I nudged Mase. “I thought he said he had other people?”
He sighed. “I’m guessing they were a lie to cover up how pathetic and lonely he is.”
Jerome’s eyes glittered. “I’m going to enjoy gutting you.” He enunciated the words with relish. “I did it wrong before, I can see that now. I tried to go fast, when I should have taken my time. I should’ve sliced the skin from your bones until you were weeping.” He licked his lips. “I bet your tears taste sweet.”
I wanted to change again, to tear the bars off the wall and rip his fucking head from his shoulders.
Mason straightened. “I can guarantee you, Kip won’t allow that.”
I wassogoddamn proud of him.
Jerome’s gaze shifted to me. “And what the fuckareyou? I’ve never seen anything like you before.”
“What are you talking about?” Alpha Donnelly demanded.
His face contorted. “He’s some kind of… freak.”
And that was my cue. “I was afraid Mason was inside the house, so I went in after him.”
“I left you text messages,” Mason protested.
“I didn’t see them,” I admitted. “I did hear my phone ringing, but by then I was dealing with Jerk-rome and the fire.” I addressed Alpha Donnelly. “When I got inside, he was throwing things onto the blaze, making it bigger. I knew our house was a lost cause, so I was going to leave, but then I realized he wasn’t paying attention and would probably have gotten himself caught and burned to death.” I locked gazes with Jerome. “I was more than willing to let you burn. You hurt Mason twice. You almost killed him. If I’d let you die, it would have been justified. But Mason? He’s an Omega, and he has a good heart. And that’s the only reason you’re alive now. I didn’t want to hurt him.”
“Mason doesn’t need to worry.” Donnelly’s voice cracked. “Jerome has admitted his crime and will be punished summarily. The only acceptable penalty is death.”
Mason gave a jolt. “No! I refuse to be party to the killing of anyone. Was he wrong? Yes, of course. But there has to be something else.” He turned to me, tears streaming from his eyes. “Please, Kip. Therehasto be a better way.”
My boy was too sweet for words. Even after Jerome had him near death, he didn’t want to see him die.
“If there is, I don’t know what it is,” I admitted.
“He has to die,” Donnelly said.
Mason’s face reddened with rage. “He’s your fucking son!” he snarled. “And you’d justkillhim?”
“The rules apply to everyone, and you know that.”
“They don’t apply to me, though, do they? I’m your precious fucking Omega, after all. If you kill him, Kip and I will leave the pack and you’ll never see us again.”
Donnelly paled. “Mason you can’t?—”
“And who’s going to stop him?” I barked. “You? The only ones he’d listen to are his parents and me. I guarantee you, none of us willevertell Mase to do something against his beliefs. He’s asking you to find a better way, and if you want to keep him happy, you’llfindthat fucking way.”
“And what?” Donnelly demanded. “We can’t lock him in a human prison, because during the full moon he’ll be a wolf. Kinda hard to explain that, right? Or would you rather I chain him in my basement, never to allow him to see the light of day? So this is my only option, and it’s fuckingkillingme!”
I could see the truth of it. For such a big man, he trembled violently. The thought of killing his only son had to be crushing him. I now understood why my father had me listening to all sides, because there wasn’t one that answered every question. I realized my dad had a heavy burden on his shoulders, and he expected one day it would become mine.
I hated that thought.
And speaking of questions….
“He said he was taking wolfsbane. What is that?”
“A poison to our kind,” Donnelly replied. “In high doses, it’s lethal. It’s what we use to carry out an execution.”
I thought fast. “And what if he got a dose high enough to affect him, but not to kill him?”
Donnelly’s eyes widened. “I’ve heard it would strip someone of being a wolf, but we’ve never tried it, because we decided it was cruel punishment for someone who is used to shifting.” He eyed Jerome. “But if it keeps him from dying, I’d be willing to try it.”
