Chapter 13 013
~DERRICK~
I watched her eyes blaze with anticipation and restrained fury as she waited to hear what I wanted from her. The tension rolling off her was almost tangible, thick in the air like an unspoken challenge. I scoffed inwardly at how predictable she was.
She wore strength like armor, but beneath it, I could see the cracks. She looked unbreakable, yet she was painfully human....emotional, reactive, and dangerously attached to her people. That alone made her vulnerable.
And vulnerabilities were meant to be exploited.
“I know you’re anxious,” I said calmly, my voice even as I studied her reactions, “but you need to follow me.”
I motioned to Fiona....one of my most trusted warriors....to lead her out of the passageway. Fiona immediately moved, gripping Lyka firmly. What amused me most was how Lyka still searched for escape routes with her eyes, even after her last attempt had ended in failure.
Was she fearless… or simply reckless?
I strode ahead, my boots echoing through the corridor as we emerged onto the open field where I had gathered most of her pack members. The air was heavy with tension, moonlight glinting faintly against steel and armor.
Behind me, I heard a sharp gasp.
I didn’t need to turn to know it was her.
“What are they doing here?” Lyka yelled, panic lacing her voice despite her attempt to sound strong. “What are you planning to do with my people?”
I turned slowly, offering her a smile that held no warmth.
“I’m not doing anything to them,” I said lightly. “I’m simply showing you what you stand to lose if you attempt to run again.”
She surged forward, rage blazing in her eyes, but Fiona’s grip held her firmly in place.
“So hot-headed,” I muttered, shaking my head as I turned away from her. “Such a shame.”
I faced her pack members....broken, exhausted, but still proud. They were exactly what I needed. Leverage.
I couldn’t reject her as my mate outright, nor could I make her Luna. She was too volatile, too defiant. If she stayed here, she needed a leash.
“I’ve brought you all here,” I announced, my voice carrying across the field, “because it seems some of you are entertaining the idea of running away from my pack.”
One by one, they bowed their heads in shame.
As they should.
I had no mercy for traitors....but tonight, I was feeling… experimental.
“What would you think about joining my pack?” I continued. “I would strip you of your rogue status and grant you membership in the Glittering Moon Pack.”
Murmurs rippled through them, disbelief flashing across their faces.
“And....” I began.
“Such a generous offer,” Lyka interrupted sharply. “But what’s in it for us?”
I turned toward her, amused.
“You stop acting out,” I replied coolly, “and your people remain safe. But one more wrong move, and their heads will decorate the ground.”
Her eyes widened, shock flashing through them.
“That’s not a negotiation,” one of the women spoke up boldly. “That’s a slave contract.”
When her gaze met mine, she bowed only slightly....not submissive, but cautious. I could tell immediately....she was as stubborn as Lyka.
What kind of cursed pack bred women like this?
I exhaled slowly, irritation simmering beneath my calm exterior. How was I supposed to spare people who made me think of murder every waking second?
“Let go of me,” Lyka demanded Fiona.
I nodded once, allowing it.
The moment she was free, Lyka marched toward me, fury radiating off her. My eyes flickered downward briefly, catching the glint of steel hidden in her sleeve.
I smiled.
Clever little thing.
“You don’t want me as your Luna, do you?” she asked suddenly.
My eyes twitched.
She had seen through me.
Why would I bind myself to chaos again? I had learned that lesson once....and it had nearly destroyed me.
“You’re intelligent,” I admitted quietly, leaning closer. “So use that intelligence to understand the situation you’re in.”
I leaned down, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, “I could kill every single one of you right now, and no one would ever hear about it. Take my offer while I’m being merciful.”
Her body stiffened instantly.
Good.
Fear suited her.
“I… are you always like this?” she asked softly.
A smirk tugged at my lips.
“No,” I said. “But for you, I’m trying to be more accommodating.”
Before I could finish, she stepped back sharply.
The knife slid from her sleeve into her palm.
Ah.
There it was.
“What if I refuse?” she asked.
I chuckled darkly.
“You don’t have that right.”
Her stance shifted. She wasn’t aiming for me.
She pivoted suddenly, moving faster than most warriors could track.
Steel flashed.
Before anyone could react, she had Fiona locked in place, the blade pressed firmly against her throat.
My smile vanished.
“What do you think of this now?” Lyka demanded, her voice trembling but determined.
Rage surged through me, my aura darkening as the ground beneath my feet seemed to vibrate.
“What are you doing!” I roared.
“I told you not to touch my people,” she shot back. “But clearly, you don’t listen.”
“What do you want?” I demanded, my jaw clenched.
“Let them go,” she said, eyes blazing. “And she lives.”
I laughed....low, dangerous.
She had miscalculated.
I was not a man who bargained under threat.
“Kill her,” I said flatly.
Lyka’s breath hitched.
“What?” she whispered. “You want me to… kill her?”
I nodded slowly, my gaze never leaving hers.
“If you don’t,” I continued calmly, “then I’ll kill you instead.”
The air thickened with lethal tension.
My eyes locked onto hers, waiting.
Would she do it?