"Theodore, you're dead meat today!" Drake roared. Thero and Edward rushed over. Seeing Theodore stagger back to his feet, they immediately grabbed Drake's arms and held him back. "Mr. Smith, let us handle this. You're still injured. You can't take him on." Drake's mental power was already fractured, and his physical wounds were nowhere near healed. Another fight could cost him his life. They were old anyway. They had lived for centuries, their lives rich and complete, so death held no terror for them. Theodore watched as Thero and Edward restrained Drake. A vicious, knowing grin spread across his face as he wiped a trickle of blood from his lip. He'd been right. Drake was still badly injured. Otherwise, those two ancient Drakonid fools would never dare stand in his way. "Hahaha!" Theodore's laugh echoed through the air. "I knew it, Drake! You're injured!"His arrogance surged again. "Every last one of you dies today!" Once Drake fell, the three domains would be his. "Who are you to think you can kill me?" Drake's gaze locked on Theodore, deadly and cold, but his hand rose to his hair, gently patting the spot where Remy hid. "Daddy, are you scared to fight because you're worried about me?" Remy's tiny voice whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, Daddy! I can protect myself. Go get him! Beat up the bad therian who insulted Mommy!" "You're sure you can keep yourself safe?" Drake asked again. Even injured, he was confident he could end Theodore. His only hesitation was the little fruit tucked in his hair. This was Emma's cub. If he threw himself into a real fight with Remy perched on his head, Emma would be frantic with worry. Emma hurried over. Her gaze flicked first to Remy. When she confirmed Remy was still safely hidden in Drake's hair, she let out a quiet breath of relief. She turned to Drake. "Just stall him for ten minutes. Lucien and Marcus are almost here." Lucien had just sent her another message. He and Marcus would arrive in ten minutes. Backing down was against Drake's very nature, yet for Emma and the tiny weight hidden within his hair, he pressed his lips together and gave a tight nod. "Got it. Don't worry. I'll keep you and Remy safe." "I trust you," Emma said. She did trust him, but she also knew he was injured. Avoiding a direct fight was by far the smarter choice. Theodore, who had used the lull to gulp down a healing potion, could already feel his wounds knitting shut. Watching Drake and the pretty little female whisper to each other, his patience finally snapped. He raised his hand, ready to unleash a killing strike at Drake. "Theodore, wait!" Emma caught the movement and shouted. "Don't you want to be the overlord of the three domains? Fine! Drake agrees to step down. And Kieran will pay whatever tribute you want." At her words, Theodore froze mid-cast. "You're serious?" Just then, Emma caught sight of two streaks—one white, one red—cutting across the sky. A triumphant smile spread over her face. "You moron. Of course it was a lie." She pointed straight at Theodore. "Marcus! Lucien! Take him down!" Before Theodore could even blink, a massive white shadow flashed into view, and its powerful jaw clamped down on his throat with a sickening crunch. Marcus had moved so fast that Emma barely had time to register what was happening. In the next instant, a tall figure appeared right in front of her. Lucien's gaze locked on his huntress he'd missed day and night. He pulled her into a desperate embrace. "Emma, I'm sorry. I'm late." "You're not late at all," Emma whispered, holding him just as tightly. "You're right on time." She'd thought she'd need to stall Theodore a few minutes longer, but they had arrived in the nick of time. A few yards away, Theodore unleashed his ability, tearing himself free from the massive white wolf's jaws. "Marcus?" The instant Theodore recognized the massive wolf that had attacked him, his pupils shrank to pinpoints of pure terror. Blood streamed from the gashes on his neck, and the lightning he'd used to break free had left searing burns across his body. Why is this demon king here? The instant he locked eyes with Marcus, Theodore spun and fled for his life. The massive white wolf watched him flee, eyes filled with contempt. "Pathetic trash!" He'd actually thought that Rank 11 therian might be worth something. Marcus shifted back into his human form. With a single casual step, towering walls of ice erupted from the ground, trapping Theodore inside."Don't kill me! Marcus, please don't kill me!" Theodore stumbled backward, voice cracking with panic as Marcus closed the distance. "I'm Rank 11! I'll serve you. I can do so much for you!" Marcus tilted his head, studying him with an expression of languid boredom. "I don't keep pets that make me want to vomit. So… do us all a favor and go to hell." The moment the words left his mouth, the ice walls burst into a storm of razor-sharp icicles that pierced Theodore from every direction. If a therian like him lived to fight the Chitinids, he'd turn on his allies the moment it suited him. Killing him was safer for everyone. Marcus looked down at Theodore's body, now impaled by countless ice spikes. He summoned a ball of blue flame in his palm and hurled it at him. Within seconds, the fire consumed Theodore completely, reducing him to ash. As the ice melted, water washed the ashes away, erasing every last trace that he'd ever existed.