Chapter 215
Not Good
The moment Rett released the attack, Cain moved without hesitation. With a guttural roar that shook the dungeon walls, his body shifted violently. Bones cracked and reshaped, muscles expanding as fur burst through his skin. In a blink, Cain stood between Althea and the incoming darkness, fully transformed into his Lycan form.
“NO!” Althea screamed.
The shadowed blade slammed into Cain’s chest instead.
The impact was devastating. Dark magic exploded on contact, tearing through fur and flesh as Cain was thrown backward, crashing into the stone wall with enough force to fracture it.
The dungeon trembled violently, dust raining from the ceiling.
“Father!” Althea cried, struggling against Gavriel’s grip.
Cain roared in pain, blood darkened by magic spilling onto the floor. The corruption spread instantly, crawling across his massive frame like black veins.
Rett laughed hysterically. “You see? Even now, you choose her! Die for her then!”
That was enough. Gavriel snapped.
With a feral growl, he lunged forward, his lycan power erupting without restraint. The chains that had once bound Rett shattered as if made of glass. Gavriel grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground with terrifying ease.
“Touch her again,” Gavriel said coldly, his voice echoing unnaturally, “and there will be nothing left of you to judge.”
Rett struggled, clawing at Gavriel’s arm, dark magic flaring wildly around him. But it was useless. Gavriel slammed him into the ground, pinning him with overwhelming force.
Zander raised his hand. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp and calculating.
“This ends now.”Ancient symbols ignited in the air around his palm. The magic he released was precise, devastating, and merciless. A beam of blinding light pierced straight through Rett’s chest.
Rett screamed. Not in rage but in fear.
The dark magic inside him writhed violently, trying to escape, but Zander’s spell consumed him from within. Rett’s body convulsed once, twice, then went still.
Silence followed.
The body collapsed into ash.
Althea barely noticed. She had already broken free from Gavriel and rushed to Cain’s side.
“Father!” she sobbed, dropping to her knees beside his massive form. “Please, stay with me. I can heal you. I can fix this.”
She pressed her trembling hands against his chest, already summoning her power. Golden light flickered weakly between her palms.
Cain shifted back slowly, painfully, returning to his human form. His body looked fragile now, broken and burned by dark magic. The corruption pulsed beneath his skin, spreading with every breath.
He reached out and gently caught her wrist.
“Stop,” he said softly.
Althea shook her head violently, tears streaming down her face. “No. Please don’t say that. I can do this. I healed Riela. I can heal you too.”
Cain smiled faintly, a tired, peaceful smile she remembered from her childhood.“You’ve already done enough, my little star.”
Her breath hitched. “Don’t call me that,” she whispered desperately. “You always say that when you think you’re leaving.”
His thumb brushed her cheek, wiping away a tear. “You were never meant to carry all this pain. But because of my greed I—”
“The magic,” Althea cried. “It’s still spreading. I just need time.”
“There is no time,” Cain said gently. “Rett’s attack was designed to consume from the inside. That dark magic does not leave survivors. I am sorry Althea… I failed you as a father.”
Zander stepped closer, his expression grave as he examined Cain. “He’s right, Althea. If you force the healing, it will consume you too. He’s bound to die and you must accept it. Let him go…”
She turned on him with tear-filled eyes. “No. I need to save my father. I know he can still redeem himself and aton—!”
“No.” Gavriel moved instantly, kneeling beside her and gripping her shoulders firmly.
She struggled against him. “He’s my father!”
Her power stirred on its own as she stared into his eyes. She didn’t need him to speak. His thoughts poured into her mind, heavy with regret and pain. He was sorry. He finally understood how wrong he had been, how much damage he had caused. And he realized it too late.
She felt it clearly. Not as a criminal’s guilt, but as a father’s regret for failing his daughter.
“And you’re my mate,” Gavriel said fiercely. “I will not lose you.”
Cain’s voice softened. “Listen to him. He loves you. Just as I always have.”
Althea’s sobs broke free completely. “I never cared about blood. You were there. You raised me. You protected me. That makes you my father.”
Cain closed his eyes, overwhelmed. “That was all I ever wanted to be.”
The dark veins spread rapidly now, creeping up his neck, across his face. His breathing became shallow.
“Promise me something,” he said quietly.
Althea nodded frantically. “Anything.”
“Live,” Cain said. “Live without guilt. Love without fear. And do not let my mistakes define your future.”
His body began to glow faintly, the dark magic reacting violently to his fading life force.
Cain’s hand slipped from hers.
“Father?” she whispered.
His body turned to ash in seconds, crumbling gently to the stone floor, leaving nothing behind but silence.
Althea screamed. The pain tore through her as she watched the only person who had cared for her since her mother’s death disappear before her eyes.
To others, her father was ruthless. A criminal. A man who deserved his fate. But none of that erased what she knew in her heart.
He had loved her. Truly. Not as a tool, not as a pawn, but as his daughter. And that love had been real, no matter what the world believed.Gavriel pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as her cries echoed through the dungeon. He buried her face against his chest, one hand cradling her head as she shook with grief.
“I’m here,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”
Zander turned away, his jaw tight then he froze. The ashes on the ground began to move. A dark mist seeped out from what remained of Rett’s remains, coiling upward, alive, sentient. It hovered briefly, pulsing with ancient energy, then drifted toward the shadows of the dungeon walls.
Zander’s eyes widened.
“This is not good,” he muttered.
Gavriel looked up sharply. “Why?”
The mist vanished into the stone.