Mum cries out in shock and anger. Hades has already turned his attention back to Caleb as the black swirling mass builds to a crescendo. He's almost finished. I just know it.
Mum looks at Dad with tears in her eyes.
“I'm sorry.” She sobs.
“It's fine love.” He grunts.
I try to reach Alistair's mind but the wall of obsidian is solid. He simply stares at the floor barely conscious through his agony from the injury that I caused all those months ago.
Fury burns through my blood at the torture his own father put him through. That Hades put the pack through whilst they were his prisoners. And now he's corrupted Caleb. Turning him into something of nightmares.
A bone chilling howl bellows across the forest from the writhing mass of darkness as two huge clawed paws burst out and slam into the ground. Three enormous black furred heads emerge from the dissipating darkness that continues to slowly swirl around Caleb's gargantuan form. The Cerberus that he has been transformed into stands at over 30 feet high. Made of pure muscle and teeth and claws. He stands totally still. His breathing coming in heavy pants as he growls with deadly intent. The three heads look around with eyes of bright, blood red. His teeth are bared as he scans the clearing. He sniffs and all three heads snap to stare at my Dad.
My stomach plummets as Caleb licks his lips.
“NO!” I scream.
Caleb's ears twitch but his heads lowers towards Carter.
“Caleb no!” My mum shouts but he doesn't turn away from his target.
I hear Hades chuckle as he watches like this is some entertaining movie.
“Please!” I beg.
“Please what?” He laughs. “Give your pathetic father a chance? He doesn't deserve it.”
“He does!” My mum half shouts half sobs as she struggles against her restraints.
“You really think he's your Moira bonded mate don't you?” Hades chuckles.
Dad growls as he glares at Hades.
“Of course he is!” Mum replies.
Hades scoffs as he waves his hand and the bonds around my Dad disappear. He drops to the ground with a groan.
He moves to his feet slowly as Caleb rakes his claws through the ground. He doesn't move though. His ears twitch to Hades as if waiting for a command.
Dad looks around the pack and then to mum and me. Grim acceptance lining every inch of his face.
“I love you.” He says before shifting into his wolf form and leaping straight at Caleb's central head.
Chapter 21
My heart pumps wildly in my chest as I watch my Dad leap 15 feet into the air and dig his claws into Caleb's face. Caleb rears up with a deafening growl. He wastes no time running over his head, dodging the other two heads. He suddenly looks so small in comparison. Caleb throws his head back as the other two heads snap ferociously but Dad stays just out of reach of their monstrous jaws. He jumps down the back of his neck and onto his back. Then with incredible speed Dad strikes straight at Hades. In a blink of an eye Hades doubles in size and grabs Dad by the throat.
I gasp and tears fill my eyes. I struggle to blink them away. I stare in horror at Dad hanging by his neck, claws franticly clawing at the air mere inches from Hades chest. Hades bares his teeth in a cruel grin that makes his eyes glow with malice. His grip tightens and blood soaks through Dads fur as he yelps in pain.
Caleb stares intently at Dad, snapping his jaws and growling so loud it reverberates through my body.
“Please stop!” Mum shrieks.
I can hear Penny and Izzy sobbing. Jason is white as a sheet, his eyes wide as if he can't believe what he's seeing. Lukas's face is a blank mask but I can see the fury burning underhis skin as he glares at me. His hands are balled into fists at his sides but there is nothing he can do.
We're all trapped and forced to watch as Hades relishes in our suffering. Like we're nothing more than play things for him to torment. I can see in his cold, icy eyes just how much he's enjoying this. How much he relishes the terror he inflicts on those he thinks lesser than him. I was a fool to think that he may just leave us alone here. Hades will stop at nothing to wipe out every Lycan and hunt down and drain every Nymph he can find.
A rumble ripples through the ground, shaking the trees and sending countless birds soaring to the skies. In the darkness above us storm clouds roil and lightning flashes a few miles away. Hades stills and tilts his head to the skies just as another flash lights the sky. It strikes the ground a few yards from the Chariot making the huge, black horses rear up and stomp their hooves. Dirt and gravel fly in every direction.
