Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 347: Face to Face with Power

Roderick and the five most powerful magic wielders took the vials. The antidote coursed through their bodies, shielding them from the poisonous mist that choked the palace halls.

For Roderick, swallowing the cure was a bitter act. He felt undeserving—there were others, more selfless, who had exerted themselves endlessly to create the antidote, and he had done far less.

But the mages insisted. They needed him. Roderick knew the palace better than anyone alive. More importantly, the emperor still trusted him.

If they were to stop the emperor and the demon he had collaborated with, they needed someone on the inside—someone who could open the right doors, guide them through the shadows, and get them close.

Even with all their arcane might, the magic wielders couldn’t defeat the emperor in a direct confrontation. Not alone, not together. Not if he was ready for them. In a fair fight, they would lose.

But with Roderick, it wouldn’t be a fair fight.

Roderick led the magic wielders into the palace, positioning them strategically at key points throughout the corridors. There was no detailed plan—only a single, unwavering directive: stop the emperor by any means necessary. The rest was left to their instincts.

"I won’t hold it against you if things don’t go as planned," Roderick told them. "I’ll help when I can, but I won’t always be there. There will come a moment when you’ll have to rely on your own judgment—act fast, act decisively. When that moment comes, don’t hesitate. Just do it."

The moment came, and Roderick was there to witness it.

He watched as Emperor Kaan pursued the Blood Moon child and the werewolves, relentless in his chase. Then, a clash erupted: a brutal one-on-one between the emperor and the Alpha.

For a moment, it seemed Kaan might lose. But then something shifted—something dark. Roderick wasn’t aware of Thessara’s hidden presence. All he knew was that the emperor seemed overtaken, consumed by his pact with the demon.

Hidden behind a shimmering, transparent veil conjured by the mage, Roderick and the mage stood close to the battlefield. The illusion masked them completely—unseen, even though they were just steps away. They watched as the emperor struck down the werewolf with frightening ease.

"He’s after the Blood Moon child," Roderick whispered, urgency tightening his voice. He reached for the mage’s hand. "We can’t let him reach her. She’s the only one who can destroy the demon. We have to stop him."

The witch hesitated, glancing around in search of an answer. Then, her eyes sharpened with sudden clarity. "I’ll cast a confusion spell," she said quickly. "It’ll trap him in a loop—he’ll wander the same space over and over. It’s not strong; once he realizes it, he’ll break free."

"That’s good enough," Roderick said, his voice low. "Maybe all we need is a little time."

The witch nodded and began casting. She closed her eyes, raised her arms, and aimed her open palms toward the emperor. A faint glow pulsed around her as the spell took hold. freewebnøvel.com

They watched as Emperor Kaan unknowingly walked the same corridor, exited the same door, and circled back again—trapped in the illusion. The spell bent space like a loop, and he was caught inside it.

But the witch was growing weaker. Her shoulders trembled, and sweat beaded on her brow. The magic tethered itself to her completely. If she rested, if she faltered, even for a moment, the illusion would vanish.

"Just a little longer," Roderick whispered, almost pleading.

And then... it broke.

Something in Kaan’s expression changed. He slowed. Looked around. His gaze sharpened. The moment he sensed the trick, the spell unraveled—snapped apart like thread pulled too tight. It didn’t matter how strong the witch was. He’d seen through it.

"What do we do now?" the witch murmured, panic edging into her voice.

They were still hidden behind the mage’s veil, invisible for now. Safe if they stayed silent.

But Roderick couldn’t just hide. He thought of the others. Of the promise he’d made. Of every mage who had sacrificed themselves, believing they would be revived and saved.

He turned to the witch and said quietly, "Don’t make a sound. No matter what happens, stay hidden."

Then he stepped beyond the veil and faced the emperor.

"Roderick," Emperor Kaan said, slowly tasting the name like poison on his tongue. His eyes narrowed, burning with betrayal as he glared at his former aide.

He hated Roderick, yes—but he hated himself more. How could he have been so foolish? Trusting anyone, even his most loyal subordinate, had always been a mistake. Roderick had served him faithfully for years, but deep down, there had always been hesitation in the man’s eyes.

This man would never understand the magnitude of his vision.

"I didn’t think you had it in you," Kaan said calmly. Still, a part of him, twisted and begrudging, was impressed. Roderick had played his role well, hidden his defiance deep beneath obedience. If he’d shown this kind of cunning earlier, perhaps Kaan might have used him more effectively.

"Your Majesty," Roderick said carefully, "please reconsider. I believe you’re destined for greatness. I don’t doubt that. But destroying the world isn’t the path to that greatness. You’re climbing the wrong throne."

Kaan’s expression shifted. The smile faded, and his jaw tightened. His gaze darkened.

"I haven’t killed anyone who didn’t deserve it," he said coldly. "Don’t twist it into something grotesque. I know the value of power. Power is useless without subjects to kneel before it."

But that wasn’t Roderick’s point. Kaan had shown time and again that he was willing to sacrifice anything, anyone. Even children. Even the innocent. To him, the ends always justified the means.

"You’re no different," Kaan said suddenly as if reading his thoughts. "Don’t pretend you’re clean. We both get our hands dirty. The only difference is I’m not ashamed of it."

Roderick clenched his fists. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. But I won’t let you leave this corridor. The demon you’ve allied with is evil. You know it. Whatever it’s promised you, it’s a lie. It has its own plans."

"Then you’ll become one of those who deserve to die."

Kaan’s gaze turned sharp, unblinking. "Then you’ll be counted among those who deserve to die."

He wanted to ask how Roderick had survived the poisonous mist, but Thessara’s influence gripped him too tightly. And when Thessara grew impatient, Kaan’s body moved on its own, lunging toward Roderick with lethal force.

He could do nothing to stop it.

Kaan struck first.

He moved like a shadow, too fast for the eye to follow—too fast for Roderick. Thessara’s power coursed through the emperor’s veins, enhancing every step, every blow, until he was little more than a blur of destruction.

Roderick had never bested him in a duel before, and deep down, he knew this would be no different. But he didn’t flinch.

As Kaan lunged, Roderick unleashed his vampiric aura. It wasn’t enough to stop Kaan, but it bought him seconds. He aimed a strike, but Kaan was already gone. Then, in a flash of movement, Kaan was behind him.

Fangs grazed Roderick’s neck, sharp enough to draw blood but not pierce deeply. He flung himself backward, staggering toward the window. His breath came shallow. His vision blurred.

Thorin had wounded Kaan’s arms earlier to block the full use of his vampiric strength. Still, even wounded, he was too strong. Roderick could feel it. Every movement he made was a struggle. His aura wavered.

"You don’t have to do this," he said. "Ol’gaz’s only using you. You’ll lose yourself."

"Then I’ll lose myself in power," Kaan whispered. He came at Roderick again, and this time, there was no time to dodge.

Fangs dug into Roderick’s chest, tearing through flesh and bone. He cried out, stumbling back, but stayed on his feet. Blood soaked through his tunic, dripping onto the marble floor.

He tried one last burst of power. He could feel Kaan falter under the wave of it just for a heartbeat. But it wasn’t enough.

Kaan was already upon him again, driving him to his knees. Roderick could barely lift his arms.

Kaan stood over him, pressing him with his legs and broken arms as he crouched down and sucked him. He drained Roderick completely out of his blood.

Roderick’s body collapsed beside the shattered window. His last breath left him without sound. No grand farewell. Just silence.

A loyal man, fallen for a world that might never understand his sacrifice.