LUCIAN DUNCAN
— Don't tell me it was your half— breed that ended your race?
I rolled my eyes in distaste when Jason walked through my bedroom doors without my permission as I finished sewing up the wound on my chest caused by Jackson, the cut made by the Supreme's claws were fatal to anyone, I would survive, but the wound wouldn't heal, the scar would remain to remind me of who did it and add to my list of reasons to kill him.
— No, it was your beloved father— in— law — I replied to his teasing and he let out a bitter laugh, helping himself to a shot of whiskey and walking to the window, leaning against it and looking at the horizon, his eyes had the same empty as always.
— I didn't know you were so weak, Lucian. Beating up for the father— in— law in front of the women? How embarrassing!
I just ignored his provocations, finishing cleaning the already sewn cut and throwing the bloody fabrics in the trash and lighting them on fire. I walked to the bar that I had in my room and filled my body with whiskey, drinking it at once, staring the man in front of me.
— What do you want, Jason?— I thought I wouldn't see him so soon after the mission he was given— I asked, sitting on my bed, with the glass already full again.
— There was a problem.
I took a deep breath, rubbing the throbbing spot between my eyebrows.
— Which one?— I wanted to know.
— Remember that rebel leader?— Lenny?
— Yes, you should recruit him and bring him over to our side. What went wrong?
— The guy was an idiot, — he muttered. — She attacked me and I just defended myself.
I raised an eyebrow, disbelieving her story.
— Are you telling me that Lenny just attacked you?— No reasons?— I asked, and he nodded. — And am I supposed to believe you and your noble honesty?
— Believe what you want.— He shrugged and finished emptying his body. — The fact is, Lenny had formed a pack, he had reliable betas.
— Get to the point, Jason. I don't have time and patience for stalling — I declared tired and stressed with the bad night I had had.
— I killed them. All.
I gripped the glass in my hand tightly, clenching my jaw.
— What?— My voice came out in a growl.
— When I took Lenny's head off, his wolves started attacking me and I killed them one by one. It was self— defense!
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stay calm and not kill that damn hybrid with my bare hands.
— How many?
— As?
— How many did you kill?— My voice sounded altered, and I got up from the bed, feeling the wound in my chest burn, but I just ignored it and focused my eyes on the hybrid in front of me.
— There were fifteen males, and five females.
I tapped my fingers on the glass in my hand.
— What made you kill twenty wolves, Jason?
I lifted my eyes, waiting for his answer. Finally, he faced me.
— They weren't rebels…they were loners, — he confessed, and I squinted my eyes, gritting my teeth.
— So they were still loyal to the Supreme and his bitch, — I concluded and he nodded. — Were their children?
— We don't touch the kids.— He shrugged.
— What did you do with the bodies?
— Frederick burned them, leaving no trace of our presence.
I nodded. Jason had done the right thing, killing them would be the only solution to keep all our plans a secret, nothing could go wrong.
— What about Zoe?— He caught my attention by quoting the half— breed, and I raised an eyebrow. — Do you think she'll just accept it so easily?
— You say it like I'm giving her another option.
— Do you really plan on having a baby with her?— He didn't hide the sneer in his voice.
— I need an heir to continue my clan, — I answered his question indifferently.
— But you need a pure heir of the Labonair bloodline, — he stated, and I nodded. — Zoe is a half— breed, she's part werewolf.
— Not for long.— A satisfied smile spread across my lips as I remembered what I would do with the half— breed. — I will purify my sweet Zoe.
(....)
ZOE LABONAIR
Again her cry of pain echoed throughout the house and I bit my lips hard, anguished and with a guilty conscience. I feared something would happen to my mother or Aaron. It was a few weeks before he was born, but the stress Mom went through today because of me, had rushed things, and she had gone into labor too soon.
— Zoe, you're going to stick to the floor if you keep walking in circles, — Megan complained, visibly stressed.
— I can't calm down, — I muttered sullenly, pacing the room. — I don't know if she's okay, Meg, — I whimpered.
— Of course she's not well, Mom is bringing Aaron into the world, if a human's birth is difficult enough, imagine a hybrid offspring of Ultimate — she articulated. — But Daddy's got her, it's going to be all right.
— It's been an hour, — I complained, sitting down on the couch.
— Aunt Clary and Uncle Dylan are on their way, — he said, and I scratched the back of my neck, looking at the mess in our living room. — Aunt Becca and Uncle Aiden too.
