Chapter 66 THE FOUNDER'S OFFER
ALICIA'S POV
Luna's whimper cuts through me like Morrison's blade never could.
I try to stand and my legs buckle. The silver wound in my side tears open fresh. Blood soaks through the bandages Sarah just applied. But none of that matters because Morrison has my baby and a knife at her throat.
"Don't hurt her." The words scrape out of my raw throat. "Please Morrison. Whatever you want. Just don't hurt my daughter."
"Hurt her?" Morrison's laugh is cold. "Alicia I've invested three centuries into creating Luna. Why would I damage my greatest achievement?"
He moves the blade away from Luna's throat but keeps it close. Luna lies still on the table watching him with those ancient silver eyes.
"What do you want?" I force myself upright despite the agony. "Why go through all this? Why manipulate bloodlines and murder families and destroy lives?"
"Because I'm dying." Morrison's voice is matter of fact. "The magic that gave me immortality three hundred years ago is failing. In five years, maybe ten. I'll age three centuries in a matter of days. Everything I've built will crumble to dust."
"Good." The word comes out like poison. "You deserve to die for what you have done."
"Perhaps. But I'm not ready." Morrison strokes Luna's cheek gently. "The Ascension ritual will transfer my consciousness into a new form. Part wolf. Part something older. Sustained by Luna's power instead of failing magic."
"You want to possess my daughter." Horror floods through me.
"Possess is such an ugly word." Morrison pulls out a vial filled with dark liquid. "I prefer merge. My consciousness and Luna's power combining into something that has never been imagined. A god among wolves. The first of a new superior species."
"She's five days old." My voice breaks. "She's a baby. Not a vessel for your delusions."
"She's the key to evolution." Morrison sets the vial beside Luna. "In her I see the future. A world where wolves don't fight over territory or resources. Where we transcend our base instincts and become something greater."
"Under your control." Kai's voice comes from the doorway. He leans heavily against the frame bleeding from a dozen wounds. "You don't want evolution. You want domination."
Morrison doesn't even glance at him. "Control. Guidance. Leadership. Different words for the same concept. Someone has to rule. Might as well be someone with vision."
"Your vision killed my family." Kai takes a shaky step forward. "Slaughtered forty three wolves including children. All to hide prophecy knowledge."
"Necessary casualties." Morrison's voice holds no remorse. "Your pack was gathering information that could have exposed The Veritas decades before we were ready. I couldn't allow that."
"You murdered children." Kai's voice is raw. "My seven year old sister. How was she a threat?"
"She existed in a pack that opposed us. That made her a liability." Morrison finally looks at Kai. "You of all people should understand. Survival requires ruthlessness."
"I'm not weak." Kai's eyes are ice cold. "And you're going to regret those words."
"Am I?" Morrison makes a casual gesture.
Kai's body locks in place. Frozen like the others outside. His eyes go wide with shock and fury but he can't move or speak.
"Three hundred years of accumulated magic buys interesting abilities." Morrison turns back to me. "Now, where were we? Ah yes. My offer."
"I'm not agreeing to anything." I edge closer to the table where Luna is. "You're not touching my daughter."
"Then I'll take her by force and kill everyone you love." Morrison's voice is pleasant like we're discussing over dinner. "Starting with your mates. They're frozen outside unable to defend themselves. I could snap their necks with a thought."
The threat hangs heavy.
"You won't kill them." I force confidence into my voice. "You need them alive. You need the four mate bonds to keep Luna stable."
"I needed them alive before Luna demonstrated her power." Morrison corrects gently. "Now I see she's strong enough to survive without anchor points.
He's bluffing, but doubt creeps in cold.
"Here's my offer." Morrison picks Luna up with surprising tenderness. "I take Luna. Raise her in The Veritas. Teach her to use her power properly. In exchange everyone you love survives. Your mates go free. Your pack rebuilds. You get to live knowing your daughter is safe even if she's not with you."
"That's not safety. That's kidnapping." I take another step closer. "Luna needs her mother and family. "
"She'll have everything she needs with me." Morrison cradles Luna against his chest. "Protection, purpose, and power beyond imagining. What can you offer that compares? A destroyed pack? Four mates who can't agree on anything? A mother barely able to stand?"
The words land like blows because they're partially true. We're broken.
"We offer love." My voice is steady now. "Something you gave up three centuries ago and that’s what Luna needs more than power or protection or your twisted version of evolution."
"Love is a chemical reaction." Morrison's voice holds pity. "Oxytocin and dopamine convincing mammals to breed and protect offspring. Nothing more. Luna will be happier without such primitive emotional constraints."
"You're wrong." I'm close enough to touch Luna now. "Love is what makes us more than animals and separates us from the monsters you want us to become."
"Then we disagree on fundamentals." Morrison steps back keeping Luna out of reach. "Which brings us to ultimatum time. Agree to my terms. Let me take Luna peacefully or refuse and watch everyone die starting with your precious mates."
Through the bonds I feel my mates' response. All four of them united in the same message. Refuse.
"I won't give you my daughter." The words come out final. "I don't care what you threaten or destroys. Luna stays with me."
"How disappointing." Morrison's expression doesn't change. "I was hoping for cooperation. Would have made this so much easier."
He shifts Luna to one arm and raises his other hand. The gesture is casual, but I feel ancient and terrible power gathering around him.
"Your mates are frozen outside. " Morrison's voice is conversational. "Let me demonstrate what happens when you refuse me."
"Morrison don't." I'm begging now. "Please. We can negotiate. Find compromise. Just don't hurt them."
"Negotiation requires mutual respect." Morrison's fingers flex slightly. "You have nothing I want except Luna. And I've already explained I can take her with or without your cooperation."
Through the mate bond I feel Monty's sudden spike of fear, Morrison's magic focusing on him specifically, and his desperate attempt to break the freeze and fail.
"I'm sorry this has to happen." Morrison sounds genuine. "Truly I am. Monty seems like a decent wolf. A good father material, but you need to understand the cost of defying me."
"No!" I lunge forward. "Morrison please! I'll do anything! Just don't hurt him!"
"Too late for anything." Morrison's hand closes into a fist.
Through the mate bond I feel Monty's neck snap.
I feel the bond between us tear open and bleed agony into my soul.
"MONTY!" The scream tears from my throat.
Morrison lowers his hand. "That's one mate down. Three to go. Still want to refuse me or shall we discuss terms again?"