Chapter 40 Executive and Executioner

Executive and Executioner

Avalyn

Nik and I didn't get a wink of sleep last night. After all the drama that I had created, I decided to go check up on Mikhail who was resting in the infirmary. The wounds on his body would heal, that I knew. But the bite was bad. And it looked worse. It looked painful. It hurt to see him in pain. I wish I could help him.

After I got back, I cleaned up the entire office while Nik continued to work. The chair that had been mistakenly pushed back had created a huge dent in the wall.

And where I knowingly pushed him back, the entire wall of bookshelves was crushed. I felt so guilty that I had done all of this for no reason. There was a reason but using my powers like this wasn't the answer.

Nik hadn't commented on it and it was eating me alive. He just told me to go back and sleep but I insisted on cleaning up because I didn't want someone else to clean up my mess. And I knew Nik had a lot of work so he let me be without further argument and continued working.

After cleaning up, I helped him with some filing of papers and doing any and everything he told me.

It was in the wee hours of the morning when we were done but there was only an hour left before the pack meeting. We brushed our teeth, got fresh and I made him some breakfast even though we would be a couple of minutes late. Because from what I knew, he didn't have time to have a single meal yesterday.

When he had seven stacks of pancakes, two full fruit bows, a stack of toasts, and a jar of orange juice, I realized how truly hungry he was and just how much training my mate did every day to shed off these carbs.

"Are you ready?" Nik asked me as we were about to reach the training grounds.

"What do you mean?" I squeezed his hand that was holding mine. The tone he used sent shivers down my spine.

"People are going to die Ava." He said, his tone hard.

I gulped, "is that the only way?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm ready."

I was determined to remain strong. It was about time I took over my duties as the pack's Luna and Nik's mate. Sofiya and Nik had been sharing the responsibilities of a Luna but I am here now and I am capable to do it.

"Good." He nodded as we climbed the stage.

Dimitri, Vladimir, Sofiya, and Andrei were already standing in their positions. Adrian and  Vanessa were standing between Dimitri and Andrei. The entire pack was had crowded around the stage, looking at us in curiosity.

"Bring them forward," Nik announced.

Four guards brought forward a chained-up man and a young woman who I assume were Grant and Bailey.

Their chains were later attached to the posts below the stage. Gasps emerged from the crowd and but a loud cry stood out. A woman came rushing forward, probably Grant's mate but the guards held her back.

"Grant Adams was thought to be a respectable member of a pack. But he is a traitor." Nik snarled. "So is his daughter Bailey Adams."

Silence fell over the pack.

"That's not true." The woman who came forward shouted. "Please tell me it's not true." The teary-eyed woman looked at Grant.

"Grant himself has admitted it," Nik replied.

He nodded to one of the guards. The guard came forward and kicked the back of his knees, making Grant kneel, his head bent in resignation to his impending fate.

"Confess." Nik's voice rang, his wolf more present than ever.

It made sense, even if the human side will betray the Alpha, the wolf side will never. And my making his wolf come forward, Nik was pressuring Grant’s wolf to tell the truth.

"I kept the Mystic Lupus pack updated on everything that happened here," Grant spoke and his eyes widened as if he had no idea why he just said that.

And then suddenly, Nik's blood began humming, his wolf just behind his skin, and his eyes darkened, turning into obsidian black, announcing the presence of his wolf.

His blood hummed louder and louder and then he roared out a growl, making the entire back fall down to their knees.

Dimitri, Vladimir, Sofiya, and Andrei were kneeling too. I had an inch that Vladimir felt the power because Nik was his King and not because he was his Alpha. This was the vampire side that compelled him to bend the knee.

The entire pack was kneeling, their heads bowed down in submission. Only Nik and I remained standing. I felt the need to kneel but it was more of my submissive human side, my wolf wanted to stand proudly beside her mate.

When I looked closely, I saw few people didn't exactly have their heads bowed down. They looked like they were...twitching?

"Anyone who has had contact with other packs without my explicit command, come forward." His voice rang again.

The few twitching wolves stood up and started walking forward as if they were in a trance.

They were the other traitors... their wolves were in control now and wolves don't betray.

But what shocked me was that Vanessa and Adrian also stepped head. I could feel Nikolai stiffen seeing that too.

But they were kids! There has to be some sort of misunderstanding. I closed my eyes and focused on them. After I imagined them, I imagined them walking back, in their previous position, and concentrated on that.

I opened my eyes and saw the kids back in their position.

And then the humming of Nikolai's blood slowly diminished and people looked shocked to see that they were kneeling and quickly stood up again.

The people who had walked forward looked in shock too. The kids looked like they had no idea what happened.

