96. Won't Come Back

96. Won't Come Back
Antonio

Reiss furrowed his brows. “What do you plan to do with him?”

“You’ll see,” I responded.

Reiss called for his Gammas. Even if he can’t read my thoughts, I knew he would listen to me. After all, he trusts me. Besides that, we both want the same thing.

Benjamin was forced to kneel before the Alpha. If he was defiant before, he wasn’t now. I took Reiss’ place and stood before him.

“Do you still think it was a good choice to take his side?” I asked.

Benjamin glared up at me with disdain. 

“What is this, my final judgement? You deserve everything that’s coming to you. All of you!”

Despite saying that with such virosity, he didn’t dare look Reiss in the eye. 

“So this is the hill you choose to die on. I didn’t expect any less.” I stepped closer. The man stiffened as if he were waiting for his execution. I touched the chains that bound him. They fell from his wrist, no longer connected to each other. He gazed at me, unable to hide his confusion. I lowered myself until I was on the same level as him. 

“Go to your master. I’m sure he misses you.”

He got up to his feet and started backing away. When he saw that we weren’t coming after him, he turned around and bolted, heading straight for the trees and didn’t look back. 

“Why the hell did you do that, Antonio?!” Reiss pointed at him. “Now he’s gonna run off and tell Roger Bryce everything!”

“He doesn’t know much,” I said, folding my arms. “At least nothing that the Council hadn’t already told his boss. Keeping him here is more of a liability than an advantage. We can’t even use him as a hostage. I’m pretty sure Roger wouldn’t have cared if he died.”

I could see that he was still conflicted but gradually calmed down once he thought things over. Suddenly, he smirked. “That can’t be the only reason,” he said.

The corner of my lips stretched slightly but I didn’t say anything else. 

He turned on his heel. “Besides that, there is something else I need to do.”

Reiss motioned for Cerberus, who was busy writing something down, to come closer. Cerberus did as he was told. “Yeah? What’s up?”

He placed a hand on his shoulder. They walked a short distance away.

“I’m sorry we can’t have a ceremony, and that I couldn’t ask you in a better manner.”

Cerberus furrowed his brows and scowled. “Okay..?”

“Cerberus, I hereby adorn you as my Beta. No one will ever be able to issue you a command except for me. You would be responsible for the wellbeing of those who lack the strength to look after themselves. Will you do me the honor of accepting this burden?”

Cerberus’ lips stretched into a dazzling smile. “O-of course! You won’t have to ask twice. I’m ready to live up to my role.”

I chuckled as Reiss patted on the back. “That’s what I like to hear. Happy to have you on board, Beta Cerberus.”

Cindy

Inhale, then exhale. I placed the pen to the side. I looked at my handiwork. Hopefully my feelings were portrayed well enough. That’s three in total. I don’t think I need to prepare anymore.

There was a knock on the door. I turned around. Allister was there. “‘Don’t do anything stupid’,” he said. “Emery’s words, not mine. I don’t know what she means.”

I smiled bitterly to myself. “I think I know what she means.”

I picked them up and showed them to Allister. 

“I want you to give my family these, in case of anything.”

He took in the envelopes and frowned. Then he shook his head. 

“I can’t take them. I shouldn’t have to when you’re gonna stay right here with the rest of the pack. It’s not like you’re going to have to go neck and neck against the enemy.”

“Just in case,” I repeated, shoving the letters his way. “I heard enough about shifter wars to know that things can get disastrous. Please keep them safe for me, it’s only until the battle is over and Roger Bryce is put down for good. Reiss left you here with Cerberus because he trusts you to look after the pack if something happens to him, hopefully together.”

At that moment, Cerberus appeared at the doorway. They gazed at each other with something unreadable in their eyes, then looked away at the same time.

“Reiss thinks it’s best that you stay in the packhouse with Mrs. Raid,” Cerberus muttered. “He doesn’t think it’s a good idea for anyone to stay at their house alone while most of the warriors are gone, and I’ll have to agree with him. I know you guys aren’t on the best of terms but hopefully they’ll be too preoccupied with what’s going on to give you any trouble.”

He noticed the letters and glanced briefly at his ex-mate, before sighing and grabbing them out of my hands. “These are for your relatives, right? I’ll make sure they get them but don’t make this a big deal. You’re not gonna die.”

“How do you know that, huh?”

Cerberus smacked me up the back of my head.

“Ow!”

“You’re not gonna die.” He placed his hands on his hips. “If you do, I'll be upset.”

I was rubbing my bruised head but stopped and stared at him. He looked away. He attempted to hide his blush with a cough. It didn’t work. “I’m just saying. I’ve gotten used to you being here so it would suck to see you in a casket. I mean, who even still uses those ugly ass boxes these days?”

I hugged him. Ceberus gingerly hugged me back. 

“We’ll be okay,” he said. 

Warmth enveloped us and I realized that Allister joined in on the hug. His large frame practically consumed both of us. A calm smile formed on my lips. 

“Yes, we will be.”

I can’t tell them, not yet.