Chapter Six

I looked at Maricella and blinked. She wanted to go to the meeting. Anxiety rose up in me and Michael and Ezekiel reacted to my mood, perking up, looking around for the danger. "No." I stared at her and she crossed her arms over her chest, her grey eyes narrowing in defiance.

"Bennett gets to go." She practically spat it out, her lips pinching into an almost perturbed pout.

I fought back the anxiety as I gestured to her silent mate as he leaned against the wall behind her. "Bennett doesn't have to. He can stay right here with you if you are so concerned." I glanced at him and he gave a small nod. He didn't want her there anymore than I did, which I was more than thankful for. I knew Micheal and Ezekiel wanted her there just as much as we did. There was no way she was getting her way.

"Luka, I want to watch you interact with the pack." She went from upset to what someone else might have called petulant but I knew Maricella better than that. She didn't do petulance, she was incapable of it.

I bit back the urge to tell her there was no way she wanted to see me interact with my pack the way I was going to interact with them. "You have seen how I interact with the pack. It's just a meeting to introduce my new Delta. You've met him already so it would be redundant for you to be there." I hid a wince as she narrowed her eyes at me. Her gaze was accusing, she knew I was lying to her. I never knew how she always knew but she did. I wondered if it was the Baiter in her.

"Don't take off your necklace." The words were snapped out as her gaze fell to the pendant she gave me.

I frowned in confusion. "What?" I looked at her carefully and she set her jaw in a stubborn look that made me want to hide from attempting to talk her out of anything. Maricella was stubborn to a fault when she wanted to be.

"You are hiding something from me, Luka, and I don't like it. Don't take off the necklace. It has a protection spell on it and if something happens, I want to know you are safe so it stays on." She ground the words out and I looked at her, blinking. She was hurt at my untruth. She was trying to hide it but I could see it on the edges of her expression.

I sucked in air through my teeth and rubbed at my arm. I felt fucking bashful. I was an Alpha. I shouldn't feel bashful for anyone. "I'm taking care of some dissenters in the pack and I don't want you there in case things go... bad." I glanced at her and her face fell, the hurt evident and the anger completely gone.

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have understood. You didn't have to lie." She said it softly, her arms dropping to her sides. It was that soft voice she used that had my heart damn near turning over in my chest. I hated that feeling I got from it, I hated disappointing her, hurting her.

I winced and ran my hand through my hair. "I didn't want you to worry." I watched as she frowned slightly before letting out a soft sigh.

"I worry, Luka, it's just what I do. I worry for everyone I care about. Thank you for telling me the truth." She looked at Bennett before her frown deepened. "Bennett, I am your mate but I refuse to dictate to you. If you wish to go with Luka you may but please keep yourself and Luka safe. That is all I require of you if you go."

Bennett shifted his weight as if nervous under his mate's gaze. "I will come back to you in one piece and Luka will as well. I swear it." He lowered his head in a quick nod to her and she looked mollified by that.

"I'm going to visit with Gamgam. I have no place on a potential battlefield." Mari said it lightly before walking over and hugging Bennett tightly. "If you come back with any wounds on your body. I am going to be sorely disappointed with you and leave you suffer all by yourself." It was an empty threat, Maricella wouldn't allow Bennett to go anywhere with a wound she could tend. She let him go before walking out of the room as if without a care.

"She's worried. I can feel it." Bennett was gritting his teeth and I looked him over. His entire form was rigid with his restraint to not go after her.

"If you want you can stay with her. I don't mind." I didn't need him. With Benji and the warriors I could handle the rest but he shook his head.

"I promised I would help. I will see that through." He stood straighter and stared at me as if daring me to deny him. I shrugged. I didn't care to pander to his pride, it was up to him if he wanted to go or not. I simply gave him an option.

"It's up to you, Bennett." I shook out my hands and tugged on my shirt. I was nervous, it was a first. It had been a long time since I had spoken to the pack. I tried to do it once a year but there was never truly anything to report on and the fact that everyone watched me made my wolf snarl with anger. It was too hard to hold him back on those days. The heated glares riled him up into a frenzy. They had him tearing at the insides of my mind, whining and snarling for escape. It was always better to do things that didn't cause that reaction in him.

