“Mikhail,” Albus warned, angry at the obvious blow Rafe took. He tried not to show it but Rafe’s eyes darkened with sadness. It had taken Ella’s persuasion for them to see that Rafe was an excellent man, a young man who had suffered for the sins of his father. Albus knew he thought of himself and Mikhail as his own brothers. For Mikhail to hint otherwise was a verbal punch to the stomach that Albus wouldn’t stand for. “Don’t take your own foolishness out on Rafe.”
Mikhail groaned, “Nothing will come of this. I promise. The affair is over with Atia.”
“You had an affair with the wife of the Head of the Midnight Coven! If Devlyn finds out, this will never be over!”
“Well, Atia. You have been a naughty wife, haven’t you?” Devlyn murmured as he circled her like an animal. His eyes raked over his beautiful wife as she dangled by her arms, arms that were clapped in chains attached to the ceiling. A long time ago he had thought Gaia had created this enchanting creature just for him. Now his stomach turned just thinking about where her body had been. “How was it? Sex with a dirty animal? Not even an influential Pack Leader... some small time piece of filth who has the audacity to call himself a leader.”
He watched as her eyes began to tear in rage and frustration. She pulled at her chains, her body swinging from the motion. “I told you I killed Mikhail! It is over, and there is one less lykan in the world!” she cried, her tears turning to blood as they ran over the wounds he had inflicted on her. “Please, Devlyn...”
He laughed humorlessly. “What? You think I’m happy with the death of just one of those mutts? More of them must know that my wife had an affair with one of them. If the Coven ever found out...”
She pulled again at the chains, and looked at him wildly. “They’re strong, Husband. Small-time they may be, but they can’t be killed easily.” Her eyes widened as she thought of something, licking her lips in excitement. “Yes, you won’t be able to kill them unless you infiltrate them. I can help. I can find out their weaknesses, and together we can take them out.”
Devlyn stared, amazed that she would think he would fall for that. “My dear, why would I ask your help to take out this pack, when you’re the reason I have to do a black ops against them in the first place?”
“Devlyn...,”she begged.
It was the last thing she said.
His name.
A plea for his mercy.
He felt nothing after he killed her. Just stared at her in disgust, and turned away from her body. His eyes found his son, who stood in the doorway, his hand on his elder sister’s shoulder protectively, even though he was three years younger than she.
“The Coven is never to hear of this,” Devlyn commanded. He watched as they nodded their heads, their faces belying their own disgust at what their mother had done. He felt their anger hit him like a heat wave, and smiled at their loyalty. They were furious that their mother would have even dared to betray him, let alone with a lykan.
“Adriana,” he coaxed, and his young daughter stepped forward from the shadow of her brother, Ethan. She was just as beautiful as her mother, and the perfect weapon. “Your eighteenth birthday is in what... three months?”
“Yes, Father.”
“I want you training intensively until then.”
“Of course, Father.”
“Don’t you want to know why?”
“Of course, Father.”
He smiled. He had raised his children well at least. They hadn’t been poisoned by their mother’s weaknesses. Adriana would make a fine Head for the Coven once he was gone. “I’m sending you into the pack.”
Her eyes widened at that. “You want me to infiltrate the pack, Father?”
“Yes. I don’t want anyone other than my children knowing of this.” He strode towards her, putting his arm around her small shoulders, leading her to Ethan. His other arm went around his son, and he guided them both from the room in which they’d watched him punish and execute their mother. “If the Coven was to find out, children, this family would be stripped of its title. We go from being royalty to traitors.”
“We understand, Father.” Adriana nodded determinedly. “So, I will infiltrate this pack of mangy dogs and find out all there is to know about them.” She stopped and stared at him with determination in her eyes. “Who their strongest warriors are; their relationships with one another, and thus where their weaknesses lie.”
“Good.” Devlyn was pleased. She had been taught well. He turned to his son. “Why is Adriana’s plan the best we have, Ethan?”
His fifteen year old son pulled himself up straight, his eyes blazing with a hatred that would see him through the worst of the war. “Because there are only three of us, Father, and many more of them. If we can understand their weaknesses, we can exploit them. An emotional lykan is one that we can take by surprise, before they make the change into their... disgusting animal forms. In animal form they are protected from our magik. But as humans...”Ethan smirked. “They’re putty in our hands.”
Devlyn chuckled and squeezed his children closer to him. “Exactly.”
“Albus,” Rafe said quietly, placing his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “I’ve returned.”
Albus turned, his eyes sad as he looked over his friend. “You look well. I take it that last rogue didn’t give you too much bother?”
“No. Not really.” Rafe shrugged, and then took a seat beside him. “Ella says you are adjusting to your duties.”