Chapter 181
Liam POV
I had already discussed with Arthur ahead of time the plan. He wanted Ivan and Ebony. I wanted Anthony and Cordelia.
They had messed with my Alpha King and Best Friend. Disrupted my pack. Insulted my Luna Queen numerous times, but worse than all of that, they made my Mary cry.
As soon as I saw them go West, I shifted into Valen and followed their movements through the trees.
I had a backpack on as I had some special gifts for Cordelia. As soon as I heard the five, I was off.
Some of the soldiers sprinted through clearer parts of the forest to get ahead, and it wasn't long before they were in front of them. They had started to slow down after 20 minutes, and I listened in the treeline at the panic rising in their voices.
Cordelia starts whimpering to her father. "What direction do we go? If we can get a phone off someone, an ally will come and get us".
The defeat in Anthony's voice is unmistakable. "It wouldn't matter if we had a phone. We no longer have any allies. Luna Queen made sure of that".
Damn. He actually used her title. Destroying his power must have had a greater impact than I realised.
Cordelia snaps back. "I'm the rightful Luna Queen. I just have to find Malik and then we can kill both of them when that bitch gives birth".
Anthony shakes his head. "If you were still in Malik's plan, he would be here. They've won. All that waits now is death".
I step out from behind the tree, startling both of them. "Well, at least one of you gets it. Have to say, I'm surprised, Anthony. Thought you would have put up more of a fight. When Luna Queen told us of her plan, I didn't get it. Suppose it had more of an impact than anything I had planned".
He starts to whimper. "Generations of work. My Legacy. My Empire. She destroyed it all in days, showing her true power. She burned it all to the ground as if it was as insignificant to her as paper that she glanced at once".
The silent tear rolling down his cheek only infuriated Cordelia. She stormed up to her father.
SLAP.
"YOU WORTHLESS OLD MAN. MALIK WILL KILL ALL OF YOU".
Anthony turns to me with a pleading look. "Please. My only request is that you don't let her suffer too much".
I stare straight into his eyes. "NO".
BANG
The silver bullet from the hunter's gun goes straight through his skull. The first kill for one of the children who has just come of age. He had no fight left in him, and we weren't going to drag out the death of a man asking for it.
Cordelia didn't even flinch. She would have felt the family bond to her father snap, and she reacted as if it was nothing. She was a true monster.
Even now, surrounded by wolves and hunters who ARE going to kill her, she stands defiantly as if there is a way to negotiate her way out of it.
She starts trying to manipulate me and the other soldiers.
"You know, when Malik takes power, he is going to need a powerful Beta. I can recommend the one who gets me to the border. I can take you all with me if you want, as he already has an army that is going to destroy all of you any way, and you want to be on the winning side".
Well, that is interesting.
I laugh back at her. "What the hell do you mean, Cordelia? No way is some random rogue army defeating our skilled military".
I'm joined by the others in the laughing, which infuriates her, and she starts screaming at us.
"You have no idea what is coming for you. An army of warriors who are under Alpha Orders to fight til death. Multiple packs are already in a blood oath alliance with him, ready to destroy the crown when ordered. I'm the true Luna Queen, and Malik is ready to claim me, so pick your side carefully".
I think about what she is saying and realise it's all 'bigger picture' information. Nothing detailed. Doubt he would have told her anything, and even if he did, if he were smart, he would have moved by now. But I know something, she clearly doesn't.
I smile at her. "Guess you haven't heard then. He has his eyes on a new mate".
She throws her head back and laughs. "He will never go near the rogue bitch. No one wants a Luna Queen who has been ridden by everyone else".
"I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about her daughter".
Her face falls slightly with some doubt creeping in before she recovers. "You're a liar. I already know she is having sons".
"She is pregnant with twins. One boy, one girl. He told Luna Queen he wants to claim the daughter as his mate so he can have pure Alpha offspring. He will have to wait a while, but still comes back to the question, why does he need you?".
She panics for an answer, clearly surprised by this information. "He will need me to raise her. Both of the pups".
"He Omega's for that".
I start stalking towards her, and that's when I see the fear in her eyes. The darting eyes were trying to think of a way to escape.
"I'm not going to kill you, Cordelia. The hunters are going to do that, though there is something I want to do".
I pull a pair of clippers from my bag, and her eyes go wide. I know her appearance is everything. So I'm going to take that from her for thinking she is ever better than my Luna Queen.
Other pack members hold her down while I shave her head, eyebrows, and rip out her eyelashes with wax strips. She kicks and screams the entire time, trying to move her head away to stop me, which does nothing.
When I got off her, I stepped back and looked at my work. She was sobbing as she looked at her long blonde hair on the ground.
I then gave her a mirror as I knew she couldn't help herself. She looked at herself and started crying harder. A clean-shaven head, cuts all over the surface, and strange eyes looking back.
She was so shocked by the sight that she didn't even notice the hunter stepping forward and taking aim at her. She looked up when she heard the click.
BANG