Picked my keys up off the coffee table.
Took a step back.
His eyes were already closing. “I’ll wait for you,” he mumbled.
My throat closed.
I turned and left before he could see the shine in my eyes.
ALPHA.
What?
I know you’re an Alpha.
I’m not. I’m human. I am nothing—
Don’t. Lie. To me. I don’t know how you did it. I don’t know what makes you different. But you are an Alpha, human or not. An Alpha in the Bennett territory, no less.
What do you want?
I have six more people from your town.
You fucking asshole.
I will kill them, Ox. I will kill each and every single one of them. I will make you listen while I tear their arms from their bodies. Ox, one of them is a child. Surely you wouldn’t want to be responsible for the death of a child.
You goddamn animal.
Oh, Ox. I know this about myself. And if you’re just now figuring that out, you’re a bit late to the game.
You won’t get away with this.
I won’t? Ox, I already have.
What do you want!
You. I want you. If I can’t take the Alpha from Joe, I will take it from you. You will come to me. Alone. And I won’t harm these people. This child. Can you hear them, Ox? They’re crying because they’re scared. Because I’ve already made the child bleed. Just a scratch, but enough to show them how serious I am. To them. To you. Can you see now, Ox? How serious I am?
You won’t ever get to Joe. The wards will keep you out. Even if you’re an Alpha. It doesn’t matter who you have with you. Gordo won’t—
Ox. Ox. Ox, you are missing the entire point. I don’t care about Joe. I don’t care about your territory. All I care about is that you are a Bennett in all but name. All I care about is taking from you the one thing Thomas Bennett never wanted me to have. Hell, let me have this, and I won’t harm a single member of your pack.
And you expect me to believe you?
You said it yourself, Ox. I can’t pass the wards. Frankly, whether or not you believe me isn’t a concern of mine. Can you really go on, knowing these innocent people will die because of you?
I….
Ox. You were never meant to be an Alpha. I can take this all away. Your pack will be safe. These people will be safe. Green Creek will be safe. And Joe. It’ll hurt, I’m sure. At first. Loss always does, that sharp stab of pain that guts you. But he’s strong. Stronger than even I gave him credit for. He’ll live, because he’ll have a pack that will need him. One day, he’ll smile again at the thought of you, at the memory of you.
I can just… can’t I just give it to you—
Ah. I’m afraid there isn’t time. I only know of one way to truly take the power of an Alpha. It’s an unfortunate side
effect, death is, but I’m sure you can understand. I can promise I’ll even make it as painless as possible.
I can’t. I can’t just leave them. They’re my—