Chapter 21 Savage Beast In Him
The appearance of Octavius and Donatello Amato was supposed to intimidate Kian, but it only made him more angry and resolute in his decisions. The haughty look on Richmond’s face spoke volumes. He expected him to cave to the Elder Council’s demands now that the World Council members were in attendance. Betas and Gammas were chosen by Alphas and Alphas were chosen by the strength and purity of their bloodline.
His father, who sat by his mother in a united front today, was sitting closer to him to show where his allegiance stood. He had admitted in private that he had also been forced into choosing his mother as his Luna and he had come to love her through time spent with one another. They forged a strong alliance, sharing the same fate of being trapped in this sick political cycle. These were the things that had been kept from him since he was a child, but he was no longer a child anymore.
His grandfather had also been forced to have a chosen Luna, but he never discovered his fated mate. He had chosen Richmond as his Beta, but his grandfather’s death had been tragic, dying in the rogue wars. His father was only sixteen when he was forced into becoming the Alpha of the pack, because he had been so young, Richmond had continued to serve as his Beta until his father chose Landon as his Beta.
Elder Landon had different views that Richmond and he had told him that he found the IVF and surrogacy idea something worth passing on to the other packs. If the idea stuck and the other Alphas liked the concept, they would be able to take it to the World Council. Kian had immediately sent out messengers to neighboring packs to see how well they’d take to the news. He had already received letters back in approval to this modern approach. They wanted to know more about the process and they wanted to talk to Sterling when they visited. Sterling had been over the moon when she found out.
His eyes studied the Amato bloodline — Richmond, his grandsons, and Mia. The more and more he found out about certain things, the more he questioned if his love for Mia was real. It took him three years to attempt to weed through his memories and he still had a tough time telling the different what was real and what wasn’t.
“So good of you to join us,” Richmond remarked. His eyes narrowed in on Raina while sneering in contempt. “Your manners of late seem to be lacking to the point of nonexistent.”
Kian growled low, almost snapping back at him when Raina grabbed his wrist beneath the large table they were all seated around. Her presence calmed him and he was able fight back his urge. Instead, she held Richmond’s unnerving stare.
Richmond shook his head. “You do realize we had to call this meeting to once again press upon how unsuitable you are to be a Luna.” He glanced around at some of the Elder Council members, who nodded their heads in agreement. “I even had to call in a favor to my grandsons to oversee this council meeting to ensure the best outcome. They will be reporting back the outcome of this to the World Council.”
That was when Octavius chuckled darkly. Kian watched the intimidating glare he sent to Raina and he remembered that he was informed of the encounter in town. Octavius was two years older than he was. Even though technically Kian was Octavius’s Alpha, Octavius was a member of the World Council. They were considered an Elite warrior and ambassador of the World Council that oversaw and upheld the laws and regulations of werewolves. Donatello was two years older than Octavius, but his accomplishments weren’t publicized. He was equally feared. Both brothers were mutually feared in all circles and all packs.
“Kian,” Octavius said. His name was a warning. “I hope you’ve come to your senses. This won’t work. I honestly don’t know why you chose this scared rabbit as your Beta in the first place.” He shook his head in disgust and disappointment. “How and why you chose her over my sister is beyond insulting.”
Kian felt Raina tense. It was his turn to grab her hand, letting her know that he was here. They would conquer this together. She just had to trust him that everything would pan out correctly. When he opened his mouth to respond to Octavius, Raina had instead beat him to it.
“You seem to think I care personally what you or this Elder Council have to say,” she said to everyone’s surprise. There was a collective sharp intake of air. Eyes immediately went to her. The look on both Octavius and Richmond’s face was unbridled rage, but she sat up straighter and her head never bowed to them in submission or fear. “The Elder Council constantly reminds me of my place all the time, but you all seem to lack understanding. I don’t answer to you. I answer to my Alpha as do all of you no matter if you’re a part of the World Council or not.”
Kian’s heart surged at that. His eyes surveyed the room, noting the secret impressed looks of some while others showed their anger. Sebastian just smirked, crossing his arms. There was no mistaking his pride on his face at the way.
“You insolent little--” Richmond growled.
Donatello raised a hand and once again the room was silent. “The World Council has taken special interest in this--”
“I’m sure you have,” Sebastian cut in with a growl.
“This sudden interest in this modernized approach to acquiring a blood heir drew the World Council’s attention,” Donatello continued nonchalantly. There wasn’t even a flair of anger for the interruption. It almost seemed like he was bored. “So yes, the World Council has taken special interest. It seems though that you have veered off away from this particular approach though. Why is that?”
Donatello’s eyes sliced into Raina. The first shown emotion was a brutal threat and most would’ve cowered. Kian didn’t like the way he was looking at her like he could murder her on the spot. Raina chuckled, shaking her head.
