Adrian knew Lex Luthor was being watched by the Owl Council. The assassins they sent could strike at any moment, and he would never risk bringing that danger into their home. Once Lex stepped foot inside, conflict would follow—and the Kent farm would be caught in the middle.
He would never allow a wolf to be welcomed into the house. Not while he was here.
"Can't I?"
Clark's voice carried surprise as he caught the dangerous edge in Adrian's gaze.
"I won't agree to it."
Adrian's eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. "This will destroy this home."
"Destroy?" Clark repeated, frowning. "Why would you say that? It's just a party, Adrian. A few friends. A private occasion."
"A party among a few friends?" Adrian let out a short laugh. "You're too naïve. Do you honestly believe your friends won't brag? That the whole school won't find out? And do you think for a second that high school kids, drunk on hormones and the promise of free beer, would stay away? No, Clark. Once that horde shows up here, this place will be ruined."
Clark crossed his arms, shaking his head. "You're exaggerating. It won't get that bad. I can handle it."
"You always think you can handle everything," Adrian said coldly, rising from his chair. "And every time, you fail."
He stepped closer, his presence looming like a storm cloud. "When it matters, Clark, you'll listen to me."
Clark bristled at that, his own temper sparking. "You always act like you know everything. Like you're above it all. Just like with Coach Watt—you had answers but never shared them. You keep me in the dark, but then expect me to follow your rules without question. I can control this. It's my gathering, and I won't let you stop it."
With those words, Clark turned sharply and blurred into motion, super-speed carrying him toward the door.
But before he could even take two steps outside, Adrian was already there, standing in his path.
"Nothing bends to your will, Clark," Adrian said in a low, steady tone. "Canceling this is the right choice."
Clark's jaw tightened. "I already told Lana and Lex. If you don't like it, call Mom and Dad. But don't expect me to back out. I'd rather stand by my word than crawl away like a coward."
His stubbornness flared, meeting Adrian's cold authority head-on.
Adrian took another step forward, blocking him completely. His eyes glinted with restrained menace. "Then you'll stay here today and think about your choices. If you insist on letting that parasite Lex Luthor into our home, I won't hesitate to stop you."
Clark's eyes narrowed. "You can't trap me, Adrian."
"You know your speed doesn't match mine." Adrian's tone was flat, emotionless. "Unless you defeat me, no matter where you run, I will find you. You'll never escape me."
Clark clenched his fists. His voice wavered between defiance and frustration. "I know I've always been behind you—slower, weaker. My powers came later. I've struggled just to catch up to you. But I've been trying every single day, Adrian. You've never once looked back to see me closing the gap."
Adrian's brow twitched. "Are you saying I don't understand you?"
"Exactly," Clark said, his voice thick with resentment. "You don't understand me at all. Not the way I am now."
That admission only made Adrian's smile curl. "Good. Then let's test it. Show me how much I don't understand."
The tension between them broke like a thunderclap.
Boom! Boom!
Air cracked and split, shockwaves rippling outward as their powers collided. The farmhouse doors rattled violently shut, and the ground itself shuddered beneath them.
Then, in a blur, both brothers vanished into the fields.
Cornstalks bent and tore as two trails of compressed air carved through the crops, racing toward the plains. Clark pushed his speed to its limits, his heart pounding as the world blurred into streaks of color. Wind roared in his ears, and for a fleeting moment, exhilaration filled him.
So this is what it feels like. To become pure speed. To feel unstoppable.
But the triumph didn't last.
CRACK!
Behind him, an ear-splitting sonic boom split the air. Trees along the roadside shattered as shockwaves tore them apart. The atmosphere itself buckled, bursting outward with explosive force.
The shockwave slammed into Clark before he could react, hurling him off his feet. He hit the forest floor hard, dirt exploding beneath him as his body plowed a trench into the earth.
"Cough… cough…"
He spat dirt from his mouth, groaning as dizziness washed over him. Forcing his eyes open, he looked up—and saw Adrian standing over him. Calm. Cold. Unmoved.
Clark's breath caught. His voice trembled with disbelief. "That… that was a sonic boom?"
Adrian only stared, expression unreadable. His shadow loomed large, his presence oppressive. In that moment, Clark realized just how far the gap between them truly was.
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