Shannon leaned up and bit quickly. She pulled away after licking the wound a little too long. Then the crowd drew in a silent breath, waiting to see if the bond snapped into place.
After almost a full minute, the dark lines of the mate bond grew from the bite marks on their necks. The Goddess actually blessed the bond. The crowd cheered.
Derek was the loudest, cheering with everyone as he pumped his arms in the air, until the Omega that was behind him pulled a knife she had hidden and stabbed it through his back.
The crowd screamed, and Shannon grabbed for Brandon, who tried to turn and help his friend. Shannon fought to keep him close as blood poured from Derek’s lips. The Omega ripped the blade from his back and slipped off her mask as she stepped in front of him.
“What did you always say to me? Keep your eyes open while I stuff you, kitten.” Lynn grabbed his face. “I wouldn’t want you to miss anything.” She grinned as she slammed the blade into his chest.
Derek coughed blood as he pulled his face out of her grip. “You…stupid…bitch.” He coughed again and grabbed for the knife. But Lynn was too quick. She ripped it from his chest and slammed it into his stomach. “I’m going to kill you.” He laughed as blood dripped from his lips. “You think this is your revenge…but in reality this is your funeral.”
Everyone surged to their feet. The Omegas, the real ones, took off. Low-ranked, weak wolves screamed and took off running too. But the men and women who were higher ranked all converged on Lynn. She pulled out a second blade and, instead of attacking anyone else, she laughed. It was boisterous and slightly manic as she turned and stabbed Derek over and over. The look in her eyes made the closest men pause. Because she looked insane, rightfully so. She screamed in triumph as she kept attacking him.
Vince bellowed for everyone to freeze. He slammed his aura out, and all of his men froze. Which was the dumbest move that Vince could have possibly done for Derek. Because I had already commanded Lynn to ignore all other Alpha commands, and I was more powerful than Vince. So she didn’t hesitate; she kept stabbing Derek over and over until she grew tired of the knives and threw them away.
Derek screamed. He bellowed his pain and tried to struggle, but Vince’s command froze him in place, like everyone else. Everyone except me, Rowan, Lynn and Garith. “Stop!” He begged, but Lynn just laughed as she grabbed his chin.
“I remember I begged you to stop. You and your friends, but you just laughed at me. You said that eventually I would come to beg for it, for you…” She leaned in as she started to shift her claws. “Tell me, mate…are you begging for it yet?” She screamed, her eyes a little wild.
Garith stood and strolled down the aisle. “It lor kina sizet.” Lynn froze. Her claws had just formed, and her fangs descended.“Look at you.” He continued walking towards her, and I could see the panic flash in her eyes. “You’re so ferocious for a kitten.” He laughed darkly as he finished walking.
“What did you do?” Vince called out.
Garith turned his head towards Vince. “What you failed to do.” He grinned as he leaned against the pew Rowan was seated on. “I froze everyone but myself so I could save your Beta, and kill the king. Now that the crowd is gone.” He pulled the mask from his eyes. “There we are.” He turned to Shannon and waved the masks. “While it hid my face like I requested. It was fucking annoying.” He tossed it to the ground and sighed. “Well now. This is interesting.” He slid down beside my mate and leaned over. He twisted his shoulder so he could look up at Derek. “How are you feeling? You look rough, boy.”
Derek turned his gaze to Garith and smiled, blood coating his teeth. “It’s just a scratch.” He laughed, but blood poured from his mouth. He coughed for a few seconds, trying to clear his airways.
Garith shook his head as he pulled back and settled back against the pew. “I doubt that. Those blades right there? Those blades are silver.” He pointed to the two daggers on the ground. Garith laughed. “You can smell the silver from here. Isn’t that right, kitten?”
Lynn snarled. “Don’t call me that!” She was frozen, but her entire body was trembling. I couldn’t tell if it was from fear, or from her straining to move. But either way, she was cornered. Her eyes turned to me, and I could see panic there, but also resignation.
Her wolf ran from the trees.Get your mate and run, Amy. Don’t worry about us.Then she turned back and was gone.
Nix turned to me.She’s planning on dying.
Well. I shook my head.We all know that’s not happening.
Lynn’s eyes flashed to a burnt copper. Her wolf was upfront, and she was not happy. Her panic won over, and her eyes snapped back to her human eyes. “No one will ever call me that again.” She trembled for a few seconds before her wolf pushed forward again, and I watched her body grow still. Her voice became a little smokier. “But you are right, old man.” Her smile grew as Derek’s eyes rolled to meet her gaze. “These knives are silver. And you…you are dead.”
“Derek!” Brandon tried to run to him, but Garith just laughed.
“Are you stupid, boy? Or do you not listen? Everyone is frozen.” Garith shook his head.
“Save him!” Brandon screamed his frustration at losing his friend, but Garith just chuckled.
“No.”
“No?” Brandon’s face fell for a second. “What do you mean, no?”
Garith lifted a shoulder. “Well…No is a word people use when they are denying a request. Which is what I am doing.”
“But why?” Brandon sounded like a little boy.
“Well. There are a few reasons. The first is that he is too far gone to save. The second is that he brought this on himself. He tortured this girl; it’s obvious. While I love a good torture session, he made the mistake of letting her live.” He leaned down to look Derek in the face again. “If you torture someone to the point their mind shatters, like this girl, then kill the person. Or else you end up here if you aren’t lucky. And last, I think this is an excellent lesson for you to learn, boy.” Garith turned to Brandon. “You won’t be able to rely on anyone but yourself going forward. You have spent too many years relying on this imbecile. And look where that has gotten you? You are mated to a she-wolf who is clingy, unranked, and carries herself as an Alpha. The delusion in this pack is insane.” He sat back again. “The boydeserves to die for thinking his rank would save him in this exact scenario.”
Brandon’s voice dropped low. “I will kill you.” He was staring at Garith. Shannon and Vince both whimpered softly. I think the sound woke him up, because Brandon turned to Lynn and snarled. “I swear it here and now, I will kill you.”
Lynn just smiled. “Stupid boy. I died the minute he touched me. Nothing you can do will change that.” She cackled. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have sworn she was crazy.