Chapter 68 Not Alike

~Anna~

He should understand me out of everyone here! I lost everyone I loved because of the man behind those doors – it was proper that he pay for what he did. Even the Goddess would judge it to be just.

The gun cools in my hand, and is heavy; I positioned myself beside Nalia. Carson was beside Ethan. The rest had no other choice. Liam stood beside me, and the group was divided between two sides.

Nodding to Ethan, he and Nalia pushed open the doors. Quickly, they entered with their guns aimed. From where I was, I could see Ethan scanning the right side. I was about to follow when Liam squeezed my hand.

“Wha-“

I was interrupted by the ringing gunshots that shot through the entrance. Bullets pierced through the wooden door.

Liam pulled me back into the safety of the concrete wall before I was full of holes.

Ethan!

I looked to where he was and saw him sprawled on the floor. My heart jumped, my breathing rapid as the ringing in my ears shut me from the world around me. While a part of me hoped that Nalia was still alive, my mind knew for a fact that she was already dead.

I fought it. They couldn’t be dead – there was still time. I could heal them.

Someone forcefully turned my head. I glared at Liam. He pressed his forehead to mine, his breath fanning my face.

No more deaths.

Myron! He was the root cause of everyone’s suffering, but no more. No more victims.

Roaring laughter came from inside the room, taunting and mocking, loud and clear amidst the continuous shooting. My blood boiled. He deserved more than a quick death.

The shots eventually ceased. I pulled away from Liam and entered the room – a throne room. Pillars lined the sides, and chandeliers hung above the red carpet that led straight into a platform, of which sat a throne, a wolf’s skin draped over the armrests with wolf heads sitting on top of its ends. My stomach felt sick just looking at it.

He sat on his throne like a king, a smirk on his face as he tossed three shotguns to the floor. Crossing his legs, he leaned back and scratched the heads.

I kept the gun pointed at him as I stepped closer and closer until I was only five meters away.

“It’s nice to see you again -,” he said casually before adding, ”-Anna.”

His cold gray eyes eyed me up and down like the day I first met him, and a wave of disgust washed over me.

This wasn’t how I pictured it. He should be begging for me to spare him in his last moments.

I had already taken lives. His would be the last. His life would pay for all his sins and everything would be alright. The lives he had taken, the people he made suffer – I’d have the honor of returning the favor. But first, he’d beg, fearful eyes showing my reflection.

I squeezed the trigger. He bit back a groan as a bullet hit his right shoulder.

“It’s nice to see you too, Myron,” I replied with a smile.

He chuckled. “You’re different from when I last saw you. I doubt Daddy will approve.”

I shot him again, this time on his left shoulder.

“Bitch!” he cursed, and the smile on my face grew.

Blood oozed from the wounds. They weren’t healing, the bullets were silver and laced with wolfsbane.

“You deserve to suffer for everything you’ve done,” I spat as I lowered my arm, and shot his right foot. He cursed aloud; his breathing was now heavy, but he still managed to laugh.

“Everything I did?” he asked exaggeratedly. “You speak like I started the game. You and I are alike, Anna. We’re both victims of this awful, awful game of power.”

I shot his left foot and I watched in satisfaction as he breathed deeply, sweat glistening in his face.

“I don’t understand what you keep blabbering about,” I said in a bored tone.

“Anna!” shouted Liam as I heard his footsteps draw near.

“Don’t do this,” he said, placing a hand on my arm, asking me to lower it.

Myron laughed. “Listen to him, Anna. Don’t do this…”

I glared at Liam. “He killed your mate and child!” I screamed. Pain flashed in his eyes and I bit my tongue.

“He killed Mr. and Mrs. Rose. He poisoned you. He planned the rogue attacks,” said Myron in a girly voice with a smile, finding the matter amusing. For that sound to come out of a middle-aged man made it more disturbing.

Liam growled at him. “You were taken in by the pack. He treated you like a brother!”

His eyes flickered from brown to black as he fought to keep Luca in control.

