Page 47

Elijah

“ W ant one?” Aaron holds up the ginger beer and I almost stop in my tracks. His and Liam’s favourite…

“The only time I will drink it is at his grave, on his birthday. I hate that drink.” I shudder, making Aaron grin, but the sadness remains in his eyes.

“I’ll hold you to that. Liam and I will both love to see your face when you down the entire damn can.” He snickers. “Good thing you didn’t lose both of us or you’d be drinking two cans.”

I frown, “That isn’t even funny.”

“Yeah… it isn’t,” he sighs heavily as he looks down. “It sucks without him, you know.”

“Yeah,” I agree as we walk towards my destination.

I had told Scarlett I’d be back late tonight. I didn’t want to tell her exactly where I was going or what I plan to do. She’s already been quiet today since visiting Liam’s parents. They have been brave, but it fucking hurts to see them put up that front.

“Well, I’ll head to my place. You sure you want to go alone?” Aaron asks, concerned.

My eyes turn cold as I nod, with no doubt in me. Fiona has done far too much damage, and I am the one who will deal with her.

“Alright…” he says, and we part ways when we step inside the packhouse. I walk to the end of the hall, and down towards the cells. Walking past the rows of dark, empty cells until the one at the end comes into view.

I can hear her crying before she comes into view, only making my anger rise. The two warriors at the doors lower their heads to me. One of them hands me a pair of gloves and I put them on before taking the silver chain whip.

“Open it,” I command, and they obey. I step inside and spot Fiona against the far wall. She’s dressed in a plain white dress, her arms chained up to the ceiling of her cell, her back towards me.

But she still sensed it’s me.

“Alpha! Alpha, you’re here to save me, aren’t you?” she asks, her voice shaky. What exactly is she fucking on that she thinks I’m here to save her? I circle around her until I am standing in front of her.

“You really are delusional,” I remark coldly, trying to contain the lid on my hatred and rage. “I regret ever having anything to do with you.” The resentment in my voice is obvious, and she blanches before her eyes widen in shock, her lips quivering.

“You don’t mean that,” she whispers. I don’t bother correcting her. She is too stuck in her ways, too lost in her own delusion, and it’s obvious she’s never going to accept the truth.

“Do you know how many men we lost because of what you did? In total, one hundred and forty-three.”

“P-please don’t, A-Alpha D-Daniel... I only did what he wanted!” she whimpers, terror clear in her eyes.

“Don’t! Don’t fucking lie!” I snap, my eyes flashing. “I checked your phone records; you contacted him after searching for his number.” I don’t care for her excuses, nor do I have time to entertain her. I’m here for only one reason.

I circle her, slowly, like a predator circling its prey, letting the whip trail on the floor. The metal scrapes against the stone floor, the sound loud in the cell. Ominous and deadly, offering a taste of what is to come.

I can smell her fear as her eyes follow the whip.

“For every man we lost… you will get one lash. We won’t stop until you’re unconscious, and then when you wake, we’ll start again from one. This will continue until you die.” My voice is low, cold and devoid of any emotion but rage. It’s a dangerous growl. Half mine, half my wolf’s, the anger bubbling around me belongs to the both of us. “Not only did you assist the enemy, but you also tried to kill your Luna.” I raise the whip, my eyes hard. I am the Alpha, and as Alpha, it is my duty to deal with this punishment.

And although I am going to enjoy punishing her, deep inside, I know it is a side of me I never want Scarlett to see.

“Start counting. If you lose count, I’ll keep going,” I say icily. Fiona shivers in fear, turning just as she sees me raise the whip.

“Please don’t. Please!” she screams in agony as I deliver the first lash, striking her back right in the centre. Her scream rings in my ear, and I glare at her back, my eyes cold.

I never wanted to resort to this, never thought I ever would, but this woman tried to have Scarlett killed.

“Count,” I snarl.

“O-one,” she sobs.