Benji came in the front door and bowed at me. My wolf appreciated it but the action was starting to grate on my nerves. I wasn't a king, he didn't need to bow so often. I watched as he straightened. His greying hair was slicked back and he looked surprisingly put together. Despite using the introduction of him as a Delta as an excuse I could still see he was taking pride in it. "Everything's in order, Alpha Sterling. Everyone is in the meeting area except for Carrie and the children below the age of eighteen." He went to bow again and I gave a sharp growl that made him pause.

"Benji, I know you take pride in your job as a Delta but please stop bowing so much. I'm not royalty and I do not cater to that. Just treat me like a friend and I'll let you know if you go too far with anything." I repressed the urge to roll my eyes at his confused look. I patted Michael's side roughly. "It's what I do with these mangy mutts." They each gave a low growl at the remark and I chuckled at them. I didn't pander to the pride of wolves either. I scratched their heads, feeling a bit of the nerves leave me.

"I'm sorry, Alpha." Benji lowered his head and I waved it off.

"You didn't know until I told you. You're fine, Benji. Just stop bowing to me so much. You can only do it on special occasions and holidays, deal?" I knew he was looking at me like I was crazy because Bennett was giving me the same look. I looked at the older shifter who stared at me incredulously. "Deal?" I wanted an answer from the older shifter, despite how ridiculous the question was.

"Yes, sir." He nodded and caught himself before he bowed.

"Already learning." I gestured for Bennett to follow as I started towards the front door. I pushed away the nerves like I pushed away everything else. I tried my hardest to placate my wolf as he paced wildly in the small cage I had him in. He would get the vengeance we both craved but he needed patience. He didn't like patience and he snarled at me. I reprimanded him harshly, letting him know who had the control. He pulled himself away, knowing which battles he could win and which he couldn't.

I walked outside, my guardians taking their set places by my sides. I could feel Benji falling into step behind me and Bennett off to the side beside Ezekiel. He wasn't part of my pack so I didn't particularly care where he placed himself. The air was warm, I had chosen later in the afternoon for the meeting, letting the scorching midday sun cool with the soft breeze from the small mountain that shadowed the territory.

"Maricella and I will be leaving shortly after the meeting ends. I will try and give you enough time to clean up before we do so you can say goodbye." Bennett wasn't looking at me but I still nodded.

"I appreciate it, Bennett." Through the five days they had been here, I couldn't really tell if Bennett had warmed up to me at all. I hoped he had but at the same time that cold mask he wore never came off around me. Another silence fell as we walked towards the clearing and I looked over my shoulder towards Benji. "Please inform the warriors we will be arriving shortly. I will let you know when to spread the rest of the information." He nodded quickly, his eyes glazing slightly as he let them know. I should have had a Master-at-Arms picked out to do it for him but I figured Benji wouldn't mind the added pressure. It still wouldn't come close to the pressure a Beta would be under but still.

I could hear the murmurs of the pack and I inhaled deeply, trying to keep myself and my wolf calm. He was eerily silent, allowing me all the control. He was giving me patience and I appreciated the gesture but I could feel his excited stillness. His prey was close and it wasn't allowed to escape him, not ever again. I walked into the clearing and headed for the stage, my head held high. My little entourage followed me silently, Ezekiel growled every so often as the familiar heated glares landed on my back. I ran my hand through his fur, soothing the wild. He could feel it like my wolf did.

Vengeance.

It was in the air, hanging between our minds. It tainted both of us and even Michael couldn't remain unaffected by the sharp cold of it. His hackles rose and I patted his head in comfort as I walked up the steps. I caught Benji's eye and gave a tiny nod, completely imperceivable to the pack that stood in front of the platform. Bennett stayed by the stairs, knowing it was not his place to be on the Alpha's platform with me. Packs had rules that even he had to follow or perhaps they were rules he was so used to following that it felt like second nature. Michael and Ezekiel did not care about tradition or rules because they were by my side as they always were and I never cared.

I turned to the crowd, feeling my companions settle beside me silently. I watched the crowd as conversations slowly died out and dozens of eyes landed on me. A silence fell and I found myself glancing over the crowd. I found Benji easily, he was standing beside his mate. She was a tall female but despite her slightly lined face she was still the female who baked a mean batch of cookies to spoil me and my brothers with. The memory made me want to smile, I never really remembered the good times. It was always so difficult.

