Chapter 65

"He either requires your submission, Alpha, or your defeat. There's no in between. He's not willing to leave until he has what he wants. You at his mercy, pleading for your own territory and people. Until then, he intends to stay here, for as long as it takes..."

The voices became blurred.

"He's not going to retreat anytime soon, Alpha..." It was a familiar voice, one I had been hearing all night. "The best course of action to take right now would be to fight, to attack his wolves, to attack him—"

"It would kill too many of you." Nicholas said, a hand on his head and the other one over the seat in the garden as he leaned over.

"We are willing to sacrifice our lives for you. That is all we've been trained for, to fight and to die." Malik confessed, no fear in his voice, not even a hint of it.

"And that is why I can't let you do this," Nicholas murmured, lifting his head to meet his gaze. "He's more in numbers—"

"But not in strength."

Nicholas shook his head again, determined. "Countless of my men have been already killed. Their bodies are spread all across the town while their families are completely unaware of whether their sons are alive or not. I cannot risk anyone else dying for a feud between my father and I,"

Silence hung heavy in the air as the words settled.

I heard him from a distance, from behind the windows of Sheryl's comfortable house. The night had arrived and so had Nicholas' father's conclusion. He stated what he wanted and his intentions weren't any different than before.

"Several of them are being held hostage by my father. I can admit that deaths are common in battles, Malik, but this isn't a battle between two packs, it isn't a battle for territory or gaining strength. It goes beyond that and having any of my men serve me in this anymore would be coward of me and a mistake." Nicholas continued, his voice filled with concern for his own people.

Malik nodded and agreed with him. "What do you want us to do, then?"

"Don't listen to the men," Sheryl stepped in front of me, taking my attention away from eavesdropping on Nicholas. "Your mind will turn and twist at their words. It's not for us to women to understand the meanings of their battles and power struggle."

I stepped back from the window and sat down while glancing up at her.

"I don't want him to be hurt," I confessed, my heart tightening at the thought of it. "He already had been and I don't want that for him again."

"He's a man. Let him fight if that's what he wants to do. Taking the fight away from the very nature of a man leaves him with a void that cannot be filled. You only have the power to guide him, not suppress the basic fire that burns within him."

I mulled at her words and pursed my lips together. My attention returned to the voices outside, of Nicholas and the men he was seated with as they contemplated on what to do.

"...you will die..." I heard a voice trail off.

Standing back up, I reached the window and listened to them closely.

"I will not," Nicholas appeared stern. But on what? "I have endured more than he has, and he certainly can't be more powerful than me. This is the only way, Malik. I want you to send word to him about this no later than morning."

Malik, now on his feet, standing tall, shook his head. "I will not lead my alpha to his death by sending word to his father about what he wants to do."

"You will do as I say." Nicholas commanded, a low growl escaping his throat in a threatening way.

The odd tension between them grew thicker and the lines over my forehead deepened. What did he want to do? I moved away from the window and stepped outside, straight into the cold chilling air and where their conversation was locked.

"I will do no such thing." Malik stood on his ground.

For what?

"What are you going to do?" I stepped forward and interrupted them.

My eyes locked with Nicholas as he turned around to find me behind him. There was unwavering determination in his gaze. One I didn't understand. He stepped closer to me and away from his men.

"There's nothing you need to worry about," His hand reached out to touch mine, but this time, it was different. It was a gesture meant to hide his intentions, to shield me from the truth. "It's getting late and cold. You should stay inside."

Confusion mingled with concern as I searched his eyes for answers. It was only for a moment I had turned away from hearing him.

"What—what are you planning on doing?" I asked, glancing back at Malik and then at him.

"It's something—"

"He wants to fight his father to death." Malik confessed behind him.

"What?" I snapped. "What do you mean?" My eyes widened as they turned to Nicholas, my hand slowly moving away from his.

He took a deep breath. "I don't have another choice."

"You surely can't kill him," I stopped him then and there. "Even if you think you can, you won't be able to." My mind raced, searching desperately for an alternative or a way to convince him for something else.

This couldn't be it.

Not this.

I knew Nicholas, and no matter what power he contained within himself, he could not kill his own father. But his father surely could kill him.

"You cannot be certain."

"I can," I stepped back. "He won't hesitate to take your life, Nicholas. You will, you always will. You cannot do this. For fuck's sake. No." My voice trembled with both fear and rage, unsure of which one consumed me more. The fact he could think of this, or the fact he wanted this.

"There's no other way. My father won't stop and I'll die before submitting to him and allowing him to reign in my territory. Fighting to death will ensure only one outcome. Either it's him or me," He replied, his voice heavy. Nearing me, he placed wrapped his hands around my arms and lowered his gaze on me. "I know I can do this."

"And if you can't?"

He remained stern on his decision,"I can. You've to trust me."

My mouth lined straight as I heaved in deep breaths. I couldn't even consider this knowing well enough Nicholas wasn't going survive simply because he didn't have the strength to kill his father. He had spent years in power, he could've killed him long before if he wanted to, but he didn't.

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