###Chapter 83 - End this

Nikolai's POV

'Nikolai?'

My heart skipped a beat when Anna's voice filled my head in a mindlink. I stopped in my tracks, my breath caught in my throat, praying silently that she was about to deliver good news.

'I can hear you Anna, what's up? Did you…' I paused, not knowing what exactly to ask. My insides churned as I waited for her response.

'We've found Liyah, she's alright.'

I felt my heart muscles loosen at the sound of those words, my clenched fists relaxed and I heaved a sigh of relief. Thank the goddess. Liyah was alive. She was safe. Everything would be alright now.

'Okay. That's very good.' I breathed

'Drew says our soldiers have already rounded more than half of the Monhowl pack, a lot are dead and the few who are wounded are surrendering.' She sounded in my ears.

I scoffed. So these were the best fighters of Monhowl. Pathetic.

'Okay. I'll need you to help him gather all the prisoners, maybe into their dungeon or something then wait for my command.' I said and broke the mindlink. It was time to settle old scores, once and for all.

I was tempted to think that Jonas had gone into hiding but I killed the thought immediately. He was much too egotistical to run away. If there was one thing I knew about Jonas, it was that he would rather die than give you the satisfaction of thinking you had won. And that was exactly why he was going to die today.

I had searched the entire mansion stealthily and there was still no sign of him. There was only one place left; the garden.

Cautiously, I took long strides, moving past the halls and toward the garden as I watched for any traps. This was beginning to get too easy, and it was a bit unsettling. I still couldn't believe we had taken over nearly half of the mansion. I knew the ambush gave us an advantage. But still, something seemed off.

And then I saw him.

Jonas Verbeck, sitting on the garden bench and drinking tea so peacefully, like his entire pack wasn't under siege, like all his betas hadn't just been killed, like he had no idea what was going on.

What the hell was happening?

But when he turned to look at me with an amused expression, I knew something was definitely up. I extracted my claws, anger brewing inside me at the sight of him.

"Ah, we meet again. For a moment there I thought you had ditched me. Care for some tea?" He asked, motioning to the jug. "It's cold now and the leaves are extremely difficult to pick but very refreshing. What do you say?" He asked, smirking while lifting the teacup by his side.

"VERBECK!" I growled, shaking with fury. He had the balls to joke? I would make sure his death was slow and painful.

He faked a frown.

"I'll take that as a no then. Oh well, I tried didn't I?" He smiled and adjusted on the garden chair. "You look good by the way, Slade. After our last meeting at the office, I thought your big head would have blown off your shoulders by now. So well done. Although I still think registering for anger management class would do you some good, don't you?" He said brushing a piece of leaf from his hair.

I gave a thin smile. "Staying alone out here was a big mistake, Jonas. You're going to regret it."

He laughed loudly.

"Oh Nikky. Nikolai Slade, still playing hero, even after all these years. How history repeats itself." He smirked again.

My head boiled hot and my heart clenched in agony. "Nothing is repeating itself you fucking bastard!" I growled furiously.

"What did you say?" He asked, dropping the tea cup. The pretentious smile had disappeared. "So you think that just because you brought a group of midgets here with you, that you'll walk out of this place alive?" He gave a cold high pitched laugh. "Then you must be more stupid than I give you credit for, Slade." He spat, getting to his feet.

"Play time's over, Verbeck." I breathed through gritted teeth. My eyes flew to his feet as I watched for any sudden movements. By now I already knew what a cunning bastard he was.

His eyes flashed.

"Don't worry, Slade, I won't kill you just yet. I'll make you beg for the mercy of death. I will make you watch while I take your lover's life. You'll see her suffer just like the woman before her. You'll watch her take her last breath and who knows? I might even get some of the boys to recreate Elle's death, if you know what I mean," He winked at me, his lips curling into a smile.

That was the height of it all. The sound of my wolf growling filled my ears. I felt my clothes rip as I transformed but it was different this time, my arms were much bigger, my fangs and claws were longer and sharper than normal and I felt much more stronger than I usually would feel after shifting. Even though I couldn't see myself I could tell that I was now about two times the size of Jonas. And he was a giant. I had never transformed into this beast before but I was too furious to think.

As I dived in his direction, I figured I was even faster now. I closed my jaw over the side of this stomach, my fangs digging into flesh and blood, spitting out the flesh from my mouth which was dripping with his blood.