I cleared my throat and gave the crowd a welcoming smile. "I apologize for calling you all here for what seems like no reason but I wanted to let you all know I have found a person to take the Delta position." I could hear excited murmurs from the crowd, I never had any interest in choosing other pack members for ranked positions before. I had no trust for most of them so it was a fairly big deal for them. "Not such a small thing now, I know. It has taken me some time but I would like to introduce you to Delta Benji Haven." I gestured to him and watched as his mate's face dropped in shock before she beamed with pride as she hugged him tightly. It felt nice to have brought her happiness and pride for her mate.

"Delta Benji, please join me." I gestured to the platform and he made his way through the crowd, wide smiles and hearty slaps on the shoulders following him as he did so. "Benji was my late father's Beta and there is no one else I would rather have as Delta than him." He reached the stairs and I nodded at him as he looked at me, seemingly for permission to come up. "Also, I will have him taking over the Master-at-Arms position for the time being. Just until I find a member suitable enough to take it from him." I smirked as he stumbled on the last step.

There were several loud whoops and cheers from the crowd and I caught sight of his mate, her eyes were shining with tears and she mouthed a thank you at me. I gave her a tiny nod before I held out my hand. Benji clasped it tightly and I smiled at him. My wolf's muscles tensed, he knew what was coming and he ached for it.

I let the crowd talked excitedly and cheer for the older male and his new rank. It was the very first one I had given since my inauguration as Alpha. My eyes scanned the crowd once more, picking out the faces of those who sought to betray me, to take my position or tear the pack apart in an attempt to. My wolf snarled but did not move forward. He waited. I smiled slightly. He had learned at least some patience. I also caught sight of the nine warriors Benji had placed in the crowd.

I lifted my hand, calling for silence. I gave a warm chuckle before patting Benji's back, gesturing for him to go to the crowd. He knew what he had to do. "Yes, I hope to fill all of the rank positions I have been neglecting the past five years. So if I may, I would like to call some names and if those people would step towards the front of the crowd that would be appreciated." I pulled out the list of names as people spoke excitedly. "Dylan Colter. Ava Hester. Lyle Smith. Garry Jefferson. Brandy Slater. Joey Rameera. Andy Lewis. Raela Lewis. Zane Lewis. Finch Adare. Harris Fernnie. Kale Cottingham. Mason Red. Vincent Hunter." I folded the paper and tucked it back in my pocket, making sure to keep my smile warm as all of them slowly made their way up to the front. Most of them had a smug expression on their face as they lined up. Dylan radiated a smug pride that made my wolf bristle and I sent him a soft command. He had to wait for a few more moments.

"Well, look at all you. I have had my eyes on you all since I have become Alpha." I smiled at them all warmly, holding out my hand, stalling Michael's and Ezekiel's growls before they could even form. I could see the warriors moving through the crowd and the ones that had been posted just outside of the clearing were moving in as well.

"To what do we owe the honour, Alpha?" Dylan's voice was coated with smug derision. I wasn't sure if he was even trying to hide it anymore. He thought me oblivious and if he had any sense he would have tried harder to hide it.

"Well, what haven't you all done? The list goes on and on and I must say I am impressed with each and every one of you." I could see the praise bolstering their prides, their egos. A few of them looked at me warily, they could sense something was wrong and I glanced at Benji, he nodded. He had seen it as well. I moved to the front of the platform and sat on the edge. "You are all very adept and brave shifters." I nodded at them and the smugness that radiated off of them almost made me want to choke, thick and cloying it hung heavily in the back of my throat.

Michael sent me an image of a cat playing with a terrified mouse. I looked over my shoulder at him with a smile. I wasn't toying with them. I was playing by the rules. I looked over them once more, the smile still firmly on my face. I reached up and took my glasses off, cleaning them with the hem of my button up shirt. A faint power move. I would say nothing more until they addressed me.

"So why have you called us here?" It was one of the younger men, he was around my age and bulky. A warrior. I wanted to smirk at him but I forced the smile wider. I had won. I gained a small amount of power over the small group and most of them shifted uneasily as if sensing that small fact but not realizing it.

