Chapter 13
Viol
Furious tears streamed down my face as I raced away from Poppy.
How could I be so stupid? How could I let this happen to him?
Angry flames ignited in my throat, but I was forced to swallow them. My throat was hoarse from shouting, and the ashes stung bitterly as they went down.
Why didn’t the alphas listen to anything I said? They weren’t like my brothers. This was no family. This clan was evil, rotten from the inside out.
And I was too fucking naive to see the truth. I’d stood idly by and let those bastards put Poppy in danger.
I choked back a sob as my final image of Poppy flashed in my mind. His sweet face trapped in a cage of polar bear fangs, an inch away from death.
How could I be so useless?
“Fuck!”
I slashed the ground with my talons, sending a spray of snow into the air. I breathed in frantic bursts. I was crying too hard to catch my breath.
“I’m so stupid!”
I threw myself against the ground like a sack of trash, writhing and beating my paws against my head. If only my wings worked, I could’ve snatched Poppy and flown away from this wretched place.
But even if my wings weren’t injured, I was too much of a damned coward. I’d balked at the idea of hurting his clan mates, and Poppy paid the price for my indecision.
Grimacing, I stared down at my scaly palms. Hunting animals to eat was one thing... but inflicting harm on another person? Could I be capable of that? Was I supposed to be? Was that my fate as an alpha?
My body slumped against the slope. I was drained to my core. But there was no time to brood. Poppy was in danger, and if I didn’t act fast...
A shudder rippled across my scales. I wouldn’t allow my thoughts to go there, because it wasn’t going to happen.
Pull yourself together, asshole! Poppy needs you!
I shook myself and stood with fresh determination.
There was no time to feel sorry for myself when Poppy was in danger.
His safety came first. I had to get him out of the clan alpha’s private quarters, but how?
Rushing in raring for a fight wouldn’t work.
Even if I fought off every bear and wolf, Konrad would just threaten to hurt Poppy again.
I needed to be stealthy. Preferably with the help of somebody on the inside. But none of those bastards stepped in to help Poppy when he was suffering.
Then again, neither did I...
I swore at myself under my breath. The only person I knew was Sorrel—and he was enamored with Konrad. Where was his deepest loyalty? To his loving brother, or the fucking tyrant?
Dusk settled over the tundra. The sun was swallowed up, drenching the clan grounds in total darkness.
It gave me enough cover to move. I shifted back to human form, thankful for my black clothes, and carefully shuffled towards the territory’s edge.
My chest felt tight with unease. I’d never been so nervous.
But I wasn’t worried about myself. Poppy was my only priority.
Just thinking about him hurt my heart. Sweet, gentle Poppy. He didn’t fucking deserve this. And I’d stood there and let it happen.
Gritting my teeth, I scanned the perimeter only to find it strangely empty. No wolf or bear patrolled the area. The clan was uncomfortably silent.
Is it always like this? I thought.
I took a tentative step closer to the nearest building, pressing against its shadow. The walls seemed thin and cheap, the opposite of soundproof, but I heard nothing. It was quiet inside. Almost like nobody was allowed to speak.
My stomach fell. Every second I spent in this place disturbed me. I had to grab Poppy and get the hell out of here.
When I still had the high ground, I’d spotted what I assumed was Konrad’s private quarters. It was the only building with a splash of red paint on its door, and it stood on an elevated ridge.
My pulse quickened as I crept closer. For a control freak, Konrad’s security was oddly lax. But why? On one hand, it was difficult to imagine frequent outsiders in this barren place. But on the other, I was an intruder today. Didn’t Konrad think I’d be back?
I stopped as a horrible thought struck me. I hadn’t stayed to fight. I’d turned tail and run. If Konrad assumed I wouldn’t return, what if Poppy thought that, too?
My hand slapped over my chest, my fingers twisting into my leather jacket right over my heart. I couldn’t fucking handle the idea of Poppy thinking he was abandoned and alone. That I’d left him behind.
Poppy, I swear I’m coming...!
The sudden sound of approaching footsteps jarred me. I ducked low to the ground, staying out of sight behind the corner of a building.
A young man walked up the steps to Konrad’s private quarters. His cheeks were full and pink with boyish youth, but his expression was steeled. His face looked vaguely familiar. I realized with a start that it was Sorrel’s human form.
I bit my lip.
Shit... Should I ask for his help to save Poppy? Is that why he’s here, to bargain for his brother’s release?
But doubt wormed through me. Sorrel had looked disappointed and angry when Poppy made that big scene, even though it was for his sake.
