Chapter 10: ¹⁰: backstab

Something was wrong.

The moment I stepped onto the temple grounds, I felt it deep within my bones.

Something was off.

Or rather... someone dangerous was here.

What could this be?

I had assumed Beta Logan’s opposition was exactly what it appeared to be—a stubborn wolf unwilling to accept a she-wolf as Alpha. That was why I had ordered his execution without hesitation, using it as a warning to anyone else who might have shared his beliefs.

But now...

Now I wasn’t so sure.

This didn’t feel like a simple disagreement over succession.

There was something much bigger happening behind the scenes.

Even though every instinct screamed that something was wrong, I kept my expression calm. Whoever was hiding here couldn’t know I had already sensed them.

I needed information first. I had to make sure to at least get an idea of how many were there. Who were they?

I continued walking toward the Sacred Spring at the centre of the temple, the place where I was supposed to place the Alpha Tally and complete my ascension.

Soon I was in front of the spring and I had a rough idea of what was happening, my wolf could sense that there was not just one but many wolves around me, hiding and waiting.

But their scents were strange, they were not from my pack. At first, I had assumed they were Beta Logan’s accomplices, but now I wasn’t sure.

Could they be from Blackmoon Pack? But that made no sense, the war was over.

We had defeated them, so why were they here?

I didn’t know who they were.

But one thing was certain.

They weren’t here with good intentions.

And I had no intention of letting them succeed.

My fingers brushed against the Alpha Tally hanging beneath my robes.

The moment I touched it, I noticed movement from one of the shadows behind me.

Interesting.

So they were after the tally.

I pretended not to notice. My hand was still on the tally when the shadow behind me moved again.

That was all the confirmation I needed, without warning, I lunged backward and before the hidden wolf could react, my claws sliced straight through his throat.

His eyes bulged wide as blood sprayed across the temple floor, whether from fear or the wound itself, I didn’t know. Nor did I care.

"Stop hiding, cowards," I said calmly. "If you want to fight me, then fight like warriors and come out," I said calmly with a smile as I pushed the now-dead wolf onto the ground and looked straight at the one who was still hiding in the dark.

Knowing I knew where he was, he rushed forward with his full might. His claws were aimed directly at my neck.

Unfortunately for him, he was too slow.

I caught his arm.

Twisted.

A sickening crack echoed through the temple. Before he could scream, my claws pierced his chest. I ripped his heart free and tossed his body aside.

Just like that all the mutts hiding in the dark came out making me smile more,

"You all are not shy anymore huh?" I said and jumped out of the temple in front of them, just then I heard a voice from behind them.

"Attack together! Don’t go individually!"

I chuckled at the voice, who was this? he even choked at the end ha ha "Even better y’all." I said and they all lunged together at me.

"Come on, Anna."

Excitement surged through me.

" Finally you will get to come out and play."

My baby had always been not allowed to come out but now it is gonna be her day I guess.

My body shifted instantly.

Bones cracked. I felt my clothes merge into my skin, fur burst from my skin.

Within seconds, my massive silver wolf stood where I once had.

Anna.

My beautiful wolf.

My deadly wolf.

For years my baby had remained hidden.

Today she finally got to play.

And play she did.

As soon as I had guessed the temple grounds were filled with the corpses of the wolves who had dared to attack me, on Athena Roosevelt, "Athena they were so weak," Anna complained. "Finally after all these years I get to come into my form to play and this is what I get? I am sad."

I chuckled, " Don’t be cocky anna, look you have traumatised their little leader with your power and you say they were not good enough for you to play? Now let me take over again."

Anna let out a growl before I came into my human form again, my fur getting replaced with my clothes.

A weak groan sounded from my right.

One of the wolves was still alive.

Impressive.

Most wouldn’t survive a direct attack from Anna.

"Brother Morey, run!" the wounded wolf shouted desperately.

My eyes narrowed.

"Good advice!" I said as I stepped on his neck crushing it before I looked at the one called Morey, "Thank you for your earlier suggestion."

He stared at me without moving.

"If they had attacked individually, this would have taken much longer."

I took a step toward him.

"Because of you, I finished much faster."

Another step.

He still didn’t move.

Perhaps Anna had traumatised him more than I thought.

"Let’s get over with this Morey," My claws extended. " I have to meet the one standing behind me as well, your leader I guess, right?" I asked but did not wait for his answer finishing him off with my left claw before turning around towards the place where my wolf could feel the most powerful one among these was standing.

He stepped from the shadows slowly.

"I came here based on a possibility," he said quietly. "But seeing it with my own eyes, that mere possibility being true is both astonishing and terrifying."

As I stepped forward, he unconsciously stepped back.

"Oh?" I smiled. "And what possibility would that be?"

"It is a possibility that had birthed by my doubt but now I saw it with my own eyes" He swallowed."No wonder Steven never allowed you to fight beside him."

His eyes remained locked on mine.

"I lost many wolves today, but I don’t care anymore." His voice grew colder.

"Even if I lose my own life, I must kill you."

I frowned, confused and amused at the same time.

"I don’t know what riddles you are spouting but one thing I know is that you will surely die today Mr leader," His eyes widened.

" Be it from my claws". I pointed behind him. "Or from falling down the cliff behind you."

He looked behind and right there he could see that while moving away from me he had reached at the edge of the cliff this temple was situated on.

His face paled. "I will not let that happen!" Without warning, he charged.

I raised my claws to tear through his chest.

Then—

Agony exploded through my abdomen.

My breath vanished.

I looked down.

A blood-covered dagger protruded from my stomach.

My eyes widened.

Impossible.

"Anna..." I whispered as I struggled to breathe due to the dagger .. "How didn’t you sense someone foreign approaching from behind?"

My wolf sounded just as shocked.

"I... I don’t know.... I didn’t notice someone foreign.." she paused in confusion.

And then in a shocked voice "It isn’t a stranger." she said and my blood ran cold. "I know that scent."

I froze. "Harry." The name left my lips before Anna could say it. Slowly, I turned around and no matter how much I wanted it to be a lie it was Harry-Standing behind me, holding the dagger he had just pulled from my body.

Laughter echoed nearby.

"So it wasn’t a waste working with you after all, boy!" the enemy leader laughed. "You have no idea what favour you’ve done me today."

I barely heard him.

My eyes remained locked on Harry.

"Harry...?"

Pain and disbelief mixed in my voice.

"Why?"

His face twisted.

Almost as if he truly felt guilty.

"I’m sorry, Athena."He stepped forward and caught me before I collapsed.

"But you left me no choice." Tears filled his eyes, or perhaps they were fake.

"I thought I would become Alpha and make you my Luna." His grip tightened. "I promise I never wanted to kill you." My heart shattered.

"But your father..." Harry continued bitterly. "Everything was always about his precious daughter." His eyes darkened.

"Only Athena can be Alpha."

Only Athena.

Only Athena.

Only Athena.

"So I killed him."

The world stopped.

Then the dagger plunged into my abdomen again, I screamed as blood filled my mouth. Yet Harry continued speaking. "As for you..." He smiled sadly. "Even after everything, I still wanted you to be my Luna." His hand reached for the Alpha Tally hanging near my chest.

"But then you started saying the same things he did." With one violent pull, he ripped it away. "So now I need this."

The Alpha Tally gleamed in his hand.

"And unfortunately..." His voice dropped to a whisper.

"You have to die."

Then he pushed me. The ground disappeared beneath my feet.

The cliff.

The sky.

The wind.

Everything blurred together as I fell into the darkness below.