Chapter 5
714words
"W-Witchcraft! This has to be witchcraft!" Lucas stammered, trembling as he tried to stand. "Elena bought off a witch!"
The werewolves exchanged glances, already on the verge of switching sides.
Suddenly, an ancient voice resounded from the sky.
12 black-robed Elders came gliding in from the direction of the sacred temple.
The Grand Elder landed first. When his gaze fell on me, his voice quivered. "Golden eyes… Princess Elena… is a half-wolf carrying the bloodline of the Original Werewolf!"
The entire square erupted in shock.
Mia screamed, "That's impossible! How could that be? Don't let her fool you! Those are just cosmetic contacts from the human world! She's just tricking you!"
I couldn't be bothered with someone as insignificant as her. Among werewolves, strength was the only truth.
I picked up the silver dagger that had fallen beside Dad and pointed it at Lucas.
"I, Elena Nightbloom, daughter of the former Alpha King Marcus Nightbloom, hereby challenge the current Alpha King—Lucas Ashbourne."
A life-or-death duel among werewolves, until only one—the victor—was left standing.
"I refuse!" Lucas screamed, panicking as he desperately tried to scramble behind the Grand Elder. "She's a traitor! She has no right to challenge me!"
"The bloodline of the Original Werewolf trumps all."
The Grand Elder stepped aside expressionlessly. "We werewolves have no reason to be afraid. Any Alpha King who refuses a challenge will be stripped of his title and exiled to the borderlands."
Lucas went deathly pale. Exile meant losing everything.
He clenched his teeth, and his eyes turned vicious.
"Fine!" he snarled. "Elena, you're just courting death!"
Lucas threw his head back and howled. His body swelled instantly. Clothes tore apart as he shifted into an enormous gray wolf, muscles bulging like stone, and saliva dripping from his fangs.
This was the wolf form he had always prided himself on.
With a kick of his hind legs, he lunged straight at me.
But I didn't dodge or even shift.
Just as his razor-sharp claws were about to rip out my throat, I simply raised my right hand.
A dull, heavy thud sounded.
I had caught his massive wolf head with one hand.
A terrifying shockwave blasted outward from us, sending the kneeling werewolves around us tumbling in all directions.
Lucas hung suspended in midair, unable to move forward even an inch. For the first time, fear appeared in those savage wolf eyes of his.
"This is your so-called strength?"
I looked at him coldly, contempt in my gaze.
"Hollow. And it reeks of medicinal dregs. Get on the ground, you pathetic thing."
The next moment, I slammed his head hard into the ground. The stone tiles underfoot shattered completely, dust and debris flying everywhere.
Lucas let out a bloodcurdling scream as blood sprayed from his mouth and nose. He couldn't even maintain his shift and was forced back into human form.
He lay at the bottom of the crater like a dead mutt, twitching all over.
I planted my foot on his chest.
In full view of the werewolves, I said, "Everyone, take a good look."
I pointed at the wound I'd torn open earlier. It was covered in black, corpse-like blotches. Even more bizarre—there was no blood spilling from where the flesh was torn. Instead, a foul-smelling black fluid oozed outward.
"Those patches aren't ordinary wounds. They're a drug backlash."
I continued coldly, "Three years ago, in order to win the title of Alpha King against the other candidates, Lucas took forbidden drugs over an extended period of time. He burned through his life force in exchange for explosive strength."
The Elders were horrified, all rushing forward to inspect.
"That really is the aftereffect of forbidden substances…"
"A drug addict ruled us for three years?"
Lucas covered his chest in panic. "No! That's not true! She poisoned me just now. Don't let her deceive you!"
"Still lying?"
I kicked him under the chin, sending him sprawling again.
"Grand Elder," I said calmly. "According to law, what is the punishment for using forbidden drugs?"
The Grand Elder's face darkened. He slammed his staff heavily into the ground as he announced, "Strip him of the Alpha King title, and imprison him in the water dungeon until further judgment!"
