Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
His words were a knife through my heart. Stomach twisting, I whispered, “I know.”
“You’re next.”
I phased, breaking easily out of his grip. Grief and fury warred in my chest, but I let none of it enter my voice. “I’m not next. You’re not going to hurt me. You’re not going to hurt anyone ever again.”
“Is that so?” He straightened, eyes burning with hatred. “And why is that?”
“Because it’s me, bitch.” I flashed out, jabbing his neck with the syringe. “I start the war.”
Cygnus flew back, hands flying to his throat. Gasping, his face flushed deep reddish purple as he choked—falling to his knees.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist this little field trip to see me.” I kicked him, dropping the shit flat on his ass. “And lucky for me because all this time I’ve waited just so that I could tell you in person—it’s me. I’m the someone from somewhere who creates an antidote to the alpha problem.
“An antidote that Nia tested when a simple pair of earplugs rendered Liza’s powers useless. An alpha’s command doesn’t work if you can’t hear it, and no one is going to hear you, Cygnus Tahan.” His eyes widened. “Ever again.”
“Agh! Mhh! Nyagh!” Cygnus sputtered and hacked, trying and failing to force words past his dying vocal cords. He swiped at me, claws sprouting free in a blink.
They sailed right through my body.
“I know what you’re thinking,” I said almost conversationally. “Why is she doing this? Well, that’s a pretty stupid fucking thought because you know exactly why.
“Destiny.”
His eyes bugged. I wasn’t supposed to know that word. I wasn’t supposed to know a lot of things, but thankfully, Luame did send me that vision all those months ago. You know it’s fucking bad when a moon goddess breaks a thousand-year silence to warn you.
I circled him. “You know all about Destiny, so I’ll spare you the evil villain monologue explaining all the hows and whys, and skip to the part that interests you. You have no power now. You have no voice. In other words, you’re an omega now, Cygnus.”
“Aggh!”
“Since you know all about Destiny, you know what that means for you,” I murmured. “You know now that you won’t be leading the charge. You’ll be running away from it, and when they catch you, what they do to you will be...” I whistled. “Obscene.”
He kicked and flailed at me, uselessly attacking to the tune of his silent bellows.
“You see, this is what the mundanes call having skin in the game. Now the fate that you tried to force on me and mine is your fate,” I said. “If you want to stop it. If you want to save yourself, then you’ll go back to the council and tell them— Well, more like pass them a note saying that the changes stand.
“Wolf Nation is about to become the fairest, most equal dominion on earth because you are going to force the council to make my word law. Then and only then will I give you this...” Reaching into the folds of my sheath dress, I pulled out a vial filled with clear, purple liquid. “Your voice back.”
Cygnus leaped trying to grab it. I easily stepped out of reach.
“Do we have an agreement?”
“Aggh! Ah! Nya! Arh!”
“A simple nod will do.”
Cygnus howled—a horrible, strangled sound as weak and pitiful as he was now.
I spun around, throwing my arm up as blinding, radiant sunlight burst from his pores. My wolf burst free, ready for the attack, and the vial slipped from my paw.
It smashed on the walkway, the antidote staining the stone, and Cygnus’s strangled cry made me pity him even more. The great and powerful Sun alpha—crying in the dirt.
I shifted back as the light faded, leaving dancing black spots in my vision. “Well, that was pointless. Do we have a deal or not?”
Loathing leaked from his soul. I felt his desire to kill me like a living, palpable atmosphere surrounding me from all sides. He hated me. He would kill me the second the next generation was secured, but... he nodded.
“Wonderful. I’m so glad we settled this. Now come along,” I said, walking off. “Can’t have people thinking I’m a bad host. They’ll serve you tea and cookies in the mess hall while I get dressed.”
Cygnus made no move to follow me, and I didn’t make him. I left him kneeling in the dirt, went inside to change, then headed back outside. The shouting hit my ears before I reached the door.
“—impossible!”
Badr and Edric chased after Arabella. A whole crowd was forming on the lawn, mostly made up of alphas.
“Back off. Back off,” Arabella shouted. “You will not interfere!”
“I’m telling you he couldn’t have done it,” Edric said. “This is a mistake. He was framed.”
Arabella ignored him and spun her charge around, narrowing on Cygnus. “Sir, I have a suspect. I’m taking him back to Sun City immediately for questioning. Orion Hayes is under arrest for the murders of Warren Hall, Holly Fitch, and... Makena Dagem.”