NALEDI’S POV
“What’s going on?” I asked, looking around. “Is this because I didn’t show up yesterday? I have a legit reason for that.”
Korah stepped up right beside me, holding up Flora who couldn’t walk on her own. I didn’t miss the shock in Arturo’s eyes.
When Caellum didn’t say a word, I continued. “This is Flora. Donna’s sister. She was kidnapped by this devil.” I pointed at Arturo, who looked like I had just slapped him. “He wants to kill you Caellum, I found out his plan to get Donna to kill you. He has been threatening her with her family.”
At that moment, Donna walked out and one look at her sister, she rushed towards her, hugging her so hard she nearly fell to the ground. “Flora! You are alive!”
That display was proof that I’d been spot on. But I couldn’t let go of the unease I felt.
“She’s a liar!” Arturo said trying and failing aimlessly at defending himself. “This is a setup!”
Caellum stood like a brink wall. A deathly cold aura surrounded him.
“Arrest her.” As soon as the words left his mouth, the men tackled me.
I struggled against them. “Caellum! What the fuck! Let me go.”
He brought out his gun and faced his father. “I’ll only ask you this once. Is that true?”
Arturo shook his head repeatedly. I’d never seen him look so scared before. Not once.
The gates screeched open and Marcus walked right inside with Donna’s mother. They stopped on their track when they saw the commotion.
“Don’t stop on our account. Come forward.” Caellum’s voice inspired fear and promised a world of pain.
What the hell has gotten into him?
“Where are you coming from?” He asked Marcus, who looked a bit lost. “And who is the visitor you brought in?”
“Mother!” Donna said, tears streaming down her eyes. “You are alive!”
“We found out that the former Alpha was planning to kill the Alpha and trading humans in the recently exterminated packs.”
Matteo looked amused. “Those packs are secured by our men.”
“They were all killed. Arturo’s men littered the place, where they held people captive including these two.” Marcus pointed at Flora who was being cradled by her mother.
Donna suddenly stood up, enraged as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “This man kidnapped my sister, and forced me to agree to a marriage with you so I could kill you and get him back his fucking position!”
Caellum looked baffled, he turned to his father who looked like he wanted to say something. He raised his gun and pulled the trigger. Getting him right between his eyes.
My eyes nearly pulled out of their sockets. A cold feeling washed over everyone as we watched Arturo slip to the floor, wide-eyed and dead.
“I’d been waiting to do that all my life,” Caellum spoke Casually. “Just didn’t have reason enough.” He turned to me, “Tell me Naledi, How’s Nicolai?”
My heart fell into my stomach.
I shook my head, “I can explain.”
He sported an amused look. “Explain? I don’t fucking need you to explain, love. I just need to know one thing. Did you or did you not betray me?” He looked around, “All of you.”
“Marcus and Korah had nothing to do with this!” I said immediately, knowing his anger was upon them. “They only helped me close the human trade.”
“So you did it then.” He laughed. A short cold laugh. “You betrayed me. You are a traitor.”
“I already ended things with him! I swear I was done with my revenge.” I said, trying to reach to him, but the men held me down. “Let me go!”
“Revenge?” Caellum said in the most incredulous tone. “You fucking told me you LOVED me, Naledi! I started a FUCKING WAR for you! And you stand there and tell me you wanted revenge?”
I shook my head, “Your father destroyed my family. Because of him, I was trafficked as a young child and forced into this life.” I said, hoping he’d understand. “For the longest time, all I ever wanted was to get even with the Cosa Nostra. All I ever wanted was to get back at him for what he’s done.” My tone turned soft, “I got into an alliance with Nicolai to get my revenge, but then I fell in love with you and called it off. You have to understand.”
Caellum started laughing. So much so that I felt embarrassed. “You love me, huh?” He nodded his head, looking around as he said, “She said she fucking loves me guys. A woman who sold me out claims to love me. A woman who worked with the enemy has the guts to stand in my face and say she loves me.”
He chuckled, then turned right at me, “Let’s put that love to the test now, should we? I mean, love conquers everything. Love is the ultimate, right? Love forgives, Love does not seek vengeance.”
I didn’t know what he was getting at, but I nodded fervently, needing to get my Caellum back. The one I left before going on this mission.
“I’ll tell you a story. I remember going on a little exercise with my father as a young boy.” He tutted, “Pity he’s too dead to bear witness to our little story but that’s beside the point.” He sported a thinking look, “The Roger pack, was it?”
“We went on an extermination. My first extermination.” An evil tint laced his eyes. “A small pack. Too small to withstand us at the time, it made the operation easy. I remember the look in the Alpha’s eyes when I made my first kill. It was his wife.” He chuckled, shaking his head.
My heart shattered into a million pieces. I shook my head. “Liar. You didn’t.” I refused to believe it. “It was Arturo. He was the Alpha of the pack at the time.”
He continued speaking, like what I just said meant nothing to him. “I remember the look on his face when I killed her.” He looked delighted, closing his eyes like he was reliving the moment. “The pain and shock of watching a young me kill his mate while he couldn’t do anything about it. Right before I killed him too.”
“I didn’t use a gun though. I used a butcher’s knife. Slicing every dirty piece of him before taking over the territory. My father was fucking proud of me. I’d made my first kill. Two even. But guess what? It was so good. It felt so good and I hadn’t looked back even once. Exterminating packs and looking for that first high your parents gave me.”
“I must admit no one has yet to come close. No one has given me that much joy and satisfaction to kill like your parents did.”