Feeling sick with pity, I ground my teeth. You idiot. You’re too young to know how fucked up this is!
Konrad was a piece of shit for taking advantage of Sorrel’s naivete. And not just Sorrel. He took advantage of every other omega in this sorry excuse for a clan. He forced them to bend to his whims and orchestrated every aspect of their lives. He used them.
But Konrad was especially evil for preying on Sorrel’s crush on him.
The hair on the back of my neck bristled angrily, threatening to shift into dragon spines. I forced them to lie flat before I lost control. I couldn’t shift here—I’d draw too much attention to myself.
But I should’ve trusted my dragon instincts... This place is rancid.
I need to save Poppy... and Sorrel, too.
As my thoughts raced, Sorrel took a deep breath and knocked on Konrad’s door. I had to admit, the kid was brave. It must’ve taken guts to confront his clan alpha.
The door swung open. Konrad’s human form matched his bear. He was a towering wall of a man with a severe haircut and smug expression. It turned sickly sweet when he laid eyes on Sorrel, who instantly began to tremble.
“Sorrel,” Konrad greeted. “What a surprise.”
He stepped outside and shut the door promptly behind him, then leisurely descended the steps, almost as if leading Sorrel away from the house.
My heart pounded. If they left, this would be the perfect opportunity to slip in and save Poppy. But watching Konrad interact with Sorrel sickened me. I didn’t want to leave Poppy’s younger brother alone with that man.
Narrowing my eyes, still crouched low and out of sight, I felt intensely responsible for Sorrel’s safety. Sitting on the sidelines was not an option. If Konrad made one wrong move, I had to act.
“I’m so sorry, I know I’m not supposed to be here, but I just had to come see you,” Sorrel blurted. His eyes were glued to the clan alpha, and he moved as Konrad moved, following his lead further from the house.
My stomach lurched. What did Konrad not want Sorrel to see?
Fuck! I need to get in the house to save Poppy, but I can’t leave Sorrel alone with that creep!
“You snuck out of the barracks, did you?” Konrad asked. He smiled, but his words sounded stiff. “That’s all right, Sorrel. This once, I’ll let it slide. Just for you.”
My stomach tensed with disgust. If I’d known how awful Konrad was, I wouldn’t have brought Poppy back to this accursed place. Hindsight was a bitch.
“Thank you,” Sorrel cried, bowing his head. “Um, sir, I wanted you to know... when Poppy offered to take my place, that wasn’t my choice. He didn’t talk to me about it at all! He practically stole my place!”
“Is that right?” Konrad mused. Of course that bastard already knew.
“Yes! So, if it’s okay, I’d like to take my original spot... um...” Sorrel’s nervous gaze darted to the house, now a noticeable distance behind them. “In your private quarters.”
Konrad chuckled. “You’re sweet, Sorrel.”
A violent shudder shook me, and my fingers itched to shift into claws.
I don’t know how much longer I can listen to this, I thought, disgusted.
Gaze narrowed on Konrad, I stood up slowly. Their conversation had me on a knife’s edge. My dragon pulsed close to the surface, fiery and fueled by rage.
For the first time in my life, I thought about how easy it would be to hurt somebody.
Time slowed as I locked my gaze on Konrad. He was too focused on sweet-talking Sorrel to notice a potential threat.
My fingers curled into a fist. The tips of my nails elongated, sharpened.
I could stop him right now...
Suddenly, a huge white shape lumbered out of the shadows. A massive polar bear stopped, looking surprised when he saw Konrad and Sorrel.
“Rorik, what are you doing here?” Sorrel demanded.
“There you are, pup,” Rorik said with a sigh, sounding relieved. “You were gone, so I went looking for you.”
Sagging with disappointment, Sorrel shot Konrad a pleading look, as if begging the clan alpha to intervene. But Konrad gave the other bear a stiff nod.
“Take him back,” Konrad ordered. Then he patted Sorrel on the shoulder and added, “We’ll talk about this another time.”
Sorrel frowned and his shoulders sagged, but he obediently followed Rorik back to the barracks without argument. Relief flooded me, though it didn’t fully wash away the sick feeling coating my insides.
Sorrel has no idea what a bullet he just dodged...
With his brother safe, I could now focus on rescuing Poppy. My gaze snapped back to Konrad. I expected him to return to the house, but to my surprise, he scowled and turned in the opposite direction. He stripped, tossing his clothes carelessly on the steps, then shifted into a powerful white bear.
I held my breath and kept dead still, hoping not to trigger his heightened sense of smell. Konrad moved like a train as he stormed past the territory line.