Chapter 18: Chapter 18

Alessio

“Let her go.”

My voice came out low, controlled, but it carried enough weight to make the entire room freeze.

Scourge’s grip tightened around Katsura’s arm instead of loosening. His jaw clenched, eyes hard as stone. He didn’t look at her, he looked at me.

“She’s not leaving,” he said. “Not until…”

“Let. Her. Go.”

This time, my tone was sharp and he better not defy me.

The guards around us shifted uneasily, they all knew how stubborn Scourge was. Scourge was loyal, yes, but he knew better than to challenge me openly. Still, he hesitated. That alone told me how deep his resentment ran.

Reluctantly, he released her, pushing her aside.

Katsura stumbled forward slightly, she held onto the stair rails so she wouldn’t fall. She didn’t look at Scourge… she didn’t look at anyone, her eyes were fixed on the floor, her breathing rising and falling.

Scourge stepped back, with his fists clenched. “This won’t end well,” he muttered.

I ignored him, my eyes were on Katsura, hoping she was okay.

Before I could say another word, hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs.

It was Helen. It was as if she had just woken up from sleep, her voice carried panic as she descended the stairs..

She appeared at the landing, her robe loosely tied, hair undone, eyes wide as she took in the scene… she could feel the tension on everyone, the guards, the maids, Katsura standing there like she was about to melt.

“What is going on?” Helen asked.

I turned sharply. “You shouldn’t be here.”

She came down the stairs anyway. “I heard shouting. Alessio, why are there guards everywhere?”

“Take her back to her room,” I ordered the maids.

Helen pushed forward. “Alessio…”

“Now.”

My voice left no room for argument. Two maids gently but firmly took her arms. Helen looked at Katsura one last time, I knew she hated her but this time she had worry etched across her face.

“This isn’t right,” she said softly.

No one said anything to her. I waited till I could hear the lock of her room click shut.

The moment the doors closed, I turned back to Katsura.

She finally lifted her head, tears streaming down her face.

Her eyes met mine and I could feel the unease in my chest seeing her eyes water. I was confused about what to do.

I walked to her and grabbed her arm, my hand tight on her.

She gasped. “Alessio…”

I dragged her with me up the stairs and then down the hall leading to my chambers.

I shoved the door open and pushed her inside, slamming it shut behind us. I ran my hands on my head, my chest aches and I didn’t know what to say to her.

Finally, I turned to look at her.

She stood near the door, drenched in sweat and tears. The glow wasn’t on her wrist anymore even though I could barely see her wrist which she hid underneath the sleeves of her blouse.

I glared down at her. “What was your relationship with Ethan?” I demanded.

Her brows knit together. “What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” I snapped. “Tell me. What were you to him?”

“Nothing,” she said immediately. “I had nothing to do with him.”

I let out a short but bitter laughter. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice shaking but firm. “Because it’s the truth.”

I stepped closer. “You ran to him the last time, right?”

Her lips parted. “I didn’t… I ran straight home, you can ask Jessie.”

“Are you lying to me?” I asked coldly.

She hesitated, then she shook her head.

I knew she wasn’t lying. The necklace I had gifted her a few days ago before she escaped had a GPS tracker installed in it but all I cared about then was to bring her back home.

“I’ll believe you then,” I continued, “but every instinct I have tells me you ran straight into his arms.”

“No,” she said quickly. “I didn’t.”

“Ethan confessed to me,” I said.

Her eyes widened.

“He told me he was dating you,” I went on. “He said you both dated for months and he knows a lot of secrets about you.”

“Did you both plan to sell off my goods and elope together?”

“That’s a lie,” she whispered.

“He also said something else,” I added.

“Please…” she pressed her palms together as she pleaded.

“He spoke about your wolf.”

Her breath hitched as she held her chest with her hand.

I leaned closer to where she knelt on the floor.

My hand wrapped around her neck, not tight enough to crush, but firm enough to make her quiver. I lifted her slightly, forcing her to look at me.

“What kind of wolf are you?” I demanded.

Her hands flew to my wrist. “Alessio… please…”

“Answer me.”

Her eyes burned with tears. “I didn’t tell him anything. I swear.”

“You expect me to believe that too?”

“Yes!”

Her wrist began to glow, and the mark began to move slightly in a way I couldn’t understand.

Her scent changed, it was now beginning to make sense of what I had suspected for a long time. Her pupils dilated, her body trembled violently beneath my hand.

She cried out softly, pain and panic lacing her voice.

“No… no, not now…”

Her bones cracked… she was transforming. I could see the fur and the emerald light in her eyes but that didn’t make me want to release her.

She pulled her hand away from mine immediately, she collapsed forward, gasping, clutching her wrist like it was burning her.

“I can’t…” she whispered. “I can’t let it happen, not here.”

She scrambled to her feet and headed toward the door where she ran out. I just stood there alone, trying to understand what was happening.

I dragged a hand down my face and let out a deep, tired breath.

“So it was true,” I muttered.

Ethan’s final words echoed in my mind.

She’s an omega, Don. A weak one and a lowly one. That’s all she is, she is the omega that needs to be killed. Please… please spare me.

Rage had taken over me that I didn’t know when I let down my machete, severing his head from his body.

He had stolen my goods and sent out a message that it got destroyed.

I was now faced with a bigger problem… Will I also kill Katsura just as the clan demanded?