Page 150 of Rot In Knotty Pieces

He blinks. “You’re lying. Sanderson is the killer. And the omega shit you shacked up with. The others are just family.”

I laugh harder.

This is fun. I love the panic.

“You are all smoke and mirrors, aren’t you? People think you’re all-knowing and all-dangerous, but you’re not. You are just an average, boring, plain, alpha with nothing going for you but that you can lie convincingly and beat up children. Just a bully who looks powerful but is old and scared.”

I bite my lip, thoroughly enjoying myself.

“I’m really not lying. And they are a hell of a lot more dangerous than you. Rot in pieces, Alpha. I promise, it’s going to suck for you.”

He stares at me, his eyes widening. “No, you can’t be part of them. Why would they take you? You’re just…”

I grin. “I am just one of them. For now and always. You created a monster; now you’re going to have to pay the price.”

The lights go out, and the entire world feels like it holds its breath.

Except for me. I breathe easily knowing that they are here.

I can feel it through my bonds that tingle and then vibrate with energy.

My pack are alive, and they are here…for me.

King

The lights show her standing, looking tiny beside the menacing figure that is Father. She is so close, I could just get down there and snatch her up, rip her away. That’s my plan, right up until the power goes, and suddenly, we’re plunged into the dark.

I prowl forward, inching towards them, listening intently to their conversation to give me clues about who is there. Rolly trained me well.

Speaking of, I can feel him moving around in the dark, whisper quiet, climbing the machinery and moving into a position to strike. My deadly alpha.

I almost miss the scrape of the shoe, the sound of someone coming at me. But at the last second, my instincts, finely honed by years of fighting, kick in. I turn and slam my fist into ribs. We collide, and he falls back because my fist is not something he was expecting.

He’s as big and as well-muscled as I am, and he knows how to fight; that much is clear as day, but he underestimated me. He thought I would be an easy target. This beta is an idiot.

“She told me about you,” I snarl. “You liked to watch her suffer. You liked to make it worse,” I murmur, staring at the idiot in revulsion. Unlike the rest of Father’s little army, Brian doesn’t get to wear a bird mask. He has not earned it. Instead, all he gets is just a pissy half mask. How embarrassing.

“She cried so nicely,” he taunts.

I roar and lunge at him, hitting him hard and driving him back.

“Is she yours? He won’t let you keep her. She’s promised to me. My first kill, the one that will get me my very own mask.”

The thought of this scum killing her is laughable and enraging. I slam an elbow into his gut and follow it with a punch to his jaw. He stumbles back, grunting.

“I’ll take your face as a mask,” I promise.

“She was a perfect killer. One so graceful and talented that she made it look easy. She will die painfully, I can promise you that. Every scream until her throat breaks.”

He talks too much.

I snarl at him.

“It’s a shame she went rogue. He won’t forgive her. He will destroy her. It’s sad, but it’s the way.” The way this idiot taunts and talks. He has no idea he’s just wasting air.

“You’re brainwashed and pathetic,” I murmur.

“He is God.”