Myron scoffed. “Exactly,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone, amusement in his face replaced by a cold, hard stare. “I remember the day your grandfather attacked my pack. Seeing my father die while protecting my mother and me, then my mother dying while protecting me. I remember the sickening flares and the flags of four packs – the Blue Moon Pack, the Red Claw Pack, the White Lake Pack, and –“ he paused, shifting his gaze to me then adding, “-the Black Mist Pack.”

“The Old Alliance betrayed my father,” I spat, and he laughed, humorless.

He grinned at me with a knowing look in his eyes. I aimed the gun between his eyes. “Talk!”

“Or what?” he challenged. “You’re going to shoot me?”

“Yes,” I replied and lowered my arm to shoot his right knee. “The last bullet’s in your head. Talk!”

“Aren’t you going to stop her?” he said to Liam as he raised a brow.

He crossed his arms and clenched his jaw.

“Fucking Alphas, always giving in to their mates.”

“Can’t you just shoot him?” asked Salina from behind us, sounding annoyed.

Myron rolled his eyes. “Like father, like daughter, huh, Salina? See, Anna. It’s our own kind who’s quick to betray us. I told you, we are alike in many ways than you think.”

“You and I are not alike!” I spat. “No one betrayed me. Your daughter’s betrayal is none of my concern.”

“Then why did Aiden and Fraser hide the truth from you?” he asked, smirking.

He groaned as he forced himself to sit upright. “That Anabella was a fucking beauty. Too bad she couldn’t protect Emery from me.”

I breathed deeply at the mention of my parents. “What did you do?”

“Simple. It’s fairly easy to make anyone believe that the Alpha is up to no good when so many Alphas out there do the same thing. Rape, abuse, outright slavery… and with the Black bloodline having such a reputation until your father and the alliance, there wasn’t a shortage of evidence… or a better term perhaps, witnesses.”

“My father was a good man,” I whispered.

My heart sank at the thought of the Black Mist Pack suffering under the hands of a cruel Alpha – how many of them had gone through what I did and worse?

Father…

“Not good enough for your mother,” he replied. “And it was easy convincing your father,” he said to Liam.

Liam narrowed his eyes at him. “You tricked him.”

Myron shook his head. “He heard what he wanted to hear – an opportunity to expand the pack’s territories. Your ‘father’, my so-called ‘brother’, was a slithering snake and a starved leech when need be. Playing the hero to the packs the alliance saved while he robbed them of their lands.”

He faced me. “Why do you think the Black Mist Pack weakened, huh? Because the alliance attacked? Because of the rogue attacks? Stupid girl… your boyfriend’s father made Emery gave up his lands under the guise of protection, which of course, he never fulfilled.”

“Can somebody please just kill him!” shouted Salina.

I looked back to see her glaring at Myron. Flynn met my gaze and lowered his head apologetically. His father was also involved in this.

“I saw the game. And the more I observed, I realized that there is only one way to make it end. If I had all the power to myself, I could change everything. I never wished to inflict upon anyone that which happened to me, but the game required certain… sacrifices.”

He took deep breathes. His face paled. He smiled at me. “You and I want the same thing, Anna. We just want it to end. Isn’t this what you came here for?”

Was it? I came here to avenge them, to end it all.

End what? This circle of violence and hatred? This game that he talked about?

“You’re right,” I replied, shooting his right knee as I stepped closer to him.

He screamed in pain, his face twisting as he let go of a breath. I went up the steps of the platform, pointing the gun at him – right between the eyes.

All it needed was one bullet and it would all end - the suffering, the pain, the anger. I could finally have peace and so would everyone he wronged. His sins would’ve been paid. “It’ll end with you.”

“Don’t… do this, Anna,” said Liam, coming up beside me.

“It can end here, Liam,” I said, annoyed. “When he’s dead, our packs would be safe. They can all be avenged. Don’t you want Sarina to rest in peace?”

“Anna – Anna, look at me!”

“What?” I shouted as I turned to him.

The words died in my mouth as he looked at me with a soft expression on his face. He smiled a little.

