Chapter 17: The Beast Within

 The Beast Within

Elena POV

Elena stood frozen in the carnage that surrounded her, a silent observer in a world gone mad. Confusion gripped her, every thought tangled in a chaotic mess as she watched the battle raging outside. Wolves clashed, their snarls and growls vibrating in the air, the feral sounds sending a shiver down her spine. She should have been afraid. She should have felt something. But all she could do was stare, wide-eyed, as Alexander's pack tore through their enemies with brutal, ruthless efficiency.

It was chaos—a whirl of fur and blood and death. The Blackwater Pack fought viciously, their teeth flashing and claws ripping as they tried to gain the upper hand. But Alexander's wolves were stronger, faster. She spotted him in the middle of it all, his massive, midnight-black form dominating the battlefield. He moved like a force of nature, tearing into anyone foolish enough to cross his path, his jaws snapping with deadly precision.

And yet... something felt wrong.

It wasn't the way the Blackwater wolves fought; it was the way they moved, the way they kept glancing toward the house. Toward her. Like she was the prize they were really after.

Her heart skipped a beat as the realization hit her like a punch to the gut. This wasn't a battle for territory or power. This was a distraction—a ploy to get to her. Panic clawed at her chest, her instincts screaming at her to move, to run, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from the scene unfolding outside. She watched as Alexander fought like a demon, tearing through wolves left and right, his focus locked entirely on the fight.

Completely unaware of the danger creeping up behind her.

Her breath hitched as a shadow shifted in the corner of her eye. She turned, pulse pounding, just as a figure stepped out of the darkness. A man—tall, broad-shouldered, his face hidden in the shadows—stalked toward her with predatory intent, his movements slow and deliberate. Her skin prickled, every nerve screaming at her to get away, to hide, but it was too late. He was already there, already reaching for her.

"Hello, pretty thing," he murmured, his voice a low, sinister purr.

Elena stumbled back, heart racing, her mind whirling. Who was he? What did he want? But she knew. Deep down, she knew. He was here for her. Her back hit the wall, trapping her, and she looked around frantically, searching for something—anything—to defend herself with.

"Don't bother," he said softly, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "You're not going anywhere."

He lunged.

She screamed, instinct kicking in as she lashed out, her hands clawing at his face. He snarled, grabbing her wrists and twisting them painfully behind her back, forcing her to her knees. Panic exploded inside her, white-hot and suffocating. No, no, no! She couldn't let this happen—she couldn't—

But he was too strong.

"Stay still, bitch," he growled, yanking her head back by her hair. Pain shot through her scalp, her vision blurring with tears as she struggled helplessly in his grip. She could feel his breath on her neck, his fingers digging into her skin like iron bands, trapping her.

And then... something snapped.

The world seemed to tilt, her senses sharpening to a razor's edge. A dark, unfamiliar power surged through her veins, hot and wild, filling her with a strength that didn't belong to her. Her vision blurred, the edges of her consciousness blurring as a strange, primal fury took hold.

"No," she whispered, her voice low and trembling.

"What was that?" he sneered, jerking her back hard enough to make her cry out. "Speak up, little—"

"No!" The word tore from her throat, raw and guttural, and she shoved.

He flew back, crashing into the wall with a bone-jarring impact. For a moment, he just stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. Then he snarled, pushing himself to his feet, his face twisted with rage.

"You little—"

But Elena didn't hear the rest. Everything around her faded, the world narrowing to a single, blood-red focus: him. The man who had tried to take her. The enemy. Something dark and feral surged inside her, roaring to life with a violence that stole her breath. She moved before she could think, a savage, inhuman growl ripping from her throat as she launched herself at him.

Her claws—claws she hadn't even realized she had—slashed through the air, the razor-sharp tips tearing into his chest. He screamed, blood spraying as he staggered back, his face contorting in agony. But she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Her vision blurred, her mind clouded with a haze of fury and bloodlust as she attacked again and again, ripping and tearing, her hands coated in crimson.

And then... silence.

Elena stood over his broken, bloodied body, her chest heaving, her hands trembling. What... what had she done? Her gaze dropped to the claws—her claws—slick with blood, and a strangled sob tore from her lips. No. No, this couldn't be real. This wasn't her. She wasn't a monster—

"Elena!"

The sound of her name jolted her out of the haze, and she looked up, her breath catching as Alexander burst through the door. He stopped dead, his eyes wide, his chest heaving as he took in the scene—the body on the floor, the blood, her. For a moment, he just stared, shock and something darker flashing in his eyes.

"Elena, what...?" His voice was low, strained, his gaze flicking to her bloodstained hands. "What did you do?"

"I... I didn't mean to..." she whispered, backing away, her vision blurring with tears. "I didn't—"

"Shit," he muttered, his expression hardening. He took a cautious step forward, his hands raised as if approaching a wild animal. "Elena, listen to me. You need to calm down. Just... breathe, okay?"

But she couldn't. The power was still there, thrumming beneath her skin, urging her to finish what she'd started. To destroy. To kill. Her chest tightened, her head spinning as everything started to blur, the world tilting and twisting around her.

"Elena, damn it, look at me!" Alexander's voice was a desperate growl, his hands gripping her shoulders hard enough to bruise. "You have to fight this. You're stronger than it, you hear me?"

But his words were just noise, drowned out by the roar in her head. Everything was slipping away, unraveling. She could barely hear him over the pounding in her skull, her vision dimming as the power pulled her under.

"I... I can't..." she whimpered, her voice barely a whisper.

"Elena—"

The last thing she felt was Alexander's arms wrapping around her as everything went dark.