Chapter 214 - 214
"….Father"
The word echoed through the forest like a curse.
Thorne froze completely.
The world around him seemed to vanish all at once, the screams, the fire, the warriors, all of it drowned with that single word.
Slowly, painfully slowly, he turned.
The black flames at the center of the clearing rose higher, twisting toward the blood-red sky. The wind screamed through the trees violently now, bending branches until they cracked apart.
Then something stepped out of the fire. No—someone.
A man Thorne could never forget even if he wanted to.
He was tall, far taller than any wolf or human should be. His figure was lean yet powerful, draped entirely in black robes that shifted like smoke itself. His skin was pale, almost grey under the moonlight, and strange black markings crawled along his neck and disappeared beneath his robes.
His hair was dark as the void itself, long and wild around his face. But it was his eyes that made the forest fall into true silence. For they were red. Blood red.
The air around him felt wrong, like death itself had taken shape and stepped into the world.
Several warriors dropped to their knees instantly, unable to withstand the pressure pouring from him.
Caelum's face drained of color. "Goddess…" he whispered.
Thessara staggered backward, clutching Virelle tighter against her chest.
"No…" she breathed shakily. "No, no…"
Khaos. The dark lord had returned.
Thorne's chest rose heavily as disbelief filled his face. "It can't be…" he muttered.
The man's burning gaze shifted slowly through the clearing before settling directly on Adina.
Slowly, he raised one hand toward her. "Daughter."
The word sent another violent pulse through Adina's body. She gasped sharply, trembling as she stood.
"Adina." Thorne grabbed her shoulders instantly, forcing her to look at him. "Adina, look at me."
But her black eyes remained fixed on Khaos. Almost like she couldn't look away. Like he was pulling her toward him.
Thorne's panic surged instantly. In that instant, he wasn't only seeing Adina but Roseanne.
"No." His voice turned dangerous. "No!" He growled, for the first time in centuries, his cursed beast ripped out of him.
His beast that he's hidden for as long as he could remember. That he's had chained underneath the palace every full moon, ripped out of him.
Thorne shifted, the sound so brutal several warriors stumbled backward in fear.
This was not the wolf they knew. This was the monster whispered about in old stories.
His Lycan towered over everyone present, larger than any beast in the clearing. Black fur spread across his massive body, streaked faintly with silver beneath the blood moon. Claws curved from his hands like blades.
Warriors froze.
Even the beasts surrounding the clearing whimpered and backed away instinctively.
Thessara's breath caught in his throat.
In all her years serving Thorne… she had never seen this form. Not fully. Not this wild.
The chains underneath the palace suddenly made sense now.
Thorne's Lycan stared directly at Khaos with murderous rage. "OVER MY DEAD BODY!" his roar shook the entire forest.
He lunged for the dark Lord in a second. He was too fast. The warriors barely saw him move before he was already tearing through the clearing toward Khaos, claws aimed directly for his throat.
But before he could reach him— A brutal force slammed into him.
The impact was so powerful it sent Thorne flying through the air, crashing through the trees.
Shock rippled through the forest at the sight. Their eyes on the one who stopped the king.
Thorne rose, His claws dug deep into the ground as his eyes slowly lifted and landed on her.
Adina stood between him and Khaos.
Her chest rose heavily. Dark veins crawled beneath her pale skin. Her black eyes remained empty and distant.
She was unrecognizable.
"Gods, no." Thorne could bear it all. The curse, the pain, the loss of his blood. He would bear it all but not this… he couldn't lose Adina again. Not again.
"….Adina."
Behind her, Khaos floated forward calmly. He didn't walk. "Tsk." He shook his head subtly.
"Pathetic. She has my blood," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "Did you truly believe she would stand against me?"
A low growl ripped from Thorne's chest.
"Shut up."
"For all her life," he continued, circling slowly, "She was kept from me. Hidden. Lied to. Poisoned against her own blood."
"Don't listen to him!" Thorne barked instantly.
Adina flinched at the sound of his voice, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.
Khaos noticed, his head tilted slightly. "They feared what you were. They despised your blood. The essence of your existence." he told her softly. "Even now, in his eyes, his hatred for you supersedes all."
"That's not true," Thorne said immediately, desperation creeping into his voice now. "Adina, fight him. Fight what's inside you."
Her breathing became uneven. The black fire behind Khaos rose higher, reacting to her emotions.
Khaos extended his hand toward her again.
