Chapter 24 #3
Elm found himself a lot less certain about his earlier assumption.
Maybe it really had been a mistake. Levi had gotten caught up in the moment and finally unraveled. That was pretty typical, wasn’t it? For people who spent their lives super high-strung? Eventually they lost control and snapped.
If the bite had been a mistake…
Levi would kill him.
It was the only way to break a mating bond. One of them had to die.
Elm shifted into position and notched the single arrow, acting on impulse. He had the weapon raised and was taking aim before it really occurred to him what he was doing, and he paused.
He had a clear shot.
The alpha had stopped and was sniffing the air. There was a wild, almost animalistic gleam in his silver eyes. He turned, trying desperately to catch Elm’s scent, but Elm was in the clear at the moment, standing downwind. The alpha did a one eighty.
And Elm caught sight of the gun in his right hand.
Oh.
It was tempting to blame the sudden ache in his chest on the cold, but he forced himself to admit that he was hurt by the notion. By the implication that he’d been right, and the alpha below really was planning on taking his life. A part of him had truly thought…
Whatever.
Elm focused on his breathing and readied the shot again.
Levi was still standing there, trying to decide which direction to go, giving him ample opportunity to let the arrow loose and end this.
So long as Elm didn’t miss, he could be free.
Not only that, wouldn’t he also be doing Kian and the Eumia a favor?
Taking out the Dominus of the White Frost had to be a pretty big win for them.
Straight shot to the jugular. Elm was confident enough in his skills to know he could pull it off. Land the shot. End this.
If he didn’t fire, the alpha would find him.
There was no way Levi would hesitate the way Elm currently was.
No way he’d even consider allowing Elm to live.
A claimed mate was a big deal in their society, and even more so to the mafia families.
Being mated to the Dominus provided power to the omega.
Levi would never willingly hand any sort of power to Elm. To the brother of his enemy.
If Elm didn’t kill him, eventually he would kill Elm.
But…
He couldn’t.
Elm lowered the bow, watching as Levi finally picked a direction off to the right and got moving. He kept staring until the alpha had completely disappeared within the trees, not even a hint of his clothing moving between branches still visible.
Dwelling on the why would be a waste of time right now, so he told himself not to bother.
Not to overthink or question all the possible reasons he couldn’t bring himself to kill Levi.
Stockholm syndrome, trauma bonding, pheromone addiction—they all made the list, but since knowing the cause wouldn’t change anything, Elm shoved that disconcerting feeling into a tiny box and pushed it into the dark corners of his mind to be dealt with later.
If he could get to Kian, his brother could help.
Yes, Kian would know what to do.
It was an obvious choice to go in the opposite direction to avoid Levi. Elm moved more cautiously—afraid to be overheard—but swiftly. Since he’d been out here for a while, there was a good chance he’d stumble on the cabin sooner rather than later.
He hoped.
As luck would have it, he was right.
Less than ten minutes after spotting the alpha, Elm caught sight of the hovercar he’d seen outside the lodge. He picked up the pace, scanning the area until he spotted a single level cabin nearby, a relieved sound slipping past his lips before he could help it.
Which was a mistake.
A twig snapped and he spun, arrow raised, eyes widening when they landed on the man who’d been out on the porch two weeks ago.
They stared each other down for a lengthy moment, then a device in the alpha’s hand beeped. A crackly voice came over the speaker.
“I’m at Cabin Eight,” Levi’s voice, angry and rushed caused Elm to shiver. “Report.”
Elm shook his head, warning the soldier not to respond.
To his credit, the man hesitated.
But then pressed a button and lifted the device to his lips, clearly about to reveal Elm’s location.
The arrow sailed through the air and landed directly in the alpha’s heart. The man and the device hit the snow.
His death wasn’t instant, but it was quick, and Elm stood there in shock, watching every last twitch and breath leave his body. As the snow turned red beneath him. As the smell of blood permeated the air, thick and coppery.
Elm gagged and covered his nose, losing time as guilt and regret flashed through him.
Could he even call that self-defense?
Had that been self-defense?
Why hadn’t he thought to use his dominant pheromones to take the alpha down instead?
Why—
“Zan,” Levi’s voice through the walkie snapped Elm out of it, “report. Now.”
He couldn’t afford to stay here, even more so after stupidly murdering one of the Leviathan’s soldiers.
Elm tore his gaze off the dead man—the man he’d just killed—and set it back on the cabin. He had to move.
Before it was too late.