An Alpha's Forbidden Mate-Chapter 34: Evolved Forms

Chapter Thirty Four

The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, its pale light slicing through the tall arched windows of the guest quarters. Tom stepped into his room, his mind still lingering on the warmth of Caroline’s breath against his neck, only to have his blood turn to ice. A figure was perched in the high-backed chair, draped in shadows so thick they seemed to swallow the moonlight.

Tom didn’t hesitate. He dropped into a low battle stance, his muscles coiling like springs. His flesh, tempered by weeks of brutal training, felt like iron plates beneath his skin. I didn’t expect the King to send an assassin so soon, he thought, his eyes narrowing as he scanned for a weapon.

Then, the shadow shifted. The light hit a familiar, scarred face, and the menacing pressure in the room vanished.

Tom let out a long, ragged sigh of relief, his shoulders slumping. "Why do you keep doing this, John?."

John let out a dry, rasping laugh that echoed against the stone walls. "I’m a Shadow Crescent wolf, kid. Moving through the dark isn’t a choice; it’s my nature."

Tom sat heavily on the edge of his bed, the adrenaline leaving him shaky. "I thought you’d left me here to rot. I haven’t seen a trace of you since the combat trial. I thought maybe the King finally got to you."

John ignored the concern entirely, his gaze fixing on the door Tom had just entered through. "You do realize it can’t work between you two, right? You and the Princess."

Tom bristled, his jaw tightening. "You never know."

"Oh, I think I do," John countered, leaning forward until his face was inches from the moonlight. "Did it ever cross that thick skull of yours that her father might have told her to seduce you? Think about it, Tom. I knew you were Luna’s brother within minutes of meeting you, but I didn’t realize you were this dumb. A pretty girl smiles, and you forget you’re in the middle of a snake pit."

Tom stood up, pacing the small confines of the room. "What do you want, John? You didn’t break into my room at midnight just to give me dating advice."

"I came to check on your progress," John said, his eyes tracking Tom’s movement with predatory focus. "I see you’re doing well. Better than I expected, actually."

"As you can see, I’m doing fine," Tom snapped.

"Are you?" John’s voice dropped. "Ever since you evolved, have you noticed anything... strange? Any odd sensations in your blood?"

Tom stopped pacing. "No. Apart from the fact i can’t shift, John. Not since I stepped foot in this kingdom. It’s like the wolf inside me is trapped behind a wall I can’t climb."

John nodded slowly. "That’s the nature of this realm. The ’Great Suppression’ domain that maintains this kingdom acts as a filter. It targets pure bloodlines like ours—it recognizes the frequency of our power and dampens it. It’s a perfect cage built specifically for intruders."

"Then why aren’t the people here affected?" Tom asked. "I saw them in the city today. They move, they fight, they thrive."

"Because they are echoes," John explained, a hint of disdain in his voice. "Their bloodlines are fractured. Mixed. They are the descendants of unions between different supernatural races. Because their power is diluted, the domain doesn’t recognize them as a threat. It makes this place a perfect habitat for the weak to rule, while the pure-blooded are stripped of their fangs."

Tom slumped back onto the bed. "I’ve been trying to tap into the power I felt during the trial. My evolved form. But every time I reach for it, there’s nothing but static. I’ve been training exactly the way you taught me."

"I was waiting for you to say that," John replied, a smirk playing on his lips. "When I trained you, I knew the realm’s domain was already pressing down on you. I pushed you to the brink because I knew your body would be forced to adapt in a way that bypassed the suppression. That adaptation is what triggered your evolution. I just didn’t expect you to skip the line so drastically."

"What do you mean ’skip the line’?"

John leaned back, his eyes taking on a distant, instructional tone. "Evolved forms aren’t just a power-up, Tom. They are a hierarchy. Most wolves, if they even evolve at all and enter the Basic Crest Stage. Like the Elemental forms—Lighting, Ice, Fire, Earth, Water. They boost a werewolf’s base stats by 200 percent and allow them to harness the natural elements. They are powerful, yes, but they are predictable."

John paused, waiting for Tom to catch up. Tom just looked at him blankly.

"Didn’t you listen to a single teaching the elders gave every full moon?" John asked, sighing.