I set my glasses on the stage, making sure to place them where they wouldn't get lost. "As I stated I was trying to fill my ranks with shifters I trusted. I mean that's what an Alpha should do, right?" I smiled at the crowd as they chuckled at my words. I held the edge of the platform in my hands, ignoring the wood groaned under the force of my grip. My wolf was growing restless, his prey was in front of us and he wanted to sink his teeth into their throats. I gave a small cough. "I can't rightly do that without people I trust." I looked them over and I could sense triumph in some of them. They thought they had tricked me into believing their plans, into believing they were trusted members of the pack.

I looked over them, I needed the weakest link. If I could get the weakest one to break then the rest would show their hand. I found him, his face was pale and he averted my gaze, weakness and nervousness radiated off of him. I pointed at him. "You. Come here." At my words he jumped his eyes wide. I gave him a smile and he pulled his shoulders back as two of the others patted his pack. His sister Raela and his brother Zane. "Andy Lewis. You are a loyal one, aren't you?" To his siblings he was, without a doubt, the most loyal shifter in the pack but he lacked loyalty where I was concerned.

He swallowed but nodded. I glanced at the others before returning my gaze to his. If they hadn't been so blinded by their own smugness and pride they would have felt uneasy that I had picked out their weakest link. He was the youngest as well, only nineteen years old. They should have felt concerned, his fear was malleable and easy to manipulate.

I searched his gaze, looking for the wolf that was avoiding my gaze. He wasn't strong enough to challenge me. His wolf was subservient to mine on basis of blood alone. I needed to make the connection before I could proceed. I felt the connection and latched on. His wolf would bend to my will and I would get my confession of conspiracy.

"My brother is the most loyal male there is!" Raela's voice pierced the air with pride and I gave a wicked smirk. He balked, his face going pale as my wolf stared through my eyes, seeping a bit of authority into my gaze, letting the bloodlust show.

"That he is but not to me. Isn't that right, Andy?" I felt their shock as Andy swallowed convulsively as he tried to fight off the Command I threaded into the words. He couldn't look away from my gaze and I lowered my head slightly, my form showing him I was a predator and he was my unfortunate prey. "Tell me, Andy. Who are you loyal to and why?" The strength of the command was just enough and he opened his mouth.

"Dylan Colter. He gathered us together to try and take your position. I didn't want to be here but my brother and sister made me!" The words spilled out in a rush, his entire form trembling. I let the smirk widen as I glanced up. I could see the horror painted on his siblings faces as they gaped at the back of his head.

"It wasn't us. They made us do it!" Zane's voice was booming as both he and his sister pointed to two different individuals in the group. It was a chain reaction as I watched them tear their secrets apart and expose what I had wanted. Their voices grew louder as they showed me what I had known all along.

Conspiracy.

Their voice rose higher and higher as they turned their angry accusations towards their ring leader. Dylan Colter. He didn't move as his gaze landed on me. He lifted a hand and his rebel force fell silent. He was still smug, still proud but he didn't understand what had just happened. His rebellion had fallen without a single move being played. It had folded like the poorly stacked house of cards that it was.

I glanced around, the crowd had been pushed back, leaving the ring of warrior surrounding the group of rebels. I hopped off of the stage, my gaze on Dylan's. My fury raked through me, my wolf's new found patience was at its end. "Restrain them but leave him." At my quiet command each member of the rebellion was immediately forced to their knees, all but Dylan. Some of them cried out in rage, others in surprise. I kept my gaze on Dylan's, he was the one that mattered at the moment. I moved towards him and the warriors filled in behind me, leaving a round ring for me to settle the problem as I wished.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of the whelp." He spat the word at my feet and I stopped, taking a rather casual stance. My muscles vibrated with my wolf's fury at Dylan's blatant challenge but I couldn't take him yet. "I challenge you. A pathetic excuse, for not only an Alpha but a shifter as well, for the position you were never meant to have." His eyes grew darker and my wolf howled in victory. He pushed forward but I wouldn't let him have control. He would get the blood he craved, he would, but we would settle this how I wanted to.

"I accept." I watched as he lunged at me, shifting as he did so. He was slow at it. Clothing tore and bones cracked as his wolf pushed forward at my acceptance. The sand brown wolf lunged at me and I set my feet back before I jammed my forearm into its open mouth. I grunted as the force of it travelled through me and into my legs. I held firm and stared into the wolf's eyes.

