Andre’s POV
I watched in shock and awe as Doran spilled his guts.
“I am the Heir of the Lycian Empire of the Sacred Moon. I was cast out and denied my birthright because of my wolf. I looked nothing like a Lycan. I looked like a regular wolf shifter. I was mocked and scorned…”
I was stunned. Doran was a Lycan. A Lycan Prince?
“… I was adopted and raised in Andre’s pack. They knew of my heritage and made sure that I never forgot my roots. I befriended Andre, and by growing up together, I became his Beta. After my adoptive parents passed away, I realized that it was time I took my place as Prince of the Empire…”
“…I thought that I would start small. I felt that once Andre was too tired to rule since he was without an heir, he would pass the Pack leadership over to me. But then, Olivia came into the picture.”
I saw him grit his teeth in anger. Even under control, he was still in control of his emotions.
“I hoped that I would be able to get rid of her. I sent her those notes but Andre foiled it all. I knew I couldn’t lose and enlisted Jonas to my cause. I knew he wanted Olivia as well but I could easily wrestle her from him with the powers I had…”
“…With her, I could forcefully consolidate my power and take back my birthright. But everything was foiled again. Damn you, Andre!”
Olivia released him from her control. She was exhausted and fell to the ground. I grabbed her as fast as I could before she could hit her head and before Doran could get to his feet and grab her.
I pulled her aside and signaled to one of my men.
“Get her out of here! Find Sephora!”
He shifted into his wolf and ran off with Olivia on his back. By the time Doran was conscious, Olivia was well out of sight.
A wicked smile grew on his face.
“You sly dog,” he said to me. “You convinced your bitch to use her powers on me. I’m impressed. Very impressed.”
I snarled back.
“You lied to me for years!”
He laughed a remorselessly dry laugh.
“Don’t be such a whiner. It’s just business. I’m sure you understand.”
“Besides, I truly considered you my best friend. Who would have expected that she would be your mate.”
He pounced at me, but I rolled out of the way.
I was angry, furious. It had been him all along. I should have known. I shouldn’t have been a fool.
Doran was more than ready to kill me, but how was I going to bring myself to fight against my childhood best friend, the one I put in charge of my pack in my absence?
“I see hesitance, Andre. You are getting old and sloppy. She has weakened you.”
He pounced again and this time, I wasn’t fast enough. I felt his claws scratch my chest. The pain stung. I saw the blood on Doran’s claws. I watched in disgust as he licked my blood.
“Her taste is embedded deep in you. You have really been feeding off her…”
I was enraged. I tried to punch him back, but he dodged.
“… I should know. I hear the way you make her scream your name.”
“Damn you!”
I was able to land a hit to his jaw. He reeled backward and grabbed his jaw, and massaged it.
“I can see we are getting serious. Lovely. I grew bored fighting you like this.”
“I should be mad at you, for foiling my plans time and time again,” Doran said as his eyes glinted with anger.
I have never seen him this way. This fierce.
“Do you know how risky it was for me to send her away from the pack and into the arms of that conniving bastard?”
My eyes bulged wide at his revealation. He had chased Olivia out of the pack.
How? Wait?
Before I could continue my trail of thoughts, Doran shifted into his wolf. I was already exhausted. I had been fighting on the front lines for a long time. I didn’t have enough strength to shift.
Doran didn’t hold back and charged. I evaded his snapping jaws and bone-crushing teeth.
It was easier to evade him this way. I was smaller and could weave myself through his attacks.
He attacked me relentlessly. I couldn’t find an opening to attack him.
As I tried to weave through, I misstepped, and he smacked with his heavy paw.
I was sent flying. I was smacked to the ground, and I rolled violently. Sticks and stones jabbed and cut my skin.
Doran howled in victory. I couldn’t win this way.
“Andre!”
I raised my head and saw Hailey. She had a bow in her hand and a single arrow in her quiver.
She offered the arrow to me.
“Use it. It can kill him. Trust me. You have only one shot.”
I looked at the simple arrow in my hands. I sniffed it.
“Hurry!”
I turned as I saw the fear in her eyes and heard the urgency in her voice. I turned around and saw Doran charge towards me.
I tried to get up from the ground, but it was too late. He picked me up by my leg and crushed it with his teeth.
“Arrgghh!”
He held me upside down, and I was in agony. I felt a painful numbness in my leg. It bled profusely.
I dropped the arrow, and Doran dropped me violently on the ground.
My body ached. My leg wouldn’t heal fast enough. I groped for the arrow and felt the air around me shift.
“Got it!”
I grabbed the arrow and, just in time, before Doran could pick me up and crush my torso with his jaw, and stabbed it in his neck.
He dropped me immediately and shook himself in pain, desperately fighting to dislodge the arrow.
Hailey grabbed me and pulled me out of harm’s way before I would get crushed under his paws.
“What was in that arrow?”
“A poison I made. His moving will make him die faster. Watch.”
I wished I didn’t. Doran fell to the ground and began to convulse violently. He foamed at the mouth and soon was still.
I watched blood ooze from his mouth, nostrils, and eyes.
It was over quickly. I heaved a sigh of regret, sadness, and relief. He was dead; the war was over. We had won.