Chapter 42 Traitors

Chapter 42 Traitors
The viciousness of Poppy’s blood thirst made Kian’s wolf growl in satisfaction that she approved of his own blood thirst. Both Sebastian and Sterling both mirrored their need for revenge… for Raina. All of them united to bring about chaos and destruction.
When Poppy made to leave, he had sent Sebastian to accompany her right away to start the secret investigation. It wasn’t lost on him or Sebastian when she tensed at Sebastian’s involvement. The way she swallowed as if she was a bit scared to be around him now that her anger had cooled. He had no problem playing matchmaker in this instance as long as their interaction achieved the results he needed.
He had no desire to make an appearance, but when he finally showed up, he stood in the back, letting his presence be felt before he attempted to leave. He had feeling that the World Council would be up his ass tomorrow anyway for his questionable disappearance. He didn’t feel the need to be interrogated now.
Except the shadows weren’t merciful tonight as Donatello crept up, blocking his escape without him realizing it.
“So glad you showed up,” Mia’s stoic older brother droned in his usual monotone voice. He was nursing cup in his hand with his eyes on the festivities taking place. “It seems that you were missing in action most of the day.”
Kian crossed his arms over his chest, trying to remain relaxed even though the tension was clear in every muscle in his body. “I had business I needed to take care of.”
“More important than pack affairs?” Donatello questioned, raising an arched eyebrow but still not bothering to turn to him.
“Or dealing with pack affairs. Just because the World Council decides to stop by doesn’t mean the world actually stops. I’m an Alpha. I had things to do.” 
Like claim my fated mate and your future Luna, he wanted to add, but he didn’t. As much as it would please him to watch the legendary droll Donatello’s expression morph from dullness to anger, he didn’t need the added drama tonight. He wisely kept that to himself.
Donatello took a sip of his drink, not disturbed by his words, Kian spotted a barely there smirk on the other wolf’s lips. “I haven’t seen Raina around.”
The mention of his mate sounded all kind of warning bells throughout his body. Red flags waved in front of him, but he had to keep calm. He had to make sure Raina stayed safe amongst these devils. He wouldn’t risk her life and the Amato bloodline were never to be trusted neither were the World Council.
“She’s been…” he sighed before shrugging his shoulders. “She’s been dealt with accordingly.”
Donatello smirked. “I haven’t seen a trace of her all day.”
Kian watched the other wolf turn to him. He was usually an excellent judge of character, but this wolf always kept him second guessing. He could normally tell what a person was thinking by merely interacting them, their expressions and mannerisms, and how they presented themselves.
He used to think he was just merely intimidated by Donatello Amato, because he was so unpredictable. He had a wild streak of cruelty and malice that he showed when necessary and when he had the advantage, but for the most part, he usually showed no outward emotion other than to mock and ridicule. Donatello didn’t see him as an Alpha. Instead, he was quite certain that Donatello felt he was above him and saw him more as a pawn for the World Council to utilize.
The World Council had become a thorn in the side of all the packs. They thought they could stand behind old archaic traditions to keep a collar on all the Alphas and have a firm hold on their packs. They thought it could give them supreme power and they let that power go to their heads, but what they didn’t realize was that all the Alphas had to do was unite and take them over. 
“Like I said,” Kian said nonchalantly like it didn’t. Bother him at all. “She’s been take care of. She won’t be creating any problems anymore.”
Donatello’s eyes studied him for a moment. “I hope so.” He sniffed the air and shook his head at the scent Kian knew as wafting off of him. “You owe Mia your loyalty after what you pulled. You have a lot to make up for so whatever bitch-in-heat you decided to fuck is gone. There will be no mistresses.”
Even though anger tore through, Kian had to remain calm even though he ached to remove Donatello’s head from his body. That insufferable egomaniac wolf truly thought he could order him around like he was the Alpha and not him dug deep under his skin. He truly thought he could dictate to him what he could and couldn’t do.
The only thing keeping him from lashing out was Donatello didn’t he was actually smelling was Raina’s scent. The smug expression on the other wolf’s face was too much and Kian could only take so much before snapping. He just smirked as he glanced over at him.
“Isn’t in those archaic traditions that an Alpha can have a mistress after he and his Luna had their first blood heir?” Kian shot back cruelly and Donatello’s eyes flashed at that. “As a member of the World Council, I would think you above all else would know these traditions are upheld by, well, you and your precious council.”