“I guess my pussy was just that great that he couldn’t say no,” she said to the shock of everyone including Kian. She wasn’t wrong, but that wasn’t exactly what he expected her to say. “You want to call me a whore? Fine, go ahead. I don’t care. You already are, but I can tell you this, nobody in this warrior class will deny that I’m the best warrior there is not even you.” She smirked. Kian frowned at that. What did she mean by that? “I seem to recall that you approached me to ask if I wanted to become part of the World Council.”
When had Donatello had approached Raina to become part of the World Council? Kian’s eyes immediately went to Donatello and saw narrowed stare and tight jaw. He could sense the anger radiating off of the wolf. The knowledge that Raina had been sought out by the World Council was a big deal. It meant that her skills were acknowledged and deemed superior above everyone. There were only several individuals that could possibly rival the prestige and strength of Alphas and they were the World Council’s handpicked selections.
The surprise in Octavius’s eyes was enough to know that he wasn’t informed of this. Kian had watched Octavius look over at his brother than to Raina. The anger at be being called out cooled as Donatello sighed.
He rolled his eyes. “And instead, you wasted your gifts and talents as a mere Beta. Oh, the mighty have fallen.” He tilted his head, looking over her curiously. “You could’ve been great if you had been ambitious enough, but you reduced yourself to an Alpha’s plaything.”
“Is that what you describe your sister then?” Raina quipped back. All three males tensed at that. “Because clearly, you seem to look down upon the idea of an Alpha’s Luna yet you wanted so desperately to have Mia become Kian’s chosen mate or rather Kian’s plaything.”
Richmond looked ready to lose control and even Donatello was brutally slicing her down with his eyes, but it was Octavius that foolishly reacted. Kian launched across the table meeting Octavius halfway, effortlessly pinning him to the surface with one hand at his throat. He wanted nothing more to rip out his throat.
“You might think you answer only to the World Council, but the World Council isn’t a pack,” he growled out. “You are part of my pack, Octavius. If I exile you from Crimson Moon, do you honestly think anybody will take you in after I tell them that you tried to attack your own Luna?” His hand squeezed his throat, causing the wolf to struggle beneath him. “Or maybe I should decide your fate right now? None would deny me your blood.”
Mia cried out, crawling across the table. She desperately tried to loosen his hand, but he continued to choke Octavius, enjoying as he flailed and desperately tried to claw at his hand. When his face started to turn blue, he didn’t have any sympathy. He watched as the wolf beneath him slowly stopped struggling against him. Mia’s tears fell on his skin.
“Isn’t it enough that you already took so much from me, Kian?” she gasped out, cutting right into his murderous thoughts. He glanced into Mia’s eyes as she desperately tugged at his hand. “You broke my heart and now you’re going to kill my brother right in front of me?”
Kian finally released Octavius. He looked straight into Mia’s eyes. He saw the terror in them as she looked straight into his ruthlessness. Mia’s eyes widened in fear, scrambling slightly back. He smirked, realizing what he already knew. She was not a warrior — a warrior wouldn’t shrink back.
A warrior also knew a warrior’s death. Octavius would never set foot in Crimson Moon’s territory ever again, only death awaited him if he ever returned.
“Take him then,” he growled at her. His eyes went first to Richmond and then Donatello. “Do any of you want to follow his example?” When both Richmond and Donatello bowed their heads showing their submission, he snarled in satisfaction at their forced loyalty and respect. “Get him out of my sight before I change my mind.”
Octavius has left the territory, Sebastian assured him through mindlink.
Kian could finally breathe. When Octavius had launched over the table right at Raina, he saw red, rage burning through his veins like fire. He wanted to kill Octavius right then. His wolf demanded justice for the disrespect to his mate. He would’ve given into it too if it hadn’t been for Mia.
Mia had shown how incapable she was of handling his savage beast inside of him. She stood in the face of his wolf and failed. She cowered, too afraid to see him as he was. He was an Alpha — a savage beast that cared for what was his.
When he had turned to Raina, she had watched Richmond and Donatello help Octavius out of the room with Mia in tow. When Raina’s eyes met his, she stared straight into them unflinching. Instead, a small smile tipped the corners of her mouth. Her eyes craved blood just as much as his did.
This was why she was his fated mate. He didn’t have to hide this part of himself away. She enjoyed it, smiling at his violence, aggression, and protection.
Even as though she was perfectly capable of handling herself especially with that shocking realization that she had been approached by the World Council, he still wanted to keep her close at least for the night. For tonight, he’d be an overprotective Alpha, making sure his Luna was safe. She was his to protect and she would be protected.
“His days are numbered,” he promised her.
She glanced over at him, sipping her tea calmly before she spoke. “I don’t trust them.”
“Neither do I.”
Her eyes met his. For a moment, everything became quite clear. A thread of understanding that passed through them. She tilted her head, seemingly in deep thought. He watched her as she watched him.
“It’s not going be simple,” she told him. They were no longer just talking about Octavius.
“No, it isn’t.”
She smirked. “We’ll give ‘em hell then.”