"These people are traitors too," Nikolai announced and a minute later, all seven people that had walked forward were chained to the posts too.

"What will be their punishment?" A woman asked, coming forward.

"Death," Nikolai replied, point-blank.

"If you are going to kill my mate, kill me too." She walked up to her mate and stood beside him, holding his hand. They were looking at each other, probably talking through mind-link and then the man nodded, a tear rolling down his cheek.

Slowly, three more women came forward, one woman holding the hand of a pup and they stood beside their mates. The pup didn't look older than ten.

No.

Nik can't kill children. He won't...

I looked at him, trying to see what he would do but he didn't even flinch. I couldn't feel what he was feeling and his mind-link was shut tight too.

"Are you willing to kill your child because of your treacherous mate?" Nik asked the crying woman.

"Y-yes." She stuttered, clutching the hand of the shocked-looking pup. He looked at his parents in shock but he didn't say anything.

"That is not your decision," I spoke, looking at the woman who didn't have the right to be a mother. I searched for what Nik felt about me intervening but when I felt him caressing our bond, I took that as a go sign.

"What's your name?" I smiled, looking at the pup.

"Finn." He said in a small voice.

"Come up here, Finn," I said, challenging the woman to try and stop the kid. She loosened her hold on Finn who slowly climbed up the stage.

"Do you realize what your father has done?" I asked.

He slowly shook his head.

"He has betrayed our pack. And our Alpha." I said softly and he glanced at Nik in fear before looking at me again.

"Do you think that is right?" I asked again.

He shook his head.

'Vladimir, can you help me?' I mind-linked him.

'Of course, what can I do for you?' He replied instantly.

'The situations you created for everyone at the initiation, I want you to do it again. Family or betraying the pack.' I told him.

'Yes, Luna.' He replied and walked up to Finn, putting his hand on his head, and then murmured something in his ear.

Even though right now Finn said that it was wrong, I didn't want him to grow up resentful of the pack and Nik—who had ordered his parents to be killed. I knew that scorned hearts are the ones who seek vengeance first. And this was his age that he would remember everything and that's how he will be molded. And if his parents did a bad job bringing him up, it would stay in his mind forever. He was a pup and would turn in a couple of years, this was the age that would determine his traits.

Slowly, just like in a dream, a movie started playing in front of my eyes.

Finn was standing with his parents who had a dagger in their hands and were slowly walking towards Nik and me. We had our backs away from them and were happily talking to the entire pack.

Finn looked between his parents and his Alpha and Luna who would soon be dead in his parent's hands. I could feel the dilemma about what to do going on in his little head.

He ran to catch up to his parents who were already halfway through their way to us. Finn tried to stop them but they pushed him away.

"Mother, father, please, no!" He cried but they didn't see to hear him.

His shoulders sagged in defeat and I held my breath. I knew what would happen if Finn didn't take the right step and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

His parents were only a couple of steps away from us and he only stood there, looking at his parents with wide eyes.

Three steps.

Finn let out a harsh breath.

Two steps.

"Father, please no!" He begged, crying now.

One last step. I held my breath. Please make the right choice child.

"Alpha!" Finn yelled making Nik turn around just in time to catch a glimpse of the traitor and save himself.

And then the image disappeared and I could see the entire pack again. Finn opened his teary eyes and looked at us, breathing a breath of relief. Then he glanced back to look at his parents and saw them standing near the posts.

He quickly turned back to look at me. "What will happen now?" He whispered.

"They will have to be punished," I said softly to the scared pup. No child should have to witness his parent's execution.

"Will you not give them food for one day?" He frowned, tilting his head in thought.

Where did he learn that? "No."

How should I handle this?

"I told you, Finn should die with us. We are his parents. His family!" His mother interjected. The father remained silent, looking at the ground.

"You will not talk to your Luna in this manner," Nikolai growled. "All the traitors of the pack will be executed. And the mates that want to accompany these traitors are welcome. I will not tolerate any form of betrayal. And the only punishment is death."

"Kneel." His voice thundered.

Ten people, I counted, including the three mates of the traitors kneeled. I knew what was to come and this time, I didn't shy away from the view. They deserved it.

Ten guards stood in front of each person, their claws extended.

Bleeding them out will be very painful.

I gathered Finn in my arms and hugged him to me, so he wouldn't see anything. No child should see his parents be killed in front of him.

With a nod from Nik, the guards slashed their throats. The entire pack cheered, happy about the death of the betrayers. No one liked snitches. No one liked compromising their safety. Especially since all of us were theoretically rogues and all the packs in the world were waiting for an opportunity to strike.

