A Dangerous Obsession
Chapter 34 - 33

Chapter 34: Chapter 33

ALPHA ELAXDOR DOWNHILL

I walked towards him, the tap of my cane echoed against the polished tiles. That cane – a damned reminder of my past, of battles hard-fought and scars well-earned. But seeing him there, that smug look twisting his face, made my grip tighten around the handle.

"Alpha Ryker," I called, my voice sharp as I neared him, my eyes narrowing to meet his. "What a surprise. Wasn’t expecting to see you... here?"

He shrugged, letting out a laugh that held nothing but mockery. "Oh, Alpha Elaxdor. I’m just passing through. And what better amusement than seeing you here, of all places?" He chuckled again, eyes glinting with that insufferable arrogance of his. "The great Alpha Elaxdor... selling off his only remaining pup to the Neiborung pack. Quite the downgrade, don’t you think?"

I clenched my jaw, feeling the anger prickling under my skin, but I held my ground. "Times change. If alliances are what it takes to secure my pack’s future, then that’s what I’ll do."

"But what happened to the mighty Alpha Elaxdor?" he sneered, circling me as though I were some beaten dog on display. ""The ambitious werewolf who secured a match with a pureblood—a rare breed... and look where it got you." He laughed, the sound scraping down my spine like nails on glass. "Funny, isn’t it? After everything, you’re left with nothing."

My grip on the cane tightened, knuckles turning white. I let out a small, mocking chuckle. "Still nursing a grudge just because your mate rejected you and chose me, are you, Alpha Ryker?"

I saw the faint twitch of his lips, a flash of irritation that he struggled to mask. It was almost laughable. The great Alpha Ryker, still stung by a choice made years ago, his pride bruised beyond repair.

"That’s History," he scoffed, though his voice wavered slightly. "Though I’ll admit, it pained me to see you disregard her so quickly when she passed, all to chase after yet another mate." He paused, masking his annoyance with a thin veneer of disdain. "And let’s not forget," he went on, voice dripping with mock sympathy, "that half-shifter pup of yours. Ah, yes... quite the disappointment, isn’t she? Not even fully worthy of the bloodline. Honestly, perhaps it was better that you handed her off to the Lycan king. For him to feast on the little half-breed." He smirked. "Wouldn’t be much of a loss, after all."

That was it. The insult hit me like a punch to the gut, my wolf snarling within, pacing restlessly, ready to tear him apart and silence that poisonous mouth. Every muscle in my body was coiled, tense, the urge to fight clawing at my control. But I held steady, forced myself to breathe, to stay calm. I wouldn’t risk an open fight here—not when an alliance with the Neiborung pack depended on it.

Taking a step forward, I glared him down, my voice low as I spoke, each word laced with a warning. "Careful, Ryker."

"Oh, the old wolf still has a little bite left in him," he sneered, raising an eyebrow. "I almost forgot – you even lost your precious leg while trying to obtain her mother, didn’t you? And after bearing your pup what did that pure-breed mate of yours get in return? A short life, and a legacy tarnished by the likes of you." He smirked. "Disappointing, really. You could have done better."

Every instinct screamed at me to unleash the fury building inside. But instead, I turned, forcing myself to walk away, making a point to ignore his smug presence. The hallway felt suffocating, his laughter still ringing in my ears. And then, just as I passed him, he spoke again, the words stopping me dead in my tracks.

"I’m going to strike the dark tower by dawn."

I froze, the absurdity of his statement sinking in. Slowly, I turned to look at him, narrowing my eyes. "Are you out of your mind?" I bit out. "That’s a death wish."

He tilted his head, an infuriatingly casual smirk on his face. "What’s wrong, Elaxdor?" he mocked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Worried about my safety? I’m flattered."

"This isn’t some power play, Ryker. Going against the Lycan king? That’s suicide."