He had made a grave mistake and I shoved my arm further into his mouth. He bit down but with my arm jammed into his mouth he couldn't get the force necessary to do much damage. His teeth still tore at me as he shook his head back and forth but I ignored the wounds as I locked eyes with him and lifted my arm. His belly became exposed and I let my wolf surged down my arm. It was a move we had practiced countless times before.

My claws sprung out of my nail beds and I drove my hand into his soft belly. We basked in the feeling of the hot blood spilling over our hand as we shoved it upwards, seeking the precious source of the hot and slick fluid. Red tinged my vision but I kept my gaze locked onto Dylan's and revelled in the moment when he realized what he had done. He thrashed, trying to pull away. I tore my arm from his mouth and wrapped my arm around him, keeping him on his hind legs and keeping him close as I drove my arm further up his chest cavity.

"You see, Dylan. Just because I was not meant to be an Alpha." I smiled as he howled. It was a pained sound, the sound of a wolf not long for the world. He jerked his head in a desperate attempt to get me to release him. I yanked my head to the side as he went for my neck. His teeth sunk into my shoulder but it didn't matter. We needed the kill, to hear his pained sounds as we destroyed him. "It doesn't mean I wasn't trained to protect the position." I said the words casually as I found the organ I was searching for and tore it from its rightful place with a sickening squelch. It beat frantically in my hand for a few moments as Dylan's form went limp. I let him fall, his eyes were on his heart for a brief moment before he hit the ground and twitched a few times.

A thick silence fell over everyone in the area at his sudden death. A hushed silence that felt like the breath before a scream. Disbelief and shock carried through the silence like a boat on still and calm waters. I had tipped my hand, had shown the pack the cards I held. I had shown them my training and my brutality in the face of poison in my pack. There was no going back from that.

The red haze filled me as I stared down at the still organ resting in my hand. The sight of it pushed everything away and I tossed it to the side without a thought as I moved towards the closest member of the group, Ava. Her face was pale as she stared at her dead leader. She had truly thought he had a chance. It was almost too easy to see the anguish painted on her as her eyes went from the body to where I stood above her. Fear spiked through her, thick and sour it filled the air around her, making saliva pool in my mouth. We liked her fear.

A thunderous growl came from behind me right as I felt teeth tear into my already wounded shoulder. I fell with the impact, grabbing the wolf by the scruff of the neck, using its momentum and throwing it as I rolled on the ground. My shoulder throbbed hotly but my wolf was the one to shove it from my mind as we faced the new enemy. It eyes flicked to where Ava was pinned to where I stood. I could see the bond and I felt my mouth twitch as I stood up, brushing the dirt from my pants. It did nothing but spread blood across the already bloody fabric, forcing the dirt into the woven threads.

He lunged at me again and I could feel his anxiousness, his need to protect his mate. I stepped aside, letting my claws sink into his neck as I did so. I yanked and his blood sprayed across the ground from the four slash marks I had made deep in his throat.

Ava screamed as I moved over to the twitching and gasping wolf. I grabbed its snout before removing its head with a few quick swipes of my claws, slashing through tendon and muscle. I grabbed it by the fur on its head before dropping it in front of her. Her screams turned hysterical as I moved to the next one. He looked between me and Ava and tried to scramble away from the hold he was in. The warrior released him as I moved closer. I snatched out a hand and within a few seconds our claws were buried deep in his throat and raked through the flesh, leaving his protests to turn into gurgles.

We dropped him. He was no use to us. We had gotten the death we had been owed from him. Raela stared straight ahead and I moved over to her. My wolf and I started petting her head gently. She shuddered away from the gesture but I continued it before I crouched down in front of her. We took no pleasure from killing females. We took no pleasure in killing those that were smaller than us.

"Leave her alone! Take me! Take me!" Andy's voice was hysterical but Zane remained silent. Andy sobbed and I patted Raela's face, smearing blood across her cheekbone.

"It's okay. He's loyal to you. Let your thoughts be filled with how much he loves and cares for you." I continued to stroke her hair, moving lower and lower. She stared at her younger brother, her eyes softening as I continued to stroke her cheek and hair. Her form relaxed as I cupped the back of her head and grabbed her chin. Andy was screaming, high pitched and frantic as he pleaded for me to take him in his sister's place.