“Good.” I strike again, zoning out her screams, not even affected by them. Each lash makes her scream louder, the shrill sound echoing around the empty cell. The guards outside remain silent, not even flinching as lash after lash is dealt out.

I stay true to my words. I don’t stop, even when her back is a bloody mess. She stops counting and I don’t bother reminding her to continue. The faces of our dead, the fear, the pain and the rage I feel consume me as I deliver blow after blow.

At one point I hear some commotion from beyond the cell bars, but I don’t even turn. Her father has come to beg for her life, but I don’t even turn to look at the man who is screaming, helpless and unable to do anything as I continue to lash her. He’s dragged away by the guards, and I continue.

Such a petty reason, too. Her jealousy had no limits. Over her infatuation, she resorted to such a measure, and then she targeted her Luna. That is the very reason she is going to be made an example of. A reminder to all that I will never let anyone who hurts Scarlett live.

Lash after lash.

Sweat stings the corner of my eyes, and my breathing is heavy as I keep going. Maybe it’s a hundred lashes, maybe it’s more… Sweat trickles down my back and I keep going.

Fiona’s screams have long since died out. I’m not even sure if she is still conscious. Raising the whip again, I am about to bring it down when I freeze, my heart thudding when I hear the sound of running footsteps and a familiar scent reaches my nose, blocking out the smell of metal, sweat and blood. The sweet, intoxicating scent of my mate.

“Open the door!” Scarlett snaps at the guards, her heart thudding as she yanks open the door the moment they unlock it. She steps inside.

I watch her silently as she scans the cell, taking in the pool of blood on the floor, and then the limp body of the woman who is still suspended by her arms, her back torn open. Then those sage green eyes find me, and I watch as she takes in the blood that is splattered over me, but even as I try to mask my emotions, I can’t. I know my eyes are hard and cold.

“Why are you here?” I ask, meeting her gaze, unashamed of my actions. The moon shines from the small window at the top of the cell barely a hand span wide. My stomach twists when I realise her heart is racing extremely fast as she stares into my eyes.

“Don’t do this, Elijah. This isn’t you…” She closes the gap between us and locks her arms around my neck. I frown, feeling her trembling in my arms. Her heart is thudding.

Why is she so- The realisation hits like a violent punch to the face; I am doing exactly what her father would have done. Fuck.

But Fiona deserves it. Zidane tortured the weak and innocent, but I am giving out a punishment fitting of a traitor.

“Please stop.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry…” I whisper, dropping the whip before I hug her tightly. She doesn’t move back, not until her racing heart calms down. “Sorry for how you’re feeling right fucking now, but she’s the reason you were kidnapped. The reason you had to suffer at that bastard’s hands. Again.” Scarlett cups my jaw and nods, her eyes shining. She presses her forehead against mine, pulling me down slightly.

“I know… but we don’t need to waste our time on this. Let’s just go home, baby,” she whispers almost pleadingly. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath.

“I need to finish this…” I say. I can’t go until I’m done.

Opening my eyes, I look into her pain-filled green eyes. I kissed her lips softly before moving back. I see the slight movement in Fiona’s hand and know what I need to do.

“You’re lucky Scarlett came,” I murmur, before I turn and stop in front of her. Her face is deathly pale, her hair limp and soaking. Her eyes are half-open, as if too lost in the pain she is in to even look at me or comprehend what is being said. “Not that you deserve this, but I’ll make this quick.” Not waiting for a reply or any sign of acknowledgement, I reach forward and snap her neck with a sickening crunch.

Scarlett gasps as Fiona’s head drops forward on her chest and her heart stops beating. “Leave her here until tomorrow,” I tell the guards as I take the gloves off, tossing them to the ground before I take Scarlett’s hand and lead her away.

“Elijah… promise me something…” she says softly, her heart still thudding violently. I look at her, grabbing a towel from the rack near the entrance to the cells and wipe some of the blood off me.

“I’ll promise you if I can, but not blindly. What is it?” I ask quietly, leading her up to the ground floor of the packhouse and towards the entrance hall.

