Kevin’s POV
Luke’s eyes sparked and lit up the moment he saw me walk in. His brother was already beside him but he was pretending not to see him. From what my men signalled to me, he had been pretending not to see anyone until he saw me.
His lips curled at the sides in a taunt when he saw me and they turned into a scowl few minutes later. I guessed that must be when he saw Ella beside me. This moment reminded me of when I met him trying to take what was mine and we had become enemies because of that.
From the way his jaws hardened and his eyes narrowed into slits at the sight of Ella beside me, I knew he still wanted her but I was going to let him kill me before I let him have her.
I suspected that whatever he came here for just became harder. Jealousy was one of the greatest bitches that I knew.
I sighed as I sat down on a chair opposite him in Zeke’s living room and tried not to react as my men flanked me on all sides as Luke’s soldiers did.
“Why are you here?” I asked, breaking the silence. There was no need to delay the inevitable.
“I didn’t know that this place was part of the blood moon pack territory. Don’t you think I should be asking you that? What are you doing here, Kevin? I thought you left our land. Have you been hiding here all along?”
I snorted. “Why would I be hiding here when I have my own pack?”
He shrugged. “You are not making it seem like you have a home to be at.”
I growled, clenching my fists. I felt Ella’s hands on mine and exhaled, forcing myself to relax. I knew he was trying to get me worked up and I shouldn’t give him what he wanted.
He glanced at Ella, at me and then at her. He cocked his head at her. “I see you picked him. Did you leave because of him?”
“I don’t see how that relates to why you are here.” She said, not betraying her thoughts.
With the way she held on tightly to my hand, she was afraid of him. I would be too if I was her. The guy was an asshole. I hated that this asshole had found us here right when we were about to leave and I also suspected that there was a reason he was here and it was one I wouldn’t like.
He laughed. “Why are you all trying hard to protect this place? What is the big deal about it that I can’t be found here? I was taking a stroll around the territory along our border and found this place. I sensed a scent that was different from that of a blue river wolf and came closer to investigate and then I saw two blood moon wolves outside the house talking.” He said, pointing at Andre and Logan.
“Cut the crap, son.” Zeke snorted. I could tell that he didn’t really like Luke and I wondered if Ella had told him about how he treated her when she was with the blue river pack.
“You can’t stumble on this place, brother.” Caleb called him out on his lies. “This place isn’t really part of the territory of our pack that you would have found it easily.”
Luke glared at his brother, his face flaming with anger. “The rogue said you were conspiring with the blood moon wolves against your pack and finally that is confirmed. I can’t believe you are all trying to cover up for the presence of these wolves here.”
Caleb didn’t bat his eyelash at his brother’s angry outbursts. He must have been used to it that he wasn’t fazed. “You must be a bigger fool than I thought you were if you believe that I would collude to bring disaster to my pack.”
“Don’t you dare call me a fool.” Luke growled at him.
I snorted. “As much as I love watching fights, sibling wars are not really my forte. Can we discuss why you are here and convince you that you are wrong?”
Luke hissed at me. “Do I look like I want to be convinced?” He waved at the ten soldiers flanking him and pointed at the two hundred he had outside. “Does it look like I came here to be convinced? I heard something strange and here you are, with the men from the blood moon pack. Father wants you all home. You can plead your case at home, brother.” He smiled wolfishly at Ella. “I would be happy to take your mate’s head off his neck.”
“I guess we are going home a day earlier, Caleb.” Zeke said, trying to make light of the situation.
I groaned, not finding anything funny in this. The rogues had ruined me again. This was one hell of a final payback. I sighed as Luke gave orders for his soldiers to escort us out of the house, knowing that we couldn’t go home anytime soon.
I glanced at my men and knew that they were as disappointed as I was. My eyes quickly moved away from Zeke when I realized that he was trying to apologize again.
He didn’t have to do that and make me feel more shitty than I already did.
Luke’s POV
I had done it. I was glad. I was going to enjoy parading Caleb and Zeke as traitors in front of the whole pack. I was going lock Ella in a cell and tell her she could save herself if she would be willing to be my mate.
