The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 100 - Relative Magic

Ryan

I stumbled into my home, exhaustion weighing heavy on my shoulders. The day had been a whirlwind of meetings, negotiations, and constant worry for Lyra's safety. After a long hot shower that did nothing to revive me, I collapsed into my bed, rubbing my temples. As I closed my eyes, hoping for a moment's respite, a memory, long forgotten from my childhood surfaced, as it were pulled from the night sky and placed in my brain.

I was three years old, clinging to Juan, my father's Beta, as he carried me through the forest. The sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled light on the forest floor. Juan's laughter echoed around us, his deep voice filled with warmth and joy. He lowered me from his shoulders, his eyes suddenly alert.

"Ryan," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Hide behind that tree and don't make a sound."

I did as he asked, trembling behind the tree while my eyes stayed glued to the unfolding scene.

A figure draped in crimson, its form and face obscured by a hooded robe, materialized from the shadows of the forest, moving with an unnerving silence. My heart pounded in my chest like a wild beast trying to break free, fear gripping me with its icy fingers.

I knew, deep within my bones, that this figure was not just a stranger, but a harbinger of evil. Its mere presence seemed to taint the air around it, sending goosebumps along my flesh that had nothing to do with the chill of the forest.

A primal terror, a sense of dread that was as old as the moon itself curled around me, holding me fast. My instincts screamed at me to run, to flee from this entity, but my legs refused to obey The figure moved closer to Juan, its steps silent as a whisper, and I could only watch, my breath coming in ragged gasps, as the gap between them shrank, each second stretching into an eternity.

Juan growled. "So you are back for more, huh? Begone you evil, bitch. You'll never make me betray my pack!"

The witch hissed, "Foolish wolf. You will pay for your insolence!" She hurled a blast of dark energy at Juan.

He dodged, snarling, "Is that all you've got?" Juan lunged at her, his teeth bared.

The witch laughed cruelly. "Pathetic." She waved her hand, sending Juan flying into a tree trunk with a sickening crunch. "You can't stop me, Beta of Moonshadow," she taunted, her eyes glowing with power. "Your Alpha's pack will fall one day, no matter what you do."

"Never," Juan growled, his voice low and fierce. "I won't let you harm them." With a defiant grunt, Juan pushed himself upright, blood trickling down his skin from myriad cuts and scrapes. "You won't win this," he gritted out between clenched teeth.

In a swift, fluid motion, Juan transformed into his wolf form, a massive silver beast with muscles rippling beneath his fur. With a primal snarl, he lunged at the witch, teeth bared in a silent promise of vengeance.

The clash between them was brutal, each move filled with an intensity that crackled in the air. The witch's dark magic sizzled like lightning, leaving a trail of searing pain wherever it touched. Her hood fell to her shoulders in the melee, and although her features were classically beautiful, she was ugly in that moment.

Juan's wolf body convulsed as the dark tendrils shot from the witch's fingers, wrapping around him like serpents tightening their grip.

The witch's lips curled into a cruel smirk as she watched Juan struggle against her magical restraints. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere," she taunted, her voice dripping with malice.

Juan's growls turned to frantic snarls as he thrashed and snapped in a desperate attempt to break free. But the more he fought, the tighter the grip of the dark tendrils became.

The witch's laughter echoed through the clearing, sending shivers down Juan's spine. "Any last words, wolf?" she jeered, her eyes gleaming with wicked delight.

Juan met her gaze, spitting his defiance, "My pack will never bow to you," he declared in a steely that seemed to send a ripple of fear through the witch's smug facade.

"We shall see about that," she hissed, her grip on the dark magic tightening mercilessly. Juan's primal howl pierced the air, filled with agony and defiance before abruptly cutting off into an ominous silence.

But just when it seemed all hope was lost, a sudden surge of energy pulsed through Juan's body. With a primal roar that shook the very ground beneath them, Juan summoned every ounce of strength and willpower he possessed. The dark tendrils began to tremble and break from his power.

The witch's eyes widened in surprise as Juan fought back against her magic with a ferocity that defied all odds. The air crackled with tension as the power struggle between them reached its climax.

With one final surge of strength, Juan broke free from the witch's dark hold. He stood tall and proud, his silver fur bristling as he faced his adversary head-on.

The witch's expression twisted into a mask of fury and disbelief. "This can't be happening," she spat out in a voice laced with desperation.

Juan's eyes blazed with an intensity that mirrored his fire. "I told you," he growled, his voice resonating with a quiet but unmistakable power. "My pack will never bow to you."

I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest. The memory of the witch's cruel laughter echoed in my ears, her threat against Moonshadow still fresh in my mind. I sat up, rubbing my temples, as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.

Killian, a silver wolf, just like Juan. The resemblance was uncanny, and I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before. They were both descendants of Luna Harbringer, the legendary White Wolf. Why had I not seen it before?

Because I was young, a mere pup. All those years ago, I had forced the memory from my mind, placing it under lock and key with all my other nightmares. And when Juan left the pack soon after the incident, all I remembered was that I wanted to be like him...

I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs of sleep. There was no time to dwell on that now. I had to tell Wista what I remembered.

I stumbled from my bed, my muscles protesting as I hurriedly dressed and raced from my bedroom to the cool air outside.

The witch had retreated into the woods, her dark form melting into the shadows. But her parting words rang in my ears, a chilling promise of destruction. "Moonshadow will fall, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." I ran faster, tearing through the moonlit woods like a streak of lightning, hands clenching into fists. I wouldn't let her hurt my pack, not again. I had to find a way to stop her, to protect Lyra and the rest of Moonshadow. I burst through the door of Wista's cabin, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The flickering light from a candle created a pretty pattern on the floor, but I paid it no heed. I couldn't waste a single second.

"I was so young," I said, my voice shaking. "I never understood. But now it all makes sense. She was after Juan... why I don't know... but I will find out. He's somewhere, I just have to find him... ask him what happened all those " Wista looked up, her eyes bleary with sleep. "Alpha, slow down. What are you trying to say?"

"Juan was a descendant of Luna Harbringer! That's why he wasn't killed that day."

"I don't understand. W-"

"Wista!" I cried out, my voice cracking with desperation. "I figured it out! The witch who's been attacking Lyra, it's not the one from Silver Tail who is using dark magic on her. It's Vivian Evergreen! She's the dark witch we've been looking for! She's using dark magic to hurt Lyra. We have to stop her, Wista. We have to protect Lyra and the pack."

My words hung in the air as I stood there, chest heaving, praying that Wista would understand the urgency of the situation. Vivian had already proven she would stop at nothing to harm Lyra.

I should have killed her a long time ago, going back to that night when I first became a dragon. It would have been all to easy to set her ass on fire and watch her burn...

Scales popped out on my skin. My vision blurred then became so sharp I could the shape of each individual grain of sugar Wista had spilled when making her evening tea... Wista shrank back as I let out a mighty roar.