"I... no," Tom admitted, looking at the floor. "I usually skipped those. My sister was the only one who went for those ."

John shook his head. "Well, pay attention now. Above the Basic Crests lies the Advanced Crest Stage. This usually only happens when a wolf evolves for the second or third time over decades of life and death combat. That’s why I was stunned during the trial. You didn’t become a Fire wolf or an Earth wolf. You directly manifested a Silver Crest—a high-tier Advanced form."

Tom’s eyes widened. " Then how did i —."

"Talent? Or maybe it was just pure dumb luck," John shrugged. "But don’t get arrogant. Even a Silver Crest wolf is nothing compared to the Transcendent Stage wolf. A Transcendent wolf can easily cause natural disaster with just a single thought. They are walking catastrophes. And then... there are the myths of the Divine Stage, but those are just stories for pups. I don’t believe in superstition."

"If I’m an Advanced class," Tom pressed, his frustration returning, "why am I stuck? Why can’t I use it?"

"Because you’re trying to punch your way through a mental lock," John said. "The training I gave you was for your flesh. It made you a tank. But an Advanced form like the Silver Crest requires a focused mind. You aren’t training your muscles anymore; you’re just training your spirit to exist alongside the suppression and it isn’t going to work."

That’s exactly what Caroline said, Tom thought, the realization stinging. He looked at John, desperate. "I don’t know how to do that. I’m trapped in this palace. I can’t exactly go on a retreat."

John stood up, the shadows around him beginning to writhe like living smoke. "Relax, Tom. I’ll teach you. Your training starts tomorrow."

Tom scoffed. "And how are you going to teach me that? You’re a Shadow Crest Omega. Your power is about stealth and physical evasion, not the mind."

A sudden, sharp knock at the door cut through the conversation.

"Who’s there?" Tom called out, his heart jumping. He looked at John. "Are you expecting anyone?"

"No," John whispered, his form already beginning to dissolve. "I guess I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Wait!" Tom lunged toward the shadows. "I still have questions! The man in the suit I saw you with—who was—"

He grabbed at nothing but air. John didn’t just walk away; he disintegrated into fine, dark particles that vanished into the cracks of the floorboards, leaving the room silent and smelling faintly of ozone and rain.

The knock came again, louder this time, demanding an answer.

"Who is it?" Tom asked, his voice thick with frustration.

"Olivia," the voice replied.

Tom pulled the door open to find the King’s personal attendant. She was dressed in her usual maid’s uniform, but she stood with a poise that suggested she was far more dangerous than she appeared.

"What do you want?" Tom snapped.

"The King requests your presence," Olivia said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Tom glanced at the moon. "At this hour? It’s past midnight." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Immediately," she countered.

"What is this about?"

"I wouldn’t know, Master Tom. I am just a humble maid."

Tom didn’t believe her for a second. He knew her eyes were too sharp, her movements too calculated for a servant. He took a moment to compose himself, pulling on his boots and smoothing the dark blue shirt Luna had given him. He followed Olivia through the twisting, torch-lit corridors of the palace. The silence of the night made every footfall echo like a drumbeat.

As they approached the throne room, Tom felt a familiar weight settle in his gut. The last time he had been here, he had been in chains, facing a death sentence. He remembered the King’s mocking gaze, the way he had treated Tom like a rabid animal to be put down or broken.

He has to pay, Tom thought, his fingers curling into fists. For trying to kill me, for treating my family like prey... those who want me dead must be ready to die first.

Olivia pushed the heavy oak doors open. The throne room was vast and freezing. At the far end, the King sat upon a throne that seemed to grow out of the stone itself, positioned high atop a steep flight of stairs. He was draped in furs, his face a mask of absolute, chilling indifference. There were no elders tonight—only the King and the cold.

Tom stopped at the base of the stairs, refusing to kneel. He looked up, meeting the King’s eyes.

The King leaned forward, his voice a low rumble that seemed to come from the walls themselves. "Do you know your crime, boy?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with the threat of execution. Tom didn’t flinch. He stood his ground, the silver power deep in his blood flickering for the briefest of moments, like a spark in a dark room.