The wolf bristled, trying to keep his anger from coming to the surface. “You better--”
“You shouldn’t have stuck your nose into my business,” he cut in harshly, reveling in his small victory at causing Donatello to break his composure. “You were the ones to orchestrate this not me.”
Kian stepped into Donatello’s personal space. There was no real truth in what he was going to say next, but he knew it would cause the other wolf to crack even further. It felt so damn good to throw it back into his face, thinking that he and his family had the upper hand. 
Little did they know, he was on to them… every single one of them. 
“Donatello, I’m going to breed your sister until I have no use for her,” he told him with a cruel smile on his face, knowing this would get under the other wolf’s skin. He would make all of their lives a living nightmare. “And then you’re going to wish you never went against me in the first place. You’ll have to explain to your sister that all your wicked well thought out plans didn’t protect her from the world of pain she’ll have to suffer.”
With that, Kian shouldered him roughly aside and walked by him. Even though there was no way that he’d be taking Mia as his Luna or even touching her, he knew how to get under Donatello’s carefully composed facade. He knew underneath was an equally hostile and volatile wolf, just like his younger brother, Octavius.
Octavius. 
Kian smirked. That was also something that would be dealt with. He couldn’t wait to spill the blood owed for disrespecting Raina.
Soon. Very soon.

Mia had returned from the festivities earlier than Kian had hoped. He didn’t want to deal with her or her antics after dealing with her brother earlier. Sebastian had warned him that she was heading back to the Luna suite to give him time to prepare.
He heard the door open and he sighed as he heard footsteps echoing until she peeked her head into his bedroom. There was relief on her face and eyes as she gazed at him. He watched as lust darkened her eyes. She tugged her hair pins out of her as she walked over to his nightstand to toss them on the surface.
“I didn’t see you at the feast,” she said softly. Her eyes scanned his torso as if her gaze was a soft caress over the things she wanted to touch. “I was hoping you’d come to me.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I was there for a moment, but I didn’t stick around.”
“Well, you’re here now,” she murmured as she reached up to rake a hand through her blond locks. She did a gentle shake, letting her hair dance about her shoulders. “It’s the perfect time to catch up, don’t you think?”
He tensed when she started walking towards him. Once upon a time, he thought she was blessed by the Moon Goddess for the beauty given to her. The feeling of awe was now replaced with wariness and nausea. The thought of her trying to touch him brought him unease.
“I’ve already been entertained,” he said bluntly, causing Mia to freeze in shock at his words.
“You-You’ve been what?”
Tears filled her eyes at that. He raised an eyebrow at her as she almost stumbled, but he didn’t feel an ounce of regret only resentment for her presence. This wasn’t her place. She had no right to be here — in his bedroom. She shouldn’t be in Raina’s suite, parading around the fact she had found a way back to a place that no longer belonged to her…. that never truly belonged to her.
“I don’t need your assistance tonight,” he dismissed her cruelly as he got up from his armchair. He walked over to her, looking down into her upturned face. He waited, watching her face as her eyes widened at the obvious scent coming off of him. “As you can see, your services are no longer needed tonight. I’ve been entertained and satisfied.”
She swallowed. “K-Kian—”
“What did you expect was going to happen, Mia?” he growled at her. His eyes narrowed in on her. “That it was going to go back to the way things were. It’s never going to return that. I don’t love you--”
“But you did,” she denied, shaking her head.
He shrugged. “It’s been three years. Things have changed.”
“Are you mad at me because of Raina?” she gasped. Her frustration started to surface. “She wasn’t Luna material, Kian. It’s not my fault that the World Council and the Elder Council think I’m Luna material. Are you truly going to punish me for that?”
Raina was Luna material and would always be Luna material. Every Alpha that had come across her, he had seen the appreciation and awe. Her strength, fierceness, and intelligence was what drew them to her like a moth to a flame. She was a natural beauty, not needing to keep up with modern standards of beauty. 
Beauty was in the eye of the beholder and he had seen different sides of his fated mate that would shine brighter than any radiance that a classically beautiful shewolf wouldn’t compare to. He couldn’t wait for her to showcase those sides and she would shine in all her different facets.
If it hadn’t been for people like Mia and those that thought like her, Raina wouldn’t be so insecure about her worth. He hated how these people could paint themselves to be above everyone else, but they were nothing compared to the ones they deem as unworthy and undeserving.
He swore things would change now that he knew. These people almost managed to separate him and Raina. There would be no mercy for them — not one of them. As far he was concerned, they were all traitors to the pack.
He only smirked as crocodile tears fell down her cheeks. “Shut the door when you leave.”