SCARLET
The next day, Iâm standing on a makeshift platform beside Ethan in the early morning light. The entire Crescent Moon Pack and the remaining Silver Shadow Pack fill the square as Lucien is dragged onto the stage.
His wrists and ankles are shackled, and his face is sallow. Heâs much dirtier than Iâve ever seen him, given heâs typically a man who cares a lot about appearances. Not having a shower for three days must have been torture for him.
He stands tall, his confidence not wavering. I expected him to be cowering by now, knowing that heâs being marched to his death. ~Does he expect to be rescued? Or does he simply not want his last moments to be of him groveling and weak?~
When his gaze meets mine, he even has the audacity to smirk at me. Ethan growls lowly beside me, and I reach out to grab his hand to calm him.
Once Lucien reaches the center of the stage, the guards force him to his knees. He grimaces as he lands roughly on the hard wood, but quickly recovers as he looks up at the crowd while Ethan steps forward.
âWe are here today to witness the execution of former Silver Shadow alpha, Lucien Fairchild. Lucien has been charged with kidnapping the luna of the Crescent Moon Pack. He partnered with a witch to remove her mate bond without her consent, which goes against all werewolf laws. He then laid siege and became a prisoner of war. His sentence to be carried out is a silver bullet to the head,â Ethan announces loud enough that his alpha voice booms across the arena for all to hear.
Most of his former pack remain quiet, though the Crescent Moon wolves clap and cheer. A guard comes up and hands Ethan the loaded gun, and he takes his place.
âAny last words?â Ethan snarls as he takes aim at Lucienâs skull.
âAs a matter of fact, yes,â Lucien exclaims as an evil glint appears in his eyes, and his lips spread into a thin, wide grin that is maniacal. Then he turns his head in my direction. âI shall never forget you, my muse. I shall remember every inch of you,â he begins, causing chills to run up my spine and nausea to roil in my stomach.
His gaze slides down my body and seems to stop at my stomach, and my eyes widen. âMake sure to take care of MY pup.â
Time seems to stand still as I gasp and cover my mouth, tears filling my eyes. The crowd becomes loud as everyone begins to chatter and try to understand his last words.
We havenât announced the pregnancy yet, and Iâm sure not everyone could tell where his gaze landed. I donât know how he even knew about it. A loud bang fills the air as blood and brain matter spray from him after Ethan pulls the trigger, clearly fuming.
The guards hurry to grab the body as chaos unfolds among the pack. Ethan hurries over to me as I stare ahead, trying my hardest to remember what happened when I was kidnapped.
I was drugged multiple times. And I woke up strapped to a bed and practically naked with no idea how I got there. ~Could he haveâ¦? Oh Goddessâ¦~ I feel sick. I clutch a hand over my stomach as my knees give out underneath me.
Ethan reaches me in time, wrapping his strong arms around me and pulling me to him as we collapse to the ground. His face nuzzles into me as he whispers into my ear.
âHe was lying, Scarlet. I could feel it every time he touched you. There is no way itâs his. Donât worry. He just wanted to get into your head. Donât listen to a word he said. I promise that itâs not true,â he continues, speaking softly to me, soothing my anxiety and fears away as his fingers gently comb through my long red curls while I cling to his chest, breathing in his intoxicating scent.
âMy wolf can sense that the pup inside you is ours. Donât fret, my love,â he assures me as I grip onto him tightly.
My breathing begins to slow as I calm down, allowing Ethanâs words to sink in. I turn to meet his eyes as he continues to hold me close. His gaze softens with concern as he searches my face, wondering if Iâm all right. I nod to him before he helps me back to a standing position.
âItâs over now, Scarlet. Lucien is gone, and he canât hurt you anymore. We have taken over his pack. Youâre safe.â
I shake my head. âSome of the witches got awayââ I begin.
âShh⦠Thatâs a problem for another time. They donât have the numbers anymore. Theyâll need to come up with a new plan and regroup. Cassia is still with us, and weâll continue reaching out for more allies. By the time they come back, we will be ready for them.â
âHow are Cassia and Xander?â I ask curiously. From what Iâve seen so far, they barely speak, and there seems to be quite a bit of tension between them.
âHeâs still being stubborn. Itâs clear he cares for her, but I donât know why he hasnât given in to his wolf and the mate bond yet.â
My head bobs before he adds, âFor now, letâs just worry about our pup growing inside you.â He smiles as his hand travels down to caress my still flat stomach.
I grin back at him. It was quite a shock, but Iâm so happy to be having his pup. I canât wait to see how the rest of our story unfolds.