Free Web NovelChapter 158: Chapter 158
Caden’s POV
I could feel it getting worse.
Every second that passed, Cane was slipping further away, and the hits he was landing were getting heavier, faster, and more dangerous than before, and I knew I could not keep standing there and just take it anymore because if I did, I would not last long enough to help him.
My ribs already hurt badly, my breathing was aghast and I could feel blood on my face, but I forced myself to focus because this was not about me.
This was about stopping him before he completely lost himself.
He swung again, aiming straight for my head, but this time I moved.
I caught his wrist mid-air, gripping it tightly and twisting just enough to throw his balance off before driving my shoulder into his chest and pushing him back a few steps.
That was the first time I actually fought back.
His head snapped up immediately, his eyes locking onto mine, and there was something in them now that made my chest tighten.
He was gone.
Not completely, but enough that the part of him that recognized me was barely there.
"Good," he growled, his voice rough and unstable. "Finally, you’re retaliating."
I did not respond.
I just steadied my stance and waited.
He came at me again, faster this time, his movements more aggressive, less controlled, and I met him halfway.
Our fists collided, the impact strong enough to send a shock through my arm, but I held my ground and drove my other hand into his side.
He barely reacted.
That was the problem.
The insanity was pushing him past normal pain. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
I stepped back slightly, then moved again, blocking his next strike and countering with a hit to his shoulder, forcing him to stagger just a little before he came back at me again with even more force.
We moved around the room like that, hitting, blocking, pushing, slamming into whatever was still standing.
Every impact made the space feel smaller.
More dangerous.
More out of control.
He grabbed my shirt and yanked me forward, his fist slamming into my stomach again, and I felt the pain hit hard, but this time I didn’t fold.
I drove my elbow into his jaw in response, forcing his head to snap to the side.
"Stay with me!" I shouted, my voice louder now, trying again to reach him.
He didn’t answer.
He just came at me again.
His hand caught my shoulder, gripping tightly before slamming me into the wall, and I felt the impact travel through my back, but I pushed off immediately, turning the movement into another strike that hit him across the side of his face.
This time, he reacted.
Not in a normal way.
He smiled.
And it was wrong.
There was nothing human in it.
"Better," he said, his voice low and rough.
My jaw tightened.
"Snap out of it," I said, stepping in again, not giving him space.
He lunged, and we clashed again, both of us moving faster now, both of us hitting harder, the room filling with the sound of fists connecting and things breaking under the force.
I could feel my strength starting to drain, but I pushed through it, forcing myself to keep going, to keep him focused, to keep him from turning toward anyone else.
Then suddenly—
The door burst open again.
My head turned instinctively.
"Uncle Caden!"
It’s Summer. Oh shit! Not now!
She ran in, her voice filled with panic, and for a split second, everything else faded because all I could think about was getting her out of here.
"Get back!" I shouted immediately, my voice sharp.
She froze for a second, clearly scared, clearly unsure what to do.
That moment—
That one moment—
Was all it took.
I turned slightly toward her, just enough to signal her to leave, just enough to make sure she understood, but I should not have looked away.
Because Cane saw it.
And he took it.
Before I could turn back fully, he moved immediately.
His fist slammed straight into my side, harder than anything he had thrown before, and I felt something give inside me as the force sent me crashing across the room.
My body hit the ground hard, and the impact knocked the air out of me completely.
I coughed, the pain hitting all at once, sharp and overwhelming, and I tasted blood immediately.
That was bad.
Really bad.
I tried to push myself up, but my body did not respond right away, my muscles refusing to cooperate as the pain spread through me.
Then I heard another sound.
Someone rushing in.
I forced my head up slightly, my vision still unsteady, and I saw her.
Our mother.
Her eyes widened the moment she saw the state of the room, the damage, the blood, me on the ground, and Cane—
She rushed forward without hesitation.
"Caden!" she called, her voice filled with panic as she moved toward me.
"No!" I tried to shout, but my voice came out strained, not loud enough, not fast enough.
Because Cane was already moving.
He turned toward her, his body reacting instantly, his movements sharp and dangerous.
Before she could reach me, he grabbed her.
His hand closed around her arm, yanking her back roughly, and the look on his face made my chest tighten in fear.
He did not recognize her.
Not at all.
"Cane, stop!" she said, her voice shaking but trying to stay calm.
He didn’t listen.
His hand moved to her throat.
And then he squeezed.
Her breath cut off immediately, her hands flying up to his arm as she struggled against his grip, her face tightening as the pressure increased.
"No!" I forced out again, my body finally responding enough for me to try and move.
I pushed myself up, ignoring the pain, ignoring the way my vision blurred for a second as I forced myself onto my feet.
But before I could take a step—
His foot came down hard on my chest.
The impact forced me back to the ground instantly, a sharp pain shooting through me as I coughed again, struggling to breathe properly.
He looked down at me, a low growl leaving his throat.
I tried to push his foot off, but my strength was not enough.
Not like this.
Not right now.
I looked up, my chest tightening as I saw our mother still in his grip, her movements weakening as the lack of air started to affect her.
"Let her go..." I forced out, my voice rough and strained.
He didn’t respond.
His grip tightened.
Her body started to go limp.
Panic hit me hard, pushing past the pain, pushing past everything else as I tried again to move, to do something, anything—
And then—
A sudden impact.
Hard.
Fast.
Someone crashed into Cane from the side, the force strong enough to knock him off balance completely and send him flying across the room.
He hit the wall with a heavy impact before dropping to the ground.
I sucked in a breath, my chest burning as the pressure lifted, my body finally able to move again as I pushed myself up just enough to see who had done it.
Cane lifted his head slowly, his expression still twisted, still dangerous as he turned toward the person who had just hit him.
And I followed his gaze. freewebnøvel.coɱ
Sebastian.
Standing there, his expression dark, his presence filling the room in a way that made everything feel even more intense.
Oh fuck! This won’t go well! Not Sebastian!
