Kora is pushing more weight than I ever thought possible into an Alpha command. I knew I had one, being that I am Ezra’s mate, but even he looks a little startled as Madeline tries to bleed herself into the floor to get away from it.
“Yes!” She screams and sobs.
“Yes, what?” I command.
“Yes, Luna!” she sobs, and Kora continues to shove her aura out, it feels infinite, I don’t know where she is pulling it from or how, because it is obvious it was more than a normal Alpha command. “Yes! Yes, Luna,” she screams while writhing and clutching her stomach.
“So it’s been you all this time?” I demand.
She pants, trying to catch her breath, sweat coats her, drenching her clothes, and drips off her chin. “No-no, Angie contacted him originally,” she takes a little gasp, trying to get breath to speak. “She said I could have Ezra if I helped her because Jackson’s son would mate and mark her.” I stagger back a step.
“What?” I whisper. I am so shocked that I dropped the command, resisting the urge to stumble back. She senses the weakness and snarls at me before lunging. Kora isn’t so distracted and forces control. She grabs the hand, aimed for my face, with a twist of her wrist, she snaps several bones and makes Madeline scream. Maddox grabs her by the hair again, yanking her backward, and her head hits the ground with a sickening crack.
She laughs maniacally, her eyes brimming with tears despite her laughter as she stares at me. She’s beyond caring about her pain. “I hope he fucking kills you, little bitch. I hope Maddox kills you like his father killed his mother.” She grins at me through bloody lips. “He will, you know, it’s in his DNA,” she taunts while giggling.
Stepping closer, I looked down at her. “You have a sharp tongue, saying things you know nothing about,” I snarl. Blood fills my mouth as my canines elongate and stab my lips. “Let me help you with that,” I offer, my claws extending, and rage like no other fuels me. I jam my clawed fingers into her mouth, shredding the soft tissue until her jaw snaps, forcing it open far wider than it has any right to be. She’s screaming around my wrist, but it’s muffled and sounds wrong somehow.
Suddenly, Kora shoves forward completely and punches my fist farther down her throat. Saliva wraps around my fingers as I grip her slippery tongue before yanking my arm back. The attack doesn’t make much sound, but there’s a sickening gurgle coming out of Madeline, it makes my stomach backflip. I stare in shock at the pulpy red remains of her tongue. I’m shocked at what I have just done, or mainly what Kora has done. Blood pours from her mouth, splashing onto the cold stone floor.
Maddox looks at me, cocking his head to the side before looking down at her, she makes another awful gurgling noise, and I drop her tongue at my feet. Mateo calmly watches like this is something he has seen before, while my stomach rolls violently.
“Kat,” Maddox murmurs, while I stare horrified. I raise my eyes to his as I suck in lungfuls of air. It is one thing to wish for agony for those that hurt mom, but getting that revenge myself is making me sick. The room spins as the air gets thicker. I clutch at my throat.
Mateo pushes off the wall he is leaning against, his hands outstretched. “Breathe, Kat.” he whispers softly, stepping closer.
Wasn’t that what I was doing? I suck in another breath, and then another, as my eyes drop to what I had just done. Madeline still lay gurgling, choking on her own blood.
“I.. I.. Can..” I was about to hyperventilate. I had no idea what I was asking Maddox to do. Help her? Kill her? I just know I couldn’t handle the noises she is making.
Maddox grabs her head and twists quickly, and her neck snaps with one swift movement.
The moment he did, I threw up my breakfast. My hand is drenched in her blood, and I am sickened at what I had just done.
Mateo rubs my back, but I run for the small steel sink in the far corner, puking again. “First time is always the worst,” Mateo advises, and I glance at him over my shoulder. Maddox nudges him. “What? It’s true, it gets easier,” he replies with a shrug.
“I don’t want it to get easier,” I confess, as Mateo steps closer, sweeping my hair back as I retch. He turns the tap on, letting the water wash everything down the sink.
“What about Angie?” I rasp at Maddox.
His eyes flicker and change back to Ezra’s. “I will have someone bring her to the pack house.”
“Is there somewhere else you can send her? I don’t think I can deal with her right now,” I admit. I feel sick knowing Angie has something to do with my mother’s death, that she pretended to be my friend. Pretended to be someone I considered trustworthy.
“I can have her locked in the rogue cells in town,” Mateo offers, and I nod, rinse my mouth and stand up. Mateo grabs a rag off the shelf above my head and wets it, cleaning my face before cupping my cheek in his hand. I turn to look at Madeline when he grips my face, turning it back to him. “Breathe, Kat. Don’t look, you don’t have to,” Mateo whispers, tugging me against him.
I breathe in his scent, trying to rid the waves of revulsion away before turning to look at Ezra. He watches us for a second before speaking. “Are you okay?” Ezra asks, and my eyes flit to her body, Ezra steps in front of her, blocking my view. He moves toward me, cupping my face in his hands. “Maddox was going to kill her anyway,” he whispers. I nod, shutting my eyes, and he pecks my lips. “I can deal with Angie, Kat, you don’t have to. I know you thought she was your friend.”
Angie, though, was different. She was my age, she has brothers I know and family I have met. I wasn’t sure if I could kill her, knowing what it would do to them. Swallowing down my feelings, I look up at Ezra. “Find out if she did it, then banish her.” I order, heading for the stairs.