His use of my title showed that he accepted my rule, now that it was too late. He lowered himself to the ground and rolled, exposing his throat and belly.
Since the arkhons standing around us couldn’t hear our conversation, I decided to fill them in.Davis Gray has been offered the chance to live as a packless wolf in his own home. He has declined. He asks for death.He hadn’t, not in so many words, but that was what his position meant. He wouldn’t haveshown me his throat if he didn’t want me to tear it out.
“We support your decision, Anax,” Oliver said. “No fight will occur, but if death results, so be it.”
“So be it,” Zane and the rest repeated.
Gods, I didn’t want to do this. The taste of Edward’s blood was still in my mouth. I wanted no other man’s blood to join it. But Davis couldn’t be left alive without risking further conflict, further challenges. Perhaps even further fractures among the werewolves of the country. I was Anax. It was part of my role to keep our country intact, on the werewolf side at least, and sometimes that meant taking lives I would rather not have taken.
I approached Davis slowly. He watched me, breathing heavily, and didn’t move.
One last time,I said.You may return to your home, alive but packless and alone. Or I can kill you here and now.
Kill me,he said.
So I did, in one fast movement that shed blood around us, because I had no wish to make him suffer. As before, I kept my teeth on him as the life faded from his eyes, as the taste of his blood filled my mouth, as silence fell around us.
No fight had occurred, and therefore there was no need for a monitor, but Oliver took the role anyway. “It is over,” he said softly after a minute or two. “Anax, Davis Gray is dead.”
I stepped back from the corpse, gagging slightly at the mixed taste of the blood of the two men whose lives I’d just ended, and lay down, closing my eyes because right now, I couldn’t stand the sight of what I’d done.
I had killed. Two men. Not in cold blood, at least, but that didn’t make it better. I didn’t kill lightly. I had declared this gathering a safe place where no conflict would occur, and yet I had just killed two men. Two arkhons, who would now need to be replaced.
At least one of them would. Whether I replaced Davis Gray would depend on whether the Pacific Region continued to be a region, and that wasn’t a decision I wanted to make alone. The remaining arkhons would have a say.
I had less awareness as I shifted back this time than before. The pain was excruciating, psychic as well as physical, and I didn’t care about anything else. I needed to be human again so I could issue the orders that needed issuing. So I could get the gathering back under control.
So I could find Kyle and hide with him under the covers of our bed, wrapped in his arms, forgetting everything else for a little while. Forgetting thatI was the Anax.
Chapter Twelve
By thetime I came back to my senses, only three alphas remained around me: Oliver, Matt Hayakawa, and Todd Jarrett of the Alaska Region. I didn’t know why Matt and Todd were there, but I appreciated their presence.
Oliver extended a hand, and this time I accepted the help. He wouldn’t think I was weak, and Matt and Todd wouldn’t have stuck around if they weren’t on my side.
“Where…?” My mouth was so dry it hurt, and I couldn’t manage to finish the question.
“Zane has gone to assemble a cleaning crew, as you asked,” Oliver said. “Desmond went to get you some water.”
“Ah.” That was good. Water would help.
“Anax, your clothes.” Todd picked up the items I’d removed earlier and held them out to me. “If you wish to get dressed.”
“Thanks.” I did wish. I was far too exposed right now, and my emotions, between grief and the upheaval of shifting four times in less than half an hour, were all over the fucking place. I didn’t want to be vulnerable. Clothes would be a good thing.
The three of them turned their backs while I got dressed, Recognizing it as a sign of respect, I didn’t question it. As I pulled the clothes on, I reached out to Kyle. He had to be losing his shit right about now.It’s okay. I’m okay. He didn’t challenge.He’s dead.
Fuck, Tobias.He paused.Are you actually okay?
Probably not,I admitted.I’ll be up there in a few minutes. Wait for me. Please.
I’ll be right here.
Desmond Constantine emerged from the house with two bottles of water and a plate which, I saw when he got closer, held a selection of sliced meat. He handed me one of the bottles. “If you need, Anax.”
“Thank you.” I opened the bottle and drained it in a single gulp, then took the plate from him and stuffed a few pieces of meat into my mouth. Nausea nearly made me spit them out, but I needed to refuel after shifting so many times. Plus the taste of the meat along with the water helped clear the taste of blood from my mouth.
“What do you need from us, Anax?” Oliver asked when I swallowed.
