The Alphas prize novel Chapter 28

Fear and panic began to rise within me as I stared down at the knife that had struck Cain in the back, just below his shoulder. The blade didn’t appear to be embedded too deep, but blood was now pooling around the wound. I didn’t know what to do, and my frazzled nerves were getting the better of me as my wolf howled with sorrow at the sight of our fallen mate. I leaned down and placed my ear to his back, listening for a heartbeat, and I almost cried at the relief I felt when I heard the faint sound of a beating heart. Reeling back, I did the only thing I could think of and pulled the knife from his back, then tore pieces of my shirt off and tried my best to wrap his wound, hoping to stop the bleeding or at least slow it down enough to get him home.

After I had horribly wrapped him up, I stood to my feet and realized that Erik was still here. He was just standing there, appearing to be half dazed, but he also had a look of satisfaction in his eyes. My upper lip twitched, and a growl erupted from deep within my belly. “You fucking bastard.” I sneered at him, and his attention turned to me now.

A sadistic smile spread across his face. “He doesn’t deserve to live, and he doesn’t deserve you,” Erik said, not giving two shits about what he had just done.

My chest heaved, and I started to see red, only able to focus on Erik and the depths of his betrayal. I lunged forward and tackled him to the ground, throwing punch after punch. We struggled on the ground, fighting for dominance, battling each other for the win.

Erik was stronger than me, there was no doubt about that, but I was fueled with anger and vengeance at this moment. He hauled his arm back and swung, hitting me right in the jaw, and I flew off him. For a brief moment, the impact left me feeling dazed. However, I quickly regained myself and jumped to my feet. Erik followed my movements, and now, we both stood there, staring one another down. As we continued to glare at each other, something on the ground caught my attention. I looked down and noticed it was the knife; I picked it up, held it tightly in my grasp, and pointed it at Erik.

He snorted, “Put that down before you hurt yourself, and we both know you won’t use it anyways.” Erik said cockily.

I grinned wickedly. “You would be surprised at what I would be willing to do for those that I love,” I said in a cold tone, hoping that Erik would catch on to the hidden message that he was no longer one of those people.

His face fell, and those blue eyes of his darkened, telling me he caught onto the hidden meaning in my words. Erik’s lip tilted up in a snarl, and he narrowed his eyes. “You used to love me until that monster brainwashed you.” He said harshly, and I laughed at his words. Erik furrowed his brows and was taken aback by my laughter as he stared at me with a bewildered expression. “I never loved you, Erik, not like I love Cain. I just cared deeply for you and loved you on a different level. Now, I feel nothing but hatred towards you.” My words were like venom, striking him in the chest as he sucked in a deep breath and held onto it. I could see the hurt on his face and the heartbreak in his eyes. However, Erik quickly masked those emotions, and fury took over his features now.

I had once thought I knew the man standing before me, but it was clear to me now that I never really did. Today I had seen a side of him that was dark and sinister, a side that he had hidden from me and everyone else.

That was the difference between the two of them. Cain didn’t hide his dark side; he didn’t give people a false sense of character. Instead, Cain showed everyone precisely who he was and ruled with that side of himself that people feared. Cain was so much more than that, though, and there was more to him than the fearsome monster everyone saw him as.

We stood there, glaring at each other, and I tightened my hold around the handle of the knife, prepared to strike as the rage coursed through me, wanting revenge for what he did to Cain. Just as I was ready to plunge the blade deep into his chest, a noise to the right of us grabbed our attention. Both of us froze where we stood, and our heads whipped in the direction of the noise.

I stared off into the distance, trying to find the source of the noise, and as I focused on the trees, Gunnar finally emerged, looking like something from a nightmare. Gunnar was covered in blood, and a thin layer of dirt covered his skin. As I continued to look him over, I noticed a few scrapes on his body, but nothing too serious. I was ecstatic to see my brother, even though he looked rather intense and furious right now. However, the angry beast would work in my favour in dealing with Erik.

I turned my attention back to Erik, but to my dismay, the little fucker took off when he had the chance because my dumbass was distracted. Sighing in frustration, I rubbed a hand down my face before glancing around me again to look for Erik, but he was nowhere to be seen, and I felt stupid for letting him get away. I turned back around and rushed over to Gunnar, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. He returned the hug, squeezing me tightly, before pulling back. “Are you alright? Are you injured?” Gunnar asked while inspecting my body.

I put my hands up and shook my head. “Stop, I’m fine. Are you alright? Like you are standing here covered in blood?”

Gunnar’s expression turned neutral. “It’s not mine, they scratched me a few times, but it’s nothing that won’t heal. One of them got away, though.” His lip twitched at his own words, clearly angry with himself.

I pursed my lips, understanding his frustration. “Do you know which one it was?” I asked him.

He gently shook his head. “No, I don’t know. Now, you need to tell me what in the fuck is going on here? And was that Erik I just saw a moment ago?” He questioned in a dark and demanding tone.

I sucked in a deep breath. “First, I need you to help me get Cain back to the pack house. He needs a doctor and, on the way, I will tell you everything.” I told him.

He hesitated for a beat and ground his teeth together, telling me he didn’t want to do this, that he didn’t want to help Cain. Then, finally, his features softened a little. “Fine, where is he?” He asked me in a huff.

I started to walk in the direction of where I had left Cain. “He is over here,” I told Gunnar.

We reached Cain, and he was still lying there, looking lifeless. But I could hear the faint beats of his heart still, which eased some of the turmoil that stirred within my belly.

Gunnar furrowed his brows. “I don’t see any major injuries that would immobilize him. So, what happened?” He questioned me, and I realized I was still holding the weapon responsible for Cain’s fall. “Erik stabbed Cain in the back with this,” I said, raising my arm and showing him the knife.

His eyes widened, and his chest rumbled. “Get that fucking thing away from me!” He snarled.

I lowered my arm back down. “What is the big deal?” I remembered bits and pieces of Adela's information regarding the danger that the blade posed for supernaturals.

He frowned. “That blade was forged by a Volva, Freja. It is perilous, and you shouldn’t even be holding it.” Gunnar said as he scowled at the knife in my hand.

I looked down at the blade curiously and wondered why it was created in the first place. When I was younger, dad had told me stories about Volva’s or also known as witches. He said that they were good people, and they helped our kind. So, why did one create such a deadly weapon and what made it so lethal?