Marry to Alpha or Vampire?

Large branches rained down on Hawthorne’s head like droplets, scraping his exposed skin. Cyril was completely in berserk mode, and even though Hazel was his partner, it was evident she had thoroughly angered him.

Cyril landed on the ground, grabbing a jagged stone, prompting Hawthorne to reflexively position it in front of Hazel.

Hazel caught her breath, noticeably weaker after the battle’s exertion; the bloodlust had diminished somewhat.

“Shit! Went too hard!” Cyril, seeing Hazel heavily wounded, suddenly realized. His anger lessened with Hazel’s injuries, but upon seeing Hawthorne in front of him, rage surged again.

“Got it, undead.” Alpha Cyril’s body-furnace-hot-was ready for battle.

Adrenaline surged into Cyril’s veins, palms filled with a slashing sensation. The joints’ cracks protested, yet he felt no pain, entering a whole new level of combat readiness.

Behind Hawthorne, Cyril saw Hazel’s wavy hair and blood-red eyes. His heart rate accelerated; he charged at Hawthorne, colliding in a cacophony of physical impacts, scratches, heavy breaths, and hissing, signifying a potentially lethal battle for someone.

As for who, it became apparent in the decisive outcome of both fights. Hawthorne was about to lose, and they both needed help. Lilith and Hazel diverted their attention.

Lilith raised her wand, holding a red gem pendant, shouting an incantation at Hazel.

“Awaken, my love. Your blood has been inherited; I’ve waited too long for the arrival of the Dark World.”

“Awaken, my love.”

Hazel’s mind throbbed again, her contorted expression emitting uncomfortable growls.

“You’re strong enough, brave enough.”

Cyril’s past words flooded into her mind.

“Hazel, you can call me anytime.”

Rita’s words flashed in her mind. Her brain felt like a confluence of a rushing river, all information mingling, as if a drastic change was imminent.

“I… ah… I…”

Hazel’s consciousness toggled between herself and the vampire Cain. With immense strength, she pushed the giant tree over; Cyril and Hawthorne quickly separated on either side of the fallen trunk.

Could Hazel stand again?

Cyril was doubtful, but he felt a thread of Hazel’s mind link intruding into his consciousness. Perhaps the recent battle had depleted some of Hazel’s vampire powers?

Cyril wanted to seize the moment. He steeled himself, taking a deep breath. Swiftly, he lifted a large stone, positioning it above his arm, then forcefully pressed the sharp end into the mark on his skin. Intense pain engulfed Cyril and Hazel, both letting out agonizing screams simultaneously.

Cyril’s flowing blood was enough to capture every vampire’s attention, freezing them in place.

Hazel’s focus wavered with the brutal sound. Her eyes lingered on the scene for a moment, meeting Cyril’s gaze, pain and curiosity mingling in her expression.

The surrounding vampires hissed, the noisy clamor echoing through the forest. In Hazel’s mind, amidst the collision, she couldn’t be certain how she heard the low sound, but it felt strangely familiar.

Hazel’s heartbeat should have drowned it out, but in the instant Cyril stared into Hazel’s eyes, Rita forcefully reentered her body, emitting a familiar and furious wolf howl.

In that very moment, all the fighting abruptly halted. Too little too late, everything concluded before Lilith’s magic could take effect, and Hazel struggled to catch up with the current situation in her mind.

“You did it, my girl!” Rita roared triumphantly in Hazel’s mind.

Hazel swiftly shifted into wolf form, leaping onto a tall spruce, soaring half the height of a tree. Snatching the ruby from Lilith, she dropped to the ground, crouching to prepare for another leap.

Simultaneously, Cyril, as if in sync with Hazel-almost too fast to see-circled behind Hawthorne, grabbing Hawthorne’s arm when he was off guard. It appeared as if Cyril had delivered a fierce kick to Hawthorne and then lifted and slammed him onto the ground.

The small clearing resounded with Hawthorne’s excruciating, piercing screams.

Lilith quickly reacted, realizing the ruby had been snatched by Hazel. She ordered the robed wizards to surround the wolf pack; they must retrieve the ruby.

“Awakening completely requires the ruby; go get it back!” Lilith commanded all vampires and robed wizards.

Instantly, a crowd surged towards Hazel.

A contemptuous smirk appeared on Hazel’s wild wolf face as she crouched and leaped.

Mid-flight, a petite red object whooshed through the air, colliding with her. The impact echoed like an explosion, tossing her into another tree, breaking it in half. She stood up again, crouched, ready to attack.

“The ruby shattered!”

“King Cain’s memories!”

Vampires wailed one after another in a chorus of despair. No one expected Hazel to make such a move.

But Cyril was already in position. Hazel saw him standing there, unscathed. Hazel lightly kicked something away with her bare foot-the shard of the ruby that had disrupted her consciousness. It scattered towards Cyril, who recognized it.

Blood sprayed as Hazel was touched by the ruby’s blood. Her stomach churned, hands convulsing. Although she now had complete control over her power, the ruby’s blood continued to allure her.

Hawthorne clung tightly to a nearby tree, almost tearing it apart, his heterochromatic eyes filled with rage.

Now Hawthorne had no choice but to retreat. He stepped backward, and the wolf pack moved forward. His face contorted in agony.

Hazel charged at Hawthorne, the vampire clearly losing balance. Cyril saw Hazel’s teeth sink fiercely into Hawthorne’s shoulder, tearing forcefully, then leapt back.

A deafening, ear-piercing scream echoed as Hawthorne lost an arm. He shook his head, tossing the severed limb into the woods. Hissing intermittently escaped from between Hawthorne’s teeth, sounding almost like mockery.

In a pained plea, Hawthorne shouted, “Hazel!”

Hazel didn’t flinch at the sound of her name.

Hawthorne leaped forward, his strength akin to a wrecking ball. The impact propelled Hazel and Cyril into the woods, their screams matching the agony in Hawthorne’s cries. The screams abruptly ceased, replaced by the sound of trees being torn into pieces.

Hazel didn’t get close to Cyril. She stared at her mark, seemingly realizing that she was now alone. She began to retreat from Cyril, a sense of loss consuming her. Hazel understood that she had become a complete Hybrid. She glanced hurriedly at Cyril, filled with pain and reluctance, then began to retreat even faster.

“Hazel,” Cyril hummed gently, his voice carrying a seductive undertone, “don’t leave me.”

She turned like an arrow released from a bow, sprinting towards the shelter of the forest.

But Cyril was faster-like a bullet leaving the barrel.

At the edge of the woods, he caught her unprotected back. Cyril’s lips immediately grazed her mark, as if caressing it.

However, Hazel pushed him away abruptly, rebounding off a tree trunk with the help of it and swiftly escaping the forest.