Chapter 20

CLEMENTINE

“I’m sorry,” I tell Ivan weakly as I hold his face close to mine. I can’t imagine what it must’ve felt like to have his mate betray him.

Ivan looks like he’s trying to hide his anger and grief, like he doesn’t want to be vulnerable in front of me. It makes me sad. He should be comfortable with me.

“It’s not your fault,” he says, holding me by the waist. “You are different.”

~No, I am not.~

“What happened to her?” I ask, already knowing the answer. I don’t want to upset him, but I want to know more—and I want to learn it from him.

“I killed her,” he spits with venom, “and I’d do it all over again.”

~Great!~ I think sarcastically.

“She deserved death,” I say, nodding. I then hold him close to keep him calm.

When Alex told me about mates, he never mentioned rejection, but that’s the only thing I’m thinking of right now. I know Ivan can’t kill me, but my heart is going to break when he rejects me for being part witch.

“Let’s go,” my mate says, suddenly standing up. He looks determined and mad.

“Where?” I ask, standing as well.

“We are going back to the pack. Your mother is dying tonight.” With that, he turns around and walks into the forest.

As I follow, I try to reason, “But Alpha Jake won’t allow it!” I’m not afraid, but I don’t want to kill her because of Alex.

“Do you think that I care?” Ivan growls, and I can tell Leonid is trying to come out. “I am the alpha king, and I can do whatever the hell I want.”

I try again. “Well, there’s a whole pack of them. We’d have to get ready to fight.”

His eyes glow yellow. “I’m ready—aren’t you?”

Suddenly, Helia takes over. My wings spread, and flames cover my body. My eyes turn bright orange, and I can feel fire coming out of my nose.

~Helia, why do I feel like a dragon?~

She rolls her eyes and tells me, ~“This happens when I’m angry.”~

~Oh. Okay.~

“I’m ready,” Helia’s voice booms out loud.

~Why the fuck is she so mad?~

As if on cue, Leonid takes over Ivan’s body, and instead of a gorgeous, worth-eating man, a huge, black wolf with bright-yellow eyes stands. He comes toward us and starts licking our neck—or Helia’s neck.

~God, this is so confusing.~

He keeps licking until she pushes him, earning an angry growl.

~Why did you stop?~ I ask, and I can tell Leonid is wondering the same thing.

“I’m not in the mood,” Helia says angrily, and walks away.

Leo follows us like a puppy, groaning every once in a while. He’s clearly not happy about Helia pushing him away when he was having fun, but I think it’s good that she did that. Did he think that he’d have her that easily?

I mean, I’m glad she’s not easy like me. The moment Ivan opened his arms to me, I hugged him like jelly. I’m too weak to push him away. He is just…beautiful.

~“Dammit!”~ Helia says to me. ~“Focus!”~

~Right, sorry!~

All of the sudden, Helia huffs and picks up Leonid’s large, heavy body. Carrying him, we fly all the way back to the pack house.

~Fuck, I didn’t know that we are that powerful.~

We land with a thud, and everyone lingering outside the pack house starts running inside. ~I would also run away if I saw Leonid and Helia,~ I think.

Shouts and screams come from inside, and then Jake, Alex, and Dixon come out—confusion covering their faces until their eyes land on us. As I look at Alex, I feel him saying, “Please, don’t do this,” as if he knows we’re here to kill his mother. My heart clenches. I’m sure he wants me to kill her, but he doesn’t at the same time, you know?

“What are you doing here?” Jake yells, but Leo growls, and he immediately submits.

“I am here to take what’s mine,” Helia says, swirling her flame-covered hand as if ready to fire.

“There is nothing yours in this pack,” replies Jake, who clearly has a death wish.

Ivan takes over and walks toward Jake in his naked, gorgeous, beautiful, sexy—

~“Focus!”~ Helia yells.

Ivan takes Jake by his neck and growls, “You respect your queen, pup!”

Jake’s eyes widen as if surprised that I am Ivan’s mate. I mean, wasn’t it obvious when he kept saving my ass?

As Helia takes us inside the pack house, looking for Sofia, a pack member says, “She’s in Jake’s office with your father.”