I was embarrassed that I still wanted her after all this time but that was how it was. I was ashamed of myself already so why wouldn’t I be shameless all the way?
I didn’t think that it would be easy to make her mine but I hoped that she would want to save her life. If she didn’t agree to be mine, I would make her watch as I cut off the head of her beloved mate and then I was going to make her cry as I kill her slowly. At that point, if she cried and begged for her life, asking for me to spare her, I wasn’t going to listen to her.
I glanced at her, hissing low at how she was huddled against Kevin Did they have to push their love in my face at this moment? I would hate to kill her so I hoped that she didn’t force me to do that to her.
Even as a kid, I hated it when I had to spoil my toys even when it was no longer of use or appealing to me. I would rather it be useless to me than have someone else have it. Ella was the same way to me. Even if she didn’t want to be mine, I didn’t want her to belong to another person. I let out another silent groan, hoping that I wouldn’t have to kill her.
“What are you thinking of?” Caleb asked, breaking into my thoughts. “Are you realizing that you are making a mistake by believing the words of a rogue and coming here? Can’t you see that you are overreacting for no reason?”
I hissed as I turned towards him. What was he doing so close to me? What were the soldiers doing letting a captured traitor being escorted to the land to be punished walk closely beside me? I had thought I had been silent with my hiss but he had heard me.
I couldn’t even think in peace without having some interruption butting into my thoughts. I didn’t want anyone of them to talk to me till we get to the land. Was that so much to ask for?
“Why is he here beside me?” I turned to the soldier walking beside me.
“He insists on walking with you.” The soldier explained.
“Why would you let him be here? Take him away from him.” I yelled at them. “Have you forgotten that he is a traitor on the way to trial?”
“Only father has the right to put me on trial and you don’t have the right to call me a traitor because I haven’t been tried.”
I groaned, hating how right he was. I would like to pull out that tongue of his if I could. I wished he would stop talking but that was like wishing that pigs would fly. The soldiers didn’t seem ready to bully him because of his status regardless of the order I give. I guessed I was stuck with him and his lousy tongue till we get home.
Like I expected and knew that he wouldn’t stop talking, he continued to torment me with his voice. “I am telling you that you are making a big mistake, brother. The blood moon wolves aren’t interested in starting a war with us. I know because I’ve been living with them for the past few weeks and they are good people. They had a reason for getting close to our territory and there was a reason for Zeke letting them stay with us. They were going back to their land today and would have been on their way by now if you hadn’t showed up.”
I kept my snort hidden to myself. What would he have said before? He would have defended them. He would have tried to cover up his actions and that of his fellow traitor. I wasn’t surprised by his words.
“Do you think I’m making this up to avoid whatever trial you are trying to do when we get home?” Caleb sighed.
“I don’t know what you are thinking of doing.” I snorted, wishing that we could get home soon. I was bored of listening to a traitor defend himself.
I glanced at Kevin again and he looked resigned to his fate. He should be. He was going to regret his existence by the time I was done with him. He didn’t look sad like someone who was about to go home. If they were about to go back to their land by the time I got to the house, shouldn’t I have met packed loads in the field outside the house or in the living room?
None of those men looked ready like they were about to travel today. Caleb was lying through his teeth and I wasn’t going to be a fool and fall for that.
Caleb must have seen me look at Kevin and Ella as his next words were something I had been thinking of but didn’t have an answer to yet.
“Have you thought of what would happen if the wolves of the blood moon pack hear that you took their alpha captive and would make him stand trial over the words of a rogue?”
I scoffed, narrowing my eyes as I looked at him. “Are you going to tell them?”
“Words travel, brother.” He replied.
“You should put that tongue to good use instead of disturbing me.” I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice.
“I would. I plan on defending the wolves and myself and stopping you from starting a war we have avoided for years.”
I shook my head and sighed. He wasn’t even hiding his betrayal of his pack. I wondered what father would have to say to that.