Funny how one lion they used and abused was the catalyst.
I received word when the Alpha and my “dad” arrived in Atlanta. I didn’t immediately react because that would scream a trap. I let them get to the point where they gave a few howls one night, swearing under my breath when Aurora immediately noticed and commented that there was no chance they were natural wolves.
But it meant it was time to move because she was too smart and could get hurt in all of this. Plus, I hated keeping things from her. We both needed honesty in our lives and I was being anything but.
Fine, she knew I was up to something, but that was splitting hairs when I was intentionally keeping her in the dark.
So I made sure she was out the door the next day and then got rid of my guards at home with Ellie’s help. Everything was in place and a great trap set.
Or so I thought.
“You really got big for your britches, pup,” Alpha Edwards greeted when I walked outside once I felt them on the property.
I snorted and then couldn’t curb my true reaction, chuckling darkly. “Wow, I really feel like such a fucking fool for ever having respected you. Itrulydid once.” I glanced over at his Beta, my adoptive dad. “And you too. You were harsh and—I really did, but you’re both fucking monsters.”
“Who do you think you are—” the Alpha started.
“What did you do to my parents?” I interrupted. “My real parents? Kill them, right? You’re that fucked in the head to have killed my real parents—probably my whole family—and kept me like a fucking trophy, yeah? Your pet lion you trained andboundmagically—a fucking kid.” I glanced between them. “You think you’re not monsters?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” the Alpha bit out. “We saved you and you’re an ungrateful—”
“No, don’t fucking turn this around anymore,” I snapped. “I’m not a kid. I’m—even if Iremotelybelieve your bullshit on how it all happened, you made a choice to adopt a child. That’s not a fucking contract forever that I owe you everything. I’m not indebted to youfor life. You do not fucking own me. I’m not fuckingproperty.
“I’ve given you more than you ever did me!” I snorted when they both stared at me like I’d grown another head. “Fucking hand-me-downs and always reminding me of my place isn’t love. Ikilledmyself to be the best and do everything I could to protectyour familyand you sold me up the river for it because I was better than your actual family.
“So try again. Seriously, tryanything elsebecause the curtain has been pulled back and I want you both in the ground for what you’ve done to me. What you’ve done to the other orphans.Give me a reasonto bring your whole house down and I will.” I snorted when they still didn’t say anything. “Yeah, you thought you came here to get more from me but—”
“Son, this isn’t—”
“I’m not your son!” I roared, letting them hear my lion even in this form and feel my power. I took a threatening step towards him and smirked when he retreated. “Don’t disrespect my actual parents who I’m very sure you killed. Youabducted meand pretended to rescue me.” I snorted when they shared a look. “I knew it. You kept me from other real family.”
“No, we didn’t and we—” he started to defend.
“Shut up,” the Alpha snapped.
I tried to swallow down my rage, but my hands shifted. “You really did it. You really did kill my parents and then held me in some fucked up—I thought maybe it was—but you really did. You’re dead. I’m done being quiet with what I know. You made a mistake not leaving things alone and trying to pressure me to make a move against my mate’s family.”
“She’s not really their family and it can benefit her,” the Alpha snapped. “She could be set in New York with us instead of—”
“What fool would ever trust you again?” I snarked, rolling my eyes as I shifted my hands back. “Are you kidding me? The only way I wouldevereven go back there was if I took over the fucking pack so the good wolves were free of you.”
I said it to be flippant and an ass, but my lion liked the idea… And they both felt it.
Shit.
The threats started immediately, but that wasn’t bad since I wanted them to admit to… Everything? As much as I possibly could?
And it was going well for several minutes, my lion even behaving for the ploy when they both made threats against Aurora.
Until Aurora showed up holding my adoptive mom by the throat. I was struck stupid by her ferocious beauty with her eyes darker than normal, fangs out, and death in her very aura.
But then I tried to handle the situation and it was very clear I was in deep shit.
Fuck.
Okay, well, that was later.
“Aurora, this is an abduction and—” I tried, worried about who was watching the trap.
