What The Fox? (Completely Free!)

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

I placed Zhang's dagger on Daoming's chest, and with my spare hand, I reached out for Zurui's fallen body. I had never done anything like this before, but if General Teng believed it possible, perhaps it was.

With every mortal breath that left Daoming's weakening body, I used the power infused in the Zhang dagger to replace it with that of Zurui's Lycan self. Both men were mortally wounded, and on their own, both should have perished from their wounds.

But with my healing powers, I channeled Zurui's chi out of the meridians of his body and into Daoming. As Zurui faded, Daoming gained in strength. No, it wasn't just the strength of the dying former Alpha — I used the dagger to give him a new life, a power greater than any other living Alpha, even Alix.

It wasn't my intention to give Daoming the power to conquer empires. Instead, it was the will of the Zhang Dagger. It contained the spirit of emperors past given to them by the divine will of Jiutian Xuannü. The original blade whose soul was captured inside this blade was said to be a god slayer.

As I felt the power pass through me and into Daoming, I knew to be a god slayer was his destiny. I could only hope in his new form, he would finally see who his people truly are. After his transformation, his own kind were no longer not the frail mortal troops marching to death against a supernatural force but the hairy beasts he willingly sacrificed his mortal flesh to conquer.

"In your next life, may you see the error of your ways," I whispered as the transformation was complete. Daoming's eyes were as bright as the full moon now under his half-closed lids. His lashes were thicker now, and I imagined the hair over his body had grown as well.

Yet, that was nothing compared to how it will armor him when he transforms into his Lycan form. Now he was an Imperial Prince no more. He was a Lángrén.

"What did you do?" Alix gasped as he saw Daoming's shine from where he stood across the battlefield. Alix was limping a bit, and he was using General Teng's discarded firelance as a cane. "Are you trying to kill us all?"

"No," I replied as I laid Daoming's head on the ground. I tried to brush the blood and mud from my silken gown but only managed to smear it further. I stood up and regarded Alix with the full of intensity of my stare. "I gave you what you wanted, what you confessed to me to be your deepest desire."

"And what is that?" Alix exclaimed, throwing up his free hand in frustration. "To be ripped from limb to limb for your enjoyment, Wang Fei?" He used that term spitefully. Yes, he thought I enjoyed wearing these beautiful gowns, eating these lavish meals, and ruling beside my Qing Wang. But a Wang Fei I would never be. I knew that now, even as I knew in my heart that I would always love Julong.

Daoming wasn't Julong.

The man I once loved was dead even as he returned to my life wearing Imperial armor and waving a dragon saber. The rakish bandit I had once fallen in a bed of hay with was a thing of my imagination.

But my love for Alix was as real as the heat from the fires that threatened to consume us where we stood.

"I love you, Alix," I whispered and wrapped my arms around myself for strength. I needed to be strong to make that confession. "But I don't want to be your Luna. I don't want to live with you and your packmates. I think . . .neither do you."

"What?"

"Listen to me! You lived among humans in exile as I have. You love the humans as I do. Let's go back home, to my home, to the Xuyi mountains, where we can live in peace. Love in peace."

"I can't. Selene, I am the Alpha."

"You won't be for long," I chuckled as my eyes filled with tears. "Daoming will be the warrior that will defeat you. I know it because I created you with my powers, and just now, I created him. Trust me when I tell you, leave this battlefield and come with me. We can be happy together. Don't you want that?"

"I can't leave like a coward."

"If you fight him, you'll die. Then he'll take me as his bride. Is that what you want? Would you rather die than spend the rest of your mortal life with me? Better to perish with a Luna than live out your days with a wife?"

Alix shook his hand and backed away. I saw the firelance slip out of his hand.

"I-I can't, Selene. I'm sorry."

Alix turned and disappeared into the smokey clouds consuming the camp. I was left only with Daoming's rapidly awakening body. I collapsed to my knees and sobbed.