(Chapter song âSucker For Painâ by Lil Wayne)
SOMEWHERE IN THE DESERT I suck my teeth and pick them as the desert wind blows up dust and dirt around my feet. I glance up at the midday sun and straighten my suit jacket. I look at my gold Rolex and stuff my hands in my pockets as I raise a brow to the road that leads to my compound.
I side eye the tiny woman beside me, making sure sheâs presenting properly. I lift my chin and the wind blows again. âWhen they arrive, you wonât discuss anything with them. Am I clear?â
She lifts her brown eyes to me and the breeze blows her sandy blonde hair. âYes, Alpha.â
âThese arenât friends. Theyâre here for a reason and I donât need you to give them ideas. You have one purpose as do them. Just because youâre my private pet, doesnât mean you're different. You represent what they are, nothing else. Understand?â I glance down to the 5 foot nothing woman.
âYes, Alpha.â She whispers as she looks to the desert sand.
I look out to the horizon and the corner of my lip ticks up.
Since the news of our devastating loss in Black Rock, and Chaseâs utter failure, Iâve had to ramp up production. If any of these idiotic successors listened to me, that war would have been won the first day.
Sigh. No one listens to brilliant minds. Iâm just glad I started this operation years ago. Draco wouldnât have gotten as far as he did without my inspired ideas of creating stable white wolves.
The black trucks form a row across the shimmering line and sand clouds behind them. Finally. Theyâre late.
I see my companion shuffle in her spot. âBe still, pet.â I order coldly and she stiffens. âGood.â
I wipe my black goatee, then run my fingers through my white hair as the trucks slow to a stop in front of me.
I look them over with a stoic face as the driver of the middle truck gets out and opens the rear door. My beta steps out and fixes his black suit. He sees me and leaves the truck.
As he approaches, I glance to the windows of the vehicles and see heads moving in the back seats.
âJax.â I address as he stops in front of me.
He bows slightly. âAlpha.â
âHow many?â I question.
He presses his lips together. â9⦠in total.â
I suck in my top lip, glance at my companion and nod. â9.â I meet his brown eyes. âWhy?â
He scratches his temple then runs his palm across slicked, short, white hair. âThey⦠didnât have much to choose from⦠as it were.â
âWhy not?â I turn my head slightly.
He looks around, places his hands in his pockets and looks back at me. âThe young Alpha⦠Heâs questioning things.â
As the words leave his lips, I step up to him. âQuestioning things? What is there to question?â
Jax swallows. âHeâs questioning the treaty. Heâs refusing to fulfill his end until they increase their own numbers.â
âAnd what did you tell the young Alpha?â I stare into his eyes.
âExactly what the terms were. The numbers are subject to change. The trade is not.â He answers.
âHis response?â I raise a brow.
He licks his bottom lip. âHe responded with⦠tell the Alpha to kiss my ass.â
I take in the disrespect and nod. âWhereâs the Alpha now?â
âThe forest."
I take a deep breath, look back at my pet and face Jax with a smile. âWell. The Alpha is entitled to renegotiate. If that what he wants, thatâs fine.â
I step close and my eyes burn as I lock with his and grab his jacket in my fist. âYou take 100 of my fighters, march into that garbage dump and bring me that assholeâs ass. Take every capable fighter and breeder. Then when heâs dead, burn the motherfucking place down. After, you spread the word to every single one of those backwater, forest mutts and let Riddick's death be a lesson to all. You fuck with my treaties. You fuck with my operation. You fuck with Dragons? You fuck around and find out.â I shove him back.
âLINE THEM UP!!â I order as I walk away and throw a hand to the trucks.
Doors open and people file out.
âRight here in a row.â I point to the sand as I walk.
I eye the legs, hair and chests as they are pulled to the spot I indicated and placed in a line. All stand scared and fighting tears. Itâs emotional to leave the only place you've ever known. They wonât fear for long.
I slowly inspect them. I have to look past the dirty, patched clothes. Badly braided hair and tribal tattoos. I stop in front of each one and hold the delicate chins in my fingers as they whimper.
I look over the condition and genetics of each. The youthful beauty and solid bone structures. I need to know that they will be healthy enough to do theyâre jobs.
I walk along the row of young women. I eye the badly made bone and stone jewelry. I check teeth and feel each energy. Their wolves hide, but itâs not their wolves I want.
âWhat do you think?â Jax walks behind me.
I slap the hip of one woman and she yelps. I glare at her and point to her nose with a warning look. She collects herself and stares straight ahead.
I glance back at Jax. âTheyâll do. Not exactly the best hips, but I guess I can get something out of them. Take them to lab. Clean them up and feed them. After, begin the process.â
âSingle doses?â
I watch as the women are cuffed and led into my house. They'll be taken to the lab under it where they'll stay until theyâre no longer useful. I consider how skinny and weak looking they are, but theyâre easy pickings.
âBetter make it two. I want to minimize losses as much as possible.â I order. âUnsuccessful attempts are a waste.â
âYes, Alpha.â
I start for the house. âAnd kill the Nomad!â I bark. âMia, come!â I hold out my hand and my pet obediently jogs to me and takes it.
I hold my chin up and walk into the base that will rise the Dragons to greatness. The Torrents have had their time. Itâs time for Black to take the reigns and build the greatest army this world has every seen.
One breeder at a time.