CAELLUMS POV
Draken had requested that I come alone and with the documents for the former Yakuza assets, and despite the disagreement from my subjects who thought it was a trap, I went ahead with it.
“I should at least be allowed to go with you.” Marcus said, “What if this is a trap? What if he fucking kills you on sight? Why can’t we all go with you since you have decided to do it?”
I was all dressed and waiting for Ezra’s arrival. I hated that he always managed to show up late in every deliberation we had, and trust me, it wasn’t a good look on him.
“You are only permitted to follow through after one hour. I need this mission to be flawless. Until Naledi is recovered, no one comes in.” I ordered, using my Alpha tone.
I didn’t need any of them coming and ruining things for me. Ezra finally came in, dressed like one of the Yakuza’s. “Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” I gritted but he didn’t say a word.
Instead, he walked up close to me, placed an arm on my shoulder and immediately, I vanished into thin air. Soon enough, I was standing in a room that smelt too much like my ex-mate.
I looked around for Ezra but he was nowhere to be found, perhaps gone to bring the others to their position. Coming in here, I had one plan, to be civil, hand over the documents and get Naledi Freaking Rogers out of harm’s way.
But getting here, I had a change of heart. I walked out of the room in all boldness, killing any fucker that dared to stand in my way just because. I knew that was the best way to garner attention from Draken.
I left a long trail of dead bodies, my urge to skill sponsored singularly by my men who had lost their lives while guarding this place. I felt resentment at the thought of just how many men had to die in this estate just because of a woman who refused to make our lives easier and stubbornly stayed in this place despite the clear directive to move over to my pack.
Did she hate me that much or was it fucking guilt for the dagger she had impaled in my back during our brief time together?
I soon got outside the compound and there I saw a sight that took breath out of my nostrils. Naledi, naked, unconscious and scarred beyond recognition. A group of armed men surrounded her while a man who looked like he came back from the grave sat beside her.
“I must admit, that was fast.” The man chuckled but I paid him no mind. I was too busy taking in the damage of the woman I had once called mine. “Draken’s the name,” He got on his feet and stretched out his arm. “I presume you are Caellum Morello. Alpha Cosa Nostra. Heard a lot about you.”
I bared my fangs at him, my werewolf at the tip of my flesh and ready to tear whoever did this to our mate to pieces. When he saw that I was not here to exchange pleasantries, he returned his hand to his side and put on a more serious countenance.
“I see you are the straight-to-business kind so I will be straightforward. Hand over the documents or the girl dies.”
“What makes you think that I care one bit about a woman who betrayed me?”
He looked caught off guard but hid it well, “Don’t be funny, Morello. You know you can’t bear to see her like this.” He took a look at her and then shrugged, “I would admit, I also don’t like to see her in this predicament but she forced my hands. Betrayal is not an offence I take lightly to, and I assume so you do, but she is your fated, you can’t just get rid of her.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ll make you a deal, get me my documents and I’ll let you walk away with what’s left of her.”
“And if I say no?”
A smirk. “That’s not an option. Like it or not, I am getting back everything you stole from me. Hand over the documents.”
I remained standing and unbending.
He brought out a gun, and within a second, positioned its barrel on an unconscious Naledi’s head. “I will kill her, I promise I will kill her if you don’t give it back.”
“Then do it.” My body stilled when I heard her voice. “Do it Draken because I would gladly die than watch you have anything.”
“Shut up!” Draken roared and one of the guards gave her a blow to the head, taking her out cold.
A powerful growl reverberated through my chest and the next moment, I felt my bone shift and a powerful black Alpha wolf stepped forward. I watched at the insides of my mind as others made to shift but my wolf got to every one of the men.
Midway stopping their transformation and ripping them to shreds until there was nothing but their dead bodies, an unconscious Naledi and a shaking Draken.
He pulled out a dagger and sliced off the rope from her hand, sending her falling down the floor like a pack of cards. Then carrying her up roughly with one arm with a dagger pressed against her neck.
“It will take me nothing to slit her throat, Morello.” He had a deranged look in his eyes. “And you know one thing about this knife? Not only does it kill a supernatural with one cut, it sends them to the fiery pits of hell.”
I stiffened at his words, and for the first time, my wolf hesitated.
“That’s right. Stand down, transform into your human form and hand over the darned papers. Or the girl gets it.”
Knowing the severity of his words, I shifted into my human self and stood stark naked. “Let her go.” Those were the first words out of my mouth.
A crazy smile appeared on his face, he thought he was in charge. “I make the demands here, Morello! Did you forget? He who holds the dagger holds the power.”
“I don’t have the papers.” I lied through my teeth. “I didn’t come with them.”
Draken laughed, flat out guffawed in my face. “I figured you would say that. Good for you, or should I say, good for me that I brought a backup document. Something that would make the process a lot more easy and rewarding for me.”
He pushed Naledi towards his right arm, holding her by the neck as well as holding his dagger. With his left hand, he struggled to fetch something behind him, pulled out some papers and threw them at me.
“Here you go! Get some blood flowing and sign where necessary.” He looked so gleeful – like everything was finally going to plan.
I picked up said documents and I was soon reminded why he looked so glib. Not only did he want me to return his possessions and assets taken away from him, but he also wanted to become the new owner and head of the Cosa Nostra.
“Don’t seem too distraught. You started this. It’s only fair I pay back in the same coin you gave.” He held Naledi tightly and looked me square in the eye. “You don’t have a choice in this. Sign the darned papers.”