CALIFF
“Yes,” Shadow said proudly. “You didn’t know? You killed my wolf for nothing, dumbass?”
Kain’s eyes widened. His posture stiffened.
“And you knew this?” Calder came to me.
“Yes. Shadow forgave our father and healed him, so I don’t think it’s worth telling you when it’s all over and forgiven.”
“Why? Why did you forgive him?” he asked Shadow. The truth confused him even more.
“Because I love your brother, we all deserve a second chance. And watching your brother mourn for his father’s loss because I let my anger win, I couldn’t forgive myself. And I didn’t regret what I did. I may have paid the price for healing him, but it’s worth it.”
“Who’s the mastermind, Kain?”
“I’ll help you kill him and his men.” His offer was tempting, considering he was one of them, but it could be a part of his plan.
“Not gonna happen. You won’t even make it out of this cell. Alessandro will kill you.” Shadow’s warning didn’t even affect him.
“You know the reason why I didn’t use silver bullets.” Shit. So, he intentionally missed that shot. Considering he was a SEAL, he would never miss a shot in less than five yards. He did it on purpose. “You figured something, Alpha Califf?”
“You were supposed to shoot Alessandro, but you didn’t.”
“It’s because I didn’t intend to kill you all. I went there to escape because I just betrayed him. I could have killed Calder days ago while he was with his mate, Everlee. But blood is thicker than water.”
“So what now? You want us to let you go because you betrayed your boss?” I said evenly.
“I will take you to the center of his operations.”
“It’s a trap.”
“Of course, Zack.” He looked at Zack. “Because he wouldn’t be alone there. It’s the center of operation for a reason. Instead of waiting for their attack, let’s take the war to them.”
“What do you want in return?”
“I wanna help you kill him,” he said quickly.
“Wow. It’s as easy as that, huh? Stop with your mind game. We don’t need you. It’s easy for you to betray someone, and it would be easier to betray us. We’re not stupid, uncle.”
“We actually need him. And I believe him,” said Sebastien, which did not surprise me.
“Father?” Shadow stared at Sebastien. Her eyes were wild. “Have you forgotten what he did to me?”
“It wasn’t me who gave that potion, and I wasn’t there to do that. His beta ordered someone, and you let him go.”
“Motherfu-” Zack grunted in anger.
“Yes. It was Rodney, but he’s dead.”
“How?” Shadow asked.
“I killed him.”
“Your boss ordered you to kill him?”
“No, because when he escaped, I knew he was a liability, and he would tell everyone that you lived, where you stay, and everything he learned about Alpha King.”
“You want a fruit basket, uncle?” I almost laughed at Calder’s sarcasm.
“I’m up for a witch binding if you don’t trust me, Calder. I know I lied to you and left you alone, but I did all that for your own safety.”
“Witch binding then,” Sebastien agreed. “Me and you.”
“Father!”
“You might wanna hold on to your hats for my next surprise because I know you’re all aching to find out.”
I held my breath, and so did everyone except Sebastien.
“What is it?”
“Aciano is the man you’ve been looking for.”
They gasped, except Sebastien, who looked chill, but I wasn’t convinced.
“Are you fucking with me?” I grabbed him by his arm. “You’re lying! His wife was worried about him when you kidnapped him, son of a bitch!”
“Did she, though?” His brows cocked up. “Didn’t I just say he’s alive and breathing?”
“He is telling the truth. I realize this is not the work of the Obsidian,” Sebastien just confirmed my worst nightmare. “I was right the first time. What they did at Calder’s apartment was messy. Obsidian maybe branching out, but they are meticulous, organized.”
“Yes. This is sloppy, a work of amateurs. I’m an Obsidian member. My military experience is my card to get in,” Kain said proudly, “but we have a code. We don’t target innocent women and children.”
Groaning, I let him go.
“Wow. Should I be impressed?” Zack snorted. His lips curved up into a disgusting smile.
“This is the work of a rebel faction who only wanted revenge. We don’t do jobs for greed and hatred. We only target those who leave nothing but destruction in everything they touch to end the suffering of many.”
I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. With the new shocking information, my mind jumbled. “So your so-called Obsidian Society is a guild of assassins with a conscience. I thought all members were humans. I guess they’re all branching out, huh? And what the fuck are you doing with him?”
