Chapter Eight
Lucian's gaze bore into Evie, his lips curling into a smug, mocking smile that set her blood boiling. The wolves around him watched silently, their eyes glinting with a cruel anticipation. Gabriel's hand hovered near his weapon, his body tense, ready for anything.
"You've come a long way just to be reminded of your place," Lucian sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "You think a bit of training and that half-breed's protection makes you strong?"
Evie took a slow, deep breath, forcing herself to remain steady. "I'm done with your games, Lucian. I'm stronger than you'd ever let me be, and that scares you, doesn't it?"
A flicker of irritation crossed Lucian's face, quickly masked by disdain. He took a step closer, his presence looming as if he could suffocate her with sheer arrogance alone. "Scared of you?" He scoffed. "You're nothing but a disgrace, an embarrassment I should have dealt with a long time ago."
Gabriel moved to her side, his stance calm but menacing, his voice quiet but firm. "Maybe you're the one who's forgotten his place, Lucian. The pack doesn't belong to you."
Lucian's eyes flashed, his fists clenching as he suppressed the rage Gabriel's words stirred in him. "I won't waste any more time on you two," he spat, signaling to the wolves around him. "Take them."
The wolves lunged forward, snarling, their movements coordinated as they closed in on Evie and Gabriel. Evie's heart pounded, but she held her ground, her instincts kicking in as she dodged the first attack, her dagger flashing as she deflected a blow. Gabriel was beside her, a whirlwind of motion as he fought off two attackers at once, his movements sharp and precise.
Evie found herself face-to-face with Damon again, his expression twisted with grim satisfaction. "Ready to meet your end, little wolf?" he taunted, circling her like a predator savoring his prey.
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay focused. "I'm not afraid of you, Damon." Her voice was steady, even as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She shifted her weight, ready for his attack.
Damon smirked, lunging at her with a ferocity that tested her limits. She managed to block his first strike, but he was relentless, each movement designed to push her closer to breaking. She felt the strain, her muscles burning as she fought to keep up.
But then she felt it—a pulse of energy rising within her, raw and untamed. She didn't know where it came from, but she didn't question it. She allowed it to guide her, her strikes growing fiercer, her movements faster. Damon's smirk faded, replaced by a look of surprise as he struggled to keep up with her newfound strength.
Gabriel glanced at Evie, catching the shift in her energy, the raw power radiating from her as she fought. Pride flickered in his gaze, but he couldn't afford any distractions. Another wolf attacked him, his sharp teeth grazing Gabriel's arm, drawing blood. Gabriel winced but retaliated with a powerful strike, forcing his opponent back.
Meanwhile, Lucian watched from the shadows, his gaze fixed on Evie, a storm brewing behind his cold eyes. He hadn't expected her to put up this much of a fight, hadn't foreseen the strength she now wielded. The realization twisted his expression, his mask of control cracking as he clenched his jaw.
Evie's focus sharpened, and for a moment, she caught Lucian's gaze, her defiance challenging the control he had once wielded over her. She was no longer the submissive girl he had cast aside; she was a force, a threat to his authority.
"Is this what you feared, Lucian?" she called, her voice ringing out amidst the chaos. "That I'd finally see you for what you are—a coward hiding behind his power."
Lucian's face twisted with fury, his composure shattered. "You think you're powerful?" he sneered, striding forward, his steps deliberate. "I'll show you true power."
Lucian's approach sent a ripple of unease through the clearing, his presence thick with a dark, menacing energy that made Evie's skin prickle. She could feel the weight of his anger, a simmering rage barely contained beneath his cool facade. But she refused to back down, not when she'd come this far.
Gabriel stepped closer to her, his expression resolute. "Stay focused," he murmured, his voice a steady anchor amidst the tension. "He'll try to intimidate you. Don't let him."
Evie nodded, her resolve solidifying as she met Lucian's gaze head-on. She wouldn't let him control her anymore, wouldn't let him reduce her to the girl he'd cast aside. She was more than his rejection, more than his scorn. She was ready to stand her ground.
Lucian's eyes narrowed his voice a deadly whisper. "You're nothing without me, Evie. Remember that."
She held his gaze, her own voice firm, unyielding. "I don't need you, Lucian. I never did."
A flicker of something—doubt?—crossed his face, but he quickly masked it, his expression hardening. With a snarl, he raised his hand, his energy crackling as he prepared to strike. But before he could move, Gabriel intercepted, his own power flaring as he blocked Lucian's advance.
They clashed, the air around them pulsing with energy, each blow a fierce testament to their strength. Evie watched, her heart pounding as she realized the fight was far from over.
The intensity of the battle escalated, Lucian and Gabriel's power clashing with an impact that reverberated through the forest. Sparks crackled in the air, illuminating the clearing with flashes of energy. Evie's gaze darted between them, her fists clenched as she felt her own energy rising in response, a latent strength waiting to be unleashed.
Lucian's expression twisted with fury as Gabriel matched him blow for blow, his frustration mounting with each failed attempt to overpower him. "You're wasting your loyalty on her, Gabriel," Lucian sneered, his voice filled with venom. "She's a nobody—a mistake."
Gabriel's response was swift, his voice a quiet, fierce rebuttal. "Evie is more than you'll ever understand. And you're afraid of her, Lucian, because you know she's stronger than you'll ever be."
The words struck like a blade, and for the first time, Evie saw a flicker of fear in Lucian's gaze. He faltered, his confidence shaken, and she knew that Gabriel's words had pierced through his armor. Her heart pounded with a newfound courage, her power surging as she stepped forward.
"Enough, Lucian," she said, her voice carrying an authority she hadn't realized she possessed. "This ends now."
Lucian's gaze snapped to her, his face contorted with rage. But before he could respond, Evie raised her hand, feeling the pulse of her energy align with her intent, ready to strike back. She met his gaze, unafraid, a fierce determination blazing in her eyes.
And then, with a surge of power, she unleashed everything she'd held back, her energy colliding with Lucian's in a final, defiant stand that left the air charged with the promise of what was yet to come.