The Forbidden Heiress At The All Male Alpha Academy

Chapter 232: Facing the Demons

PRESENTLY...

Zeke and Zevon stopped a few paces away from them, their boots sinking into blood-soaked earth.

Around them, the war continued raging, but in this space, everything stilled as any demon that got too close would have its head cut off because it even realised what had happened.

Alcaeus stood there, his eyes burning a molten gold-red, and the demon coiled beneath his skin like a living crown. Power rolled off him in waves oppressively, bending the air.

"Well," Alcaeus said slowly, his voice layered with something inhuman, "This is... disappointing."

Zeke’s jaw tightened, "You look surprised." His tone was surprisingly calm. "Did you really think death would keep us?"

Alcaeus smiled, "I watched you burn."

"And yet," Zevon said, stepping forward half a pace, and shadows stirring at his feet, "You failed,"

That earned him a sharper look.

Alcaeus’s gaze lingered on Zevon longer. He assessed and calibrated him, feeling the difference within him now. The weight of Erebos that had settled fully into flesh, "...So it finally took," Alcaeus murmured, "You finished the merge."

Zevon’s eyes were colder than before, so very cold and blue, "Unlike you, I didn’t butcher my way into power."

A low chuckle rolled out of Alcaeus, "And this is exactly why I couldn’t name you my heir. You always clung to the illusion of righteousness."

Zeke shifted then, his attention snapping to the figure beside their father.

She stood silent, studying the two boys and listening to their conversation.

The moment they both saw her, they knew that wasn’t the woman they loved standing there. Her aura was wrong. The way a smile hung on her lips was wrong.

But her eyes, were empty and so wrong.

And beneath that emptiness, something else pressed forward.

Zeke took a step closer before Zevon could stop him.

"Hellcat," He said, his voice trembling a little. A part of him expected some kind of reaction from her, but nothing.

The demon tilted her head, "Well," she said, her lips curling even more ", What do we have here?"

The shadows around Zevon stirred in recognition, and they leaned toward her, curling and shifting restlessly like animals that remembered an old scent. For half a second, they moved without Zevon’s command.

Erebos remembered her, and Zevon felt it settle into his bones.

"So you do remember us," Zeke said coldly, stepping forward. His presence cracked the ground faintly beneath his boots, heat rolling off him in a dangerous pulse, "Good. I’d hate to explain myself again."

The demon’s gaze slid to him, acknowledging him slowly, "Red," she murmured, "You were always louder and impulsive,"

"And you were always better at waiting for the right moment to take over,"

Something in her smile sharpened, and she brought her hand to her face, "I wore it well, didn’t I?" she said, "She was... resilient. Annoyingly so."

Zevon moved then, placing himself half a step ahead of Zeke without looking back, "Where is she," he asked.

Because he had to. Because he didn’t want to believe what he was thinking had happened during his absence.

The demon laughed softly, seeing the slight desperation in his eyes. For just a second, something silver flared beneath her skin.

Seraphina.

The silver wolf surged forward inside her, furious and feral, and the demon’s smile twitched. A ripple of pain crossed her face before it smoothed out again.

Zeke and Zevon saw it, and hope cut through them both.

"She’s still there," Zeke said hoarsely.

Alcaeus stepped forward, placing a hand on demon Theo’s shoulder.

"She is a residue," He said calmly, "A reflex. Nothing more."

Zevon’s gaze snapped to Alcaeus, "You erased her, didn’t you?" he said.

Alcaeus shrugged. "I refined her,"

"You destroyed her soul," Zeke growled.

"And in doing so," Alcaeus replied, unbothered, "I freed this body from weakness. From doubt. From pain,"

At that word, something inside the demon snapped. A silver glow exploded beneath her skin, burning through her veins like molten light. She gasped sharply, her claws tearing free as Seraphina lunged from within, slamming against the demon’s control.

Her body arched violently.

"ENOUGH," The demon snarled, her voice fracturing as she forced Seraphina down again.

Zeke moved instinctively to reach for her, but Zevon caught his arm.

"Not yet," Zevon said quietly.

"What do you mean ’not yet?’ " Zeke snapped.

"It means we shouldn’t do anything rash, and it means Theodora isn’t in there right now. It’s just her wolf fighting back, but it’s being locked down. Tell me, can you feel the mate bond?"

"A little," Zeke’s brow creased. He could barely feel it. The bond was clinging to Seraphina with everything it had.

"Me too,"

"What do we do?" Zeke asked finally.

"If Theo was truly erased, I don’t think there’s a way to bring her back," Zevon said, his body fuming with anger, "But one thing I know for sure is that we have to defeat Cain and the demon. We need to kill the demon and that way, the residue of Theo’s soul would have a chance of taking over her body,"

"Would that work?" Zeke glared at the demon. She was wearing his mate’s body and he wasn’t sure if he was ok with hurting it.

"I don’t know, Kai, but I believe it’s the only way,"

Theo’s lips parted in something almost pleased, "You both reek of loss."

Zeke’s eyes burned red, "You’re wearing her skin," he said, " And spitting her voice through your mouth."

The demon smiled wider, "And you are going to try to tear me out of it."

"Yes," Zeke said without hesitation.

"Good," Alcaeus let out a blooming laughter, "I was hoping you’d say that."

He rolled his shoulders once, and power surged outward, "Come," His Dark eyes darkened even further, brewing with unmatched strength, "Show me what death taught you,"

Zevon stepped fully beside Zeke now, the shadows locking into place around him like armour, "We already did," Zevon said, "It taught us who you are."

"And who is that?" Alcaeus asked.

"A mistake that needs to be ripped apart, and we would gladly do it right here, right now!"

For a heartbeat, the four of them stood locked in place.