“We can’t turn back time, Anna. What’s done is done. We both lost people we care about.”

“Then, why are you stopping me?” I asked, holding back the tears.

It’s just a bullet away…

“You’re right. He deserves what you did to him and more. He deserves to die. But if you think killing him will make the pain go away, it won’t. They’re gone, Anna. Killing him won’t change what you feel,” he said gently, a hand cupping my cheek.

I leaned into his hand, closing my eyes to feel his warmth. Then I stepped back and pointed the gun at him.

“You’re defending him. Why? Is it because he’s Sarina’s father? You’ve always known he killed your mate, but you never came after him.”

Myron chuckled then stopped when I pointed the gun at him.

“I’d kill him. Goddess knows I wanted to, and I still do.”

“Then, why?” I asked exasperatedly. “Why won’t you let me?”

“Because you’re not like him,” he replied. “You’re not a coward who hides behind his walls while flaming the embers of wars. You’re not blinded by selfish ambition. You’re not a slave to power.”

He held out his hand.

“You’re my Luna. You’re the Alpha of the Black Mist Pack. You protected our pack, lead our pack to victory to prove yourself worthy when you could’ve done nothing and still have it all. I want it to end, my love… but not like this – not when you’ll become like him.”

“For fuck’s sake, just kill me!” shouted Myron. Sweat ran down his face and his breathing had labored.

I aimed the gun at him again and he smirked.

“Go on. End it. Don’t I deserve to die? After all of the horrible things I did?”

I aimed the gun between his eyes, right where I promised the last bullet would go.

Liam turned his head away.

I looked into his eyes, the very eyes that reveled in our suffering, the very same pair that witnessed everything.

I saw light blue eyes that looked at me with love. I saw deep blue eyes that looked at me with hope. I saw deep brown eyes that looked at me with joy, lose their light. I saw gorgeous brown eyes tinged with golden orange that looked at me with pure adoration. And as I closed my eyes, I saw black eyes reflecting flickering yellows - the eyes of a stranger, burning with fury, a twisted smirk on his face at the thought of my death, his action fueled by unquenchable hatred.

I opened my eyes to see my reflection in his eyes, and what stared back at me wasn’t the person I was, but that man – that same man consumed by the torments of his pain.

A sudden calmness washed over me as I stared back at him – an odd sense of peace that I hadn’t felt before. Then there was no pain, no anger, no desire to kill. Instead, there was a lightness in my chest, as if the iron chains that bound my heart disappeared into nothingness.

I looked at his entirety and I saw a man too scared to face the world, too selfish to share his heart – a man who once knew love but had forgotten it. A sad, sad man.

“I’m not like you,” I said, lowering my arm, the gun dropping to the floor in a clatter. A warm handheld mine and intertwined our fingers. I smiled up at Liam and he smiled back.

We went down the platform towards Gale, Rigel, and Sabri.

Carson smiled at me.

Lexy, please mark him ASAP!

Flynn avoided looking at me while Salina openly glared.

Nalia and Ethan had their backs against the wall as they leaned against each other, sharing a flask.

“Bulletproof vests,” said Ethan with a smile. I swear the guy was the definition of tough. They were both bleeding from their legs and arms, but they’ll make it through.

“You alright?” Liam asked Rigel, who was still looking at Myron.

He looked away. “Yeah…”

“So… my knight has a real princess, now?” I teased, nudging his side. A grin stretched on his face as he looked at Sabri.

“A queen -,” he said as he placed a hand on her lower abdomen before adding, “-and maybe a little prince.”

Sabri raised a brow. Rigel stepped back, his arms in fake surrender. “Or a little princess -,” he defended. “I already love him… or her. I don’t care either way.”

Look at him. Already tied around her finger.

Liam wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to him.

Someone wants attention.

He kissed the top of my head, then leaned down to whisper into my ear, “I want to work on our little prince, too.”

“Liam!” I scolded, slapping his chest.

I could feel the heat creep up my cheeks at the thought of what it entailed.

