Alexander’s POV
“Alpha Alexander Black!” Xavier’s voice shot out from behind me when I was crouching next to Emily’s body. “Were you really thinking that I would not see you and your beta slinking closer?”
While my father went back to my mother’s side, Luke helped me get back to Emily sooner than I had anticipated. My parents proceeded to help Sasha and Lula free the pack members.
“It is over,” I said, flinching unwillingly at the sight of his beast up close. “It ends now. You will not win this!”
Xavier’s ability to remain upright despite the blood spurting from his side shocked me. His neck and chest were covered in a few badly broken scratches and claw marks that would not heal.
Was it Basilia who had done that to him?
And if she did, where is she?
Xavier’s thin lips turned up into a grin as he raised his eyebrows.
“She’s dead,” he declared. “By the way.”
Furrowing my brows, I was unable to comprehend his words.
“Emily is fine,” I argued.
Xavier laughed and tossed his head back.
“Not her, your moron,” he exclaimed, his eyes glimmering with happiness. “Basilia. It was only a few moments ago that I killed her and my brother. Their filthy bodies are still lying in the hallway.”
I got up. Could he see right through me?
“And with them out of the way,” Xavier sneered as he went on. “It is not possible to turn back time. Just one little thing is now standing in my way.”
“And that is?” Luke asked, standing next to me in a defensive position.
“Alpha Alexander and Emily, his mate,” Xavier uttered. “It is unfortunate that Emily could be eliminated so quickly. She wouldn’t know what had hit her. She is already more than halfway there!”
“Look around you.” Luke angrily pointed to the fight that had just ended. “You have lost the battle. Your army is done. The majority of the rogues have died, and they are dead. You are left with nothing.”
“I would not be so sure about that,” Xavier replied, and Luke’s face turned gray as a disgusting smile appeared on Xavier’s lips.
“What’s going on?” I asked via the link. “Am I missing something?”
Luke swallowed hard as his gaze quickly returned to me.
Several times he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“Should I tell him or are you going to tell him?” Xavier grinned broadly and taunted him.
“Tell me what?” I let out a roar. “What have I failed to notice?”
Luke could barely force the name “Michael” from his lips.
“What?” I questioned, shifting my confused eyes between the two of them.
“His men-”
“That is right.” Xavier laughed and clapped his hands together. “They are all employed by me.”
I was not expecting that.
Which men were Xavier talking about?
The ones under investigation? Did they work for Xavier? But how?
Angelica!
It was her fault.
Then why would Xavier consent to Michael’s execution?
“To protect his secret,” a furious-sounding Ghost growled.
“I bought your pack warriors to torture rogues until they gave in and sided with me.” Xavier went on. “The sacrament did start there. All I did was carry on a little tradition.”
Lula.
Is that why she was acting so wary of us?
Was she also tortured by them?
“Do not look so shocked, Alpha,” Xavier said. “I just had to persuade a few of your fighters and give them a good wage so they could take pleasure in tormenting unfortunate, unwanted souls,” he stated, and I immediately turned back to look at him.
“Call them out!” I let out a roar.
“Excellent,” Xavier exclaimed, before tossing his head back and howling.
Emily made some moaning noises, and I instantly turned to look at her.
Sarah was crying, caressing Emily’s hair, with her head resting on her lap.
“Beta,” I said, grabbing her hand to draw her attention. “I need your assistance with something,”
Sarah looked up, tears welling up in her eyes. It must be draining for her to hold her dying daughter in her arms and know her mate is dead.
With a nod, Sasha let her tears fall freely and cascade down her cheeks.
“What do you want me to do?” She asked.
“I need you to give me Emily,” I said.
Sasha’s eyes betrayed a genuine fear that she was unwilling to release.
“It will only be a moment, I promise. You can not hold her while you are protecting us.” I said.
With a nod, Sasha kissed her daughter on the head and gave Emily over to me.
Luke helped Sasha to her feet, and she wiped the tears from her eyes.
“How am I to fulfill your request, Alpha?” She asked, regaining control over her emotions.
“Is there any way you could set some sort of boundary while I work with Emily?” I asked.
She arched her brows but gave a nod.
“I will do everything in my power,” she declared.
Xavier’s side was flanked by thirty-eight of my best warriors. A significant number of those wolves were part of my childhood and their absence would be felt greatly by the pack.
“I disagree.” Ghost retorted. “Consider banishing their families when we get home!”
“See!” Xavier exclaimed, feeling proud of himself, raising his hands and pointing to the wolves. “Compared to you, they prefer me. It is not you who is their Alpha, but me.”
I could not take my eyes off the wolves behind Xavier, but I could not help but see that wolves were coming from all directions to join me. Even though they looked exhausted, they did not give up.
“You can have them,” I said, realizing that none of them were purebred Lycans. ”
Was that a general flaw among werewolves? Betraying their Alpha and Goddess?
“I will not allow traitors to be a part of my pack! They can perish beside the greatest betrayer of the goddess,” I hissed angrily.
Xavier became enraged by those words, transformed into his beast, and charged towards us.
Luke shifted into his wolf as Sarah formed something akin to a tornado, encircling us and containing us safely. I knew, though, that she would not be able to maintain the gusty storm boundary for very long, as it was draining a great deal of her magic.
I took Emily’s hand in mine, shut my eyes, and concentrated on the two of us.
I knew what I needed to do to put an end to this madness!
****