Alpha Eric's Promise, Protecting those he loves
Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Chapter 57

Richard Has Now Become a Beast

It was a night that carried an air of finality, as if the earth itself had suspended its breath in anticipation of something inevitable.

The pack had gathered again, but this time, there were no speeches, no demands. The air was thick with tension, the scent of the pack’s collective anxiety mixing with the earthy musk of the forest. They had all known this confrontation was coming, but none of them had expected it to escalate in the way it had.

Richard, once the Alpha who ruled with fear and intimidation, had become something more—something darker. As the night had stretched on, the pack had heard the howls in the distance, each one growing louder and more frantic, a call from the wilderness that sent chills down the spines of even the most battle-hardened wolves.

Alex stood at the forefront, his posture commanding, though his mind raced with uncertainty. He had heard the rumors, seen the subtle changes in Richard’s behavior over the past few weeks. Richard had always been driven by power, but now, there was something else. Something primal and uncontrollable. He wasn’t just challenging Alex for the title of Alpha—he was becoming something that no one could stop.

The wolves had gathered in a defensive formation, wary of what might come next. Alex’s trusted allies were at his side: Jackson, Aria, and several of the pack’s strongest warriors. They had been preparing for the confrontation, but nothing could prepare them for what Richard had become.

Jackson, his eyes scanning the shadows beyond the treeline, whispered, "He’s close. Too close."

Alex’s fists clenched at his sides. The very air felt charged, as if the moon itself was complicit in the madness that was unfolding. "I know. Stay alert."

The sounds of the forest seemed to pause, as though nature itself was holding its breath. Then, a low growl pierced the silence, a sound so guttural it seemed to vibrate through the ground beneath them. It was a warning, and it came from Richard—or whatever was left of him.

From the darkness of the trees, Richard emerged, but he was no longer the man he had once been. His form was twisted, larger, more monstrous. His fur was matted and black, his eyes glowing with an unnatural yellow light. His features had become a grotesque distortion of his former self, as though the wolf inside him had taken complete control. His body rippled with muscle, and his claws, longer than any wolf’s should be, dug into the earth with a primal ferocity.

He was no longer just a wolf; he was something more, something darker. He had become a beast.

The pack members took a step back, eyes wide with shock and fear. No one had seen this transformation coming, not like this. This was not the Richard they had known, not the Alpha who had once led them with strength—this was a creature consumed by rage and unchecked power.

Alex’s heart pounded in his chest as he watched the creature that had once been his rival step forward. This wasn’t the challenge he had expected. This was a nightmare, one that he knew could only end in destruction.

"Richard!" Alex called out, his voice ringing through the clearing, steady despite the unease that gripped his body. "You’ve lost yourself! This isn’t who you are!"

The beast’s glowing eyes turned toward him, and a twisted, almost mocking growl rumbled from deep within Richard’s chest. The sound was so unnatural, so far removed from anything Alex had ever heard, that for a moment, he wondered if there was any humanity left in him at all.

Richard’s lips curled back into a snarl, revealing elongated teeth, far sharper and more dangerous than any wolf’s. The transformation had gone beyond physical. His mind was lost, consumed by the beast within him. There was no reasoning with him now. Alex could see it in the way Richard’s eyes burned with rage, the way his body trembled with barely contained fury.

"You will never be Alpha!" Richard snarled, his voice barely recognizable as human. "This pack is mine! It was always mine, and it will always be mine!"

The words were twisted, distorted by the beast’s influence. Richard’s pride, his need for power, had consumed him so fully that he had surrendered to the wolf inside, giving up his humanity in the process.

Alex stood his ground, refusing to show the fear that gripped him. He had always known this moment would come, though he had never imagined it would be like this. Richard had always been ambitious, but this—this was madness.

"You were never fit to lead," Alex said, his voice cold, cutting through the air like a blade. "You’re no Alpha anymore, Richard. You’re just a monster."

At those words, Richard let out a howl that shook the trees around them. It was a sound of pure rage, a sound that made every wolf in the pack flinch. The beast within him was unstoppable now, its hunger for power and dominance blinding him to all reason.

With a sudden, terrifying lunge, Richard surged forward. His claws slashed through the air with brutal speed, aiming straight for Alex. The pack members jumped back, their instincts screaming to flee, but Alex didn’t move. He couldn’t. He had to face Richard—this was the moment that would determine the future of the pack.

In one fluid motion, Alex shifted, his body changing into the form of the Alpha wolf he had grown into. His muscles rippled beneath his fur, his mind clear and sharp, focused on the challenge ahead. He met Richard’s attack head-on, his own claws clashing with Richard’s in a brutal, bone-crushing impact.

The force of their collision sent shockwaves through the clearing, shaking the ground beneath them. The two wolves circled each other, their eyes locked in a deadly game of dominance. Richard’s monstrous form was faster, more unpredictable, but Alex’s strength and strategy were his advantages. He had the experience, the wisdom, and the power of the pack behind him.

With a roar, Alex lunged forward, sinking his teeth into Richard’s side, but the beast retaliated with a vicious twist of his body, knocking Alex off balance. The fight was brutal, each wolf determined to come out on top. Richard’s movements were wild, erratic, and full of rage, while Alex fought with the precision and focus of a true Alpha.

The pack watched in horror and awe as the battle unfolded before them. The power of the fight was unlike anything they had ever seen. Richard’s monstrous form, fueled by raw rage, clashed against Alex’s controlled might. The air crackled with the energy of their struggle, the ground beneath them torn apart by the sheer force of their battle.

Jackson and the other warriors stood on edge, ready to intervene if needed, but they knew that this fight was between Alex and Richard alone. It was the only way to settle the matter. The pack could not afford to be divided.

With a roar, Alex managed to get the upper hand, sinking his claws deep into Richard’s throat. The beast’s snarls turned into a horrible, guttural cry, and for a moment, Alex thought he might have won. But Richard wasn’t finished yet. With a desperate lunge, the beast tore at Alex’s side, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The fight continued in a blur of fur and claws, but Alex could feel it—the beast within Richard was weakening. The longer they fought, the more he could sense the strain in Richard’s movements, the way his body was starting to falter. The beast, for all its strength, was not invincible.

With one final, desperate push, Alex twisted Richard’s body and pinned him to the ground. He could hear the beast’s labored breathing, its growls weakening. Richard’s eyes, once burning with rage, now seemed to flicker with something else—a fleeting moment of recognition.

Alex’s voice was low, filled with a mixture of sadness and finality. "It didn’t have to be like this, Richard."

But the beast only snarled, refusing to submit, refusing to relinquish its hold on Richard.

In that moment, Alex made a choice. He had to end it. For the pack. For the future. With a final, decisive strike, Alex sank his teeth into Richard’s throat, ending the battle.

The clearing was silent once more, save for the heavy breathing of the wolves around them. Richard lay motionless on the ground, his monstrous form finally still. The beast that had consumed him was gone.

Alex stood over him, panting, his body battered and bruised. He had won, but the victory felt hollow. He had always known that Richard was a threat, but he had never imagined it would come to this—Richard had become something that no one could have predicted.

The pack was safe, for now, but Alex knew that the scars left by this battle would take time to heal. The true cost of leadership was far more than he had ever anticipated.

As the full moon cast its final glow over the clearing, Alex turned away, his heart heavy with the weight of what had transpired. Richard was gone, but the pack would carry the echoes of this night for years to come.