Chapter 63 Brute Force
Fernando burst out laughing, the sound cold and genuine, echoing through the slave hall like a predator's growl. The petite young man's screams filled the air, his right hand a mangled ruin of crushed bone and torn flesh, blood pulsing from the wounds in rhythmic spurts that soaked the stone floor. The man's body convulsed, sweat mixing with tears as he rocked back and forth, clutching the shattered limb to his chest.
"I love this," Fernando said, his voice laced with dark delight. "The way the bones grind together. The way the blood sprays. It is music. Darius, join the fun."
Darius stepped forward, his dagger already drawn, the blade gleaming in the torchlight. He knelt beside the man, grabbing his left arm and pinning it to the floor with one knee. The man thrashed wildly, his legs kicking out in desperation, but Darius's weight held him down like an iron clamp.
"No!" the man begged, voice breaking into sobs. "Please, Alpha! I will talk! I swear on my life!"
Fernando leaned back in his chair, still smiling. "Too late. You had your chance. Make him scream higher, Darius."
Darius brought the dagger down slowly, pressing the tip into the man's palm. The blade pierced skin with a soft pop, blood welling immediately. The man howled, body arching off the floor as Darius twisted the knife, carving a slow spiral deeper into the flesh. Muscle parted with a wet tearing sound, the blade grating against bone.
The slaves watched in frozen horror. A woman in the front row vomited, the sound lost under the man's piercing screams. A child buried his face in his mother's skirt, sobbing quietly. An older man turned away, shoulders shaking.
Darius continued, his face impassive as he rotated the knife, widening the wound. The man's hand split open like overripe fruit, tendons snapping with audible pops. Blood flowed freely, pooling under Darius's knee.
"Stop!" the man wailed. "Please stop!"
Fernando flicked his finger. Samael moved forward and seized another slave, a middle-aged woman, dragging her to kneel beside the man. She fell sobbing, hands clasped in prayer.
Fernando's voice cut through. "I will ask one more time. Who spiked the water?"
The woman pointed at the petite man with a shaking finger. "He did! I saw him pour something in the well last night!"
Fernando nodded. "Good. Now tell me who ordered him."
The petite man shook his head, tears streaming. "Kill me. I cannot say."
Fernando stood and walked closer, towering over him. "Oh, you will say. Darius, the eyes next."
Darius pulled the dagger from the man's palm with a wet suck. The man screamed anew as Darius raised the blade toward his face, the tip hovering inches from his left eye.
"No!" the man shrieked. "Please! Anything but that!"
The blade inched closer. The man's eye widened in terror, reflecting the steel.
"Last chance," Fernando whispered.
The man broke completely. "It was Kael! He threatened me! Said he would kill my son if I did not do it! My kid sister is Kael's mate! He has access to my family! He said he would slit the boy's throat in his sleep if I refused!"
Fernando's eyes narrowed. "Kael. The elite guard."
Darius lowered the dagger slightly. "Why?"
The man sobbed. "To weaken the Alpha. Break the bond with the keeper. Make him vulnerable. Kael said the council needed Alberto gone to challenge Fernando's rule."
Fernando stepped back. "Samael, finish him."
Samael raised his axe and brought it down, severing the man's head in one swing. The blade whistled through air, then flesh, then bone. The head rolled across the floor, eyes still wide in terror, coming to rest against a slave's boot. Blood fountained from the neck stump, spraying the nearest watchers.
The slaves screamed as one, the sound a cacophony of terror.
Fernando turned to the crowd, voice calm over the chaos. "Let this be a lesson. Betray the pack, and this is your fate."
He walked out, Darius and Samael following, leaving the hall to the echoes of screams and sobs.
\~~~~~
The elite training ground lay bathed in the harsh light of midday sun, the packed earth scarred from countless hours of combat. Wolves moved in synchronized drills, wooden swords clacking against shields, feet stomping in unison. Sweat glistened on bare torsos, and grunts of effort filled the air. Samael paced the perimeter, barking corrections to keep the rhythm tight. Darius stood on the raised podium, arms folded, watching with a critical eye. The yard hummed with disciplined energy, every wolf focused on the task.
Fernando approached from the main keep, his steps deliberate and heavy. The guards at the gate bowed deeply as he passed, but he ignored them, eyes fixed on the yard ahead. Whispers rippled through the trainees as they spotted him, but Samael raised a hand for silence, and the drills continued without interruption.
Fernando walked straight into the center of the yard, his presence alone enough to halt the training. Swords lowered, feet stilled, and every wolf turned to face him, fists thumping against chests in salute.
"Who is Kael?" Fernando asked, voice calm but carrying like a distant thunder.
A massive wolf stepped forward from the front rank, bowing his head low. "I am Kael, Alpha."
Fernando moved without warning. As Kael's head lowered in respect, Fernando drove his elbow down with brutal force, striking the center of Kael's skull. The impact echoed like a crack of lightning, and Kael crumpled to the ground, thrashing in agony, clutching his head as blood seeped between his fingers.
The yard went utterly silent. The other guards stared in shock, eyes wide, wondering what Kael had done to earn such wrath. Whispers started at the edges, but no one dared speak aloud.
Fernando bent down to Kael's level, grabbing a fistful of his hair and yanking his head up. "You know why."
Kael gasped, blood trickling from his scalp. "Alpha... what did I do?"
Fernando released him with a shove and walked to the podium, taking the central seat without a word. He gestured to Samael. "Drag him here."
Samael moved forward, seizing Kael by the collar and hauling him across the dirt like a sack of grain. Kael struggled, but Samael's grip was iron. He dumped Kael at Fernando's feet.
Fernando looked down at him. "Call one of the guards forward."
Samael pointed to a young wolf in the third rank. "You. Come here."
The young guard stepped forward, bowing low. "Alpha."
Fernando met his eyes. "What is your name?"
The guard swallowed. "Jorin, Alpha."
Fernando signaled Darius with a slight nod. Darius stepped forward, his face impassive, ignoring Kael's desperate questioning. "What did I do? Alpha, please tell me!"
Darius bound Kael's wrists behind his back with silver-laced rope, the metal burning into skin. Kael hissed in pain but could not break free.
Fernando turned to Samael. "Throw him a knife."
Samael pulled a dagger from his belt and tossed it to Jorin. The young guard caught it, hand trembling.
Fernando's voice was cold. "Carve your name on Kael's chest."
Jorin froze, tears pouring from his face. "Alpha... please... I cannot..."
Fernando's eyes narrowed. "Do it."
Jorin trembled, the dagger raised but shaking. "Why? What has he done?"
Fernando smiled faintly. "That is not your concern. Obey."
Jorin questioned slowly, voice breaking. "Alpha, this is not right. I am no executioner."
Immediately, Darius drew a sharp knife from his belt and drove it into Jorin's eye in one swift motion. The blade sank deep, blood spurting as Jorin screamed, clutching his face. He fell to his knees, the dagger clattering from his hand.
Fernando smiled wider, looking at Jorin. "Do you still have questions?"
Jorin yelled out in pains, his voice a raw howl that echoed across the yard. "No! Alpha, no more!"