Page 22

22

All Good Things

Caspian

There are fewer things more satisfying than waking up warm and naked, nestled beside the woman you love.

Sunlight threatens to spill into the room, and the heavy curtains are all that stand between me and the realization that this can only last for so long. Just downstairs, in my study, duty calls.

I place a kiss in Annalise’s thick, dark hair as she rests on my bicep, her arms nestled against my chest where’s she’s curled into me, just like a child, seeking comfort. I smile at the sight of her—peaceful, beautiful.

Mine.

Shit, I’d stay here forever if I could, but alas…

I lift my head, spotting my bag on the floor near the foot of the bed—my current target. Slowly, I pull my arm free, and Annalise stirs, turning onto her other side as a soft whimper billows from her parted lips. Careful not to wake her, I slip from underneath the warmth of the blanket, wincing at the sting of the cold air hitting my skin.

I make quick work of getting to my bag and finding the clothes I packed there last night. Somehow, I manage to get them on in near silence, which only leaves me with the task of unlocking her bedroom door in the same manner.

Luckily, the floor doesn’t creak when I make my way across the room, twisting the lock slowly until it clicks. I glance over my shoulder, seeing Annalise still fast asleep as I slip out, and then latch her door closed behind me.

“Good morning, Alpha.”

I nod, acknowledging the greetings spoken in unison by both guards, and then start toward my room where I’ll finish readying myself for the day. I’ll also grab proper clothing, changing out of the joggers and t-shirt I grabbed in haste last night.

My steps are quicker now that I’m no longer worried about noise, and I even pick up speed when I remind myself that the sooner I finish my tasks, the sooner I can return to her. And it’s that speed that has me nearly careening into my brother when I round the corner, wearing a look on his face that tells me he’s about to royally fuck up my morning.

“Brother.”

“Alpha,” he nods, glancing down toward my bag before lifting his eyes again. “I was making my way to your room. There’s a call for you, and its urgent.”

I don’t like that my heart skips a beat, as if it knows what I don’t yet know.

“I’ll just drop my things in my room and?—”

“There’s no time,” he cuts in. “For all I know, they’ve already disconnected.”

His tone is not only pressing, it’s also filled with worry. And my brother does not worry.

“What is this?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but he asked specifically for you.”

“He?” I glance toward Dimitri as we rush through the hallways, headed in the direction of the conference room.

“Yes, he … A member of the faction.”

Our short-lived conversation dies in the shadow of those words, and I wish like hell I could return to the blissful ignorance of slumber, the warmth and comfort I just left behind.

We approach the conference room, and Dimitri rushes in with me following close behind. Aunt Pen peers up from her seat between Creed and Archibald. All seem to have adopted the same solemn expression, and it only adds to the sense of doom and dread that hit the moment I laid eyes on Dimitri.

I approach my seat as Creed stands with a laptop in hand. He clicks a few buttons, and the large, once darkened screen across the room glows to life, an image fading in from the blackness.

A single figure standing in a dim room, cloaked in a dark robe, a black mask hiding his face.

“We have audio,” Dimitri leans in to whisper, and then straightens beside me, his jaw gritting as he glares at the screen when the camera zooms out.

Only now do I realize the situation is far more dire.

“What the fuck?”

A deep, raspy laugh fills the room. Apparently, the masked man finds amusement in my reaction to seeing he’s not alone. Seated in front of him are three others, all wearing black sacks over their heads. And based on the sniffling and sobbing now pouring through the speakers, they’re terrified.

This sick fuck has taken hostages.

“How nice of you to join us, Alpha,” he mocks. “I was beginning to think you don’t care as much for this clan as you claim to.”

“Your name,” I growl, feeling my jaw tense with the demand.

“To my followers, those you foolishly call your people… I am Vex.”

Aunt Pen makes a note of that as my gaze shifts back to the screen.

“What is this? Why are you doing this?”

He shakes his head at my questions, holding a finger over the lips of his mask. “Enough,” he says. “If you want these people to live, you will only speak when spoken to. And even then, I suggest that you weigh your words very, very carefully.”

My blood boils in my veins, and while it isn’t in my nature to take threats without severe retaliation, I also know this man is unhinged. And despite what his sarcasm implied a moment ago, I do care for this clan.

Deeply.

“Perfect,” he says, and despite not being able to see his face, I know there’s a smile hidden behind that mask. “Now, since you’re so eager to get to the point, I’m interested in striking a deal with you.”

“Wh—”

“Alpha… have you forgotten the rules?” he asks, and my jaw tenses again, waiting. “Thank you. Now, you may speak.”

I take a moment to respond, imagining myself ripping through him with my teeth.

“What sort of deal?”

“I’m glad you asked,” he croons.

The amusement in his tone contrasts the whimpers of his hostages. Who, if I’m not mistaken… are children.

“I’m willing to let them go, all of them, if you’ll agree to meet with me. Alone,” he adds.

Aunt Pen’s posture stiffens, as if suddenly more alert than a moment ago.

“It’s simple,” Vex says. “Meet me for one conversation, and you won’t have the blood of these poor, innocent souls on your hands.”