Alex follows, pleading, “Clem, wait! Please.” He tries to touch my arm, but Helia lets the fire surrounding us sting him.

~Don’t do that!~ I say. ~It’s Alex.~

~“I am mad now, Clem. Sofia hurt you before we became one, and she has to die.”~

~You’re right, sorry.~

Alex tries to stop us again, and Helia huffs in annoyance. “What?”

“Let Clem talk to me.”

“No. Talk to me—she’s listening.”

“Clem, please don’t do this. Don’t be a killer—I don’t want that for you. I will kill her, I promise.”

“Clementine might trust you to do this, but I don’t,” Helia says. “Besides, Clem isn’t the one who is going to kill her—I am.”

Alex looks confused, probably wondering, ~What’s the difference?~ But what Helia meant is that I will not be using my magic to kill Sofia; Helia will be using hers.

Without waiting for my brother to respond, Helia turns around and barges into Jake’s office.

My father and stepmother are caught off guard by our presence, and Sofia’s face betrays her fear that her time has come. Without hesitation, Helia walks over and takes Sofia by her hair. Sofia falls to the ground, and Helia drags her outside.

Suddenly, I hear someone call my name. I haven’t heard my name come out of his mouth in so long that it makes me happy for a second, but then I remember how for years he was ignorant and uncaring toward me. ~And now he’s talking to me because I’m killing his wife?~

Helia stops and turns toward my father, who looks both sad and happy. She’s about to yell at him when he says, “I am proud of you.”

Helia rolls her eyes and continues walking outside. There, she lets go of Sofia’s hair and stands beside Ivan, who has Jake on the ground. My eyes landed on Ivan’s, and I almost die from the desire, but I control myself; I don’t need another “focus” from Helia.

“Listen to me, and listen very well,” Ivan starts, addressing the pack. “I am the alpha king, and all of you submit to me and only me. Your alpha”—he points at Jake—”is not worthy of being one. Therefore, I will appoint another one.”

Everyone gasps and looks at each other in shock. Fuck, even I am in shock.

“Alex,” Ivan calls, making my heart race.

He bows his head in submission. “Yes, Alpha?”

“Kill him.”

Alex’s eyes widen in horror.

~I’m sorry, Alex,~ I think.

“What?”

“Kill him. I want you to be the next alpha,” Ivan explains.

Alex hesitates, then looks into my eyes. I nod…or Helia nods, whatever.

~Do it.~

Then my brother takes out his claws and digs them deep into Jake’s chest. As he takes the former alpha’s heart out and throws it on the floor, Alex’s eyes turn red—a sign that his wolf has taken over to claim victory.

He had help, but still.

~“Can you stop judging?”~ Helia shrieks.

~Sorry!~

With the alpha deposed, we walk back toward Sofia, who cowers in fear. Helia takes her by the neck, but before she dispatches my stepmother, we catch my father’s eye. He looks afraid and confused, but also a little relieved.

Helia tightens her hold around Sofia’s neck, making the woman’s eyes roll back and her breathing slow down. It’s then that I realize I’ve waited for this moment all my life, even when I thought I’d never kill anyone.

The truth is, I’ve had the urge to kill since when I was young. Maybe it was Helia, who was so mad at Sofia and Joana that she wanted to rip their bodies to shreds. I don’t know.

All I know is that when Sofia pleads, “Please, let me go,” it’s me—not Helia—who chuckles.

“You didn’t see me beg when you killed me, ~Mother~,” I say. I lean in close to her ear and whisper, “Too bad you’re going to die in the hands of a witch.”

Before she can open her mouth to respond, I rip her head off, and her body falls onto the ground. Her head rolls until it’s stopped by Ivan’s leg.

He gives me a wide, vicious grin. “Good job.”

I smile at him but explain that I need some space. I don’t want him to look at me like I’m a lunatic when I take off.

Because right now, I can feel my power doubling inside of me, and all I can see is fire. Fire is in my eyes as if all Helia wants to do is set everyone ablaze.

Controlling the urge, I turn to Alex and smirk. “Congratulations, Alpha.”

With that, I spread my wings and fly away.