<b>Chapter </b><b>86</b>
<b>Her </b>voice <b>echoes </b>through <b>my </b>mind<b>, </b>the <b>way </b>the hits <b>hammered </b>into her <b>already </b>sickly <b>flesh </b>sends <b>a </b>murderous shudder through my spine. The bile rises <b>faster </b>than I <b>expect </b><b>as </b>I turn my <b>head </b>to <b>the </b>side and try <b>to </b>swallow it down, weing the burn. A tiny sacrifice for the pain she is <b>suffering</b>.
My <b>lycan</b>, who should <b>be </b>roaring in <b>anger</b><b>, </b><b>is </b><b>instead </b>withering in agony, angered by not only her distance from us but the choice thatys in our hands. Not that it is much <b>of </b><b>a </b>choice<b>. </b>There <b>is </b>no choosing between Colette and our species. Because there is only one option and only will <b>ever </b><b>be </b>one option <b>for </b><b>as </b>long <b>as </b><b>I </b>live<b>.</b>Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.
I have always <b>been </b>an alpha first<b>, </b>putting <b>my </b><b>pack</b><b>, </b>my kind above everything else<b>, </b>everyone else. But this time I am choosing her, not for me, but for them. Without <b>her</b><b>, </b><b>they </b>don’t have an alpha. They have a shell of a man ying a part I would no longer have a passion for. Colette is the soul of me. Without <b>her</b>, there is no <b>werewolf </b>or lycan kind.
I stand and rush from the room<b>, </b>no longer willing <b>to </b>wait and y these stupid useless games. <b>No </b>longer do I care about their reasoning behind why they <b>are </b>doing this and what they truly want. Because for once, what everyone <b>else </b>wants doesn’t matter. It’s what I want that matters. And I want my damn <b>mate</b>.
“Merikh<b>,</b><b>” </b>I <b>hear </b><b>Hayes </b>call out before his frantic footsteps echo in the silence behind me. “Merikh! Where <b>are </b>you going? We need to discuss this.”
<b>I </b>spin on my heel<b>, </b><b>a </b><b>sneer </b>on my lips<b>, </b><b>as </b>anger takes over my body.
“There is nothing to <b>discuss</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>I grit out. He frowns and shakes his head.
“That’s bullshit and you know it.”
“I am going to retrieve Colette.” <b>I </b>say, enunciating every word just to make sure there is no misinterpreting my intentions. “No amount of <b>discussion </b>or trying to convince me to think of the pack will change my mind.”
His brow knit together in confusion, and a hint of surprise flutters over his features before he scoffs.
“Did you seriously think I <b>was </bing to talk you out of going for her?” He asks, offended by my tone, not that his offensive is any of my concern since I am the alpha.
“What else would we possibly have to discuss, Hayes<b>?</b><b>” </b>I ask.
“Well, for <b>starters</b>, how it’s a tant fucking trap that will end with you getting killed before you even have the fucking chance to see Colette again?” He <b>growls </b>out.
He makes <b>a </b>solid point<b>, </b><b>so </b>I pause, dragging my hands through my hair, feeling utterly helpless.
<b>“</b><b>I </b><b>just</b>–I can’t <b>stay </b>here and do nothing<b>, </b>Hayes. Colette is out there, being tortured and I’m here, doing what exactly?” <b>I </b>ask him, trying and failing to keep my emotions in check.
“We <b>are </b>trying to <b>locate </b><b>her </b>and n a way in to get her<b>.</b>” He reminds me and I roll my eyes.
“We don’t need to locate her any longer. They told us where they are.” I say<b>, </b>even though I know what he means.
They could be lying about where they are, and they most certainly are leading me in to a trap. I may be overwhelmed and desperate, but it doesn’t <b>make </b>me an idiot, it just makes me dangerous and predictable. What I need is to be dangerous and unpredictable to them.
“Merikh,” He sighs and <b>shakes </b>his head. “Brother Colette needs you sane, not drunk of murderous rage and a spark of hope<b>.”</b>
“What <b>would </b><b>you </b><b>have </b>me do<b>?</b><b>” </b><b>I </b><b>ask </b>him<b>, </b>feeling defeated.
