Kelly moved closer to Ashton as if he was about to attack him. Although Ashton was still weak, he was not panicked when he saw Kelly move closer.
He was an alpha, even if he was to be defeated today by his brother, he wanted it to be an honorable defeat.
He swiftly moved Maya behind him and stood as an unshakeable barrier between her and Kelly.
Seeing that, Kelly who was about to attack did not attack him right away. He changed his direction and before anyone could react, he was at Gael’s throat and he already choking him to death.
Gael could not react in time because his body was already so weak and he had not foreseen Kelly attacking him. He only widened his eyes in surprise, unable to defend himself.
Ashton, Maya, and Leonard were shocked. None of them had expected that Kelly would actually attack Gael right in front of them.
Apart from that, they were not far away from the sacred hall. Was he not afraid that he will attract the attention of the pack elders and the pack members who were still celebrating inside?
Leonard reacted instinctively but as he was about to attack Kelly, he was sent flying away with one punch.
Leonard fell with a thud and almost fainted from the harrowing pain. He clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. His ribs seemed to have shattered at the sudden punch.
He turned his head and looked at his son as if he was seeing a ghost. He wondered when his son had become so powerful that he could not even take one blow from him.
With his eyes shining with deep blue light, Kelly completely ignored his father and Ashton as he slashed his long fangs into Gael’s throat without hesitation. He did not even give Gael time to react or to ask him why he would do such a thing.
“What…. why?” Leonard could not even utter a complete sentence. His chest was throbbing and he was on the verge of throwing up a few liters of blood.
“I told you to stay away from my business, don’t make me feel sorry for you!” Kelly said as he looked at his father. There was no affection in his eyes and his voice was laced with coldness. He threw the lifeless Gael on the ground and did not even spare him a second glance.
“You! Why di…….. why did….. you….!” Leonard said as he pointed at the already dead Gael. He found it difficult to even utter a single word because of the pain in his chest.
Although Gael was already dead, his eyes were still wide open as if he was in a state of disbelief that his grandson had really killed him. He looked so pitiful even as a corpse.
“The old man should have been dead a long time ago. Did you want me to keep him alive so that he can take away what he has already given me? I cannot let that happen. After everything that I have done for this pack, I deserve some credit and it is only right that I become the alpha.” Kelly said. He was not sorry about what he has just done. To him, it was extremely normal to remove any obstacles on his way to being the alpha.
His grandfather only had one role, and that was to announce him as the new alpha of the ash band pack. Even if he had not killed him today, he would still have done so because he already knew that in his old man’s heart, Ashton was irreplaceable. Although he had said that he was disappointed in him over and over again, he knew that if Ashton came and apologized, the old man would not hesitate to forgive him.
He also wanted Ashton to know that he was now someone powerful. He was not the same weakling he was in the past where he could be trampled on just by anyone.
Ashton looked at his dead grandfather silently. Although he did not like him and even held some resentment towards him, it was not to the extent of killing him.
He did not have any biological siblings and after his parents’ death, his grandfather was the only next of kin he had left. But now there he was, lying lifeless on the cold ground without any idea of why he had died.
He had trusted someone so much to the extent of giving him his whole life’s work. If he had known that it was the death sentence awaiting him, would he have made the same choice?
Ashton pursed his lips into a thin line and refused to look at his dead grandfather anymore. With a hardened expression, he looked in a different direction.
Maya looked at him and hugged him. She could already feel his pain although he was trying to hide it. The only comfort she could offer him now was to hug him as tightly as she could. She knew that no matter what she said, Gael was never coming back to life.
Ashton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Although he was sad, he also felt relieved because that seemed like a form of relief to his grandfather.
He had worked so hard for the pack, it was time for him to rest. And besides, he knew that Kelly won’t let him off, he did not want his grandfather to be caught up between the two of them.
On the other side, Kelly and Leonard were still confronting each other.
“Your grandfather has been so good to you, why would you kill him?” Leonard asked. He had managed to stand on his feet with so much difficulty although his body was still a little shaky.
“Why would I let him live? Did you hear what he said just now after seeing Ashton? Did you hear him?” Kelly asked. He seemed to have lost his mind.
His eyes had regained their normal color and they looked bloodshot.
“I heard him, but what right did you have to kill him? He is the patriarch of this pack Kelly, do you know that the crime you have committed won’t even be repaid with a death sentence?” Leonard said.
“Father I am not like you! I have never been like you! I want power, I want a pack, I want respect. I have worked so hard just to reach this far. Why would I allow him to revoke my position as the alpha just because his most beloved grandson has returned? Why would allow me to be a joke after I have worked so hard?”
“It is not good to covet what doesn’t belong to you!”
“Huh, only a coward would say something like that. Father, I am willing to give you another chance. Join me, let us rule this pack together, we don’t have to fight with each other.” Kelly said. His voice was much gentle as compared to before.
“You must be insane. The only leader and alpha I will ever recognize will be Ashton. I will never support you. You can just forget about being the alpha since Ashton is already back.”
“Father it is good that you have made your choice. Now don’t blame me for what I am about to do.”