“Stop blaming yourself.” I freeze in my tracks, about to reach for the front door, but now turn to her.

“What do you mean?” I ask, although I know exactly what she means. It’s been the one thing on my mind. The one screaming the loudest. The one thought I don’t want to face or admit.

If I hadn’t been involved with Fiona, all of this could have been avoided.

“Stop acting stupid, you know what I mean,” she says, her voice clipped before she wraps her arms around my bloody and sweat-soaked neck and places a soft kiss on my mate mark, making my breath hitch as delicious pleasure rushes through me. “She was a part of your past; we all have one. What she became was due to her own choices. Whatever happened has happened. It’s not your fault. Let’s move on from this, baby. Please.”

I hold her tightly, my muscular arms tight around her tiny waist. I caress her sides, thinking she is so tiny, yet so strong.

“You’re right,” I say quietly, sighing deeply. Taking a deep whiff of her hair to calm myself, I let her scent fill my senses. Tomorrow is the mass funeral and then we can move on from all of this.

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” she says softly.

“Yeah…”

We leave together, the journey in silence. When we return home, the house is dead quiet and I realise I must have been down in the cells for a few hours. “Shall I run you a bath or do you want a shower?”

“Join me,” I say quietly, not answering her questions.

She looks into my eyes and nods. She has splatters of blood on her now, too. Letting me take her hand, I lead her to the bathroom that we share. We mostly sleep in my room as it is the furthest away.

We step under the shower after stripping, our eyes appreciating the other. Scarlett blushes lightly, seeing my gaze fall on her now bare pussy. My eyes darken as she squeezes her thighs together, as if that could stop me if I so wanted. I switch the water on and pull her close as the cool water becomes warm as it pours over both of us.

“Red…” I begin quietly as we stand under the water. She looks up into my eyes. My gaze is fixed on her breasts as I try to form the words I want to ask. I can’t look her in the eye.

I can sense her concern as she presses her body against mine and tilts her head up to look me in the eye. So much for being taller than her. Even if I look down, she can look me in the eye.

“What’s wrong?” she asks worriedly, cupping my face, forcing me to look her in the eyes.

“When Liam… before he died… he said you were his dream, then you kissed him,” I say, unable to stop the sudden flare of anger. My own emotions confuse me.

It hurts he’s gone. I’m angry I lost so many pack members, frustrated, hurting, I don’t fucking know. My emotions are a tornado of turmoil and they seek an outlet. Most of my emotions are blocked off, but I know she senses my anger as she tenses in my arms for a second. But she doesn’t speak, as if knowing that I am not yet done. “If things had turned out differently or if Liam had turned out to be your mate, would you have chosen him?” I ask the question that makes guilt rush to the forefront of my mind. That storm. I’m jealous of my dead friend. I feel terrible but it will eat up at me if I don’t know. I have to.

The image of them kissing flashes through my mind.

She’s silent for a moment before she sighs heavily.

“I won’t apologise for that kiss. It was all I could give him, at least something to cherish before he passed away,” she says softly, and a flash of anger ripples through me. My grip on her hips tightens possessively. She’s unwavering as she continues. “But if he had been my mate or anyone else had, I still would have chosen you. You’re the one I love. It’s your every touch, every gaze, every word that consumes my body and mind. You are the one I have given myself to. How can I give away something I no longer possess? You hold my heart, Elijah. You, and only you. There was no pleasure in that kiss. From my side, it was just a pure, simple farewell kiss. I loved Liam, but as a friend, nothing more.”

I hold her gaze, knowing she isn’t lying. I understand why she did it, even if I don’t like it. But like always, her words always calm me, dispelling the tirade of emotions that were threatening to consume me. She takes a deep breath before she speaks once more.

“I love you, Elijah, and I always will. Only you.”

There is so much conviction in those words, in her emotions, in those sage green eyes, that there is no space for doubt. I don’t reply, pulling her into a passionate kiss, fuelled by all my emotions. Needing her like the very air one needs to breathe.