Fourteen

NILL POV.

"I don't like the new developments father, if the pack members find out about the whole business we've been running on the side, it might lead to a rift..."

"Enough! Stop speaking and let me think", Vaughn snapped, his fist bunched tightly as he replayed the night In the woods in his head, the emotion that came with it leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

Dearil had challenged him, had threatened him and he'd had no choice but to back down, that too, in front of the pack soldiers. It was unacceptable. It was humiliating. An Alpha never submitted to Its subject but he had and he couldn't get past that.

"There's something about that girl. I swear I've seen her face before... "

Vaughn glanced up at him, his irises acquiring a red hue as his rage filled the room. "I told you to stop talking" he gritted out, putting enough power into his voice to cause Detinos pain.

Detinos jaw bunched as he tried to appear unaffected. "I'm sorry father. Forgive me".

Vaughn's eyes became their normal dark color and he sighed tiredly feeling drained. He couldn't watch everything he'd built so far crumble. Dearil was going to destroy the whole park if they didn't get rid of him first.

Dearil was his son but so were all the pack members, and if he had to sacrifice one life to make sure the rest survived then he would, and he wouldn't think twice about it.

Dearil had always been chaotic. He took pride in causing mayhem, destroying things, and taking lives. Even before the dark witch cursed him, he'd already had a dark cloud looming over his head from the moon goddess.

He was the son that should have never been born. But Dearil had survived, he'd killed his twins in the womb, hence why he had been given such a name.

Vaughn admitted that it was because of him that he'd grown up to love evil since he'd been feeding his head subtly with things that would make him a real Alpha. It was always a concealed suggestion, but Dearil was so eager to be accepted, to be loved that he did everything and anything that could guarantee that he was the only beloved. But it was all a trick to destroy him without getting his hand dirty. And he was going to succeed soon enough.

Dearil was powerful, but he didn't know the extent of the power he and his wolf possessed. If he ever found his one true mate and they became one, his wolf was going to get stronger, his inner strength was going to be unleashed and he was going to destroy everyone and everything in his path, just as the prophecy surrounding his birth. There were going to be dark days ahead if he didn't get rid of him fast.

He could not wait for the witch's word to be fulfilled. He needed Dearil gone as soon as possible. He needed him dead before he could find his mate.

"I know who she is" Detinos voice cut through his thought and Vaughn glanced at him.

"You know who is?"

"The girl that would have been serving in my quarters if Dearil hadn't interfered that night"

Vaughn's brow furrowed as he conjured in his mind the memory of the fierce girl that had been the bone of their contention. She'd had a sardonic glint in her hazel-colored eyes that rivaled that of Dearil. That night. Nothing added up. Dearil had been unbound and yet his wolf had been restrained. He'd even shifted back into a human without any trouble. It was as if he and his wolf were finally in sync.

Was it because of the mysterious girl who had looked ready to give me a piece of her mind when I'd told her to keep quiet?

It could not be. Dearil would end up Killing a girl like her, no matter how strong she was, she was only a mere human.

With how unstable his wolf was, she only needed to make a mistake to find her head rolling on the tiles, which would serve as an avenue to get rid of Dearil.

"Who is she?"

"Jade Alvarez. She's the daughter of the dead renowned Alvarez. We did business together once, the man could pass for the devil himself" he reminisced, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he remembered those days. "Too bad he couldn't see his death looming ahead. His son is the new leader of the syndicate."

Vaughn took in the information. "And this Jade, does she have any importance"

"Are you kidding me father, she is the syndicate. She would have inherited her father's title if she wasn't stuck with a certain lunatic wolf".

Vaughn's brain waged a war. He could almost hear the eerie voice of the midwife that had delivered his wife. Dearil was going to destroy the whole pack With the help of a powerful female, his mate, a woman strong enough to influence Dearil's wolf.

She alone had the power to make him into a saint or a sinner. The prophecy had said it would be his mate and that she would be powerful, and a mere human, no matter how strong and influential she was, was not powerful enough to influence Dearil. Jade Alvarez was of no consequence.

"Are we going to have problems with the humans because of her?" he asked, hating the fact that though she was of no importance, she could still cause their peaceful dwelling to become a place where the weakling of the earth trampled upon.

"There were some men, but we scared them so much, they almost pissed themselves as they ran off".

"Kill them the next time they step foot into Etral forest" he ordered, his gaze set on a spot unflinchingly.

Detinos gaped, before comporting himself. "I thought we didn't harm humans".

Vaughn glared at him, then rose to his full height. Detinos quickly went down on one knee, his head bowed in apology. "When you're given an order, you do as you're told. Do not ever question authority" he snarled, his claws elongating in a warning.

"I'm sorry for speaking out of turn. I'll do as you've commanded".

"Good," he said tapping his shoulder once. Detinos looked up at his father's icy gaze. "Tough times call for tough measures son. If you let them come in here without suffering any consequences, they'll keep coming back, and after some time, they'll become much bolder, they'll try to fight us, of course, they wouldn't win, but do we want all that trouble, do we have to put our pups at risk just because we've sworn an oath to protect those who don't even respect our kind".

Detinos bit his lips. "You're right father. You don't have to worry. I'll kill them all, any one of them that dares to step foot into Etral forest" he promised and his father nodded.

"Good, you'll handle that. How's the half-moon festival coming along".

Detinos got to his feet, then adjusted his jacket. "Keres is taking care of it. Everyone is happily looking forward to it. They can't wait to see their favorite Alpha marking his Luna"

"Good, that is enough distraction from all the shit show going on".

"Will Dearil be attending?" He asked and Vaughn made a grumbling sound in his throat.

"I can't stop him from attending since his wolf is usually more tamed at those types of gatherings, but the heat might fall on that day or the next and we don't want any casualties at what is supposed to be a happy festival".

"So are we going to chain him up?"

"We're not going to chain him up. He will be attending the festival. He should be at that festival If our plan is ever to work."

Detinos brows furrowed. "And what about the human?".

Vaughn smirked, his eerie smile stretching his lips darkly. "I'm sure we don't have to worry about that because Dearil tends to get very covetous over his new toys. He's going to bring her along just to keep her by his side and also boast that he has a new woman".

Detinos muttered under his breath. "She was supposed to mine."

"And she will be once your brother is out of the picture. Just be patient. Once everything goes as planned, our pack will finally become peaceful."

Detinos nodded, turned, and strode out of the room, then stopped when he met Black at the door.

"What are you doing here. I thought you never left your pack".

Black stared at him, then looked over his shoulders at Vaughn. "I don't have any business with you Detinos. I believe you were given some orders, why don't you run along and get it done"

Detinos glared, hating the fact that another Alpha was trying to intimidate him. "Watch your mouth, Black".

Black towered over him, using his height to his advantage. "And if I don't" he challenged, his golden eyes darkening. "What are you going to do about it".

Detinos growled, his fangs elongating.

"Enough!" Vaughn snapped in irritation. "You may leave Detinos. I have no business with you. Step in Black" he said, waving off Detinos.

Black smirked at a glaring Detinos. "You heard your father, run along little pup".

"This is not over" he promised then walked out angrily.

Black smirked, then became serious as he stepped into the room.

Vaughn stared at him, a silent question passing between the both of them. "Were you able to acquire it"?

"It took some time, but I finally got it," he said then brought out a small bottle filled with a colorless liquid. "Just a drop of these in Dearil drink and his Alpha genes will be so magnified that he'll kill anything and everything in his path".

"Good. Everything is coming together now. And the only thing that will be in his path during that festival will be none other than the human girl he recently acquired" he muttered darkly and Black nodded, grinning in agreement.