ture, gore, disturbing content. This chapter is savage, unhi

ingle overhead bulb that flickered like it was gasping f

ame the sound. Boots. Slow. Echoing. Lucien. He emer

ilence whimper. The kind of presence

, his posture radiated death with elegance. His dark eyes scan

Jonas. Once a soldier. Now a trembling, bloodstained wreck strapped to a m

and blood. One eye was completely swollen sh

nd something worse. His torn shirt clung to his chest, red

Jonas. The bulb overhead flickered again, casting shadows across his face

istake. Lucien's lip twitched upward. "I haven't even

ath stuttered. "Alpha... I swear... I didn't...please, I swear I didn'

m his lips, a tooth skittering across the floor and bou

black-gloved fingers wrapping a

breath hitched. "I-I didn't...." Lucien's fist drove into his ribs, fast and deep, making

hear them scream as they burned alive in that van? Didn't watch them choke on smoke and blood?" He paced n

ly what you were doing when you op

you. You bowed to me. You called me Alpha. And the moment Dorian sh

incompetent fool" "It wasn't like that...he threatened me, Alpha, please..I have pups...I have a

softly, stepping closer. "You always have a choice. My men had a choic

for me. Not their mothers. Not the

ld avenge them." He crouched again, face level with Jonas's

it." Evans didn't ask. He simply nodded and unrolled the leather bundle. Knives. Twenty of

. Others to prolong. Lucien selected a blade no long

s. "You know what I love about pain?" he said conversational

essed the blade against Jonas's shoulder. Not stabbing. Just pres

n leaned in. "You'll scream." He dragged the blade down. Skin p

s down his chest. Lucien didn't blink. His hand was st

ally are, stripped raw and begging like a worm." Jonas convulsed, frothing at the mouth, tears and blood mixing on his face. "You want to talk about

en. Fifteen. Jonas was soaked. His bo

nd still Lucien worked on his skin. Measured. Focused. Controlled.

shipments move. That cost me twenty-seven wolves. I

eir bones snapped before they even knew what hit them." He pressed

o fight. Took a fucking bullet through the neck trying

denly and backhanded him again. Jonas's eyes fle

ips brushing Jonas's ear. "You get justice." Jonas's mouth worked ope

. he said he'd find your mate. He said Anna wasn't yo

dangerously quiet. "He... he wants to fuck her... while

stillness before the avalanche. He didn't shout. He didn

. Jonas screamed. Lucien twisted. Jonas shrieked like an anim

voice ice-cold and clear. "You and Dorian y'all ar

unless I would fasten your death! He grabbed his chin as he gave him a punch stra

blood pouring from the massive tear in his gut and ey

t into Jonas's throat. Jonas was dead.

from his hands like holy water. Evans

stopped. The rain outside poured hard. Thunder roared like war drums.

Evans waited. Lucien's voice was final

n muttered, his voice dry and sharp as a snapped b

*

door open, and climbed into the

t there, soaked and seething, the leather under him creaking as he shift

id he'd take her. Said he'd make her scream. The

kles cracked under the pressure. The leather of his gloves groaned with

f to think of her in months. Maybe years. But that voice

. Anna. Eyes the color of spring after a long winter. Hair like wildfire and a laugh tha

ly one who ever reached into the cage and didn't flinc

en blinked. The rain outside blurred everything. But he saw it. Li