Chapter 79: Traitors
A sharp knock on the door.
Ivy exhaled through gritted teeth. “What now?”
The door creaked open anyway.
My father's assistant, Daniel strode in, his usual smirk playing at his lips. “Wow,” he drawled, shutting the door behind him. “I could hear that scream from the elevator. Should I be concerned?”
Ivy ignored him, walking to the mini-fridge to pour herself a glass of water.
Daniel leaned against the doorframe, watching her with amusement. “So, what’s it this time? The lawsuit? The company? Or, let me guess…” His grin widened. “Love drama?”
Ivy took a slow sip before turning to face him, her expression blank.
“What do you want?”
As long as she can remember, there has always been something about Daniel—something that had never sat right with her. His movements were too fluid, his presence too sharp. Sometimes, just for a fleeting second, she senses something… inhuman. But with her wolf senses missing, she could never be sure.
Daniel chuckled, adjusting the cuff of his suit. “How did the meeting with the board go? Let me guess—you buried Chu’s case before it even started?”
She smirked. “Something like that.”
His grin widened, his eyes gleaming with something dark and unreadable. Then, after a long, deliberate pause, he said, “I saw your personal bodyguard. Mr. Ashton keeping you on a tight leash?”
A cold shiver ran down her spine. She tensed, her fingers curling into fists at her sides.
Daniel chuckled, slow and mocking, savoring her reaction. “Relax,” he murmured. “I’m just messing with you.”
Ivy's heart hammered against her ribs. She knew better. “My father sent you, didn’t he?” she asked, her voice carefully measured as she lifted her glass and took a sip.
He shrugged, but there was no ease in it. “Just doing my job, princess.”
Then, without warning, he moved—fast, purposeful, and brimming with barely restrained fury. His jaw clenched so tight Ivy could have sworn she heard his teeth grind, his entire body coiled as if he were holding back a storm.
He stopped just inches from her, the air between them crackling with something dangerous.
Before Ivy could react, his hand shot out, wrapping around her throat like a chain.
She gasped as her feet left the ground and the glass shattered. Her fingers clawed at his grip, but he didn’t flinch. His eyes, cold and unyielding, locked onto hers.
****
Leo’s POV
As soon as Ivy left for the company, Mr. Richard sent me a photo of the kidnapper.
I dropped the phone onto the coffee table with a sharp clack, watching as the men leaned in to get a good look. My legs spread as I dropped into the chair, resting my forearms on my thighs, my fingers twitching with restrained rage. The image burned into my mind—the ugly bastard responsible for kidnapping my mate.
“Take a good look at that son of a bitch,” I growled, my voice low and lethal.
The warriors surrounding me tensed, their sharp gazes flickering between the screen and my expression. The air in the room thickened with unspoken violence.
I lifted my chin, locking eyes with two of my best men—Matteo and Darius. “You two,” I said, my voice unwavering. “I want you in the streets. The casinos, the bars, the strip clubs—anywhere the scum of this city gather. Blend in. Be ghosts. I don’t care how you do it, but you find me that bastard.”
Matteo nodded, cracking his knuckles. Darius’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk. “Understood, your majesty.”
I turned my attention to the rest of them. “The rest of you will comb through the city—discreetly. No unnecessary attention. No mistakes.” My gaze darkened. “I want him alive.” I let the words settle before adding, “Or just his head. No in-between.”
The room filled with low, approving growls.
“This is more than just a hunt,” I continued, my voice sharp as steel. “This man is a threat to the throne. He’s a disease festering in my kingdom, and I want him eradicated. I don’t care what it takes—he will be found.” I exhaled, my teeth grinding. “You have 72 hours. Don’t disappoint me.”
I dismissed them with a wave of my hand. They filed out, their determination evident in their heavy footsteps.
As the last one left, I leaned back, rubbing a hand over my face. I had work to do—business matters that had been piling up since the engagement. But as I made my way upstairs, my phone vibrated.
