Even with years of careful composure, I couldn’t hide my shock. This might have very well been the most surprising thing I had ever heard. Aksala started to say something multiple times but stopped. I could feel shock ripple through her, too.Alpha Raymond's face mirrored my own, but his was mixed with a sadistic sort of rage as he turned clench-fisted to his son. His shoulders lifted as he heaved mighty breaths, but no words came out, nothing but a guttural, choked sound.“Is that, is that even sanctioned?” an Alpha asked, stepping forward. I didn’t see him before so he must be Alpha Timothy who told me no in hiding. I crossed my arms gently and fixed him with a stare he eventually couldn’t look away from. It was apparent he was a small man, not in stature, but one that was given too much power, and that was the only thing he could wield over others. Elder John’s brows tugged together; he tilted his head and finally said, “I do think it is.” The crowd gasped, but I wasn’t sure i
I tilted my head as I danced toward Raymond. “Like my dress?” I asked, grabbing handfuls of the fabric and twisting this way and that. “It’s my funeral dress,” I stated demurely. “Thought it would be fitting.” I pinned him with a beatific smile. “I figured I would wear it tonight to forebode your little family reunion. I’m sentimental like that.” His face fell briefly, but it quickly hardened with anger. “How dare you, little bitch,” he spat, closing the space between us. I held my ground, unwavering, only tilting my head so I could assess his face hovering too close to me. “Who are you to speak of an heir's death?” he spat.I retrieved my dagger without breaking his gaze, got on my tip toes and leaned forward, pressing the tip of it against his throat. I recoiled at the proximity, but I reveled in the breath stolen from him. I whispered as close to his ear as I could. “I was responsible for their deaths, so I may speak on it.” I slipped something wrapped tightly into his pocket.
Earlier The Luna was tied up, her arms behind her in as tight of a knot as I could create from a bathrobe. She did manage to get a kick in as I tied her feet before I dragged her to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out to the ground floor of the new gardens.She was spitting a string of profanities and threats, but it was easy to ignore her.Well done - Aksala praised me as I stood to admire my work. She only needed to be held down for a few minutes, though.“Someone will come; someone will hear me!” her voice was panicked now, and I reveled in it. Finally, the fear that came with knowing what would happen to her. I was worried I wouldn’t get the satisfaction.“They won’t, though,” I responded. “Soundproof walls.” I glanced around for show. “The building plans are in your office,” I explained. “Also, your pervy sons would go on about how no one would hear me scream.” I tugged my lips into a brilliant smile. “Isn’t this just poetic?” I asked her.I think it is - Aksala agree
“Simone,” The Elder said incredulously.“No, you didn’t,” Alpha Jameson said at the same time, his brows tugged together, but he studied me standing over Raymond.“That bitch did,” Raymond rasped.Ezra moved closer, standing behind Raymond. His eyes seemed fearful, and he inched towards his brothers.My mouth formed a thin line. This wasn’t part of the plan. I didn’t really plan for the implications after Addison's very public death. That was on me… But boy, was it satisfying. This time, I knew it wasn’t just me; the silence that washed over everyone was tangible. I waited for someone else to speak. “Why?” Alpha Issac, Sam’s friend's father, asked me. Sam was by his side, looking at me wide-eyed. It almost hurt to have him see what I truly was, I never planned for that to happen, but it was freeing and not as if his disgust would be anything I wouldn’t expect.“What you might have heard is true. This man.” I scowled and pointed at Raymond. “Attacked my pack on a night we could not
He put his full force into it, but I ducked under him. When I turned on my heel, he was on the ground, shaking. His eyes bore into me, holding the hatred I had suppressed toward him for years.A slow smile spread across my face. “Going to shift already?” I asked, pouting. “That’s no fun.” I untied my pouch and cast it aside while Raymond fought for control over his wolf. “No, no, go on.” I motioned toward him, slowly removing my gloves. “I don’t want to keep your wife waiting in the afterlife for long.” His torrent of anger overtook him, and he roared. I sensed some of the others backing up further. When he saw he didn’t affect me, his face twisted into a horrible mix of disgust and confusion.“You-” he snarled.“Bitch, whore, something like that?” I asked, waving my black gloves in my hand. Tia appeared at my side and took my gloves from me, bowing her head. I didn’t know how she managed to get so close to an Alpha like this, and I admired and loved her for it.“Thank you, Tia,”
I internally damned myself as we howled in pain, my leg still in between human and wolf. We were forced to complete the transformation with our leg in his mouth.His wolf laughed, and we felt the vibrations against our torn leg as he pulled us back.My claws grasped for purchase. This body was new and unfamiliar. I knew how to fight in my human body; that was how I was trained. We have Alpha instincts - Aksala said through a whimper of pain - I know what to do. Okay - I responded, but even in my own mind, I sounded far away.I settled into the instincts, back into that place where only the fight mattered. Where pain didn’t exist, where nothing did besides the dance that made my blood sing. With our other back leg, we kicked his eye, clawing at it so he whimpered slightly, loosening his grip.We wiggled out of his grasp, clenching through the pain, and kicked his face with the good leg again. It wasn’t a hard blow, but it did make him step back, giving us a few more precious seconds
I stood over his dead body, swaying. I knew I had lost a lot of blood, and my skin was beginning to feel cold. The others seemed to push in closer to ensure he was actually gone of this world. I looked at Nova, who smiled for a split second before dropping her face back to warrior neutrality, but still, her golden eyes held that joy. I forced myself to look into the eyes of the other Alphas and Lunas here. “Alpha Raymond cheated to kill an entire pack, leaving only one,” I announced, my voice carried through the wind. “But this is what happens when you leave one single member of Blood Moon alive.” I paused, and many shifted their gaze. The fire crackled through me. “We do not forget a debt owed,” I looked at Alpha Alexander this time, the one who had repaid my ancestor's debt by being here and backing me today. “No matter what it is.”“My only advice to you is this.” My gaze was steel and my tongue a weapon forged from my anger and repaid blood. “Make sure you do it right and th
I woke with a sore throat, my head fuzzy, and my eyelids were heavy when I tried to open my eyelids for more than a second.My room came into view, and I scrambled to remember how I had gotten here but had nothing.Was it all a dream?“Simone,” a soft, thundering voice skittered over me and lit me up from within. “You’re awake.”I nodded or thought I did, my eyes drifting shut. I forced them open. I craved his face. I needed him to tell me it was real. His beautiful dark features came in and out of view.“You lose a lot of blood, my love.” A cool hand pressed against my forehead and then my cheek. I tried to turn toward it.“I called the pack doctor; they gave you something to help you sleep so your wolf could heal you after you were treated,” he explained. “How long?” I croaked.“Only a few hours,” he explained. That filled me with relief. “Everything is okay. It's all being taken care of. Go back to sleep.”I believed him. I had no option but to believe him, but I trusted him impl