Chapter 67
Maximus
POV.
It was a baby, a little boy with black hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked just like... Me?!
"What is this?" I asked, pointing towards the baby.
Melezo grinned slyly. "Oh, that? That's your son Maximus."
I was shocked, my mind racing as I tried to process what Melezo was saying. Felicity was pregnant? With MY child? How was that possible?
Melezo continued, his voice laced with malice. "Congratulations, Maximus. You're a father."
I was overwhelmed with emotion, grief and anger and fear all warring within me. I looked at Felicity, then back at the baby, then at Melezo. "What do you want?" I growled, feeling a sense of desperation.
Melezo smiled again, almost taunting me. "Simple. I want your throne. And I want Felicity by my side."
I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching in rage. "Over my dead body," I spat.
Melezo merely shrugged, as if my words were meaningless to him. "So be it. We'll settle this once and for all. You and me, Maximus. One on one. Winner takes all."
I knew what he meant. This wasn't just about me, or even Felicity, anymore. It was about the entire Lycan race. Melezo wanted to be the alpha, and he was willing to destroy everything and everyone to get what he wanted. Melezo turned to one of his guards in the room and said, "Open her cell."
The guard quickly moved to the door of the cell and opened it, freeing Felicity and our baby. As soon as they were out of the cell, I made a move towards them.
But the guards quickly stepped in front of me, blocking my path. I struggled against them, yelling, "Let me go!"
But the guards were unyielding, and they led Felicity and our baby straight to Melezo.
Melezo smirked as Felicity stood trembling next to him, clutching our crying baby tightly. "Ah, Felicity. So good to see you again. You'll make a lovely queen by my side."
Melezo looked us over with a cold, calculating gaze. After a moment, he turned to the guards and said, "Take her to the ravine."
Fear gripped me as the guards led Felicity to a door. They opened it, revealing the deep, dark chasm of a ravine below.
One of the guards grabbed Felicity by the hair with his right hand and took hold of our baby's collar with his left.
Then, he turned to me and said, "Choose, Maximus. Choose between your throne and your family."
I seethed with anger, my eyes locked on Felicity and our child. "You leave her out of this. Let her go, Melezo."
Melezo only laughed. "Not until you make a choice, Maximus. Your throne or your family."
The guard holding Felicity tightened his grip on her hair, causing her to wince in pain. "Choose now, or both of them meet their end."
I struggled to make a decision that no one should ever have to make. But in that moment, I knew what I had to do.
The situation was dire. Melezo had us at his mercy, and he was forcing me to choose between my throne and my family. Felicity was in tears, begging me not to let him do this to us.
But Melezo was relentless, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "It's either one or the other, Maximus. Time's running out."
I could feel the weight of the decision crushing me. This was our entire lives on the line, and it was up to me to make the choice.
"Felicity, I won't let anything happen to you or our child," I promised, turning to her. "I'll choose the throne and find a way to get you both out of here."
Melezo stood there with a wicked grin on his face, and I seethed with anger. "You dare harm a child and a mother?" I growled.
Melezo shrugged. "I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want. And I want Felicity and the throne," he said, eyeing her hungrily.
I glared at him. "You're insane, Melezo. I'll never let you have her or my throne."
The guard holding Felicity and our baby tightened his grip, making her wince in pain. "Choose, Maximus. Your love or your child?" he taunted.
I took a step forward, but another guard blocked my path. "You'll have to go through us first," he said, brandishing his weapon.
I looked at Felicity and our baby, tears streaming down her face. "Please, don't hurt my baby," she begged.
One of the guards grabbed Felicity by the hair with his right hand and took hold of our baby's collar with his left.
Melezo chuckled. "Oh, I won't hurt him...yet. But you need to understand the gravity of the situation. You are mine now, Felicity. And your child is just a means to an end."
I felt a surge of rage and fear. How could he be so heartless?
With every passing moment, the tension grew thicker. I struggled against the guards, my eyes never leaving Felicity and our baby. "I won't let you have her," I said, my voice filled with determination.
Melezo shook his head. "Then I guess we have a stalemate. But don't worry, Maximus. I have other ways to get what I want."
With that, the guard holding Felicity dragged her and our baby towards the edge of the ravine, a cruel grin etched across his face.
"No! Please, don't!" Felicity screamed, trying to wrench herself and our baby out of the guard's grasp.
Melezo just laughed and gestured towards the edge. "Do it."
"No! Don't do this," Felicity screamed, trying to cling onto our baby with all her strength.
Melezo chuckled. "You should have thought about that before you crossed me," he taunted.
My heart was pounding in my chest as the guard moved closer to the edge of the ravine, his grip on Felicity and our baby tightening with every step.
"Please, alpha Melezo. I'll do anything. Just don't hurt my baby," Felicity begged, her voice cracking.
Melezo shook his head. "It's too late for that. Maximus defied me. Now it's time to face the consequences."
But then, suddenly, the guard holding our baby lost his grip, and he tumbled towards the edge of the ravine.
I felt my heart stop beating, I was crazy in all directions trying to free myself but impossible, I could not transform either because he had put a collar on me that prevented me from turning into my wolf form, Melezo, that son of a bitch had it all planned. "NOOOOOOOO!" Felicity screamed, her body wracked with sobs. I collapsed, it was the end, I had failed.