"Come to me, daughter. Come to where you belong. Come to your father."
Adina took one step forward and Thorne's eyes widened instantly, fear mixed with anger and frustration erupting inside him.
"No." He growled but she didn't stop.
He moved towards her, "Look at me," he said, his voice rough now. "Please." And for a second she paused, looking at him.
For one brief second— Her black eyes flickered. "…Thorne…" she whispered weakly.
Khaos' expression darkened instantly. He pressed a rough hand on her shoulder, forcing her gaze on him. "He is the reason for your suffering," Khaos thundered. "He hates our kind. He despises you."
Khaos' expression darkened instantly. He pressed a rough hand on her shoulder, forcing her gaze on him. "He is the reason for your suffering," Khaos thundered. "He hates our kind. He despises you."
"No!" Thorne roared immediately. "Adina don't listen to him!"
But the darkness inside her was growing too fast now.
Adina staggered, clutching her head as though two voices were tearing her apart. Black veins spread further on her skin, crawling toward her throat.
"Make it stop…" she whispered weakly.
Khaos leaned closer behind her, his lips curving slightly. "Only you can make it stop, child."
Thorne's breathing turned ragged. He could see it happening. He could see her slipping away right before his eyes.
"Adina." His voice softened despite the beast clawing underneath his skin. "Listen to me. You are stronger than this."
"You are not him." Thorne took another careful step forward. "You are not darkness. You are not evil."
Khaos laughed softly behind her. The sound alone made the forest shiver.
"Not evil?" Khaos repeated amusedly. "Look around you."
The clearing was drenched in blood. Bodies of beasts and warriors littered the ground alike.
"You carry my blood," Khaos continued. "My power. My rage. My immortality."
His eyes narrowed toward Thorne. "And once again… he seeks to separate us."
Adina's breathing turned uneven again. Khaos raised his hand and pointed directly at Thorne.
"Kill him."
There was no ifs or buts. It was a command.
For a moment, nothing happened. Adina didn't move, it didn't feel like she even heard him.
Suddenly, she moved. Faster than expected. Faster than anyone saw coming.
Thorne barely blocked the attack before her power exploded against him. The impact sent him skidding backward through the dirt.
"Adina stop!" Caelum shouted.
But she attacked again instantly. Dark energy burst from her hands, ripping trees from the ground as she drove Thorne backward.
Thorne refused to strike back. She was his. His mate.
He only defended. Only blocked. Only endured. "Fight it!" he roared, dodging another blast. "Fight him!"
She lunged for him again, this time with claws formed from pure black energy.
Thorne caught her wrists before they could reach his throat. "Look at me!" he shouted desperately.
For one second. Her black eyes trembled, Tears gathered in them. "….T-Thorne…" her voice cracked weakly.
Hope surged inside him instantly. He knew his Adina was there. "Yes," he breathed. "Yes, it's me. Come back to me."
Behind her, Khaos' face twisted with fury.
"You weak child." His voice boomed across the clearing. "After everything they've done to you, you still cling to him?"
Adina cried out in agony as the black veins beneath her skin darkened further.
Thorne's eyes widened in panic. "STOP!"
But Khaos only pointed toward him again. "He will never accept what you are," Khaos hissed. "He hates you. He hates us."
"No!" Thorne barked instantly. "I love her!"
Thorne's chest heaved beneath his beast form. "Do you hear me?" His voice cracked. "I love you."
A black tear slid slowly down Adina's cheek.
Her lips trembled, and for a second… it looked like she might break free.
Then Khaos whispered coldly, "Prove your loyalty to your father. Adina."
Everything changed instantly.
Adina screamed again and rushed Thorne. This time there was no hesitation in her movements.
She attacked to kill.
Thorne blocked her claws repeatedly, refusing to strike back despite the damage she was causing. Her power tore through his flesh again and again.
"Thorne!" Caelum shouted desperately. "Fight back!"
He couldn't hurt her.
Even now.
Especially now.
Adina spun suddenly, dark energy forming a blade in her hand.
Thorne saw it too late.
The blade drove straight through his abdomen, tearing into his guts.
The world stopped. A horrified silence crashed over the clearing.
Thorne looked down slowly at the black blade buried inside him.
Then back at Adina.
She stared at him too, frozen in place as though she hadn't realized what she'd done.
Blood spilled from Thorne's lips and he fell, she fell with him.
She looked down, seeing what she'd done. A single black tear rolled down her cheek.