The Four Protectors

Twenty Four

1st Person POV

We were finalizing our plans regarding what we were going to do once we got into the academy when we heard a large amount of commotion. I looked at Laura, who just shrugged. I was about to go check it out when the door burst open and a panicked Raphael entered the room.

His panic latched onto me when I didn't see Cassius behind him.

"What's going on? Where's Cassius," I asked urgently.

"He's, he's, I can't believe he just did that," Raphael muttered.

Laura rushed over to him, rubbing a hand down his back to calm him down. I just waited in tense silence. If it had Raphael looking so shaken up, I was definitely not going to handle this well.

"Raphael what happened," Laura pressed.

"He challenged our dad for Alpha and my dad accepted the challenge," Raphael choked out.

My mind tried and failed at processing his words. Challenging an Alpha for his position was usually a fight to the death and the Cassius I knew wouldn't kill his father. I didn't think I had it in me to stick around and find out if it that would hold true the other way around.

What had he been thinking?

Azriel rushed into the room with Desmond on his heels, practically tripping over each other as they came to an abrupt stop.

"We need to stop him," I said.

I was on my feet, rushing to stop this before it was too late with Desmond and Azriel at my side.

3rd Person POV

Cassius could see the shock on Michel's face as he drew the circle in the ground for the challenge. Everyone was waiting for him to withdraw, claim he'd just been acting out and walk away. Even his father was decidedly relaxed as he glanced between his son and the circle.

But Cassius had made his decision and he was determined to see it through.

Cassius was forced out of his thoughts when a hand landed on his shoulder and spun him around. Desmond's livid face appeared before him. Before Cassius could say a word, Desmond shoved him back aggressively.

Cassius fell on his butt in shock.

"What the actual hell were you thinking," Desmond lashed out.

He moved, presumably to do more damage but abruptly stopped. His hand was curled into a fist and had frozen midair. Cassius looked past Desmond to see Azriel's hands glowing with the dark purple magic, holding Desmond's fist in place.

Azriel swept his hand downwards and Desmond went flying back.

Desmond got up quickly, turning to Azriel with anger he'd never expressed towards any of them before, except perhaps Catherine. Azriel didn't back down, the lethal calm before the swirling storm that Desmond was before him. Even Michel had stopped drawing the circle to watch.

"He's made his decision Desmond," Azriel said firmly.

"Yeah. A foolish one," Desmond retorted angrily.

"The right decisions are often foolish," Azriel said softly.

"You know what, screw you. Screw all three of you. I'm not sticking around for this bullshit," Desmond spat out.