“Have you forgotten who founded Obsidian? A werewolf. The greatest hunter of all time, but humans continued his legacy, paying tribute to his success and sacrifices.”
I breathed through my nose because he was right.
“Aciano is my assignment. My target, even him, didn’t know I was one of the members, but he used the Obsidian name. Hence, it reached us. If someone like him wrecks havoc, it can expose us. That’s why he became our target. And I have something that keeps my cover intact.”
“So you’re a double agent? Why don’t you just kill him and get it done.”
“Let’s say we have a conflict of interest, but I’m still finding out who else is involved other than those idiots he recruited. He could be experimenting on something.” He looked at Calder. “Have you been not feeling well lately?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. It was you!” Calder growled.
“They got into you. It makes sense now.”
“What makes sense, Kain?” My patience was running thin, and I had many unanswered questions. “What makes fucking sense, Kain?”
“Hence Calder’s picture. He’s cured. He didn’t die.”
“No, he didn’t,” Sebastien answered. “How did he get access to Lycan blood?”
When he looked at Shadow, I linked Zack. “Tell Dr. Sallie to destroy all Shadow’s blood samples.”
Zack picked up his phone and typed a message. He was probably sending Duke a text to inform Dr. Sallie.”
Breathlessly, Shadow asked, “So it was my blood that almost killed Calder?”
“It’s not your fault, Shadow,” I told her, but of course, she would take herself accountable, even if my brother was already cured.
“That son of a bitch,” Calder spat out.
“And he’d been wanting to kill your father for years to avenge his son, and how do you think I know your mate is special if not because of him? How do you think I found out about your witch and the portal.”
“Yet, he missed to mention I was the lone survivor,” said Shadow begrudgingly.
“Our enemy has been right under our noses all along. I will kill him with my bare hands,” I told him through gritted teeth.
“I lay my cards on the table. I wanted to end his operations. Use me, Alpha. If there’s any consolation, you have an advantage, but not for long.”
“It’s a nice gesture, but you can’t give me back what I lost,” Shadow said bitterly.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?”
He met me in the eye. “You don’t.”
“Well, that’s convenient. You’re willing to die for his cause,” Shadow said, glaring.
“How did Sean Nest find you at the train station? It wasn’t me. I ordered them to be there, but Aciano knows you all well. He even asked me if it would be a problem killing Calder. Of course, I said no.”
“Aciano made that clue,” I muttered.
“Because he knows we have someone who can read those writings.” Shadow looked at me.
“That’s why the Werewolf Council didn’t do anything because he lied about opening a discussion. Son of a bitch.” Zack glowered at Kain.
“He went to this great lengths for his dead son?”
“Well, we all know what love can do to us. And you just brought Shadow into the compound. I’m sure he knows she’s alive and now a human.” Sebastien sighed.
“He became mad when you only punished by stripping off your father’s rank. He expected you to kill him.”
“I’m glad I didn’t.” I snorted.
“That’s what triggered his desire for revenge against Shadow. Tit for tat. So he started escalating his stupid propaganda, wrecking havoc, spreading fear that there’s some kind of hunter-gild, killing Alphas and Betas all over the world to divert your attention somewhere else. And you didn’t even suspect him.”
“He even helped me-”
“Did the research in the council? Yeah, and made you believe he was kidnapped.”
“So if we are vulnerable to Wolfsbane and silver. What are you vulnerable to, old man?” Zack asked. Good question, because I never met one like him. He was more powerful than a werewolf, yet he didn’t fight back. It didn’t make sense.
“Gold, Mountain ash. Electricity. Of course, beheading. I wouldn’t tell you if I’m not genuinely helping you.”
“Debatable,” Sebastien chided softly.
“And we know how to Google, jackass.” Zack snarled. “So you just lay your cards on the table and expect us to bite it and trust you?”
“Well, his grand plan is still in play. You might wanna inform your enforcers, Alpha, because he had big guns.”
I couldn’t believe Aciano just fooled me. I thought we were over with it. “So, I’m the next target? Is that it?”
He shook his head. “He will take down the people you care about one by one, and now he begins with your parents.”