A mindlink.
I groaned. “What is it, Zane?” I snapped.
“Um… Alpha, we have a problem.”
I stilled. “What kind of problem?”
Zane hesitated. “It’s—uh—so…”
“Get to it, Zane! I don’t have all day.”
A pause. Then, finally—
“She’s gone,” he muttered.
A cold chill crept down my spine. “What do you mean gone? Who’s gone?”
“Malrik’s mate.”
I cut the link before Zane could say another word.
My company could wait.
My kingdom came first.
****
The black car screeched to a halt in front of the towering palace gates, the engine’s roar echoing through the courtyard.
I stepped out, my jaw clenched, my body thrumming with fury as I stalked up the marble steps. The guards at the entrance stiffened but dared not speak as I shoved the heavy doors open and stormed inside.
The grand hallway felt suffocating, the chandeliers above casting an eerie glow as my boots echoed against the polished floors. I didn’t stop until I reached the throne room.
The moment I entered, I tore my suit jacket off and threw it to the floor. My sharp golden eyes locked onto Zane.
Without hesitation, I lunged forward, gripping Zane’s collar and yanking him up with one hand. My claws had extended, my fangs ached, begging for flesh.
“I warned you, Zane,” I growled, my voice thick with barely restrained violence. “I told you I’d have your head if anything went wrong with the prisoner. Didn’t I?”
Zane coughed, his face twisted in pain as my grip tightened around his throat. “Let me go first, Leo… and… I’ll explain,” he choked out.
I bared my fangs, my wolf thrashing within, desperate to take over. My vision tinged red. But I steadied myself, barely, and instead, threw Zane against the stone wall. The impact shook the room.
“Speak,” I ordered, my voice carrying the weight of an Alpha’s command. “And make it worth your life.”
Zane sucked in a sharp breath, rubbing at his bruised neck. “We were vigilant,” he gasped. “We had our best warriors stationed outside the cell.” He hesitated, and I took a threatening step forward. “One of ours is working for Malrik.”
My eyes flashed dangerously. “Who?”
Zane swallowed. “It was Tim.”
A guttural snarl ripped from my throat. My claws flexed, my wolf demanding blood. “Bring him to me. Now.”
Zane hurried out, leaving me pacing the room like a caged beast. My fingers flexed, my claws retracting and extending on their own as the darkness inside me stirred. Theo was clawing at my insides, feeding on the rage, urging me to destroy the traitor.
I gritted my teeth, trying to maintain control.
When the doors swung open again, two warriors dragged Tim inside and forced him to his knees. The traitor lifted his head, blood trickling from his lip, but to my fury, he smirked.
"I despise traitors more than I despise rogues," I growled, my voice a razor-sharp edge of fury. My golden eyes bore into Tim’s, unyielding, merciless. "So I’ll ask you this once—where is Malrik?"
Tim, kneeling before me, let out a breathy chuckle, his bloodied lips curling into a smirk.
And that was the last mistake he would ever make.
My hands trembled as darkness surged within me, the monster inside ready to consume everything in its path. My vision blurred, red mist clouding my senses.
“If you won’t speak,” I said, my voice eerily calm, “then I’ll find out for myself.”
Before anyone could react, I moved. My hand shot forward, plunging into Tim’s chest with brutal force. A sickening crack filled the room as my fingers wrapped around the still-beating heart.
Tim’s body convulsed, a choked gasp escaping his lips as his wide, disbelieving eyes met mine.
I yanked my hand back, the heart tearing free with a wet, gruesome sound. Blood poured down my arm, pooling on the floor as I dropped the organ into Tim’s trembling hands. The traitor collapsed, lifeless, his body slumping into the growing crimson puddle beneath him.
I exhaled, my breaths heavy, my body still vibrating with the need for destruction. I didn’t turn to Zane as I strode toward the door, but my voice was sharp as a blade.
“Prepare the warriors. We’re leaving now.”