119

119


MAGNUS

I wanted nothing more than to see him in pain. I wished I could make him suffer, wished I could break him until he begged for death. But I had other things that were worth my time. The four guards who were standing blind him immediately moved and shoved him hard, forcing him to his knees. 

He tried to resist at first, but the guards shoved him down again, this time they shoved him so hard his knees hit the wood with a loud crack. 

"I know some of you will be proud of this man. Some might even try to emulate him, but to every single one of you, just know that my eyes are on you, and the slighted sign of rebellion I notice from now on will be met with a lethal response. Do not say you were not warned!" 

I raised a hand, signalling the executioner to come forward and reveal the vial. He took the vial out and held it up for everyone to see. The glass caught the light of the sun, causing me to look away for a second. When I looked back at the executioner, everyone's eyes were on him. 

Then I announced. "This. This is the poison that was slipped into the wine glass. It was meant for me, meant to kill me.”

Another murmur swept through the crowd as most of them stepped closer to look at it. Even some of the Alphas stiffened at the sight. Then I continued with my announcement. 

"He wanted this for me. And he will die for it. As you can see, the executioner didn't bring his axe with him today. So he's going to die the same way he wanted me to die." 

The moment those words left my mouth, Rob’s eyes widened in shock. He jerked against the guards now as he yelled feebly. 

"No!" 

His voice cracked as he struggled. 

"No! Don't-" 

The guards clamped their hands around his jaw and forced his mouth open as the executioner opened the vial with his gloved hands. Precautions had been taken so the poison would only affect the person it was meant for. 

The executioner was also putting on a mask, just like the guards who were holding him in place now. 

Rob cursed, roared, and tried everything he could but they held him in place. He slowly and gently positioned the vial over Rob’s open mouth and tilted it before pouring it in. 

Everything. 

The clear liquid slid down his throat. He tried to clench his throat but one of the guards, seeing this, clenched his fingers around the man's windpipe, forcing him to open up. 

The guards held him firmly in that way until every last drop was gone. Then they quickly pushed him to the ground and moved back. The effects of the poison kicked in pretty quickly. He was already gagging and coughing as soon as they pushed him. And soon his body started to convulse. 

Foam was also starting to bubble at his lips. He clawed at his own throat, eyes already bulged. I thought that was the end but it turned out it was just the beginning. Because the real show began almost instantly. His veins started to darken, turning purple beneath his skin and then his eyes changed from close brown to blood red. 

I thought it was because of the blood gathering in his head, but it wasn't a haemorrhage because I soon discovered that he was bleeding through every hole in his face. 

Eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth. 

The blood was pouring out of them. And it didn't end there, because his body was soon jerking wildly, spasming as he slammed against the wooden boards. 

He rolled off the platform and crashed on the ground, causing the Alphas to stand up quickly and step back. 

Mothers clutched their children, closing their eyes so they wouldn't see any more of the disturbing sight while the men could only stare in shock. 

The satisfying show continued for about a minute before Rob instantly went still. His chest heaved twice before they stopped and then his head lolled to the side as he gave up the ghost. 

The crowd gasped the moment it happened. The fear on their faces, the terror that it had instilled in them nearly had me smiling. 

But I reminded myself that this was not the time for that.  I reminded them one more time. 

"This is what betrayal brings. Rob would have been with his family, he would have been fine if not because he suddenly woke up one day and decided to go with this crazy idea. This is what happens when you plot against me. Let this man’s death remind you." 

I looked down at the executioner and ordered. "Chop his head off. I want it on a pike before dusk. Put it up in the busiest Street of the Pack, along the market street,  so that everyone who sees it knows what awaits these filthy rats who think they can plot against me." 

The man bowed his head and set to work. Then I turned back to the crowd to warn them. 

"And if anyone is foolish enough to try taking the head off or bringing down the pike, I will have them die the same way this man died." 

After that I quickly amended back from the balcony and walked through the door into my chambers, summoning my generals to meet me at the throne room immediately because I had important information. 

I could still hear the chatter of the crowd outside. Good. I wanted them to keep whispering. I wanted to keep talking about it and keep being afraid. 

When I got to the throne room, the Alpha were already waiting for me. As much as they had seen blood many times, I was pretty sure that what they had seen out there had shaken them to the core too. I didn't waste time before relaying the information I had. 

"Our people of interest are Alpha Reid and Alpha Alex." 

They were the two Alphas who had declared their interests in taking Mira with them whenever they were returning to their Packs. 

This meant one thing. They were somehow connected to the assassination attempt and didn't want her to die. 

I was going to have these men look into them and find out as much as they could. 

And the moment I got the slightest sign they were the ones responsible for the poisoning, I was going to make sure their Pack was brought down to ashes. 

Every structure, house, every Pack member, every thing both living and non-living were going to be reduced to nothing. 

I eased the grip on my jaw, feeling the tension melt away as I spoke to them. "I want every spy working on this immediately. Is that understood?" 

They all replied with emphatic nods before hurrying off immediately. We had already discussed what the mission entailed. And with everything in place, all I expected now was answers.