Chapter 21 #2
I stare in horror as Eli starts tearing his father to pieces, pack members coming to watch, and I can’t understand why they aren’t trying to stop them. Maverick finally shifts, taking on defense as they circle each other.
“Why aren’t they stopping it?” I mutter, watching them watch their Alpha being ripped to shreds, not moving, just watching.
“Because it’s no longer a fight but a challenge. The moment Maverick shifted, too, it became a challenge.”
“He isn’t working for Sam,” I tell Cyrus.
“We don’t know that, Addie.”
“I do. Maverick saved me. If he was working for Sam, he would have let them take me, but he didn’t. Please, stop him,” I beg Cyrus while Eli pummels his father, who won’t even fight back and just keeps trying to block him.
Cyrus shakes his head, not believing it.
Maverick’s own pack are watching him fight his son when Eli’s claws swipe down Maverick’s chest brutally, Maverick’s Lycan form fading before he starts shifting back.
Eli grabs him, his hands around his throat, lifting him off the ground before he throws him down.
Eli is going to kill him. He is going to kill his own father, and panic courses through me. I elbow Cyrus in the face, and he grunts and lets go. My feet touch the ground, and I run the few meters toward Maverick, once again throwing myself over him.
“Submit. Submit, please,” I tell him, knowing Eli has to stop if he does.
Eli growls at me, glaring down, but I know he won’t come closer in that form while angry, especially while I am blocking him from his father.
“It’s my pack. I won’t submit.”
“Please, he will kill you. Just submit. If not for Eli, do it for your grandchild,” I tell him before grabbing his hand and placing it on my bump.
“Please, I know you aren’t working voluntarily for the hunters, please,” I beg Maverick.
All the while, his pack is chanting for them to continue fighting. They are willing to watch their own Alpha be killed by his son; it is sick. This man has run his pack for god knows how long, and they would happily condemn him?
“Addie, move,” Eli says.
I glance at Cyrus, worried he would come over, but he is still standing there just watching me. I can feel he is conflicted.
“Please, don’t do this,” I beg Eli.
He looks away from me before Eli nods to one of the pack members. I watch a big burly man come toward me.
“Take her,” Eli tells him, and the man nods, bending down.
“No!” I yell at him, slapping his hand away.
The man looks at Eli, who nods to him. He can’t be serious? He goes to reach down and pull me from him when Cyrus is suddenly beside me.
“Don’t touch her,” Cyrus snaps at him, and the man backs up.
“Addie, this is how things are done,” Cyrus says, but I shake my head. This feels wrong, brutal even.
“No!” I tell him.
“Cyrus, you either move her, or I will order one of them to,” Eli says, and Cyrus growls at him.
“Any of them touch her, I remove their fucking limbs. She doesn’t understand, Eli. She isn’t used to this sort of violence over stupid titles,” Cyrus says.
“Fine, I will remove her then,” Eli says, walking toward me.
Why is he so keen to kill his own father? I know he isn’t a good man, but to kill him, have that on your conscience? I don’t understand it.
“Sorry, Addie,” Cyrus says, grabbing me.
I start thrashing, screaming for him to let go as he drags me away.
Maverick gets to his feet, and I watch as he tries to shift but can’t.
Eli is not even holding back as he continues to beat his father while I scream, begging them to stop.
Eli knocks him down again, and I can see Eli is about to deliver a deadly blow as both his hands reach to break his neck, my eyes locking with Maverick’s.
He knows he is about to die, and I look away, tucking my face into Cyrus’s arm.
I wait to hear the sickening crack when all I hear is a collective gasp from everyone.
I pull my face from Cyrus’s arm, trying to mentally prepare myself for the gruesome sight, only for my eyes to go wide when I see Maverick baring his throat to Eli in submission.
Eli is breathing heavily, glaring down at him.
I look up at Cyrus, who seems shocked before I tug on his arm, wanting him to let go.
He releases me, and I rush over to Maverick, throwing my arms around his neck.
“Thank you,” I whisper to him. I hear Eli growl behind me, but he doesn’t stop me when I help his father up.
“Help him. Why aren’t you helping him?” I snap at the other pack members just standing there watching.
“It’s fine, Addie. It’s out of respect to their new Alpha,” Maverick says.
I hold his arm, walking toward the house. Cyrus and Eli follow closely behind us, Eli continuously growling.
“Please tell me you don’t work for Sam,” I whisper to him.
“Sam? God, no. I wouldn’t work for that leech,” Maverick says, patting my hand that is holding his arm.
“He is lying, Addie. You are too trusting,” Eli snaps at me.
“I am not lying, Eli. You didn’t even give me a chance to explain. Instead, you just challenged me,” Maverick says before coughing, blood spraying on his hand.
“I’m fine, dear. I will heal,” Maverick says as I stare at him worriedly.
“Where is Emery?” I ask, hoping to see her. I know she would help her father.
“On a date with one of her pack members,” Maverick says. “Though she should have come back by now. Obviously having a good time not to be back yet.”
I nod, pushing the door open to the house. I help him walk over to the futon, placing him on it. He clutches his stomach with deep claw marks, still trying to heal as he holds his stomach together.
“Explain,” Eli says, shifting back.
Cyrus enters the bedroom and returns with shorts before tossing them at Eli, who catches them. I wet a cloth, trying to clean Maverick up as he pulls a blanket across his lap, trying to cover himself.
“I am fine, dear. Really just a few scratches,” Maverick says, and Eli growls.
“Fucking answer, father, or I will kill you. Are you working for the hunters, for Sam?”
“No. The hunters, yes, but because I have no choice,” Maverick says.
Eli growls, stepping toward him, his eyes blazing.
“I had no choice. They were picking us off. They killed three of the kids and took four others,” Maverick says, and Eli stops, looking at Cyrus.
“What do you mean picking you off? Your people attacked them?” Cyrus asks, and Maverick shakes his head before groaning in pain.