“Leandra <b>may </b>know a <b>better </b><b>way</b><b>,</b>” he says<b>, </b>and I can <b>see </b>the conflict in his <b>eyes, </b>but there <b>is </b><b>also </b>a hint of determination.
“She <b>needs </b>to be <b>a </b>part of ourmunity,” <b>I </b>remind him, and he nods.
<b>“</b><b>If </b><b>you </b>would <b>give </b>me <b>time </b>to <b>discuss </b>things with her<b>, </b><b>we </b>can make that happen. But what we need is time, not a lot, but enough to formte something<b>.”</b>
“Like <b>what</b><b>?</b><b>” </b><b>I </b><b>scoff</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>he <b>res </b>at <b>me</b><b>.</b>
<b>“</b><b>Something better </b>than running out the <b>fucking </b>door like an <b>upset </b>teen and rushing <b>toward </b>danger without any thought.” <b>He </b><b>says</b>.
I chuckle dryly, <b>knowing </b><b>he </b>is <b>right </b><b>and hating </b><b>every </b>damn <b>second </b><b>of </b>it. <b>Colette </b>needs me, but <b>she </b><b>needs </b>me not <b>just </b>for a fight, but <b>for </b>my wit and cunning skills. I am not the Alpha <b>of </b>Death <b>just </b>for my ability to kill<b>, </b><b>but </b>for <b>my </b>precision and <b>execution </b>of my <b>moves</b>. This <b>is a </b>game of chess <b>now</b>.
They <b>make </b>a <b>move</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>I <b>now must </b>make mine<b>.</b>
<b>1/3</b>
<b>lingers </b><b>and </b>when <b>he </b><b>sees </b>us <b>he </b>turns the volume <b>to </b>max and hits <b>y</b>.
<b>A </b><b>soft </b>whisper <b>of </b>a voice, her voice.
<b>“</b><b>Forget </b>me<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>she </b><b>says</b>.
My skin tingles and my mouth goes dry at <b>her </b>words. Does she truly think I would <b>ever </b><b>be </b>able to forget a force like her? She came into my life like <b>a </b>soft <b>breeze </b>and but the <b>second </b>she <b>was </b>in; she picked up speed and whipped up a hurricane in me. There is no forgetting someone who can do
that.
“<b>Hayes</b>, you need to <b>go </b><b>speak </b>with Leandra and bring <b>her </b>out <b>here</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>I say, snapping into alpha mode.
<b>“</b><b>Caspian</b><b>, </b><b>if </b><b>you </b>don’t mind, <b>please </b><b>go </b><b>get </b>Johannes<b>,</b>” I <b>ask </b>him.
“Johannes <b>is </b><b>here </b>and <b>ounted </b>for.” His voice <b>says </b>as he saunters in and leans against the wall. “You all look like you are ready to make a move.”
<b>“</b>Something like that,” <b>Hayes </b><b>says as </b><b>he </b>walks out of the room to fetch Leandra.
“What do you need from me<b>, </b>alpha<b>?</b><b>” </b>Johannes <b>asks</b><b>, </b>arching a brow. His usual cocky<b>, </b>annoying demeanor is reced with one of respect, <b>or </b>rather more <b>respect </b>than normal.
His nose scrunches up and he stands upright<b>, </b>spinning around as he sniffs the <b>air</b>, his vampire senses in full gear, as he rummages around until he finds the box. He lifts <b>it</b><b>, </b>inspecting the blood and inhaling it with a shudder before he zeros in on me, a question in his eyes.
“Colette’s,” I tell him and he frowns<b>, </b>cing the box down.
<b>“</b>They offered a ransom then?” he <b>asks</b>.
“Something to that effect.” I mutter, pointing
<b>10</b>
the television. “They sent a torture tape and forced her to tell me where she is.”
He looks surprised, his head tilting to the side as he hums in thought. Then he walks over and takes a seat, propping his feet up on the couch in afortable position.
“And you invited me to watch the show<b>?</b>” He <b>asks</b>, “If I were still human, I might ask for popcorn for the entertainment.”
I <b>growl </b>at his shittyment.
“I <b>was </b><b>just </b>trying to lighten the mood.” He grumbles and rolls his eyes.
