Chapter 159
Adnan’s POV
Maxwell’s eyes gleamed with ciuri amusement as I held him by the collar. He didnt struggle ar try to break free.
Instead, he laughed.
“Your father?” He shook his head slowly. “You want to know if I let him die? Thats the wrong question, boy. The question you should be asking is why a Supposed Alpha midn’t handle a simple pack of regu
1 tightened my grip. “You were supposed to send reinforcements. You were his brothert
“Brother?” Maxwell spat the word like it tasted boul. “Your father never now me at a leather, I was always post the happened to the golden son. Well, something di happen, dida ( AF
My mother stepped forward, placing her hand on my arm. “Adrian, please. Let him go.
I shrugged her off, keeping my focus on Maxwell. ‘Ile trusted
d you. The pack trusted you to protect them?”
the backup plan if something
The pack needed a strong leader,” Maxwell said, his voice dropping to a growl. “Not some port who spent more time reading books than training weerrion Your father was weak, Adrian. Too weak to survive in our world.”
My wolf surged forward, and I felt my claws extending.
“Take that back.”
The truth hurts, doesn’t it?” Maxwell’s smile widened, “Just like it hurt when those rogues tore through his defenses. I heard he called for help three times before they finally brought him down. Three times, Adrian. A real Alpha would have handled it himself”
I slammed him against the wall, the wooden boards creaking under the impact. “You let him die. You wanted his position, so you let rogues kill him?”
Maxwell’s expression shifted to mock sympathy. “Speaking of letting people die, I heard about that girl who followed you when you left Stormhoel. What
My blood turned to it.
“Such a waste,” he continued, watching my reaction with satisfaction “She was an excellent warrior, Strong, loyal, beautiful. I had plans for her, you know. Alpha Leon needs strong females for breeding stock. ”
“Shut up.” I growled, but he kept talking
“If she’d stayed in Stormbowl, if she’d accepted my arrangement, she’d be alive right now. Comfortable, protected honored as the mother of future Alphax Instead, she followed you into the desert to build your little refugee camp. And where is she now, Adrian? Oh, that’s right, She’s dead.”
The rage
e that had been building inside me exploded. I released Maxwell and shifted partially, my claws fully extended, Eangs dropping.
“Don’t you dare speak her name!
Maxwell shifted too, meeting my attack head on. We crashed through the kitchen table, sending dishes flying. The small cabin shook with the force of our
I was faster than him, stronger than I’d been four years ago when I’d left Stormbowl. My claws raked across his chest, drawing blood. He stumbled back, surprise flickering in his eyes.
“You’ve grown stronger,” he admitted, circling me warily. “But strength without wisdom is just destruction waiting to happen.”
He urged at me, aiming for my throat. I judged, spinning to strike at his exposed side. But suddenly my mother was there, moving with supernatural speed to block my attack
1/3
Chapter 159
Time seemed to slow na my claws, already in motion, met flesh that shoulde ive been there.
The sound was soft, almost gentle. Like puncturing wort paper. My claws slid through her cheat at if he were made of mist
But the blood that sprayed across niy face was het. Real. The
metallic taste filled my
stared in horror at what Ed dute.
My mother looked down at the claws protruding from her chest, then op at me. Her eyes held in anger, only a deep, infinite sadness.
“Adrian,” she whispered, bloed bubbling from her lips.
I yanked my hand back, and she crumpled to the font. The blood spreading beneath her was too bright, to real to be an feel its warmth on my skin.
“LILLIAN!” Maxwell’s rear shook the cabin. He dropped to his knees beside her, gathering her into his arms.
illusion. I could smell it, faste it,
1 stood froten, staring at my bloodstained claws. This couldn’t be real. The maze treated illusions, not reality. But the blood was in warm, and my mother’s eyes were already glaring over.
-Mom? I fell to my
to my knees beside them. “I didn’t mean to, I wasn’t aiming for you. Please, this isn’t real. This can’t be real!!
She reached up with a trembling hand, touching my face. Her fingers left bloody streaks on my cheek.
“My boy,” she breathed. “My sweet boy.”
Then her hand fell limp, and the light faded from her eyes.
“You killed her,” Maxwell said, his voice hollow with shock. Then louder, filling with rage. “You killed your own mother!”
1 shook my head frantically, pressing my hands against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding that had already stopped.
“No, this is the maze. This is just an illusion. She’s not really dead. She can’t be!”
Maxwell stood slowly, my mother’s blood staining his clothes. His eyes burned with hatred. “First you got Nadia killed with your foolish dreams. Now you ve murdered your own mother. How many more people will die because of you, Adrian?”
“I didn’t kill Nadia,” I said, but my voice shook. “I tried to save her!”
“You led her into danger. You convinced her to leave the safety of Sturmhoud for your pathetic desert pack. Her blood is on your hands, just like your mother’s.” He gestured at the body between us “Look at what you’ve done. Look at her!”
I couldn’t look away. My mother
rlay still, her chest no longer rising and falling. The blood had stopped flowing, pooling dark and thick around her body.
“You’re just like your father,” Maxwell spat. “Weak Reckless. Destroying everything you touch. He got himself killed, and you’ll do the same. But not before you take down everyone foolish enough to care about you”
-Your mate, your pack members, anyone who gets close to you,” Maxwell continued relentlessly. “They’ll all die because of your incompetence. You can protect anyone. You can’t even control yourself!”
I felt myself breaking. The carefully constructed walls I’d built around my guilt and grief crumbled. Nadia’s face flashed before my eyes, the way she’d buked in those final moments. Nok my mother joined her, another ghost to haunt me.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to my mothers still form so sorry.”
The cabin door creaked open.
Through my tears and the haze of grief, I saw a figure silhouetted in the doorway. Salver hair caught the light as Skye stepped inside, her green eyes taking in the camage before her
