Chapter 32

Killian:

“Good morning,” I said, smiling at Eleanor who entered my room with a mug of coffee.

“Good morning,” she said, handing me the mug. I smiled and took a sip, noticing a slight difference in the coffee, before setting the mug on the dresser.

“You added milk to it,” I stated and she nodded.

“And also sprinkled a little chocolate as well.” She said, and I smiled. “It gives a home feeling. I know you prefer your coffee dark, but I have a belief that adding milk gives it a calmer and more comforting sensation.”

I listened to her, smiling at the fact that she was growing a little confidence to actually say more than a word or two to me. “I can change it if you don’t like it.”

I smiled and grabbed the mug before taking another sip. She smiled and bit her bottom lip as she looked at me. “I never said that I didn’t like it, I was just curious on how you managed to get past Liana.”

“I didn’t, she never really saw me. I know that she would have my head if she does,” she said, and I laughed. She was right about Liana on that part. Unless it was something that I mentioned to her, she was strict when it came to my rules. 

“Well, if it helps, I won’t be mentioning it to her.” I said and she laughed and nodded. I froze for a second, admiring her carefree gesture before she took a deep breath and straightened. 

“If there is nothing that you would need from me, I will excuse myself to tend to my morning duties,” she said and I nodded. I knew that Natasha would be here at any minute, therefore, I wasn’t going to delay her. 

“Thank you,” I said.

She nodded and took a step back before turning around to walk out of the room. I could hear her steps as she walked out of the suite before my phone rang. It was Vladimir, of course, who else would be calling me to give me a morning disaster if not Vladimir?

“Who are we going to kill?” I asked, answering the phone before taking a sip of the drink. I looked at the mug before nodding and putting it down again. Her concept was never one that I put in consideration. But I am guessing that a few things can change or be modified if we allowed them to. 

“We aren’t going to kill anyone just yet, but I was actually calling you to tell you that you were right.” He said, making me frown in confusion. 

“About?” I asked, putting my phone down as I put the call on speaker. I had to get a few things ready, and considering that I now didn’t go out of the bathroom naked, keeping in mind that my mate wouldn’t be ready to see me in such a state and that she would most likely be in the room to bring my coffee for me. 

“There was never a bride to begin with,” he said, and I hummed in response, waiting for what he had to say. “The girl is Luca’s child, or more specifically, was.”

I frowned at the mention of his name, knowing that he was the fucking bastard that killed my sister. My chest ached at the memory, and had she not forced me to hide under a door that we had on the floor, protecting me with her life as she masked my scent, I would have been dead with her.

Flashback:

Gunshots could be heard within the pack’s ground, and knowing that neither one of our parents were home didn’t make things any easier. My heart raced against my chest and looking at my sister, she wrapped her hand around mine, pulling me behind her.

“No,” I said, shaking my head at my sister who cupped my cheeks. Her eyes met mine and she teared up before hugging me tightly. The two of us looked one another in the eye. She kissed my forehead, letting her lips linger there for a few seconds before pulling away to look me in the eye.

“Killian, brother, my pride, and glory, I know that you don’t understand me now, and I know that you are scared. But for you, I am going to defend you with my life.” She said, looking me in the eye. 

“I am the one who should be protecting you, not the other way around…”

“You are the future of the pack and the family.” She said, stopping me. She wiped my tears and kept her eyes on mine, the bravery that I saw in her eyes was one that I was never going to forget. It was the peak that changed my life forever. “You dying is not something that we can afford, Killian.”

“The pack can survive without me, but…”

“I swear that I am not going to forgive you if you go against me on this one.” She said, glaring daggers at me. “I know that you can lead this pack into glory, and I know for fact that you are not going to let my blood go in vain.” 

She took a leaf out of her pocket and put it inside mine. Her eyes met mine for a second before she opened the secret door that we used to sneak out to the garden. The garden itself was surrounded, and I knew that they were doing their best to find us. The fucking bastard couldn’t even attack until they knew that those who stayed behind were either the maids, human bodyguards, and women of the pack. Most of them were either killed by now or were hiding.

I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly, and she kissed my cheek before pushing me away to look me in the eye. “I love you, and I give you my word that I am going to kill every last one of them. Their blood would be drying in my hands.”

“I don’t doubt that brother.” She said, wiping my tears before nodding at the door. “No matter what you see or hear, Killian, I do not want you getting out of this hiding spot. I swear, I am not going to forgive you if you do.”

I took a deep breath before nodding and walking through the door, my heart racing against my chest as I looked at her one last time, taking in her expression. 

“I love you, Killian, and I never want you to forget that.” She said, before closing the door and turning to the room’s front door. Her eyes darkened as she heard it opening. 

“Ah, if it isn’t the eldest Ivanov.” Luca’s voice, a voice that I was never going to forget. “Need we ask, where your little brother is?”

“Somewhere where you will never find him,” she said, glaring daggers at the man whose eyes were fixed on her. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stood in front of him, her back straight as she refused to flinch. “But I do believe that you were coward enough to come when you believed that the pack was at its weakest?”

“It is a shame that I am going to waste a girl like you, I have to admit that much. To say the least, I could have benefitted more out of you.” He said, pulling his gun out as he glared at her. “Unless, of course, you decide to give me your brother’s coordinates. Maybe I can spare you if you do.”

“Over my fucking dead body,” she said, and he chuckled before pressing the trigger. I had to physically bite my hand as I stopped myself from screaming, watching as she fell to the ground, her blood dripping from the shot. My hand shook and I forced myself to move all the way back, hiding in the shadow as I saw the men walking on top of the floor that I was sitting under.

“Tear the room down and find the boy.” Luca said, ordering his men who entered the room. “And don’t touch the body, I want them to see her when they are back…”

End of Flashback…

“She died in a fire alongside her mother years ago. She was no older than five years old.” Viktor said and I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger and pain. 

“Expected,” I said, as I took a sip of the coffee, looking down at the dresser for a second too long before taking my phone and removing the speaker. “Have the men search the area. I want every last Bernardi who has dared stay back in my territory dead…”