With a menacing glare, Luke sets his eyes on the Young Alpha, who stutters, “I wasn’t there! I wasn’t there that night. I have proof! I can bring it to you.” One of the guards wrestles with him, to restrain him. “I wasn’t there! I would never let them hurt her!” He looks to me. “I would never have let them hurt you! You have to believe me!”
Tears trail down my face. I don’t know what to believe. I only know what I looked like when I woke up in the clinic.
He shoves into Alexis, knocking him to the side. He tries to circle the table, but Justin crashes into him, taking him down.
“Get them the fuck out of here!” Luke roars.
The Alpha laughs like an insane madman as Anders and another guard hold him. “All this trouble over an unwanted child.” He cackles.
I glance at Luke, and we share a look of worry over the Alpha’s mental wellbeing. I link my mind with his, but I can’t make sense of his jumbled thoughts. A sharp dagger slices through my link, throwing it back at me like a dart. Shit! I slap my hand over my temple and lean forward.
An unfamiliar voice shouts in my head, and an image of an angry teenage boy forms. “They should have left you near the falls, where they found you! They should have thrown you into the water and let you drown!”
The room starts to spin, and the Alpha’s maniacal laughter grows louder. Then, he shouts, “I should have left you to die out on the cliff when you were a baby!”
Chapter 38
Murderous Alpha
LUKE
TWO WEEKS AGO
March 14, 2025: 1:24 p.m.
Alpha Kings Mansion: Conference Room
Ishould have stood closer to her. My stupid Alpha ego got in the way. I want to tear apart the Young Alpha and show him that she’s mine. He’s inmyterritory, and for whatever part he played in hurting her, I will hurt him.
I should never have moved away. When I turn to look at her, she clutches her head and bends over the table. My father barks orders, and the Beta fights to get free. The room erupts into a loud chaotic mess, all while Alpha Rhineheart shouts and laughs.
Before I can reach Jessica, the Alpha breaks out of his restrained hold and transitions into a large chestnut brown wolf. He bounds over the table, knocking down my father, and attacks Jessica.
“No!” Dimitri and I yell at the same time. Justin and Alexis pin the Young Alpha to the ground he frantically fights their restraints.
Jessica raises her arms as the Alpha lands on her, his jaws snapping, teeth tearing into one arm. She’s in human form—fragile, breakable. She manages to roll out from under him, army crawling away. He catches her by the ankle and flings her body across the room like a rag doll.
Her scream fills the room. Wolves pounce onto the Alpha’s back, and one of the golden wolves, larger than the Alpha, knocks him over. My father enters the fight.
No, no, no! I run toward the two Alphas fighting, growling. I transition midair as I jump onto Alpha Rhineheart’s back. He’s too strong. His large jaw clamps down on my father’s leg, I hear the bone crack followed by his growl of pain.
The Alpha throws off another wolf, but I’m still atop him. I grab onto his haunches, pulling him back, tearing at flesh. That gets his attention. In a flurry of teeth, claws, and vicious snarls, we fight each other, aiming for the jugular.
He’s just too damn strong, like he’s on steroids. What the hell is this? In human form, he’s an empty shell. In wolf form, he’s a killing machine. He throws more wolves off him, pulling me by the shoulder he whips me across the room.
He’s not interested in killing any one of us. His focus is on Jessica. Free, he stalks toward her, lying unconscious on the floor. A smaller chestnut brown wolf with a hint of gray mixed into its fur joins him.
Dimitri is still in human form, fighting Alexis. Jeremy is mid-shift. A black wolf and another golden wolf, Chris and Elias, race into the room, immediately attacking the Alpha and the other, who I can only assume is the Beta. Shortly, a gray wolf runs in next, all teeth snarling, and immediately shields my father. Joe?
Raising myself to all fours, I enter the fray. Together, we work to thwart the Beta and Alpha Rhineheart. A large white wolf jumps into the crowd, and steel jaws clamp down on my hind leg. I howl at the searing pain. The Alpha hovers over me, sharp teeth dripping with saliva, eyes glowing with a scarlet violence. A low growl emanates from his chest, he aims for my jugular, Chris slams into him, knocking him over.
Get her out of here!Anders snarls through our mind-link. With my shoulder injured and my hind leg broken, I crawl through the violence and make my way to Jessica.
Her breathing is shallow, but she’s alive. Blood drips from a wound on her scalp, and her arm is bent under her at an unnatural angle. I nuzzle her face, but she doesn’t move. My own injuries prevent me from carrying or dragging her to safety. I lay down, practically on top of her, protecting her the only way I can for now.
The smaller chestnut-colored wolf approaches me, growling, warning me to get out of his way. I try to stand, but sharp pain forces me back down. He steps forward, and I calculate how to rip out his throat when he lunges forward.
I want to use my magic. I’m sure we all do. But if this asshole survives, it puts all of our lives in danger. I sneer,I will kill you, motherfucker. Just try it.