“Or princess,” he added then kissed his mark.

“I’ll think about it,” I said, pulling away from him and holding his hand. “For now, I want to go home.”

His eyes lit up as he smiled.

“With all due respect, can we please get out of here before you all start fucking?” said Gale, already heading out the door.

Rigel and Sabri followed.

I looked over at Ethan and my eyes widened for he and Nalia were making out.

When did that happen?

Liam chuckled. “Come on.”

“But… she’s mated to someone from my pack,” I said. “She’s mates with Chuck.”

He shrugged. “Must have two mates. The Goddess does whatever She wants,” he said, dismissing it easily.

“Alpha Liam,” said Carson, joining us.

We left Flynn and Salina behind to sort matters between them. Also, if she still wanted her father dead, she could just let him bleed – he had already passed out on his throne.

“I hope this isn’t too soon to ask, but –“

“Whatever makes my sister happy,” Liam said, cutting him off. “Don’t screw it up.”

Carson smiled from ear to ear then bowed slightly at him. “Thank you, Alpha!”

“Call me Liam,” he said coolly.

I couldn’t help but smile. My knight was going to be a father, Gale was mated to my uncle, and my male best friend was mates with my female best friend!

I looked up at my mate, then leaned into him as I wrapped an arm around his waist. We still had things to talk through, but they could wait for later. I took in his scent, letting it cloud my head.

We heard heavy footsteps approach. Soon, our warriors were spilling out into the hall, with Leo in the lead. They stopped when they saw us, then placed their hands on their chests and bowed deeply.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”

Liam chuckled. “I’ve been planning how to attack the Blue Moon Pack in years, and you came up with a plan in less than a day. How?”

“I’ll never tell,” I said smugly.

There was a little someone who had been sneaking into his office when he was out for stuff. I couldn’t help it. I got bored in my room and playing with my phone was getting lame. It was more exciting there – he had all these maps and guns. I also found out where he hid his alcohol.

“I think I can make you,” he said confidently.

Not a chance.

Leo raised his head at the same time Rigel looked back. Their eyes both widened. The next thing I knew, Rigel had gone past me and a gunshot echoed in the hall. More gunshots followed, as our warriors shot someone behind me.

Then I heard a scream – Sabri’s. A feeling of dread washed over me, and as I slowly turned to look back, time froze.

Rich was falling on his back, shards of glass stuck all over his body. Rigel was on the floor, bleeding from his chest, wheezing as he coughed up blood.

They surrounded him, Sabri crying as she screamed something at him.

My legs carried me forward. Kneeling beside him, I placed shaking hands on his chest. I felt Liam’s presence beside me. I felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

Rigel coughed up blood and held Sabri’s hands tightly.

Not this time.

I took a deep breath, then I closed my eyes and focused. My mind conjured images of Father, holding my hands and refusing to let me heal him; of my hands glowing then stopping.

No more.

I was wolf-less, but I was a healer, just like mother. I couldn’t save my fathers, but if my blood could save my mate, it could also save my knight.

I’m not giving up on you.

Feeling the warmth all over my body, I pulled it all into my hands. I felt a strange sensation run through my skin, like electricity shooting through me. My palms felt warm as more warmth gathered, then it began to heat up more.

I couldn’t hear anything anymore. I focused on my hands, the sensations getting more and more prickly until it felt like a thousand needles were pricking my skin, but I didn’t give up.

He was going to be a father. He was going to have a daughter, or maybe a son, or both, or more. I wasn’t going to rob his child of a parent.

Not yet. It isn’t your time yet.

My hands felt like they were burning, scalding hot, but I kept going. As more warmth went into my hands, the rest of me started to feel cold and numb. My head began to throb as if it was a drum and the beats were getting louder and louder.

Finally, the last of the warmth went into my hands, and I felt myself falling.

Someone caught me. Somehow, my mind still registered what was happening.

I shivered from the cold.

Forcing my eyes open, I saw Liam’s jaw through my lashes.

So… cold.