Chapter 42
The afternoon sun beat down on Murphy’s back, the familiar sounds of the woods lacking the comfort he usually took solace in after a grueling day. His posture rigid, he stood facing the trees and away from the small shack door that led to his clan’s dungeon.
Zeke was a menacing sentinel beside him, arms crossed as they both observed their surroundings, waiting for their third companion to join them.
He didn’t want more spectators than necessary for this—it was a private affair. He would reveal its outcome after the situation had been handled.
“Are you ready?” the dominant bear asked, glancing over his shoulder and toward the dungeon’s entrance.
Murphy nodded in answer, though he wasn’t being honest.
He could never be ready for something like this.
Passing down judgment on someone he’d considered a friend, a brother, for years wasn’t to be taken lightly. But he’d spent too much time determining an appropriate course of action. He’d wrestled with his decision for months and had grappled with the verdict even more so after capturing Dante.
It had caused a fissure within his bear clan; had become a festering wound that refused to heal without proper treatment. And now, to make this situation infinitely worse, it had caused a major rift between himself and Nessa.
He’d made her cry, and instead of going to her and attempting to ease her sorrow, he’d left her alone and in anguish.
Because you couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. She asked you to leave her alone.
Yes. She had. And yet …
He should have held her through her tears, should have comforted her through her sadness. He was her mate, damnit. Her shelter, her lover, her home. She’d needed him.
And instead of being there, he’d waited like a coward until she’d fallen asleep before he’d gone to her. Then he’d crept into her room like a thief in the night, sliding into bed beside her, nervous that she’d wake up and ask him to leave.
But when she had woken, however briefly, she’d turned in his arms to face him, burrowing against his chest despite the emotional turmoil he could sense radiating from her. He’d held onto her like a lifeline, terrified that he’d ruined their mating before it had even truly started.
Deep down, he knew that was nonsense; their relationship could weather this impending storm.
But should it have to?
Should he commit an act that would test their strength as a mated couple? Not only that, but no matter his decision today, his clan would also be impacted by the outcome.
“There he is,” Zeke muttered, nodding his chin toward the woods.
Murphy followed the movement, spotting Marcus as he pushed through the trees and into the clearing.
The male gave a slight wave, his face haggard with exhaustion. His steps were heavy, as if each one took a monumental effort to make. He didn’t want to be here. None of them did.
Marcus stopped in front of them, his shoulders slumped. “I appreciate you allowing me to attend the judgment, Alpha.”
“This isn’t just Dante’s judgment,” Murphy began solemnly. “It’s yours, too.”
“I understand, and I respect whichever punishment I receive,” Marcus answered without hesitation, bowing his head in deference.
“Before we begin, I have to know. When you contacted me initially, and you told me you’d picked up Dante’s scent in Nessa’s town … Why were you even searching in that area? Did something tip you off? Did he reach out to you then as well? Be honest,” Murphy warned.
“No, the first time I heard from Dante in months was the other day when you found him. The night I contacted you about his scent, I was following a suspicion I had.” Marcus hesitated. “It turned out I was right.”
Murphy furrowed his brows. “What suspicion?”
Marcus ran a hand down his face before he looked up. He locked eyes with Murphy for a brief moment, and then dropped his gaze respectfully. “I don’t think you’ll appreciate my answer.”
“Give it anyway,” Murphy demanded quietly.
“I can’t read Dante’s mind, but I know him better than anyone. That night, after so many weeks of searching and coming up empty-handed, a thought occurred to me as I was climbing into bed.” He paused and then sighed in defeat. “He loves you like a brother—we both do.”
“Just tell me, Marcus,” Murphy bit out, at the end of his patience. He wanted this day to be over; desperately needed to go home to his mate and assure her everything would be well.
You know what you have to do in order for that to happen. His bear chuffed in agreement.
Mercy isn’t a weakness. Nessa’s words rose to the forefront of his mind and he gritted his teeth.
“He didn’t know who Nessa was to you, not until you killed Jason. Dante had to have been close by then,” Marcus guessed. “He must have heard you declare her as yours before he ran off.”
“You’re saying he was in my mate’s town because of her?” Murphy snarled, pivoting toward the shack door. A tremor of rage ran through him, a fresh wave of betrayal rising to the surface.
What did Dante want with Nessa?
Instinctively, he reached out telepathically to Jasper, needing to assure himself she was fine.
How’s my mate? he asked.
“Not to harm her,” Marcus replied quickly. “He was there to watch over her. It’s what I would have done.”
“How do you know that? Did he confirm this with you?” Zeke asked pointedly.
“No.” Murphy turned back around in time to catch Marcus shaking his head, a flash of uncertainty crossing his features. “I didn’t have time to ask him. You realized I was in town only a few minutes after I arrived. Like I said before, that was the first time I’ve talked to him in months.”
Murphy took a deep breath, willing the anger radiating in his core to dissipate. Now wasn’t the time for reckless emotions. Now was the time to act.
To put this entire ordeal to rest.
“Thank you for telling me this,” Murphy told the tracker. “I’ve reflected on your actions in this matter, and while I am displeased that you went behind my back, I don’t believe your intent toward this clan was malicious.”
Tears of relief filled Marcus’s eyes. The male squared his shoulders, blinking furiously in an attempt to keep his composure. “I would never put a single one of you at risk. Never, Alpha. You’re my family as much as Dante is.”
“I know.” Murphy reached out, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing.
“This is a difficult time for all of us, Marcus, especially for you. But before I place judgment on your brother, I need to know … Will you stand by my side after today, no matter the outcome? If I sentence Dante to death, will you accept that?”
