I took a deep breath, pushing up my sleeves. “Alright, Ethan. You don’t want to help? Fine. But remember, I can play this game, too.”
Ethan’s smile faded, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “What does that mean?”
I leaned in, lowing my voice to almost a whisper. “It means I know things. Things that would expose you as the traitor you are to your new friends, Ethan.”
A hint of fear finally appeared in the depths of Ethan’s eyes. “Care to elaborate, Alpha? Or are you full of shit?”
I smiled, a cold, calculating smile, ready to throw his jeering back at him. “That’s such a great question, Beta.”
Ethan gawked at me, wavering between defiance and self-doubt. Joanna stood tense, her eyes locked on him, waiting for his response.
“You’re bluffing,” Ethan growled, but his voice lacked conviction.
I leaned in closer. “You know I have eyes and ears everywhere. How hard will it be to spread a few rumors? You’re already a drunk. But you think you can betray your pack for a cause as righteous asfreedom, and then throw it all away for human pussy? And ahunter’sat that? Sounds like a plan to double-cross to me.” It was a weak bluff—spreading rumors like that would only put my pack in danger. But my beta was a selfishbastard who failed to see that, and my performance was enough to shatter his bravado.
“You wouldn’t.” His eyes flickered to Joanna in a panic. “I was teaching her a lesson—This is about our survival as a species, Marcus.”
“Survival?” Joanna interjected, her voice as sharp as the silver knife she seemed to love so much. “You murdered innocent people because a girl ghosted you. I don’t think you’ll last long in any scenario.”
Ethan growled, yanking against his chains. The silver surged through the restraints, reacting to the tension and buckling his knees. He caught himself before he met the floor. “The humans are destroying the world,” he hissed in pain. “We have to fight back.”
I shook my head, disgust curling my lip. “This isn’t about survival. This is about your twisted desire to dominate.”
Ethan laughed through gritted teeth. “And what about you, Marcus? You don’t want power? Bullshit. You’ve just always been tooafraidto do what’s necessary. Too soft to challenge other packs when you know you and I could own this whole fucking city.”
I snarled at him, my wolf surging to the surface. “I’m the fucking alpha, Ethan. I don’t want power. I am power.”
Ethan sighed. “Then join us, brother. Fight with me. Revolution is inevitable. Look at what one human has done to us already. She’s ensnared us.”
I shook my head, turning away from him. “You’re a lost cause. But a promise is a promise, Ethan.” I turned to the bottom of the staircase.
As Maya and Lucas descended the stairs, their faces grim, Ethan’s eyes widened in terror. He knew what was coming, and he knew there was no escape.
“You can’t do this,” he pleaded.
I ignored him, my gaze locked on the pair at the bottom of the stairs. “What’s your verdict?”
Maya and Lucas exchanged a solemn glance. “We find him guilty,” Maya replied.
Lucas nodded in agreement. “Guilty.”
I sighed, turning to face Ethan. My friend. “I, Marcus Blackwood, Alpha of the Blackwood Pack, sentence you, Ethan King, to death.”
Ethan’s eyes filled with panic. “Marcus,” his voice cracked. “Don’t do this.”
I shook my head. “Maya, escort Lucas and Miss Sullivan upstairs.”
Joanna’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wait. What?” She took a step forward, her fists clenched at her sides. “I’m not leaving.”
I turned to face her. “You’ve meddled enough, Miss Sullivan. This is pack business.”
“Pack business?” Joanna spat. She stiffened like a cat before the pounce.
Ethan shook his head. “Joey,” he whispered. It was a last-ditch effort to stir some shred of pity for the connection once shared. “I lied, Joey. I was luring you out, but only to save you—I swear. Revolution is inevitable. I wanted toprotectyou.”
Maya stepped up behind Joanna. Her hand was firm yet gentle on Joanna’s shoulder, a silent command.
Joanna’s furious gaze flicked from Ethan to Maya, then to me. She hesitated for a moment, then turned to follow Maya.