"It's okay, Andy. It's okay. I love you." Raela smiled at him before looking at me, fear filled her eyes. "It won't hurt, will it?" Her voice trembled and I leaned forward, kissing her forehead. She relaxed a touch more at the action.

"No." I leaned back and without another word, wrenched her head to the side. Her neck snapped violently and she fell limp. I slowly laid her down on the ground before I stood up, mourning her for a brief moment before I left her body to move to the next. Andy's sobs were piercing as I slashed another throat, letting the blood spray me. My wolf loved it and I simply wiped it away from my eyes.

"Shut up, Andy!" Zane's voice was a roar. Our eyes snapped to him. His face was feral looking and we knew it had been him who dragged his younger siblings into this foolishness and it enraged us. We stalked forward and he spat at us. "Fuck you!" I waited patiently, my entire form vibrating as the warrior slowly backed away. Zane went to stand and I lunged at him. He hit the ground hard and I straddled his form.

"Turn him away." The words were growled and I pointed at Andy whose face was soaked in tears. The older warrior nodded before spinning the younger shifter around, pressing him tightly to his chest. He gave me a grave nod as I turned to the thrashing shifter underneath me. "Your siblings are paying the price for this just as you are and their blood is on your hands just as it's on mine." I jammed my claws into his abdomen and he grunted, his teeth clenched as he held in a scream. "Your sister's dead and your little brother will be as well. All because you had to pull them in with you. You're a disgrace to your family and your pack." The words were nearly garbled as the rage surged forward. I wrapped my fingers around his intestines and tore them though the wound I had created. He couldn't help it and screamed as I eviscerated him.

He deserved the pain. Raela and Andy had not. Ave deserved the pain of her mate staring at her from lifeless eyes. She and him had been the firsts, they had been some of the worst, some of the most loyal to Dylan. Andy and Raela had been dragged into the web by their poisonous elder brother. I tore his skin back and removed more of his organs. The entire front of my shirt was soaked in his blood before I left him there, still gasping for air. My wolf wanted him to suffer for what he had done to his family, for the pride he had in dragging them down with him.

I moved quickly to Andy. He did not need to see his brother's last gasping breaths. I crouched down and the warrior pushed him forward and backed away. I grabbed Andy's shoulder and turned him around. He struggled against me and I shook my head. "Nothing will stop this, Andy." I said it softly and he continued his useless struggles.

"You killed her! You killed her!" He was hysterical and I grabbed his chin in my hand, making contact with his panicking and grieving wolf. It stilled under our gaze, my wolf just as present as I was.

"No, she killed herself, Andy. You chose this path but do not think for a moment I will not mourn your loss." I held his gaze and he stopped thrashing, his shoulder slumped in acceptance.

"B-bury me with R-Raela and Z-Zane. B-bury us wi-with our-our p-parents. P-please?" He wiped away his tears as if he was a child, his teeth chattering violently and I ached for him, grieved for him. I pulled him to my chest and he hugged me tightly. I took no joy in this and my wolf lacked the drive to kill him like he had the others. He was a foolish child, just a young male but he had chosen his path. There was no turning back now. We mourned that knowledge deeply.

"I'll make sure, Andy. You will be with your family." I smoothed down his hair like I had with his sister but I didn't prolong it as he let out a sigh and moved back. I snapped his neck quickly and held him to my chest as he went limp. I lowered him to the ground gently, smoothing his hair down. I gestured to the warrior, ignoring the emotions that rose up in me as the warrior gathered the young shifter into his arms. I stood up, my rage flaring back to life for the young male we had to kill.

If the rebellion had not been created he would still be alive, he would be looking for a mate and looking towards a future. My wolf raged for Dylan to be alive so we could kill him again, so we could make him suffer and I agreed. The blood cooled on my skin as I moved towards the next one before I stopped and shifted towards Brandy. She was staring at the ground, her face pale. She shuddered in fear as she felt me near and I stared down at her.

She shrunk down further under my gaze and I crouched down in front of her like I had Raela. "It won't hurt." I watched as she looked up meekly before letting her gaze drop.

