The Alpha's long lost heir
Chapter 145: Neriah’s betrayal

Chapter 145: Neriah’s betrayal

The full moon cast an eerie glow over the forest, its pale light filtering through the dense canopy of trees. The silence was almost suffocating. Oberon stepped out of the shadows, his heart pounding in his chest. Something inside him felt off, a restlessness that he could not shake. He had tried to ignore it, but the urge had become overwhelming.

The bloodthirst surged within him, an uncontrollable hunger clawing at his insides. He needed to hunt, to sink his teeth into flesh and taste the warmth of blood. Driven by this primal instinct, he trotted off into the forest, not caring where his paws took him. The forest was a labyrinth of shadows and scents, and he followed his nose, the promise of a kill urging him forward.

Oberon’s eyes shone bright as the full moon rose. His body started to change, muscles moving under his skin.

His arms and legs shortened, and his hands turned into paws. His fingers became claws, and fur grew all over his body. It felt both exciting and painful, like his body was being remade.

His face changed too, his nose becoming a snout. His teeth sharpened, and his ears pointed up.

Finally, Oberon dropped to all fours, now a wolf. He stretched and let out a loud howl. The moon seemed to beat in time with his heart.

It was then that he noticed something unusual—patches of fur scattered on the ground. Oberon slowed his pace, his hackles raised as he sniffed the air. The scent was familiar, but he could not place it. Curiosity getting the better of him, he pushed further into the undergrowth, his ears pricking up at the faint rustle of movement nearby. He was not alone.

A dark shape emerged from the bushes, moving with an eerie grace. The other wolf froze when it saw Oberon, letting out a surprised yip. Oberon’s eyes narrowed, and recognition struck him like a bolt of lightning. The wolf before him was Neriah. Rage flooded Oberon’s veins, his blood boiling with hatred. This was the same wolf who had deceived Dora, the one who had seduced her and left her to suffer the consequences. Oberon’s snarl was low and menacing, the air between them crackling with tension.

Neriah took a cautious step back, but it was too late. Oberon launched himself at him, a blur of fur and teeth as he charged. The two wolves collided with a force that rattled the trees, their snarls filling the air as they locked in a brutal struggle. Teeth gnashed, claws slashed, and the ground beneath them was torn up as they fought. Oberon’s fury gave him strength, and he quickly gained the upper hand, his jaws snapping dangerously close to Neriah’s throat.

Neriah fought back with all he had, but he was no match for Oberon’s ferocity. With a final, powerful blow, Oberon sent Neriah crashing to the ground. Neriah’s form wavered, and he transformed back into his human shape, lying bruised and bloodied on the forest floor. Oberon, still in his wolf form, stood over him, his breath heavy, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Why did you do that to Dora?" Oberon demanded, his voice a growl that rumbled from deep within his chest.

Neriah winced, trying to push himself up, but the pain was too much. He looked up at Oberon, his expression a mix of guilt and defiance. "I had no choice," he croaked, his voice strained. "I did what I had to do."

"What you had to do?" Oberon snapped, his claws digging into the dirt. "You played with her emotions, used her, and then left her! Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Neriah’s eyes flickered with something that might have been remorse, but it was fleeting. "I did not want to hurt her," he said quietly. "But there were... circumstances you do not understand."

Oberon’s snarl deepened, his fangs bared as he struggled to keep his anger in check. "What circumstances could possibly justify what you did?"

Neriah hesitated, as if weighing whether to reveal the truth. "There are things at play that you are not aware of, Oberon. Powers greater than us, forces that demanded certain actions. I was caught in the middle."

"Do not give me that nonsense," Oberon growled, his patience wearing thin. "If you cared about her at all, you would not have betrayed her."

"I did care," Neriah snapped back, his voice gaining strength despite his injuries. "I cared more than you will ever know. But I was bound by something more powerful than love or loyalty."

Oberon transformed back into his human form, his muscles rippling as the fur receded and his bones realigned. He stood tall, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at Neriah, who remained on the ground, battered and bruised. The moonlight highlighted the tension in Oberon’s stance, the anger still simmering just beneath the surface.

