The Alpha Assassin novel Chapter 63

Earlier

The Luna was tied up, her arms behind her in as tight of a knot as I could create from a bathrobe. She did manage to get a kick in as I tied her feet before I dragged her to the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out to the ground floor of the new gardens.

She was spitting a string of profanities and threats, but it was easy to ignore her.

Well done - Aksala praised me as I stood to admire my work.

She only needed to be held down for a few minutes, though.

“Someone will come; someone will hear me!” her voice was panicked now, and I reveled in it. Finally, the fear that came with knowing what would happen to her. I was worried I wouldn’t get the satisfaction.

“They won’t, though,” I responded. “Soundproof walls.” I glanced around for show. “The building plans are in your office,” I explained. “Also, your pervy sons would go on about how no one would hear me scream.” I tugged my lips into a brilliant smile.

“Isn’t this just poetic?” I asked her.

I think it is - Aksala agreed.

I knew you would.

I fished into my pouch and gingerly procured my weapon of choice. I personally thought it was bordering on brilliant.

“You know what this is?” I asked her, fisting the cool iron.

Her eyes widened. “No, no,” she pleaded, wiggling against her binding; it was a delicious sight. She looked like what she was: a trapped worm. “You’ll kill us both!” she tried.

I shook my head gently.

“It’s finally time for you to use your mouth for something good as opposed to complaining and spouting out your ignorant views.”

I knelt in front of her. “Open wide, Luna,” I commanded.

She clamped down on her mouth and shook her head, tears streaming down her face. I wiped them away with my thumb. “There, there, you’ll soon be with your sons. And I’m sending your mate to meet you shortly,” I said gently.

“Either I walk away and throw this back, or you open up and have a chance at your own survival,” I mused, looking at the grenade I held between us. I wasn’t exactly lying; this would give her some time, but I didn’t know exactly how long.

She shook her head some more, and I sighed. “I have a funeral to be going to… your mates,” I added.

“No,” she sobbed.

“You know how this works?” I asked. She shook her head. “I pull the pin, and it's active. When I remove my hand from this lever, this trigger right here.” I pointed at it. “It detonates a few seconds later.” I looked at it lovingly.

She went to say something, opening her mouth into almost a scream, and I thrust it into her mouth, but she fought against it.

“Too late,” I said. “Stop moving, or you’ll kill yourself.” She stopped, and her mouth held the grenade tight. “Good,” I patted her cheek.

I pulled the pin out slightly awkwardly. “Drop it, and you die.”

I stood and fished around in my pouch, pulling out one of the injections I filled today. I looked at it and back at her as if deciding something.

I knelt by her feet and injected her near her bare ankle before standing and brushing off my hands on my dress.

“You won’t have a choice soon, though,” I told her. “See?” I held the needle up before putting the cap back on. “This is a paralysis. It will slowly work your way through your system until your entire body becomes slack.”

I threw it behind her to get it out of the way. “Your mouth will become slack too and...” I shrugged.

Sobs wracked through her, but she stopped and held the grenade tighter.

“As much as I would love to stay and chat and get some semblance of reasoning as to why you backed a man who killed my pack and then tormented me from the moment I got here, I know that you will have nothing but lies.”

I had long accepted that there was no explanation, that some people just reveled in cruelty, some wanted power without earning it, to make others smaller to feel bigger.

I turned to the door and looked back at her one last time filled with satisfaction at the scene I set before me.

The warriors paused when they passed Nolan, but Nolan nodded deeply in confirmation, his face etched in grief before he went to stand by Ezra. I did feel bad for him, but not enough to stop what was going to happen.

Ezra caught my eye and his were bright.

He is perfect - Aksala purred.

I wanted to ask her why she wasn’t pressed for me to wait for our mate. I hadn’t thought about that before. I only agreed with her, but now wasn’t the time.

I think this might be better - I admitted - As long as the werecats aren’t blamed.

The other Alphas and Lunas were huddling together, looking confused.

“They promised they wouldn’t attack.” Alpha Jameson came forward and pointed his hand at the werecats. “They broke that promise. I say we end them.”

“They said they have our packs surrounded. Should we send our warriors out to meet them?” An Alpha mused to another.

“They came in here and threatened us, threatened our packs, and now they have killed The Luna,” Alpha Jameson spoke to the crowd. Their murmurs were getting louder, and they were sounding angrier.

I looked toward The Elder who was looking between Nova and Alpha Jameson, but he didn’t seem as cool or impassive as he did earlier.

Nova’s charcoal-lined eyes met mine in a silent plea.

“We did not do that,” Nova said. Her voice was clear, but it seemed to waver slightly for the first time since she arrived.

“Then who did?” Alpha Jameson asked, turning slowly back to her. “Who put a bomb or whatever in the pack?” His smile was slimy.

“I did,” I said loudly.

The Elder, Nova, and Alpha Jameson turned to me with wide eyes. But I was more surprised at myself than anything else.