— Will everyone come?— I asked.
— I think so, they want to meet Aaron.
I just nodded in agreement, my gaze falling to the bloodstained floor on the wall opposite us. A chill ran through my body as the memories hit me, my eyes watered, but I sucked in a sharp breath and looked up, fighting back my tears. Crying wasn't the best thing to do at that moment, I needed to be firm, be strong and think of a solution to the problems he had created. My family, my people, didn't deserve to be slaughtered again, we took too much loss and too much destruction in our last confrontation with Kisa. I couldn't allow them to suffer again.
— We cannot give ourselves to that man, he will destroy us!
I know this, Lucian will make our lives' hell if I accept the deal. I ran my hands over my head, pulling the strands of my hair hard, moaning in frustration for not being able to think and come up with a solution. , it was being worse than when Alex died. He died because of me and I would never forgive him for that, imagine what would happen if tens, hundreds, maybe thousands of wolves died because of me? I'm sure I'd burn in hell for that.
— I know this guy.
— What are you talking about?
— I know you better than anyone, Zoe, and I know what's going through your head, don't do this.
I couldn't keep looking into her eyes, I averted my eyes and stared at the bloodstained floor in front of me. I hated the fact that Megan could understand me better than I did, and I hated even more that I couldn't hide my thoughts from her.
— I don't know what you're talking about, — I tried one last time, even though it was impossible for Megan to believe my words.
She snorted through her nose.
— I'm your twin, Zoe, — he spat out the words. — Don't try to lie to me because it won't work, and you know it.
I finally got it.
— What do you want me to say, Megan? That I'm toying with the idea of accepting Lucian's proposal? Yes I am.
A spark of revolt flashed through his eyes.
— You can't be serious, — she muttered under her breath.
— Would you allow our people to face another war with wizards?— We're at a disadvantage, Megan, we're not as strong as we used to be.
— Are you crazy?— she practically screamed. — We are stronger than ever!
— But we're outnumbered, — I replied. — Lucian isn't alone, he's with Jason.
— Don't bring up his name, — he growled, and I rolled my eyes.
— The wolves are my people too, my responsibility. What Alpha will I be if I let them die, so I can be happy?
— The Alpha who fights for her own survival, her happiness, and her life.— I shook my head.
— What would you do?— She raised an eyebrow. — If the decision were in your hands. Would you choose to sacrifice your happiness for the sake of our family and save our people, or would you let them all die?
Megan clenched her teeth and set her jaw.
— May they all burn.— The coldness in his voice took me by surprise. — I would never give myself up to a monster like Lucian and let him destroy me.
— Megan…— I whispered in horror. — These are innocent lives!
— And you're not?— he countered and I shut up. — You're as innocent as everyone else, Zoe, it's not your fault the Witcher's ridiculous obsession with you.
— I...
— I know it's a difficult decision, but be selfish for once in your life, my sister. Stop thinking about others and think about yourself, think about what will happen to you if you accept to marry Lucian, you will be destroyed by him!
— I want to kill him, — I confessed what was really in my heart. — I want to see him burn the same way he burned Holly and killed Jony.— I looked into Megan's eyes. — Does that make me a bad person?
Megan smirked, as if my words pleased her.
— No, that makes you a Labonair.
I almost smiled at his speech.
— I hate him, Megan.— My voice sounded bitter, full of rancor. — I've never been so angry with anyone in my life, and it worries me.
— Why?
— This hatred, this uncontrolled anger is not normal.— She was staring at me in confusion. — I feel something coursing through me, Meg, something dark, something dark slowly entering me, dominating my thoughts and controlling my actions. Remember everything that happened today, how I almost killed you.
— It's black magic, — I nodded, agreeing with his words.
— Lucian is awakening the darkness in me!
The sound of footsteps in the corridor interrupted our conversation, we got up from the sofa when Dad appeared in the living room, visibly tired and exhausted.
— Daddy? — I called him, distressed.
But all the fear disappeared from my body when he opened a huge smile, his pale eyes shining.
— Aaron was born!
Megan and I screamed at the same time and rushed to hug him, almost knocking him to the ground, and he laughed, returning the hug.
— What's he like?— Megan asked euphorically.
— Why don't you come see him?— he suggested.
— We can?
— Why not? He's your brother!