now.' Nyx whispers urgently.

'I don't know if I'm ready for this.' I respond internally.

'You are ready. Just like we practiced.'

I draw a deep breath, filling my lungs completely as I tap into my Alpha abilities. I only needed the rogue Lycans to obey, not the rest of the pack, and certainly not Zachary as he tended to Brianna.

Focusing on the connections to every Lycan before me. "Everyone, face down on the ground, now!"

They all drop simultaneously. Nyx practically vibrates with satisfaction at my growing control.

Only two males remained standing. Lucas and another Lycan were still on their knees, locked in combat. I immediately see what they're fighting over—a gun. It hadn't been Lucas who shot Brianna, but the idiot he was wrestling with. Lucas had already landed several solid punches.

I step forward, moving between the prone Lycans. They lay completely still, including the children, though their hearts hammered wildly in their chests. Not a single soul attempted to defend the bastard who had shot Brianna.

Lucas finally wrestles the gun free and points it directly at the shooter's head. "She's pregnant, you stupid fuck!"

'A pup can't survive that injury.' Nyx murmurs grimly.

Rage floods through me as I watch Lucas's finger twitch on the trigger. I had allowed him to eliminate threats before, but he wouldn't be killing this piece of shit.

"Stop!"

Lucas shifts his hazel eyes toward me, confusion evident. "He's a threat! He shot Brianna!"

"She's a Lycan Alpha, not a Wolf Alpha. And you're a fucking Hunter. A disgrace to your kind." The shooter sneers as if he thought I would take his side.

"You're right. I am the Lycan Alpha. But you disobeyed my direct order. And the person you shot was a Lycan. You won't get another chance to try that." The shooter slowly turns to face me. His piercing green eyes stare into mine with pure disgust. "You're going to..."

"Who do you think let the Hunter in?!" My voice carries a dark edge that feels different this time. It brings a strange comfort. Nyx stood with me, not against me.

"Trai..." He doesn't finish the word as my claws sink deep into his chest.

His lips part in a breathy gasp. Shock and surprise register on his face as his eyes drift down to the gaping wound. "You...you can partially shift."

His words barely escape as my claws drive deeper, puncturing his lungs. A gurgling sound rises from his throat as oxygen fails him. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth, slowly tracing a path down his chin.

Intense satisfaction floods through me as I watch life drain from his eyes, but it's quickly replaced by overwhelming guilt.

'You're administering justice for a crime.' Nyx murmurs. 'He deserved this. He hurt Brianna. This doesn't define you, and you know it's necessary. Too many would be endangered if you let him live. They need to know you don't tolerate threats!'

His knees buckle, forcing my claws upward through his chest and into his heart. His eyes bulge with the realization that this was his end.

"It should have been you." He whispers with his final breath. I retract my claws from his chest, and he collapses to the ground, dead before impact.

I pause for a moment, staring at my blood-covered claws. Ending someone who deserved it felt right and just, yet guilt still weighed heavily in my chest.

Turning around, I see all the Lycans still pressed face down on the ground. Alexander watches me, a slight smile curving his lips. My eyes search for Brianna, but she's been moved. I need to get to her. That bullet was meant for me, not her, and now she might have lost a pup because of it.

"Dispose of the body." I tell Lucas.

"Planning to kill any others?" He asks with amusement.

"I don't know, do you want to join him?" Nyx bursts into laughter at my sarcastic response.