He took a step closer, his tone laced with dangerous confidence. "It’s a risk, I’ll give you that. But isn’t it time you got back a taste of that glory? You used to be someone who commanded respect. Feared. Now..." He looked me up and down, eyes lingering on my cane, his mouth curling in disdain. "Well, now you’re little more than a shadow."

I could feel the blood roaring in my ears, my vision tunneling as his taunts chipped away at the last shreds of my patience. "You’re playing with fire, Ryker."

"Join me," he continued, his voice softer, coaxing. "Let’s take back what’s ours. Don’t you want that? Don’t you want to be feared again?"

For a moment, the thought flickered in my mind. The pull of that old power, the sense of purpose... But the Lycan King? Taking him on was a fool’s errand.

"I’ve no desire to walk into my own death," I snapped, shaking my head.

Ryker’s eyes gleamed with a manic light, a smile twisting his lips. "Death?" he echoed, voice low. "Or destiny?"

"Maybe you’re crazier than I thought," I muttered.

"Perhaps," he agreed, not missing a beat. "But come dawn, I’ll be going, whether you’re with me or not. Your choice, Edgar. Will you reclaim your past... or cling to this pitiful shell of a life?"

I let out a harsh laugh, shaking my head as I turned to leave. "You really haven’t changed, have you, Ryker? Still chasing fantasies, still blinded by your own arrogance. Some things never die, it seems—like your need for attention."

I took a steadying breath, feeling the weight of the cane in my hand as I began walking away. The hall stretched before me, my footsteps firm as I made my way down it. But Ryker’s voice followed, laced with a mocking venom that was impossible to ignore.

"Walking away?" he taunted, his voice carrying through the hall. "The great Alpha Elaxdor, turning his back like a beaten dog. Not even willing to stand and defend himself. What a sight."

I kept my pace, refusing to let him see the irritation he so clearly wanted to spark. But he wasn’t finished. His voice sharpened, cutting through the distance.

"You used to be unstoppable, Alpha Elaxdor," he sneered, the words dripping with disdain. "A warrior with a spine. But now? Look at you... a cripple, clinging to what’s left, too afraid to reclaim what’s yours. You’re weak—no better than the half-shifter you were foolish enough to spawn."

My steps slowed, the insult sinking in, every word an intended strike to whatever pride I had left. I clenched my jaw, feeling my wolf stir, its fury simmering under the surface. I should’ve kept going, should’ve ignored him. But he knew exactly where to dig, the exact words that could ignite that old fire.

I stopped, slowly turning back to face him. His grin was wide, predatory, and he was reveling in every second of it.

"Watch your mouth, Ryker," I growled, my voice low, dangerous.

"Or what?" he sneered, stepping closer, his expression twisted with scorn. "What are you going to do? Hm? Beat me with that cane? Or maybe just keep running, like you have from everything else that matters?"

My wolf surged, a snarl tearing from my throat before I could stop it. I closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, the old fire in my eyes enough to silence the mocking gleam in his.

"You think I’m weak?" I spat, the rage boiling over, my grip on the cane threatening to snap it in two. "Then maybe you need a reminder of exactly who I am."

Ryker’s smirk faltered for a split second, but he covered it quickly, crossing his arms with a scoff. "Prove it, then," he said, leaning in, his voice a venomous whisper. "Come with me. Show the world you’re still the great Alpha Elaxdor. Or stay here, in this dying hall, clinging to your titles and your pride like a washed-up relic."

The words hung heavy in the air, daring me, taunting me. I could feel my wolf clawing beneath the surface, aching to put him in his place. But I held back, forcing the rage down, breathing through the storm.

"I don’t need to prove anything to you," I muttered, voice like steel. "Especially not to someone who’s desperate enough to throw his life away on a fool’s mission."

With that, I turned my back on him for the final time, dismissing him, leaving him behind like the past I had already buried. Let him chase his delusions of grandeur. Let him march to his own demise.

As I walked away, I heard him mutter, voice laced with scorn, "Coward."

But I didn’t look back. I had faced too many demons to let one foolish wolf drag me down with him.