My heart races and it feels like the room’s closing in on me.

“Well, what will it be?”

An image of Annalise sleeping in my arms this morning materializes right before my eyes. I can see every detail of her so clearly, can smell the softness of her scent lingering in the air.

Then… it fades.

And I’m terrified I’ll never have that again—the little moments, the small pieces of herself she allows me to savor—because what’s being asked of me feels like a death sentence.

“Yes. I’ll do it.”

“The fuck you will ,” Dimitri snaps, speaking up despite knowing he ought not to.

“Quite eloquently stated, Dimitri. I second that,” Aunt Pen says in protest, standing from her seat to glare at me. I can practically read her mind, and she’s wondering what the hell I’m doing.

But I can’t expect them to understand, to feel the weight of all that I carry. Today, Vex is threatening to harm strangers from within the clan, but tomorrow… it could be any one of the people I love.

“For all we know, those are the children of his own people, and he’s bluffing,” Dimitri points out, bringing a possibility to light that I’ve already considered.

“Heard, Brother. But… I think we both know I can’t take that chance.”

“Indeed, you cannot,” Vex interjects. “But for your brother’s sake, and to make it clear to you that I’m not a man who engages in child’s play and trickery… a demonstration.”

He nods once slowly, and footsteps can be heard in the background. Then, the next second, a pair of pale hands clutch the lapel of one of the young hostages. I’m staring at the small, thin frame of a boy I wouldn’t guess to be older than fifteen or sixteen as he’s brought to his feet, sobbing, pleading for mercy.

“What the hell is he doing?” Aunt Pen says under her breath as our eyes stay glued to the screen.

Vex yanks the hostage from his masked accomplice’s grasp, bringing them to him in one swift motion.

“Something you don’t know about me, but you will know in a moment, is that I hold deep-rooted love and affection for my followers. They aren’t simply numbers, nor are they disposable to me. But these three… your… people… they’re nothing. Kindling for the fire,” he adds.

Those words have barely left his mouth when he lifts a blade to the boy’s throat, slicing clean through.

“Dear gods!” Aunt Pen gasps as the innocent gurgles, choking on his own blood while his body sinks to the floor, unable to scream, unable to cry out. However, the remaining two cry out enough for them all, and the sheer terror in their voices tears me apart.

“Enough,” I roar, slamming my fist on the table when rage flows through me.

“Agreed,” Vex says. “Now that you know I’m a man of my word, it is still within your power to save the two I’ve left unharmed. So, Alpha… what shall we do?”

I don’t even have to think about it. I haven’t changed my mind, and I believe my brother has learned a valuable lesson.

That he must keep his fucking mouth shut.

“I’ll do it. We’ll meet.”

Aunt Pen doesn’t speak this time, but I can feel her wolf panicking, wanting to lash out, wanting to do something, but… this is how it must be.

“Name the time and Place. I’ll be there.”

Vex nods, wiping his blade clean, collecting the innocent blood of one of Clan Centauri’s precious souls in the palm of his glove.

“You’re a wise man, Caspian, which is why I’m certain you’ll heed my warning and come alone. It is also imperative that you refrain from breathing a single word of this to anyone outside that room,” he warns. “I’ll send you the details of our arrangement.”

And just like that, the screen goes black, and we’re disconnected.

“Fuck!” Dimitri explodes, pacing as the vein in his neck throbs. “You had no right to agree to that. You’re not expendable, Cas. We need you here. We need you alive, ” he adds, staring at me with this incredulous look in his eyes that would otherwise invoke shame. But tonight, I have no regard for my own life.

Only theirs.

My people.

There’s a deafening silence in the room, and I can’t lift my eyes from the surface of the table.

“What if this goes bad, Cas? What happens then?” Despite having just been up in arms over my decision, Dimitri is suddenly subdued, strangled by his own emotions. But as much as I’d like to give him a flowery, hopeful answer, that wouldn’t be honest.

“Then, you would take my place,” I say. “And with Annalise being Alpha Regent, she’d have equal power, helping to manage the burden.”

My mind’s racing a mile a minute when I start toward the door, mentally getting my affairs in order before heading to my office to put the thoughts into action. Last night, I hadn’t imagined the next twenty-four hours playing out quite like this, but things changed so quickly.

I halt when a large body steps between me and the door, and I peer up, staring into my brother’s eyes.

“You’re not unstoppable,” he points out, his shoulders heaving with the threat as anger flares in his eyes. “You’re stronger than me, yes, but not by much. And there’s no chance of you walking out of here if I break your legs. I’m actually willing to bet I could get it done before you’d even have a chance to react. I’m willing to do what needs to be done, whatever it takes to keep you from walking toward certain death.”

He’s enraged, more than I’ve seen from him in a long time, but I choose not to match his energy. He has every right to be upset, but it doesn’t change anything.

He glances to where I’ve just placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Unfortunately, Brother, this is inevitable.”

Aunt Pen, Creed, and Archibald are silent behind me, and I step around Dimitri with my sight set on the door. He isn’t wrong. Death is certainly a possibility, which means there are things I must do before walking into the lion’s den. And one task in particular… might just rip my heart right out of my chest.