He staggered back with one hand applying pressure on the wound now gushing with blood. It was was not healing. With a look of shock and pain in his face, he roared as his eyes changed into that of his wolf— bright red. His ears stretched out and his fangs appeared, he let out a loud angry growl, extended his claws and charged at me.

He made the first move. Using his now smaller size to his advantage, he landed a powerful scratch on my back.

I let out a groan and staggered back but quickly regained my balance. I couldn't lose focus. No.

He charged again but this time I was ready. We were locked in a wrestle, both of us breathing hard refusing to break eye contact, then I scratched him on the stomach, in the same spot.

He groaned and retaliated, scratching the side of my face. I lost balance and fell and Jonas pounced. Jumping on me and looking to land another blow.

But as he raised his claws to scratch, he let out a loud groan and fell over and a hand pulled me to my feet. I wiped the blood from my eyes to look at my helper. But instead of Drew's short, black hair, I saw the long light-brown hair of a man that seemed so familiar. I searched his eyes for any sign of recognition and when he smiled at me, it clicked.

It was him. The same man who had saved my life when I was stabbed by Jonas' traffickers with silver. The same man who had disappeared when I tried to thank him. I had almost forgotten about him. But what on earth was he doing here?

"You..?" I breathed still staring at him in surprise.

"You're welcome," He replied. "Let's end this." He said as we both faced Jonas who was struggling to get to his feet. He staggered back in shock when his eyes fell on the man by my side.

"Gabriel?" Jonas asked, his voice hoarse. "What the fuck are you doing here?! I thought I told those bastards to kill you." His chest heaved as he and the man stared each other down while I stood confused.

"Do I really have to do everything myself?" Jonas said coldly. "Oh you'll just have to die again then!" He growled.

Gabriel scoffed but said nothing.

"What are you waiting for you fuckers?! Come on!" Jonas yelled.

Gabriel growled as he transformed and extended his claws as we both charged. I was a big black beast and Gabriel was smaller, about the size of Jonas but his mane was light brown and huge.

We both pounced, landing blows at the same time, both of us catching each side of Jonas' face. The impact sent him reeling as he roared painfully, landing heavily on the grass. I could see the blood oozing from the gash in his head as I approached him.

It was time to end this.

It all happened too quickly for me to grasp. One second I was bending over Jonas ready to strike, the next he had somehow picked up the garden bench and dived towards me. I was caught off guard as he struck a defeaning blow to my back before I could block it. My whole body numbed from the pain as the bench was crushed into pieces on my back.

I fell to the floor, blood oozing from my mouth as I tried to crawl to my feet. The last thing I felt was my body shifting back to my human form, and then everything went black

Liyah's POV

I counted my steps as Barbara and I circled each other, everything I had learned during training resurfacing in my head. I knew she was waiting for the perfect chance to strike, but for now she wanted to stall, make me wait before she came at me. I knew she was confident...the glint in her eyes and the way she was walking calmly as though she were strolling told me she was. And I knew it was because she didn't think I stood a chance against her. She didn't know I had a wolf now.

That, was my advantage. She was confident enough that she thought I would be dead in a heartbeat. But she wanted to take her time, taunt me and toss me around before she could really enjoy tearing me into pieces. Which was why I played along. Since she didn't know I was a full werewolf now, why tell her? I would only wait. Wait for her to make a mistake.

Then I would play my hand.

"Oh, step sister, this will have to be the most interesting thing that has happened in this pack for a long time," She laughed, her eyes quickly moving to my feet to ascertain the pattern I was moving in. But I already knew what she was up to.

"Well I'm glad you find my presence entertaining," I spat, unable to control myself. I had been quiet for way too long.

Barbara looked genuinely surprised. "Wow, look who grew some balls. Good for you, sister.."

As the last word rolled out her tongue, her arm extended to my face, swinging in what would have been a deathly blow if I hadn't seen it coming. I quickly swerved to the right, her fist missing my jaw by a hair's breadth. But I didn't try to attack. Instead I moved out of her way and faced her once more, my fists at the ready.

I saw her cock an eyebrow as she faced me once more. Quickly regaining her position, she laughed again walking toward me. "Okay, keep running like the rat you are. It'll do you no good."

