Chapter Thirty-Five #2
Trent shuts his eyes tightly at his peer’s stupidity.
I aim next to Kevin’s head and loose the arrow. It hits and Kevin’s eyes bug. To save face, he recovers quickly. We’ll see how long his facade lasts. For now, he’s paying attention.
“I’m beginning to think you don’t believe I’ll kill every single one of you.”
Tyler and my men wheel out a cart full of tools and weaponry.
Kevin regards it and says, “You don’t have the balls. Your father would never do something like this. You are nothing like him.”
“Dude, shut up,” Trent shouts at Kevin.
I ignore him, lifting and admiring various tools. I have to give it to my guys. They made sure these were sharp.
Apparently, being ignored is a trigger for Kevin. He yells, “You’ll never be the alpha Jack was!”
He’s right in that he wasn’t scared of my father—no one was.
He’s also correct that I will never be like him.
I want to be, but Kevin is a good example of why I can’t be.
They know me as sweet little alpha prince Caleb.
But this pack clearly doesn’t want to listen to kindness.
So, they can consider this show my official announcement that I am not my father and will not run things the same way he did.
It’s their fault I have to lead this way.
I don’t need to respond to Kevin. I’m better with actions than words, anyway. And I’m going to save him for last.
“So, we’ve established whose idea this attempted murder was. Which means Kevin gets to watch your punishment unfold.”
My hands are behind my back as I survey them, letting their eyes track me as I pace.
“When I left my meeting, Jay was gone. Someone lured her to the forest. I know who it was, but I’m going to give them a chance to ask forgiveness.”
I stop and wait for one to crack. After several tense moments, Shane breaks the silence. “It was—”
Destiny cuts Shane a look, and he goes mute.
I glance between her and Shane and stop on Destiny. Smiling, I say, “You have trained him well. When to speak . . . when not to speak . . . It’s impressive.”
Destiny swallows a hard lump in her throat.
“I bet I can break him.” I grab Cody’s nape, leaning his head back with my claw drawn.
I thought about hurting Destiny to make Shane sing, but I already know who lured Jay out of the building. I could smell him. I want to break both of them.
Just as I suspected, she sings. “No! Don’t hurt him!”
At the outpouring care for someone who is not her mate, Shane frowns at Destiny. Shane has been suspicious of Destiny for months, but he didn’t have proof nor did he think her accomplice would be his best friend.
Until now.
Because what good is a show without a little drama, am I right?
Shane growls at Destiny. “My best friend?”
Destiny stutters. “No, Shane, it–it’s not what it looks like. We never—I never—”
Shane grows a backbone, and it’s satisfying.
I almost don’t want to kill him.
“Shut up, Destiny. I don’t want to hear it. I knew you were sneaking around, but I didn’t know it was with my best friend,” Shane says.
“I can explain. It was never supposed to happen like this.” Cody is hoarse as he tries to speak as he strains against my hold.
“Yo, fuck you, man. You were my best friend, and you fucked my girl?” Shane shakes his head and looks at me directly.
“It was Cody who lured Jay into the woods. He also is the one who carved into her.” Shane takes one last glance at Destiny.
“And it was my idea to frame Jay for the boy’s death. Who we also lured out there.”
Everyone is going down. Himself included.
My eyes lock on Cody. “So, you’ve stolen from me.”
“No, that’s not what—”
I release Cody, giving him my back. “It wasn’t a question. You stole from me.”
Cody spews nonsense as Tyler hands me a machete from the cart. “Things got out of hand, man. I never intended for anyone to get hurt.”
“You stole from me. Do you think you can prey on what’s mine?”
I repeat the mantra like I’m summoning a beast because I am. My wolf surfaces, wanting to experience the justice about to be served.
Tyler nods to my men, and they bring out a wooden table and place it directly in front of Cody.
I point with the machete. “It’s going to be his right hand.”
Cody is sweating profusely. “Please, man. I’m sorry.”
“It’s interesting that you wouldn’t apologize for stealing your best friend’s girl something you should be sorry for, but you’ll apologize for this something I know you aren’t sorry for in the least.”
“Come on, man. Why does it matter what I did to a measly rogue?”
“Because I didn’t order it,” I grit.
In the middle of his pleas, his eyes light up. “F–Forgiveness!” He recalls the word. “Y–You said I can be forgiven.”
“I said you could ask for forgiveness. But forgiveness is not up to me. That’s between you, and our Goddess.”
My guys hold Cody’s hand firmly on the table. I thrust practice swings, making sure to line my blade up perfectly with his wrist.
In a panic, Cody scans the crowd, looking for a rescue. He sets eyes on the king. “Do something, please, Your Majesty! Have mercy, please!”
I pause with my machete hovering over Cody’s wrist and raise an eyebrow to the king. “Any objections, Your Majesty?”
“None at all. Proceed.”
The king’s tone is one of anticipation. Knowing him, he is foaming at the mouth for me to continue. He likely wishes he were inflicting this punishment himself.
“Great.” I bring the machete down, detaching his hand from his arm.
Cody lets out a bloodcurdling scream. His wrist bleeds profusely where his hand used to be.
I hand Tyler the machete and stand in front of a weeping Destiny. “So, it was your idea to carve murderer’ into Jay’s body.”
She’s shaking terribly. Snot runs down her face. “Yes. I’m so—I’m sorry.”
Ugh. She’s so gross, I think to myself.
Good thing we’re about to put her down, my wolf says.
Not yet . . . There’s still one more thing I want to do.
My wolf grins at my wicked intentions.
I’ve held him back for years, telling him to always take the high road. Every insult, every shitty comment that came my way, I was the bigger person. The only time I truly let him out was when he tore off Olivia’s head. I’m a nice guy, but I am the wrong wolf to mess with.
“Shane, I feel for your situation. And because of that, I’m going to let you decide what I carve into Destiny’s body.”
Shane thinks for a moment. “Cheating whore.”
I pull out my pocketknife and flick it open, grinning. “Your wish is my command. Hold still.”
Pressing the knife to her four-finger-sized forehead, I carve the words. She screams the whole time. When I’m done, she has the audacity to ask Shane, “How could you do this to me?”
It won’t be long before Cody loses consciousness. Which unfortunately means I’ll have to move the show along and cut to the finale. And just when the drama was getting good, too. Damn.
The good news is, Kevin saw enough to get the message and stop with the tough-guy act. “Okay, man, okay. You’ve made your point. Jay is yours to deal with. It won’t happen again. Now let us go.”
But they don’t grasp the severity of the matter, or the gravity of their actions. They never will.
Slowly, I shake my head.
“But she’s a rogue! A prisoner!” he pleads.
“No, no, no, no, no . . . You’re missing a key word there.”
A carefully aligned row of arrows are set on fire for me.
I select the one closest to me, prepare my bow and aim with one eye closed.
“Mine. My prisoner. My rogue,” I growl, letting go of the arrow.
Let them burn for their sins.