What worried me was that Finn didn't cry. He didn't react at all. He only stood still. With zero reaction.

After everyone dispersed, Nik called Sofiya and told her to settle Finn in foster care. After he was settled down, he could choose between the couples that wanted to adopt him. He also suggested Tessa and Mark or Shawn and Lauren—the couples I had originally shortlisted for Adrian and Vanessa.

Nik then told Dimitri to keep a close eye on them for the day. I could feel Nik's pain upon Adrian and Vanessa's apparent betrayal but I knew that there had to be a backstory for this.

Nik and I quickly ran back to the house. This meeting had taken more than what Nik had suspected. Nik changed into a black suit, much like the day of our first date which made my heart jump. He looked delicious in formals.

He had laid out a formal dress for me along with high heels. I was a little skeptical about wearing heels because I was only used to flats or shoes and walking in heels was very difficult. I knew that much from our date and I had been sitting most of the day.

But then I would be sitting most of the day today too.

When I came out of the closet, the heat in Nik's eyes set my body on fire. I guess he liked the hot secretary look on me too.

"You look sexy." He flashed a panty-dropping grin.

"T-thanks. You too." I blushed. You too? Seriously? That's all I could come up with? "I mean you look handsome." I corrected.

He only chuckled and grabbed my hand before we descended the stairs. A two-doored beautiful red sports car was parked out of the door. I flashed a knowing grin towards Nik. He loved cars. Something I noticed most men did.

He opened the door for me. "Thank you." I pecked his cheek before sliding in. He handed me a briefcase that I hadn't noticed before which I placed in my lap.

We were on the highway in ten minutes.

I noticed we were heading out of the human town and I frowned. "Your company isn't in the town?"

"The town is far too underdeveloped for setting up a successful business, Love. We are going to the city. It's a three-hour drive." He told me.

"Oh." It made sense. The human town was much of a laid-back town where most people did farming. "But what will I do there? I don't know anything." I had hadn't even completed high school. I remember begging Emilio to let me finish school. The compromise was me being home-schooled by Mrs. Maria for six months before they killed her.

Nik seemed to understand my dilemma as he threaded his fingers through mine, lifted our linked hands, and then kissed the back of my hand. "It doesn't matter if you haven't finished high school. What matters is that you have a sensible head on top of those shoulders. All you have to do is what I tell you to."

I could do that. It's one of the things I did best.

Not recently, you don't. The guilt over accusing Nik last night and hurting him emotionally and physically with my magic was weighing heavily on me. I knew that it could hurt him and at that moment, I truly wanted to hurt him. Very much so. I closed my eyes in guilt.

"What's going on in that pretty little head?" He glanced at me and then back on the road.

"Last night," I whispered. He hadn't said a word about it. It only added more to the misery. I deserved a punishment.

"What about it?" He asked as nothing had happened.

"I- I accused you of cheating," I murmured. "And I used my powers to hurt you," I added, my heart clenching painfully,

"And?" He asked.

"And...I hurt you." I said.

"And?" He asked again.

"I-" I thought more about what I did. I had already confessed everything so I came up blank. "I don't know." My shoulders sagged.

"You didn't trust me. You directly assumed the worst. And you came to my office knowing what you thought I did. You didn't ask." He told me.

My chest tightened again. I messed up. "I'm sorry."

He didn't reply. I didn't prod him further either. I knew he was hurt and he needed time to forgive me. I would do anything to earn it. It would be so much better if just punished me. Why wasn't he punishing me?

After about three silent hours, we entered the city and I looked at the tall buildings in fascination. I had only heard about the city when I was a child. I had never been here. It looked so pretty.

And in another half an hour, Nik pulled up in front of an all glass and steel building, Volkov Corp. written on the doors discreetly. I looked at Nik, who looked totally in his element. Did he own this? The entire building? How rich was he exactly?

"We are comfortable enough," Nik said as he opened the door for me. I didn't even realize he had gotten out of the car.

He extended his hand for me which I took and stood up. I had forgotten about the briefcase on my lap which was about to fall but Nik was quick to catch it. I blushed as I stood straight and closed the door.

We walked through the doors, his hand now on my lower waist as he guided me past the gawking employees towards the elevators. After a meaningful look from their boss, they quickly emptied the elevator before we got in. No one dared to get in too. It was weird to see Nik have such control over people who weren't even werewolves within our pack.

The elevator pinged before opening and Nik guided me down the hallway.

"Bring me the report of the last quarter. Ten minutes, Ross." Nik told the guy at the reception before he produced a key from his pocket and opened a door with his name engraved on it on a sleet plate.