Chapter 647
Madeline:
That was when the storm grew even worse.
The winged monster suddenly turned its head to the side, and one of the alphas barely had time to react before the creature snatched him in its claws and lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing.
The alpha’s scream tore through the night.
I froze in place.
My heart slammed against my ribs as I stared at the monster, unable to move, thinking about Baxter.
Had it done the same thing to him?
Was this its way of showing me what it had done to him?
For a moment, everyone stopped and watched the creature with the alpha trapped in its claws.
Then it drove its massive talons into the alpha’s chest.
Bones cracked loudly enough to make my stomach twist.
Suddenly, it was like a balloon bursting.
Blood poured down from the alpha’s body.
He was already dead.
His body hung limp from the creature’s claws before the monster tossed him aside like trash.
Blood splattered across the ground as everyone stared in terror.
Then they understood.
The more movement it noticed, the faster it attacked.
Heavy breathing filled the air.
Warriors slowly lowered their weapons.
Even the council leaders had gone silent by now.
Nobody wanted to become its next target.
Then suddenly, a scream burst from inside the cabin.
It was my daughter…
It was Elara.
My heart stopped.
Without thinking, I bolted toward the cabin.
“Madeline, no!” I heard Ron shout, warning me not to make any sudden
movements.
I had barely taken a few steps before a massive shadow crashed down on me from above.
The monster had me.
Its claws wrapped around my body before slamming me violently into the ground.
Pain shot through every part of me as the air left my lungs.
I fought instantly, but it was impossible.
I punched at its chest, clawed at its arms, and twisted beneath its grip, but it was far too strong.
One massive claw pinned me down by the neck and upper body while its wings spread wide behind it.
I heard Ron and Byron rush toward us, but the monster spread its wings farther, trapping me beneath it like I was locked inside a cage.
Its monstrous face lowered toward mine, its beak looking sharp and its eyes glowing
red.
Then I heard Lady Abigail’s voice.
“Everybody stay silent!” she screamed. “If he kills her, our job is done.”
Rage flashed through me.
Cowards.
They wanted the monster to do their dirty work.
The creature lifted its beak, ready to tear my head from my neck.
As I stared back at it, my voice broke.
“You killed my husband-my mate,” I whimpered.
I was not even sure I was trying to survive anymore.
Every time I thought about him, I wanted to die too, even though I knew I had to live for my children.
It was becoming harder and harder to keep going. Losing people and being
betrayed was painful.
How was anyone supposed to survive like that?
The monster lowered its beak to
strike, but
bet
the moment our eyes met and the edge of its beak brushed anginst my cheek, it suddenly froze.
Slowly, it pulled its head back and tilted it, staring at me.
Then it sniffed at me, brushing its beak gently across both my cheeks like it was searching for something familiar.
It felt wrong, but not in the way one would imagine.
I did not know how to explain it.
For the first time, I noticed something strange in the creature.
I saw emotion in its eyes instead of violence.
Beneath the monstrous shape, the feathers, the claws, and the wings, there was something else.
Humanity.
Feelings and emotions.
I started heaving for breath as the creature crouched lower over me.
Its sharp beak brushed against my cheek again, trembling lightly against my skin, almost as if it were grieving.
Confusion flooded through me.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I stared back at it, unable to understand what was happening.
Then suddenly, the creature lifted its head, and I saw tears in its eyes.
A growl ripped from its throat so loudly that my own throat went dry.
Its wings snapped violently, the force shaking the trees around us.
I flinched, convinced it was finally going to kill me.
But instead, the monster turned away from me and attacked them.
The ones who had been hurting me.
It launched itself straight into the crowd.
Warriors screamed as the creature tore through them.
One man was thrown across the ground while another vanished beneath its claws.
Chaos exploded around us.
“What the hell?” someone shouted.
Another voice yelled, “Why did it leave her?”
Then Lady Abigail’s voice cut through the chaos.
“Oh fuck. I’m done for. Even the monster left her.”
Of course.
Only a monster could recognize another monster.
I stayed frozen on the ground, wondering if that was all it meant if there had been something deeper in the tears filling its eyes