"I'm sorry." The words were whimpered and I frowned at her. She had been vocal about her dislike for me but I wondered how much of it had been false bravado that dug her in too deep into Dylan's web to escape. He had ruined many lives with his scheming. Just as I had done by letting it continue.

"I know." I nodded at her and she bit back a sob.

"Tell my mother I'm sorry. I should've listened." She fought against her tears and I knew that her mother would care less about the apology. They had been estranged for nearly six years. It was a sad thought, that she might not be mourned because of what happened between her and her mother. I knew she had a brother but I did not know their relationship but regardess I would mourn her instead, it was my duty and I would fulfill it.

"I will." I reached out and she held her head high as she met my eyes.

"You're a good Alpha. I see that now." Truth hung in her eyes and I gave her a soft smile before I pulled her into a hug. A moment of tenderness before the brutality that would come. She clung to me tightly, her entire form trembling.

"You are a good person, Brandy Slater. I will mourn for you." I held her tightly before gently pushing her away.

"Thank you." She closed her eyes and I cupped the back of her neck and grabbed her jaw before doing as I did with Andy and Raela. It was frightening how the life of a shifter, of a human, could be taken with one quick twist of the hands. We slowly stood up and moved to the next one.

My wolf and I took no longer took joy in the work we were doing. We took no joy in the fear we saw or the screams we heard as we took justice. We could only feel the hot blood splashing us as we unleashed our rage on those who thought to take what was ours, on those who had forced the senseless deaths. They all lay dead except for Ava.

I moved over to her quickly, her eyes snapped up to mine. A fathomless rage filled her eyes and she opened her mouth but I covered it with my hand before I grabbed her head and twisted. Her vertebrae snapped and she went limp. I stood up and my wolf felt sated but grief stricken for the lives we truly took no joy in taking. Andy, Raela, and Brandy. Their foolishness had gotten them poisoned and the poison was the reason they were now dead.

I shook my hands out as the claws retreated. I ignored the blood that dripped from them as I did so. I looked around and my gaze landed on Raela's limp form. I walked over and gently picked her up. Tears pricked at my eyes and without a word I could hear shifting. My guardians had come to help with the heavy burdens. I turned around and Michael took the female's limp form from my arms, his brown eyes filling with tears as he did so. His grief at the lost pack member was clear. I looked over to see Ezekiel picking up Brandy.

"They get buried with the pack. Take them to the temple to be prepared." The words were choked and I pinched my nose. The grief was strong and I let it wash over me. I had done this. I had allowed it to get as bad as it had. I turned to look at my pack, their faces were pale as they looked at me. I moved back to the platform and eased myself up onto the edge of it. My arm and shoulder burned hotly, the anger and adrenaline leaving me so I could actually feel the pain.

"If your loved one participated in this foolish rebellion you're free to take them to the temple to prepare for burial." I could feel the pack's confusion, their concern, their grief and anger. It pushed down on me and my wolf surged forward, tired of the bombardment. Authority filled me as I looked up from my blood caked hands. "Make no mistakes, I am your Alpha. I did not wish for this position and it gives me no joy in taking lives to protect it. Fourteen members of the pack have died today. Do not think to question my decision to take their lives." I scanned the crowd, looking for anyone to challenge me, anyone to spark a rebellion. I wouldn't allow them to survive like I had with Dylan. I wouldn't let it come to the gory scene it had. Not again.

Words surged forward through the air and through the mind link, like a singular entity pushing on my mind that I could not hold back. A pack's respect is not given, it is earned. The cry grew louder and louder until it changed suddenly. "Respiciunt Alpha. Respiciunt sanguine." The chant grew in fervor until the entire crowed fell eerily silent and my entire pack slumped to their knees in submission. Their necks bared and their energy accepting.

I bowed my head under the weight of it. "Respect the Alpha. Respect the blood." The words fell from my mouth and I scoffed slightly. It was up to me to accept their submission, to assert my dominance over them. It had come five years later than it should have and I lifted my head. "The blood accepts. Sanguinem accipit." It was done. I couldn't simply back away. The entirety of the pack's responsibilities landed on my shoulders. I needed to choose ranks, to choose those I could trust. I needed to complete the process. With my mother dying I couldn't keep running or hiding.

It was over.