"What was so important that you chose it over Dora?" Oberon demanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

Neriah looked away, unable to meet Oberon’s intense gaze. His eyes held a sadness that Oberon had not seen before, a deep well of regret that seemed to weigh him down. After a moment, Neriah’s voice broke the quiet, soft and pained. "I had to please my mother..." he admitted, the words barely audible.

Oberon’s jaw dropped in shock. "What? Why? You betrayed her because of your mother?" he roared, the fury in his voice echoing through the forest. His fists clenched at his sides as he tried to process what Neriah had just confessed.

Neriah flinched at Oberon’s reaction, but he forced himself to continue. "You do not understand, Oberon. My mother... she is not just any woman. Her power, her influence... I had no choice."

Neriah struggled to his feet, his eyes darkening as he looked at Oberon. "I am more than just an ordinary Lycan," he said, his voice low and tinged with something ominous.

Oberon frowned, his patience wearing thin. "Who are you then?"

Neriah clenched his jaw, the tension in his face evident. "My identity is still not what I can reveal," he admitted, his voice betraying the weight of whatever secret he was holding onto.

Oberon’s frustration bubbled over, his annoyance clear in the sharpness of his tone. "What exactly did you come here for?!" he yelled, the force of his anger reverberating through the trees.

Neriah’s eyes flicked to the ground, as if he could not bear to meet Oberon’s gaze. "I have to get her pregnant," he said, his voice hollow. "If she can get pregnant, I will present the child to my mother. I had to do this... there was no one else I could do it with."

The words hit Oberon like a punch to the gut. The implications of what Neriah had just said swirled in his mind, and for a moment, he could not find his voice. Then, driven by a mix of sadness and rage, he lashed out, striking Neriah with a force that sent him staggering back.

"You rogue!" Oberon snarled, his heart heavy with the betrayal, the cruelty of it all. He could barely contain the storm of emotions surging within him—the sorrow for Dora, the disgust at Neriah’s actions, the fury that something so vile had been done in the name of some twisted plan.

Neriah wiped the blood from his lip, his expression a mix of pain and resignation. "You think I wanted this?" he spat, his voice shaking. "You think this was easy for me? I had no choice!"

"There is always a choice," Oberon hissed, his eyes blazing with anger. "You chose to betray her, to use her like she was nothing. And for what? To satisfy some sick demand from your mother?"

Neriah’s shoulders slumped, the fight seeming to drain out of him. "You do not understand," he said quietly. "I did what I had to do, to survive, to protect those I care about. But I know... I know I have lost everything."

Oberon’s breath came in heavy, ragged bursts as he tried to calm himself, but the sadness and rage in his heart refused to subside. He could see the despair in Neriah’s eyes, the realization of the horror he had committed, but it did nothing to ease the pain. The damage had been done, and no amount of regret could undo it.

Oberon stood there, his fists clenched, his mind torn between anger and the bitter truth Neriah had laid bare. He wanted to scream, to curse the fate that had led them here, but the words caught in his throat, strangled by the weight of it all.

"You’ve lost everything?" Oberon said, his voice low, almost trembling. "Do you even understand what you’ve taken from her? From me?"

Neriah’s gaze dropped to the ground, his silence a bitter acknowledgment of the truth. The forest seemed to close in around them, the stillness heavy with unspoken words.

"I did not want it to be this way," Neriah finally murmured, his voice laced with regret. "But I was trapped, Oberon. Trapped by a duty that I could not escape. My mother... her power, her expectations... They are chains that bind me tighter than you can imagine."

"Stop hiding behind your mother!" Oberon snapped, his voice breaking through the quiet. "You are your own wolf, Neriah! Or at least, you should have been."

Neriah flinched at the accusation, the pain of it evident in his eyes. "You do not know what it is like, Oberon," he said, a bitter edge creeping into his tone. "To live under her shadow, to be molded into something you never wanted to be, all for the sake of power, of legacy. I have been nothing more than a pawn, and now... now I have destroyed the one person who ever made me feel what I have always wanted to feel."