Chapter 123 Accept Defeat
Chapter 123 Accept Defeat.
CADE
Everything around me faded into white noise the second those words left his mouth.
“You’ll never know what the antidote is.”
I still had him pinned to the ground, my hand clutching his throat, my fist still bloody from the last blow. His grin was wide and deranged. He looked up at me like he was invincible. And in that moment, maybe
he was
“Cade,” Bethany’s voice wavered behind me. “Cade-
I could hear the tremor in her voice, the fear in every breath.
“It’s a new poison,” she muttered. “I–I can’t name it.”
Fuck
Every instinct in me screamed to rip through him, tear his jugular open, and make him bleed for what he did. But in the end, I couldn’t do it.
“You think I’m an easy opponent?” he chuckled, lifting his head slightly higher. He wheezed, but he was still completely unafraid. “I thought this through, of course,” he added casually.
“You think I would walk in here half–cocked with no backup plan? Please.”
His eyes flicked toward Bethany, and the smile on his lips turned cruel. “I’ve been wanting to get Fenra from you for years. Isn’t it nice, Bethany? Look at you now, Weak. Sick. Still pretending to be the symbol of hope for everyone.”
Bethany said nothing, her silence sharper than any scream.
“You should go.” Winters continued. “Enjoy the last few years of your life without stress. Hand Fenra to me. I’ll spare you. Why keep fighting? Why support these idealistic children?”
He spat blood to the side. “You’re wasting your time.”
I saw Bethany’s expression dim.
But I couldn’t focus on her just yet.
I couldn’t even focus on the pain splitting through my fists or the blood dripping down his face.
All I could focus on was the rising heat in my chest.
The thought of Arden’s limp body.
“The antidote,” I snarled, tightening my grip around his throat, “Give it to me.”
He only smiled wider. “You’re not getting it from me like this.
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Chapter 123 Accept Defeat
My knuckles tightened. I pressed harder–hard enough he began to choke–but he didn’t beg. He didn plead. He wanted this.
Just then, a rush of movement crashed through the trees. Leaves scattered. I glanced up just as Rowan arrived, his wolf form crashing through the underbrush.
He didn’t even look at me. He shified quickly, and his eyes found her
“Tessa,” he whispered.
“They’ve been poisoned, Bethany choked out. “Both of them.”
Mr. Winters cackled beneath me, delighted. “I didn’t know you two were friends,” he said, enjoying himself.
He turned his head slightly, watching Rowan.
“Didn’t your parents always compare you to Cade after your brother died?”
Rowan froze.
“Pity,” Winters murmured. “You didn’t escape comparison even then. You’re always the spare. It must sting, huh?”
Rowan’s jaw tensed. He didn’t answer. But the look in his eyes was enough.
“This makes it fun,” Winters continued. “I see you’re pretty soft–hearted. Helping Cade now. If I were you. I wouldn’t bother.”
“Just kill him,” Rowan said suddenly, turning to me. “This country is better off with him dead.”
“No.” Bethany barked. “We can’t. If we kill him now, it’ll end their lives. Tessa. Arden.”
Her voice cracked. “They don’t have much time.”
I looked down at the man beneath me. The smug bastard was still smiling.
My hands trembled.
“What the fuck do you need?” I snarled.
Mr. Winters bared his teeth in a grin. I’m glad you asked.”
He coughed once, spat more blood, then looked me dead in the eyes.
“I need something,” he said smoothly. “Something only you can give.”
“Withdraw from the candidacy,” he said. “Today. Publicly. Then, I’ll give you what you need.”
My breath hitched..
“And if I don’t?”
His head tilted lazily.
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“Then we can do this the hard way,” he said.
He licked blood from his lips.
“Let them die. Keep your pride. And bury your mate while you’re at it
“No.”
The voice was hoarse and soft, and still so, so beautiful, but it cut through the noise.
I snapped my head toward Arden. She was slumped against Bethany, her skin pale, her lips dry, but her eyes were wide open, burning into mine.
“No,” she whispered again, more force behind it this time.
I didn’t even realize I had loosened my grip on Winters until I saw him exhale freely beneath me.
“Cade.” Arden muttered.
Her voice broke.
So did my heart.
She tried to move, but she could barely lift her arm. Still, she fought to speak.
“Don’t give in.”
Her eyes locked onto mine, pleading “Please.”
My chest rose and fell with the weight of everything pressing against it.
Duty.
Responsibility.
Her.
“I-“I opened my mouth, but the words fell flat.
“If you do,” she whispered, “I will never forgive you.”
That was what shattered me.
The tears in her voice.
She knew what he was asking of me. What it meant.
Everything we’d fought for.
All the lives depending on it.
But in exchange, I would be giving up….
her.
“Cade, please,” she said again, softer this time. Her strength was leaving her.
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Chapter 123 Accept Defeat
And I was at war with myself.
I didn’t know what was right.
The leader in me wanted to stand tall. To spit in Winters‘ face.
But the man in me… the man in love with the girl on the ground.
He was breaking
“Time’s up,” Winters said suddenly, his voice sharp and smug
I turned back to him, breathing hard.
“Let’s just fight fair and square now, shall we? The last polls showed that I’m in the lead, but hey, you might still have a chance. I can’t kill you because they might suspect me, so enjoy your defeat,” He rose to his feet with a smirk, brushing the blood off his lips like it was nothing.
“But,” he added, eyes flicking to Arden, “arrange the funeral of your mate before anything else, alright?”
A shadow stepped in front of him–Rowan.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he said coldly.
His stance was wide and unshakable.
“Is that right? Winters chuckled.
Suddenly, the ground shifted beneath our feet. I felt it. Rowan did too. Bethany stiffened behind me.
Figures emerged from the trees.
One, Two. Five. Ten.
More.
Students.
Elite Order students.
About thirty of them stood around us. Some familiar. Some not. But all armed. Knives. Claws, Blades.
Their expressions were blank and dead–eyed.
Loyal to him.
And right beside Winters was Kieran and… Jaxon.
“I called them here in case I got caught in something,” Mr. Winters chuckled. “It looks like they arrived right on time.”
