Chapter 86

Gideon

"Let her go, you coward." Beta Noland snarls through gritted teeth. Lacy is strangely calm as the bright silver blade is positioned at her ebony neck. It's as if Nox is holding the still night hostage, but by the look in Lacy's eyes, the night was about to strike back.

"Nox, why are you doing this? I am your mate. You love me." Lacy's tone didn't match her face. I could tell she was buying time. I didn't know why. I could only play along and trust father and daughter.

"Oh, Lacy dear. I've never loved you. You were just a means to an end. Although you are a tempting means." Nox takes a deep inhale of Lacy's scent. This must have been what she was waiting for. Lacy digs her claws in Nox's side. He drops his arm holding the knife, and she rushes to her father's arms.

"You bitch! You will pay for that! Don't think I will treat you as nicely as before." Nox is holding his side but now has the silver blade pointed at me. He must be foolish if he thinks I can't disarm him in a second.

I start to circle him slowly, "this is not going to end well for you." Just then, a few of the Blue Cresent Warrior jumped out of the shadows.

"Stay on, Nox. I can handle these pups." Beta Frank slashes through a warrior like a hot knife through butter. Lacy joins him, and you can tell from her fighting style she is her father's daughter.

I hear a scream from behind me. I turn, and I see a scarred-faced elderly woman running toward me with a syringe in her hand. I grab her writs and snap it. Then I feel a burning stab in my back shoulder right in my Alpha mark. I look over my shoulder, and Nox is about to pull out the knife and stab me again. I toss the old woman to the ground and punch Nox square in the nose. He stumbles back, and his eyes are watering. It gives me a chance to pull the knife out of my back. As soon as the blade is out, I can feel it start to heal. Wolves heal quickly, but with my enhanced fae healing, this silver was nothing to me.

I stock toward Nox with the silver blade in hand. The only color I can see is red. Blood red, I was going to gut him like the animal he was and hang his rotting carcass out for the scavengers to rip apart. Then I feel it, another Alpha aura. I see Blake Jericho running to tackle me.

"Too slow old man." I sidestep and grab his wrist, twisting it behind his back.

"It's my family's time to rule." Blake's struggle is in vain he can't fight my grasp.

My chest is pressed to his back, and I bring the silver knife to his neck. "Look, Nox, I have a hostage now." Nox's eyes have stopped watering from the punch to the nose.

"I don't need that useless old man anymore." Nox starts to circle me now. The difference is I have no intention of letting Nox or Blake leave here alive. His attack gives me recourse to kill him.

I hear a screech and a snap, "I've been dreaming of doing that for months! Go to hell, Karen." Lacy drops the old women's body. I see she had the syringe in her other hand. It looks like Karen was trying to save the Jerichos with one of her drug and herb cocktails.

All the warriors are dead and the only ones left are Blake and Nox. I knee the back of Blake's legs, dropping him to his knees. I still have his wrist in my other hand. I twist and break it. Blake screams in agony. It's such a satisfying sound. "Well, since you don't need him anymore, I guess I don't either."

Blake tries to break free, "The Council will not let you get away with this." It's a desperate ploy from a desperate man.

"Alpha John and I are the Council right now, and your bloodline ends here." The silver blade slices Blake's neck without effort. I release his arm and let him sputter and choke on his own blood. Nox is trembling on the ground. "What's that smell?" I look around and see that Nox has pissed himself. Good, let that fear sink in before he dies. "Greed will get you killed. Too bad, Nox, you didn't learn this sooner from your father. You are about to join him in hell. Before that happens, where's Tate? He hangs of a mother is dead, so where is he?"

"If you let me live, I'll tell you." His information is not worth his life. I'll let him have some hope because the second I rip it away, I want to look in his eyes.

I nod to Frank, and he lifts Nox off the ground and holds him up by his arms. "Lacy, I'm sure you have grievances you would like to air out." Lacy steps forward. Her rage had been swelling for months, and it was about to burst forward.

She doesn't say a word. If pure hatred had a face, it would look like Lacy's right now. She stands in front of Nox, her fists clenched. She bends down to pick up the silver knife from the floor and wipes the blood off on her shirt. I was not expecting what she did next.

She cut the palm of her hand and covered the blade with her blood. "Selene moon goddess. I offer you my blood and ask you bless me in this new life." These words I've only ever read them. Is she really doing this now right in front of him?

"Lacy, you don't have to do this. He'll be dead soon, and you will be released from the bond." I grab her hand. She's steady and calm.

"No, Alpha Gideon. It's my choice this time! I'm not leaving it up to fate." I release her hand. This is her decision and hers alone.

She takes the silver blade covered in blood to her mate mark and makes an X. I can't tell if her screams are from the pain of the blade or the pent-up pain of being Nox's captive. She covers the blade in blood again and points the knife tip at Nox, who is in silent shock. "I, Lacy Noland, reject you, Nox Jericho as my mate. I REJECT YOU AS MY MATE AND MY ALPHA!" She drags the blade in a cross pattern on her mark, blood oozing from the cuts. She is fueled by pure blinding rage. "You will never harm anyone again. You no longer hold power over me."

Lacy stumbles on her feet. I don't know if the ritual will take effect since it's not a new moon, and we are not at her birth pack, but if the Goddess heard her, maybe she will grant her this freedom. I step over to steady her. She grips my arm and looks up at me, "Thank you, Alpha." I nod. I have no words. This woman reminds me so much of Amelie with her will to fight forward. I hope the Goddess grants her a second chance, mate. She honestly would be an excellent Luna.

Lacy takes a few staggered steps towards Nox. He's still being held in place by Frank. "Now this ends." She uses the last of her stamina to thrust the knife into Nox's stomach and rip it to the side. The wound is jagged and spurting blood. Frank dops him, and Nox crumples to the floor. "This won't bring back all the people you killed or the lives you've destroyed, but it makes me feel better." Lacy drops to her knees.

Frank drops to his knees next to his daughter. "It's over, princess. I'm so proud of you."

"Daddy." Frank wraps his arms around his sobbing daughter. Her tank top is soaked in blood, and I can see her black scar forming over her mate mark, and her pack mark is fading. The Goddess granted her request.

"Frank, you should get Lacy back…." My chest feels tight. What's this pain? It's the family bond. It's Daisy. I feel a rush of fear and panic come over me. It's the mate-bond.

"I will die tonight, but so will your family!" Nox choaks out his last words, and I take off running.

I shift mid-stride. I run as fast as I can; I'm miles away. It was a 3-hour drive to get here. I can only hope a straight route through the mountains will cut some time and get me there faster. As I am running, I look up. It's a full moon tonight. Ulv stops us and howls up at the moon, offering a wolf prayer. We keep running. "Please, Selene, keep them safe. I will do whatever you ask of me. Just keep them safe until I get there."