Chapter 61

I’m restless, my wolf is seething with anger. I barely acknowledged the guards as I pushed past them, determined to get to my destination before Winter realizes what I’m up to. She’s too nice, my mate, too forgiving for her own good. She might not want Candice to pay for what she’d done, but I needed to prove a point. That no one attacks or insults my mate and gets away with it, no matter who they are, or what they once were to me. Winter is to be treated with respect. There was no point trying to be mates.

If I wasn’t going to show everyone just how serious /

was about it, was there? Nobody messes with me or disrespects me like that and gets away with it.

God, It stinks down here, is my first thought as I storm downstairs, barely greeting the guards who all scramble to get out of my way. Then again, what was I expecting? It’s a dungeon for Christ’s sake. It’s supposed to smell like old and new blood, as well as dank and mould. Still, it wouldn’t hurt for it to be cleaned, I thought to myself, making a mental note. It really is putrid down here. I sure as hell am not going to be spending any more time down here than is necessary to make my point.

“Where is she” I growled at the last guard and watched him gulp nervously, before his hand pointed towards the last cell on the right, trembling in his fear of me. Good. He should be afraid. My wolf was dangerously close to the surface and I’m not in the mood to be trifled with.

“Get the trolley”, I grunted and wandered down to the last cell, feeling a sense of satisfaction as I heard her crying softly. She should be afraid. I can’t believe the nerve of her. Did she really think there would be no repercussions. I know all she wants is to be Luna, she never really cared for me at all, but why attack Winter then?

Was she that delusional that she thought we would get back together again if Winter wasn’t in the picture? After everything she’d said and done?

They’ve followed my instructions and she’s dangling from the ceiling, restrained and shackled, a look of absolute terror in her eyes. Terror, I notice idly, that seems to vanish the instant she spots me. Does she think that I’m going to go easy on her? When she’d all but confessed she hadn’t given a damn about me and it was all for show? Did she think I would be merciful because of our past? I feel a pang of regret. Because if that’s what she’s expecting, then she’s in for a rude awakening.

“Here, you go, Alpha Kai” the guard stammers and I wave him away, watching her mouth open in shock as her eyes dart back to me “Kai” she stammers, “please, you don’t want to do this. Think about what we had together”

I c**k my head at her. “It’s Alpha Kai to you b***h” I snarl “and tell me what it is I don’t want to do?”

Tobserved the trolley, watching her pitiful attempts to break free. As if she could. Silver prevents werewolves from shifting and she’s surrounded by it all, which is painful in amongst itself.

“What about what we meant to each other” she tries and I scoff at her, unable to keep a straight face.

“We meant nothing to each other, remember Candice? I was just a means to an end, a way for you to become Luna”, I hissed and she stared at me, her eyes wide, her breathing becoming faster and more panicked.

“That’s not true” she protests weakly and I say nothing, slowly putting my gloves on and picking up a small silver whip, smiling down at it as she wiggles in her restraints.

I strike her, watching her back arch in shock as she lets out a small whimper. I actually held back. But she acts as whimpers become louder, more hysterical as time progresses.

“Please stop” she screams, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”, she sobs and I put the whip down and look at her tear-filled eyes, feeling numb inside. I feel nothing, no mercy towards her, no feelings whatsoever, even after spending so long with her by my side.

“You attacked my mate” I growled, picking up a small dagger that made her gulp nervously.

Her eyes stared directly into mine, beseeching me to stop.

“I won’t do it again” she spits out, her body swaying slightly in her shackles “I swear, I won’t do it again.

I was just upset” she whimpered, “you broke up with me like I meant nothing to you.”

Does she think this will appeal to my sympathy? Because her words mean absolutely nothing to me whatsoever.

“As I recall, you were the one to tell me it was all for show” | snarled and thrust the dagger into her leg, pulling it downwards in one long stroke as she screamed and screamed, the sound filling the otherwise silent dungeon.

“You bastard” she screams, and I do it again, not liking the disrespect. She shuts her mouth and looks at me fearfully as I hold the dagger in my hand and begin to circle around her. The silver burns her flesh, the dagger leaves long scars that will never heal. A testament to just how angry I am with her.

“Why her” she sobs and I stare at her, incredulous as to why she’s even daring to ask that question.

“Why her? What’s so good about that girl, that you would give me up for her? She’s not even that pretty!”

Now she sounds pitiful, completely pathetic. I don’t want to answer, but part of me, a small part of me, believes that maybe I do deserve to give her an explanation. Maybe she’ll realize the futility of going after winter if I speak.

Besides Winter is beautiful. She might not be like Candice who likes to wear makeup and go to extreme lengths to dress nice, but she has her own inner beauty and looks pretty without all the makeup. She was pretty and beautiful in her own way. But I doubt Candice would understand that.

I thought about my answer. “She’s kind”, I said quietly, “she’ll go to great lengths to friend anyone.

She’s pure, untainted like I am. She can make everything better by simply smiling at me. Material things don’t matter to her and I’m just starting to realize that” I breathe out “all she’s ever wanted was to be loved and cared for and I’m going to make that happen for her. I never felt this way towards you, Candice, not ever. I’m sorry but you just weren’t the one for me and you know that too. You’ll find your own mate one day and then you’ll understand what I mean.”

For a minute, Candice is silent, digesting my words and I put down the dagger, my heart no longer in it and no longer wanting to take part in any of this torture.

“She’ll ruin you” Candice says and my head shoots up in disbelief, my eyes glaring daggers at her.

“You think she’s so innocent, but what if she’s not Kai? What if you’re only seeing what you want to see? Nobody is that pure, nobody. You’re living in a fantasy world” she laughs, “and I can’t wait to see what happens when reality hits you, because it will, and it will hit you hard”, she sneers.

I shake my head. She should have kept her mouth shut, I think to myself. This was all on her now.

Without warning I pick up the silver cat o nine tails and begin to whip her hard, ignoring the sounds of her screaming, the shrieks and the pleas for me to stop. When I finally do stop, it’s because my arm has become sore from overusing it and her body dangles there, blood splattered on the floor, the walls, and even on the ceiling. She’s quiet now, her eyes barely open and I feel nothing but contempt and disgust towards her.

I tried, I really did, to make her see my point of view, but all she’s interested in is trying to break me and Winter up. Why can’t she just move on? Especially since she claimed she didn’t love me in the first place? It’s infuriating.

I take off my gloves. There’s no point continuing the torture any further. The guards sense my anger and stay well back as I leave her cell and turn to them.

“Get her medical treatment” I said snidely, “not that she deserves it. A few days in here and then let the stupid b***h go”. I snap and they nod their heads at me. Glad to be finished now, and certain that Candice understands my position when it comes to my mate, I start to turn and head up the stairs when I hear her voice, so quiet that I almost miss it. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end with her words.

“I’ll get you back for this” she whispered. “don’t think I won’t Kai. You’ll regret you ever did this to me.”

I laughed it off. There’s no way she’s going to be stupid enough to lay a hand on Winter again. Not when she fully knows the next time will result in her death. But it doesn’t stop me from hearing it in my mind, over and over again, as I leave the dungeon and head towards my mate who is most likely waiting for me in the bedroom. Could Candice really be that stupid and would I have to continue to regard her as a threat? I decide to mull things over and think about banishing my ex-girlfriend from the pack. But I won’t burden Winter with that information. I don’t want her to speak on Candice’s behalf. She might not get how vengeful my ex-girlfriend could be but I have my suspicions that – Candice isn’t finished when it comes to my mate, and that’s what scares me the most.