Chapter 102
Iris
Fear took a strong hold over me after he muttered those words and I instinctively clutched onto my neck, intentionally avoiding his gaze.
I drew in a very deep breath and exhaled. "That's a huge accusation to lay on me tonight, Elda. We are supposed to be celebrating," I replied with a surprisingly calm tone.
That was a good thing because I planned to deny every claim he'd lay against me until I found a way to reach Eliana.
"I thought the same until I removed the mask from that girl's face and realized that you weren't the one who seduced me. So what did you promise her? That she and her family will be safe? Come on, Iris, what power do you have without me?" He asked with a derisive tone.
A deep feeling of dread stirred in my stomach, my knees weakening. No matter what happened, I couldn't allow her family to be caught up in this plan.
"You can't hurt her family, Elda. What fun do you have in hurting innocent people?" I asked through gritted teeth.
He chuckled lightly, his eyes turning dark. "You'll see it once they bring them here and let me tell you something, Iris, I'll be crowned Alpha tonight and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Do you understand?"
I wanted to tell him that I'd rather die watching him become Alpha, but I held back, thinking of what next to do.
"Yes, I understand," I bowed and sat down.
Elder Hanson veered toward the platform and bowed before us. He was one of the people I'd like to punish after I eliminate Elda. I wouldn't want the pack to be filled with traitors when I took over.
"Greetings, everyone. We have come here to mourn the death of the late Prince and crown our new Alpha, I hope you're excited," He chirped.
After increasing the tax and preying on some of the young ladies, I expected that they wouldn't give him a standing ovation, but they failed my expectations and I wasn't surprised.
They were scared of him and they couldn't speak their minds.
"So let's all stand up and give a minute of silence to the late Prince," He urged them.
A shudder ran through my body at his words. Even now, I was yet to believe that he was dead. I didn't even get to see his corpse.
I tilted my head to the side and glared at Elda with one thing in my mind. He would surely pay for everything he had done.
Reluctantly, I got to my feet and shut my eyes, my breaths bursting harshly from my throat. A stabbing pain passed through my chest and I clenched my fists to mollify my temper.
There was no backup plan and where the hell did Lyros disappear to?
One minute later, I was back in my seat and this time I couldn't mask my anger anymore with a fake smile. Not even when Elda was asked to come down from his throne so that the coronation process could begin.
He glanced at me, his lips pressed tightly sending a silent warning that I was done for, but I didn't care. He wanted to be Alpha, not me.
"By the gods, let this not happen," I muttered understanding my breath, my eyes closed.
Gasps and screams echoed in the hall, causing my eyes to flutter open and I found Elda ducking his head to avoid being hit with an arrow.
My eyes did a quick scan around the hall and a flicker of hope rose within me. At the uppermost gallery stood some people dressed in black ninja outfits, holding bows and arrows.
I chuckled, amazed by Lyros' fast organizational ability. Whatever he did to get these men gathered, I appreciated it. But just when I was trying to absorb everything that was going on, a familiar laughter that I thought I'd never hear again rang in the room, bringing chills to my spine.
I looked around, hoping to see him but I saw nothing, instead a group of men pinned down all the sentinels who tried to oppose them and the memory of Gradel's dethronement flashed before my eyes.
This was how it happened.
Feeling too uneasy to be seated in one spot, I traipsed to Elda, wearing a genuine smile of triumph. After all, he didn't see this coming so he wouldn't be able to escape it.
I opened my mouth to speak but the familiar voice that laughed earlier interfered.
"Surprise, surprise," He mused with a sarcastic tone. "How does it feel to have your deepest desire snatched away from you in a twinkle of an eye?"
Gradel? I gasped, palming my mouth to keep myself from screaming.
"Who told you it has been snatched, huh? Come out here and face me like a real man if you think that you've succeeded and stop challenging me behind the shadows," Elda yelled, breathing erratically.
He couldn't flee if he wanted because he was held back as well.
"Sure, I'll show my face, but I want to amuse myself for some time before deciding what to do with you. You won't have an easy death, you know?" He cackled. "My darling mate, please move away from him. I don't want you to be smeared by the consequences of his evil doings," He addressed me softly and my heart melted.
Though I was ignorant of his intentions, I still moved away and I was happy that I did because a bucket of an animal's blood was poured on him almost immediately, forming a pool around him.
It stank, but it couldn't compare to the look of shock, anger and embarrassment that appeared on his face when I stared at him. Even the crowd couldn't hold back their laughter, even the neighboring Alphas got up, shaking their heads in mortification.
"I told you that I wanted to amuse myself and this is one way to do that. How about we go for another round? You can beg me to stop and I'll consider it,"
He struggled to get away from the grip of the men but he was no match for them. "I'm going to tear you into pieces with my bare hands once I set my eyes,"
Gradel scoffed, possibly rolling his eyes as well. "If you could, you'd have done that, otherwise, why did you send your people to attack me? You are weak, Elda, and trust me, you aren't going to have an easy death after all the atrocities you've committed," He promised, his voice stern and angry.
"Just beg, Elda, don't make things any harder for yourself,"
He smirked, cynically, baring his blood-strained teeth at me. "I didn't want this to be easy at all," He replied.
I didn't understand what he was talking about until I felt a cold metal on the nape of my neck and a firm grasp on my waist.
"Don't make the mistake of moving or this knife will pierce into your neck. You won't survive it seeing that you have no wolf and the wolfsbane will spread through your system while you bleed to death," He whispered into my ear.