PRIME APEX

The moment Dylan heard the words, he moved. He jumped over the armrest of his chair, twisting mid-air as he shifted out of his human form.

"Leighton, stay here. Don't leave this room," he ordered sharply.

Then, turning to his pack, he commanded, "Guard her. Make sure she's safe."

In an instant, his towering figure transformed into a massive, dark-furred wolf.

A powerful howl erupted from his throat—a war cry that echoed through the stone walls, shaking the den.

Without hesitation, Dylan charged toward the entrance.

Outside, the night was thick with tension. The cold wind carried the scent of blood and hostility.

Dylan's eyes locked onto the leader of the lycans.

"What the hell is this, Lukas? Why are you causing trouble in my territory?" Dylan growled, his voice full of fury.

The older Alpha stood tall, his presence just as dominant. His golden eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he tilted his head slightly.

"Dylan," he said smoothly, though there was a threat in his tone.

"You already know why I'm here. Where is she?"

Dylan stepped forward, his voice firm.

"She has nothing to do with you. She's under my protection."

Lukas let out a dry chuckle.

"Oh? I just want to see her. My scouts noticed something... unusual about her. Our clairvoyant saw the same. Now I need to confirm it."

Dylan bared his fangs.

"No. There's nothing to confirm. She's not meeting anyone."

Lukas raised an eyebrow.

"You really think I'll just accept that?" His tone darkened.

"I'm an Alpha too."

"So what? I don't care."

Lukas's smirk disappeared.

"Just let me see the girl."

Dylan's growl rumbled deep in his chest. "Over my dead body."

"Then you'll get what you asked for," Lukas said.

With a simple gesture from Lukas, the battlefield exploded into chaos.

Dylan lunged first, slamming into Lukas in a clash of raw power. The ground shook beneath them—claws raked, jaws snapped, muscle and fury collided.

The air filled with growls and the sickening sound of flesh being torn.

But Dylan wasn't alone.

Xander and Vlad moved like forces of nature, tearing through the enemy ranks with terrifying precision.

Vlad didn't rush. He simply stood, watching as the first wave of lycans charged at him in blind fury.

Then, he vanished.

A strangled cry split the night. One of the lycans jerked mid-stride, his body convulsing violently. Behind him, Vlad stood still, his fingers curling as if holding something unseen.

The lycan's bones snapped—his body twisting at unnatural angles before crumbling to the ground.

The other wolves hesitated.

Another attacked. Vlad exhaled softly, his eyes cold as steel. The moment the lycan stepped into his space, his body seized. His flesh withered, his eyes hollowed, and in seconds, he collapsed into dust.

The enemy pack faltered, fear creeping into their eyes.

Xander was pure destruction.

A massive lycan, twice his size, lunged at him. Xander caught him mid-air and slammed him into the ground so hard the earth cracked.

Another attacked from behind—Xander didn't even turn. He grabbed the attacker's wrist, twisted, and ripped the limb off.

Blood sprayed as the lycan howled in agony before Xander ended him with a brutal strike to the skull.

He tore through them, moving with deadly precision. No hesitation. No mercy.

Bodies fell around him—broken, bleeding, or fleeing.

Yet, while their forces collapsed, Lukas and Dylan were still locked in battle.

Dylan sank his fangs into Lukas's shoulder. Lukas roared in pain but retaliated, slamming Dylan into the ground with crushing force.

The dirt cracked beneath them.

Dylan barely rolled away in time as Lukas's claws slashed down, missing his throat by inches. Snarling, Dylan tackled him again, sending them crashing through the trees.

But Dylan was weakening. Blood dripped from his wounds. His breathing was ragged.

Lukas saw it. He grinned.

That's when Vlad and Xander stepped in.

Vlad moved first. One step—and he blurred, appearing behind Lukas. Before the lycan Alpha could react, Vlad pressed his fingers against the back of his skull.

"I wouldn't move if I were you," Vlad murmured, his voice a deadly whisper.

Lukas's body went rigid. His muscles locked. His breath hitched—he couldn't move.

Dylan, panting, wiped blood from his mouth and stared at Vlad in disbelief.

Vlad didn't even glance at him.

"He's yours."

Lukas collapsed to the ground.

Dylan hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward, fangs bared, ready to tear into Lukas's throat—

"Don't!"

The command cut through the battlefield like a blade.

All eyes turned to me.

The pack members guarding me stood behind me, looking both guilty and impressed.

"She insisted," one muttered. "She's stronger than she looks."

Then, to everyone's shock, Lukas moved.

He looked at me and murmured something—a chant in a language I didn't understand.

Suddenly, I felt it. My eyes glowed brightly for a moment before fading back to normal.

"So it's true," Lukas said, his voice low but firm.

Despite his injuries, despite the pain, he forced himself up. His limbs shook, his breath was ragged, but he made himself kneel.

His knees hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Then, lowering his head, he bowed—forehead pressed against the bloodstained earth.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

The remaining lycans froze, their eyes darting between Lukas and me.

Dylan, still tense, watched in disbelief.

Xander and Vlad stood still, their gazes sharp.

Lukas took a shaky breath.

Then, lifting his golden eyes to mine, he spoke words that sent a ripple through everyone present.

"My Queen."

Murmurs spread through the lycans. Some exchanged uneasy glances. Others, after a brief hesitation, slowly lowered their heads in submission.

My heart pounded.

Lukas, still kneeling, looked at me with something close to reverence.

"You are the one we've been waiting for," he whispered.

One by one, the lycans began to kneel.