She jumped at me again, swinging at my stomach this time, but I jumped out of the way before it could do any harm. Then I moved away again. Now, I saw that she was beginning to get irritated. She would soon lose it, then I would strike.

Barbara faced me, her fists clenching as she glared at me. "Okay Liyah, playtime's over." This time I didn't move away. And when she swung her fist at me, I caught it midway in the air. I held it in a tight grip, watching in satisfaction as shock etched on her face. Her eyes wide in shock and fury she tried to pull her hand out of my grip to no avail.

She tried to counter with a kick to my stomach but I had already foreseen this and so I was ready. I landed a sharp kick to her knee, and then her stomach, watching in satisfaction as she flew to the end of the hall, crying out and clutching at her knee from the impact.

She quickly scrambled to her feet still clutching her knee as she stared at me, her eyes wide. "W-what was that? What the fuck was that?" She yelled glaring at me in disbelief. "That... that's not possible."

I knowingly stared at her with my wolf eyes, and in that moment of realization she staggered back, shaking her head. "No...y-you have a wolf? That's not fucking possible. How?!"

For the first time, I stood before Barbara and I did not try to crouch in fear. I didn't care if my words pierced her or if she got furious. I was brave and strong. And most importantly... I was myself.

"I would've told you to ask your mother, but we both know that's not possible."

She yelled in anger, rushing towards me and tackling me to the floor. "Fucking bitch!" I regained my composure, kicking her full in the face and pushing her backwards. The sound of her nose crunching beneath my feet melded with her screams. And as I jumped to my feet, I watched her try to stop the blood which spilled heavily from her nose.

"You know, Barbara...your mother was a monster, but she was smart. She knew I was going to outshine you," I spat. "She knew I'd be stronger, faster... I'm the first daughter of the Alpha after all. From his real mate. She saw me as a threat," I laughed, my eyes stinging as I realized something. "That's why she made me feel like a nobody, because she knew I would be great... she knew I was somebody."

"What the fuck are you going on about?!" Barbara snapped, struggling to get to her feet as her hand still clutched her nose.

"Mira paid off a witch to prepare a concoction. She secretly slipped this into my food, my drink, to suppress my wolf. That's why my wolf never emerged."

"You're lying! You're fucking lying. You're just saying all of this to make yourself feel better."

I smiled bitterly at the expression on her face. "It's true, you can choose to believe it or not. So all these years you thought you were just destined to be powerful, or special, you're really not."

"Shut up," She said, her voice shaky.

"There isn't, neither was there anything ever special about you, Barbara. You are nothing but a big, fat, conceited bully. And that's all you'll ever be."

"SHUT UP!!"

"No. Those days of you shouting over me and disrespecting me, those days are over." I stood, my fists raised when I saw her stealthily approach me. She furiously wiped her nose and walked toward me, her eyes wild.

"You know what, Liyah?" She laughed. "None of this shit matters. You're a nobody and you've always been. I have never, ever felt threatened by you. And I never will. And I'll tell you one thing, sister..." She spat out the last word. "I do not need to transform to beat you. You are beneath me! You always have been. I'll tear you into tiny little pieces while in my human form. That's how insignificant you are."

Her words didn't sting, they just portrayed just how proud she was. Even after realizing I was a full werewolf, she would rather die than prove that she had to transform to beat me. Well, it was in my own benefit. It would make everything a whole lot easier.

"So you discovered your wolf a few weeks ago and you've probably learned one or two tricks and you feel like some kind of warrior. You're a fucking idiot!" She pounced on me in seconds, raising an arm to gut me in the stomach but I blocked it off, raising my palm to her face in a hard slap. She fell backwards, rubbing the side of her face in pain.

She yelled in frustration and dived at me again. I raised my arm to block off her hit but I was taken by surprise when I was shoved so hard that I fell to the floor. My eyes widened in surprise.

She had transformed.

Before I could react, she had slashed her claws at my chest. I staggered backwards from the pain, trying to block off her next blow, but she was too fast. In a split second she had landed two sharp blows to my jaw. I shut my eyes from the pain, spitting out the blood that filled my mouth and wiping my lips as I stood.

Laughter bubbled in my stomach as I stared at her pathetic figure. "I knew you were a coward. All of you are cowards. Your dad, your mom. I thought you didn't need to transform huh? You can't even handle me, a nobody?"

My arms shifted as my claws protruded. It was time to end this.