Marcus took a shuddering breath, a lone tear trailing down his cheek. “Yes,” he whispered thickly. He cleared his throat, his face reddening as another tear fell. “I’ll accept it without question.”
Murphy pulled the tracker into a fierce hug, palming the back of his head and holding the male’s face against his neck, a sign of both comfort and trust. Marcus let out a small sob, fisting the back of the Alpha’s sweater as he clung to him, body trembling.
“We’ll get through this,” Murphy murmured to the male. Zeke’s muted words of agreement filtered through the air behind them.
Breathing hard, Marcus eventually pulled away from him, a muscle jumping in his cheek. He lifted the hem of his shirt, wiping away the salty tears on his face. “Is it time?”
Murphy straightened. “It is.”
Zeke moved to the door, opening it and stepping aside, allowing the other males to enter first. Murphy went in, followed by Marcus and then Zeke, the long, narrow set of stone stairs leading them deep into the earth.
The air grew humid the further down they ventured, dew gathering along the dirt and roots packed along the walls.
Once they reached the landing, they moved to the far end of the wide hall, three prison cells set on either side.
Wide circular iron bars covered the front of each cell, all of them empty but the last one on the left.
A lantern sat on a wooden chair beside the cell, the only source of light in the dank cavern.
Silently, the males moved toward it, and to Dante, who sat huddled in the corner of his cell, atop an old, worn down cot. His head snapped up as they approached, and, muscles stiff, he stood to his feet.
The male cracked a sad smile. “I thought you guys forgot about me down here.”
“Why were you hiding out in my mate’s town?” Murphy asked point-blank, refusing to waste more time with idle chatter.
He was so close to finishing this, to putting everything behind him, and offloading this burden from everyone’s shoulders. Now that the time was here, he was anxious to see the task completed.
Nessa’s words from last night echoed through his mind once more, her tears a constant soundtrack he couldn’t tune out. Taunting him. Pleading with him.
Jasper? he asked again, reaching out for his younger brother’s mind. Stop ignoring me.
Dante moved closer to the front of the cell, his bare feet kicking up dirt beneath him as he shuffled closer. “To watch her,” he answered solemnly.
Murphy’s bear stirred in his mind, the animal agitated at the vague response. “Why?” he bit out. “Were you planning to harm her?”
Dante’s head snapped back in surprise. “Fuck no!” he denied, voice heavy with disgust as the accusation.
“I just …” His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he cursed under his breath.
“I wanted to apologize to her, to beg for her forgiveness, really. But I couldn’t …
I couldn’t find the strength to turn myself in at that time.
So I did the next best thing. I protected her from afar. ”
If Dante was telling the truth then Marcus was right. Betrayal aside, this was typical of the Dante Murphy he remembered.
Loyal, protective.
The Alpha’s ire faded, his resolve surrounding his decision strengthening.
“An apology can’t make up for what you’ve done,” Murphy informed the male, the words tasting foul as he spoke them.
Dante dropped his gaze. “I know.”
“Why did you decide to stop hiding?”
“Angela. She refused to let me go, to accept what we all knew was coming. When she came to see me the other day, I finally rejected her,” Dante said, his face paling, as if saying the words aloud made him sick to his stomach.
“It was too hard to do so before. But it was getting even harder to resist claiming her, and I can’t claim my mate while knowing I’m bound for death.
Bit of a dick move, even for me,” he joked tightly.
He coughed into his elbow. “She took the hint and left, so I knew it was time to contact you.”
Murphy curled his upper lip at the mention of the she-wolf. “She clearly doesn’t accept your rejection. She sought my mate out yesterday, hoping to spare you.”
Marcus and Zeke both turned toward him at the admission.
“What?” Dante shook his head in denial. “No. I told her to stay out of this.”
“Yeah, well, she didn’t—”
Murphy? Jasper’s voice floated into the Alpha’s head, filled with pain. Murphy—
Instantly, Murphy was on alert, the world around him fading away as his entire being focused on his brother. What is it? What’s wrong?
It’s Nessa, Jasper answered raggedly. Some human men took her. Fuckers shot me. I must have blacked out, and when I woke up, I was alone. I’m so fucking sorry.
Murphy’s legs buckled and, blindly, he grasped onto the iron bars of Dante’s cell.
Zeke grabbed his arms, Marcus wrapping an arm around his waist when he swayed. “What is it?” Zeke asked, worried. “What the hell’s going on?”
Dante’s fingers covered his own, the touch unexpected but comforting, even as the world around him shifted in and out of focus, his bear frantic to take over and find Nessa before it was too late.
At just that moment, Colter’s mind brushed against his.
I ran the check on the males, like you asked.
They’re not in Chicago. Looks like Tony left early this morning on a private jet; I don’t have the itinerary for that charter just yet, but I should in a few hours.
As for Angelo? He left Illinois three weeks ago. Booked a one-way flight to Montana.
Murphy barely registered the words, already aware of what Colter had been too late in delivering.
Nessa had been taken. His mate—his beautiful, resilient, kind-hearted mate—was in the hands of those who wished to hurt her. Those who’d hurt her before, horrifically and brutally.
Nessa—
Murphy threw his head back, his feral roar of rage shaking the world around him. Waves of dominance poured off of him, the magnitude of his fury enhancing his power. His skin itched as his bear struggled to break free, to begin their hunt immediately.
All three males crashed to their knees before him, their heads bowed in submission of his Alpha power as his roar echoed through the dungeon.
He barely took notice, his very being focusing on one sole thought.
He was going to find Nessa.
And when he’d ensured her safety?
He would slaughter each person who’d sought to take her from him. Tony. Angelo. It didn’t matter. They were all dead.
Every single one of them.