Chapter 148

Once we reached one of the trucks, I immediately snatched my hand back and entered the vehicle, which took off right away. I was so annoyed with Jeremiah. I knew he was reckless and notorious, but what had just happened was ridiculously dumb as fuck.

"Our prisoner?" he asked Chase.

Chase was driving. "He's in the second SUV right behind us."

"Good," Jeremiah said, leaning back in his seat.

I glared at him. "Good? Good? You almost ruined everything!"

He raised his eyebrows at me, as if I had just said something stupid. "If you're going to go all moral and shit, Princess, then you should've joined a convent."

Oh no, he did not just say that.

The truck went silent, as if everyone suddenly didn't want to be involved in this. Nobody wanted to get between an Alpha and a Princess—or maybe they just didn't want to pick sides.

I scoffed at him. "It's common sense. It was unnecessary killing all of them. Have you no heart at all?"

"It's common sense to know that if you leave one alive, they'll tell the rest of their rogue army who kidnapped one of their own," he said flatly. "It's common sense to know that by killing all of them and taking our prisoner, we buy time while they try to figure out who is behind it."

I wanted to tell him he was a killer—that this wasn't about common sense for him. The way he had gone full-on murderous out there, killing them one by one like he was possessed... I saw it in his eyes. The rage. The hate. The bloodlust.

It was horrific.

And to be honest, it made me question myself even more. Did I ever really know this man, or had I ignored too many red flags?

"You... are a monster," I said quietly, before turning my head away and ending the conversation.

Fortunately, he didn't respond—but I could feel him watching me. I could feel his anger too, seething in the space between us.

My wolf hated calling our mate a monster, but I ignored her. The way he had treated us in the past proved he had always been one.

It got darker as we drove on, and Chase received a radio message from one of the vehicles that had broken down.

Immediately, I became unsettled. That was never a good sign—and we were still a few kilometers away from base.

Chase sighed, then looked at us. "We're going to have to camp here for the night while they get the vehicle fixed."

Jeremiah shook his head. "Leave it behind. Burn it, and the rest of my crew can follow on foot. We are werewolves, after all."

I stared at him in disbelief. This man did not care about the safety of his own people.

"What do you mean, leave them behind? What if those rogues follow and capture them?" I demanded.

"My men are strong enough to take care of themselves, Astrid," he shut me down.

"And if they get captured? Killed? Or worse?" I shot back at him.

Jeremiah ignored me completely. "Stop the truck. Turn off the lights," he ordered Chase.

Chase obeyed, and I glared at him for listening to Jeremiah so easily.

"You are seriously going to keep doing whatever this psychopath says?"

Before I could react, Jeremiah suddenly grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. The other vehicles had also stopped and dimmed their lights.

I yanked my arm free. "Don't touch me. We are not leaving anyone behind!"

He watched me, visibly annoyed. He was running out of patience.

He marched toward the broken-down SUV where his men were waiting. They stepped out immediately.

"Alpha," one of them acknowledged.

They all stood there, waiting for his orders.

"You will follow in wolf form. Leave the vehicle behind and burn it," he commanded.

I scoffed, watching his men. One looked exhausted. Another looked smaller, younger.

"Yes, Alpha," they all replied.

My chest tightened.

How could an Alpha be so selfish?

What he said next made my heart drop.

"And if you get captured... you know what to do," he said coldly.

The smaller one's eyes fell. A deep sadness flashed across his face.

"Yes, Alpha," they answered again.

What did he mean—they know what to do?

It sounded like a death sentence.

And I hated it.

He was inhumane, and I wasn't going to stand there and watch him treat his own men like disposable things.

I pushed him hard in the chest and stepped in front of his men, facing him.

"Fine. I will go with them then," I spat.

"No... Luna," one of the men said in shock.

It was the smaller one. He looked horrified. He immediately shut his mouth as if realizing his mistake.

He had called me Luna.

But I ignored it and kept my eyes on Jeremiah.

Jeremiah looked furious—at me, and at his men—but I knew this wasn't their fault.

This was my choice.

"You will do no such thing," he said sharply.

"Watch me," I shot back, turning away. "Let's go."

"Astrid—wait!" Ayla called, running toward me, glaring at Jeremiah before looking at me. "What is going on?"

Jeremiah tried to grab my hand again—but I felt it instantly.

Before he could touch me, I punched him hard in the face.

His nose cracked.

Blood spilled immediately.

Gasps filled the air as everyone froze.

His men stepped back instinctively, knowing better than to interfere. Jeremiah's eyes stayed on me as he touched his nose and looked at the blood.

He was an Alpha. He would heal.

But it still felt good.

"I told you not to touch me," I said coldly.

He smirked slightly, wiping the blood away. "Fine... Princess. We will all go together."

I watched as everyone moved back toward the working vehicles.

Chase and Zalem checked on me before walking away. Ayla stayed close for a moment.

"I'm okay," I told her, forcing a small smile.

I finally got my way—and protected his men. That alone felt like a small victory.

We got back into the truck. It was full.

Ayla sat on Chase's lap. I sighed as I looked around for a seat. Sam smiled at me awkwardly and signaled I could sit on his lap.

I smiled back. He was like my best friend, so it was fine.

I moved toward him—

But before I could sit down, Alpha Jeremiah pulled me sharply onto his lap.

I landed on him instantly.

His arm locked tightly around my waist.

"Try that again," he whispered in my ear, his voice low and dangerous, "and I will end everyone in this truck."

I froze.

My wolf felt his wolf immediately.

And I knew he meant it.