Chapter 33 - Edited Once

Stella (Edited Once) TW: Violence

Raymond’s face paled as soon as he heard Julian’s name. He started moving in his place, looking at anything that was near, anything but Julian. So he knew about him?

A moment later, Raymond gathered his courage and glared at my mate. “Yes, I know about Alphas. So what? I’m not afraid of you, you worthless piece of trash. You are worth nothing. You are a monster!” Raymond scoffed but the hint of worry was evident in his shaky tone. He was trying to act tough but failed epically. He hid behind the trigger of his pistol and I could not be more ashamed to have called him brother. As he insulted Julian, Dianna and I growled.

No one talks about him like that.

“Just shut your trap you awful piece of shit, and scram from here. Leave us. Leave me! I am not even your sister! You never considered me as your sister, so just fucking leave!” I yelled my heart out. My tone was laced with confidence and fury.Where was this courage when he beat the crap out of me?

Raymond’s eyes shot daggers at me, and I did not care. I was done caring about anything related to him. He was not worth any type of emotion unless it was hate.

“The little bitch whore has finally found the courage to speak. That’s so adorable but I’m sorry to inform you that I will not leave until I kill you, dearsister. Right here, right now,” he replied with the gun still aimed at me. His words did not mean anything to me. However, my friends were triggered by his words. Skye was about to pounce on him with her claw when Julian did. I did not feel him leave my side until I saw him lifting Raymond by the neck.

When did he...?

“Listen and listen carefully, you motherfucker. I am sick of hearing your annoying voice, so just shut the fuck up. You will not lay your filthy hands on her ever again because I’m going to kill you. Or better yet, I’m going to torture you just like you did to my mate then slaughter you. You’re lower than a piece of shit,” Julian shouted. Luckily, no humans were in sight as they were busy with the dance party.

Raymond struggled to breathe as Julian’s grip was deadly, and Raymond’s face turned a light shade of blue.

″Good thing the music is too loud for anyone to hear,′Dianna commented, enjoying the show. I did not blame her. He was the reason we were separated for years. She protected me as he enslaved me for years.

Raymond raised his hand that was holding the gun and shot Julian. My eyes widened, I was too stunned by his action to actually analyze what just happened. He shot Julian before I could even warn him. I panicked when I heard Julian’s pained scream. His grip on Raymond loosened and that gave him a chance to jerk away, while coughing to catch his breath.

“Julian,” I called, angry and scared for his life. I started running towards him when he mind-linked me.

′Don’t come any closer, love. I’m fine. He only shot my arm, I’m okay. It will heal in no time,′ he reassured in his Alpha voice.

Julian grew up to depend on himself at times like these, but I wanted to help and I could help this time. I looked carefully at him to see his bleeding arm. He was holding it with his good hand. I tried to ignore his request, but he warned, ′Don’t even think about it.′ So I stopped moving. His tone was too dominating in a way that made me paralyzed.

I could not defy his order, and not out of fear, but out of respect.

′Why can’t he or us shift?′Dianna asked, annoyed. She wanted to get involved. But I could not let her because I did not know the level of her strength yet, and I did not want humans to see us.

′We can’t risk anyone seeing us. That would be bad for us all,′I replied, then looked at Raymond, who was trying to attack Julian again.

“Alpha,” Cody called, and Julian gave him a small determined nod while he was tying his arm with a cloth. With that, Cody was behind Raymond in seconds, with his arms around him. He caged Raymond in a position he could not get out of, and since Cody was much bigger than him and well-built, he looked like a small teenager in his huge arms.

“Let go of me,” Raymond shouted at Cody while trying to release himself. It was a futile attempt.

“He deserves what is coming next,” Skye whispered, but I heard her loud and clear. I snapped my head towards her with questioning eyes.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, then arched my eyebrows.

She smirked. “Julian is going to snap his neck, I think, or I hope,” she replied, and my eyes widened. I gazed back at Raymond and Cody to see Julian standing right in front of him with a livid expression on his sweaty face.

“Don’t!” I yelled at them. They looked at me, confused at my outburst. “Don’t kill him,” I ordered.

Julian raised his eyebrows. “Why not, Stella?”

“Because I want to do something,” I reasoned, then began walking towards them. I stopped beside Julian and in front of Raymond.

“What? You’re the one who’s gonna kill me?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, then raised my hand into a fist shape. I smirked as I punched him in his nose using Dianna’s strength. He groaned in pain as thrilled.I raised my other hand and punched him again in his jaw.

“You are fucking stupid if you thought I’d kill you. I’ll leave that to Julian. I don’t know what he might do to you, and I don’t want to know because I don’t care. But you need to know one thing before I never see you again...” He stared at me blankly.

“You were so loved byourparents, I even enviedyousometimes. They gave you anything you ever wanted and needed. You were loved, Raymond, by all ofus. But now, youarea dead stranger to me. Goodbye,brother," I explained quietly. He did not say anything.

He just stared at me with a complicated expression painted on his face.The “envy” part made him too puzzled to move a muscle. I was not lying; I really did envy him. He was my mother’s favorite child, and he apparently failed to see that. He was too busy hating on us to notice the love we gave him.

Julian flashed me with a wide smile, indicating that he was proud of me. “She’s right. She won’t kill you, and neither will I. I’ll just enjoy torturing you every day, making you wish you were dead. God will end your pathetic life, not us,” Julian told him with a wicked smile, making me shudder.

′He’s sexy, alright,′ Dianna commented, and I blushed.

‘Now? Really?’

“Move,” Cody demanded, still caging Raymond, and they started walking to the jeep. Skye and I followed suit. As we were about to get in, a shocking thing happened that left us speechless and frozen, especially Raymond. He was on the ground, covered in a blood pool.

His blood.