“I am going to <b>use </b>you topel Leandra in order to tap into her mind and see if you can help her unlock the memories she has lost from when she <b>was </b>under Lily’s spell.” I <b>say</b><b>, </b>crossing my arms over my chest.
His eyebrows shoot up and he <b>sits </b>up immediately, leaning forward with his hands on his elbows before he barks out a dryugh. Johannes paces <b>away </b>for a moment before spinning back around and nodding.
“Fine. But it <b>doesn’t </be <b>free</b><b>,</b>” he <b>bites </b>out. I smirk at him, knowing he really doesn’t understand how this oath works.
<b>“</b><b>No</b><b>?</b><b>” </b><b>I </b><b>arch </b><b>a </b><b>cocky </b>brow and he groans in annoyance.
<b>“</b><b>Sorry</b>, old habits <b>die </b>hard.” He shrugs<b>. </b><b>“</b>But it will be very taxing on not only me, but <b>her</b>.”
“This is <b>our </b>contingency n. <b>Hayes </b>and her marking each other is the <b>first </b>n, but I don’t like the idea of rushing their bond. I want them to <b>decide</b>, but <b>I </b>want <b>you </b>to be aware of this option before <b>I </b>spring it on you.”
Job
<b>frowns </b>and drags <b>a </b>hand down his <b>face</b><b>, </b>shaking his <b>head</b>.
“Merikh, for this work I need to drink from her too.” He says, his <b>eyes </b>meeting mine <b>as </b><b>Hayes </b>and Leandra walk into the room, both of them looking <b>upset </b>with the <b>other</b>.
????
“I don’t <b>care</b><b>,</b><b>” </b><b>she </b><b>says</b><b>, </b>rolling <b>her </b>shoulders <b>back </b>and puffing up her chest<b>. </b>“I will do it.”
“The <b>hell </b><b>you </b><b>will</b>. <b>I </b>told <b>you </b><b>I </b><b>would </b><b>just </b><b>ept </b>you, Lea<b>.</b><b>” </b><b>Hayes </b>says in anger<b>, </b>his <b>jaw </b>clenching <b>as </b>he <b>grabs </b><b>her </b>wrist. <b>She </b><b>yanks </b>it out of his grip <b>and </b><b>steps </b><b>away </b>from him.
<b>“</b>You <b>are </b>the one who didn’t want <b>to </b>do <b>this </b><b>earlier</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>now there <b>is </b>another<b>, </b><b>easier </b><b>way </b>and suddenly <b>now </b><b>you </b><b>will </b>be my <b>mate</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>She snaps at him.
“It <b>was </b>your <b>idea </b><b>in </b><b>the first </b><b>ce</b><b>, </b>but now <b>you </b>have all <b>these feelings </b>about it,” <b>Hayes </b><b>groans</b>.
<b>2/3</b>
<b>Chapter </b><b>86</b>
“Let’s proceed with the vampire. I refuse to let my mate ept me because he is suddenly jealous.” She says, ring at Hayes, who throws his hands
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“It has nothing to do with jealousy<b>, </b>you don’t understand-” Hayes tries to exin.
“There is nothing to exin. This way is for the best. If you can’t handle it, you can leave.” She says, moving over to Johannes. Leandra yanks at her long sleeve and holds her wrist up for him. And he looks at me for permission.
Hayes pleads with me in his eyes, but ultimately it is not my decision to make, but Leandra’s.
“Leandra,” I say, needing her confirmation. She looks at me without an ounce of fear and a soft smile on her lips.
Alpha, I will be fine.” She nods and I clear my throat.
“Do it.”1 exhale.
“Biting two mates from the same family.” Johannes mutters with a smirk directed at Hayes. “Not quite a record yet,”
Hayesunches himself at him, his lycaning out in full force as Leandra rolls and falls to the ground hard. Johannes ms into the wall, his head cracking against the drywall, splintering the stering around it.
“Hayes!” I roar, trying to control my beta, but he is locked in as his teeth gnash and try to tear at Johannes, who is hardly keeping him at bay.
“Mine!” Hayes lycan roars before he yanks Johannes from the wall and throws him across the room. Then he bounds over to Leandra.
“Hayes, no!” I yell out, but I am toote as he sinks his teeth into her neck, marking her as his own.
3/3