I pull away from her, and she hits the floor. Knight and Perry are at my side immediately. When the former King sees her on the ground making the blood puddles bigger, he stops fighting, and Arnold Knightly does what he does best. He takes advantage of the distraction and rips his throat out.
“I don’t- why would she do that?” I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”
“I mean it’s kind of obvious,” Perry says quietly. “How crazy that the knight the former King tried to get rid of, fathered half the royal court?” She looks up at the Alpha King.” What a piece of shit. That was the plan, I guess. They all hated him, and he still managed to get them all killed.” She’s ranting. Her eyes are completely dilated. “I mean, it makes sense. Why we’re so alike. Why we have his fucking hunting trademarks. You have a heightened sense of smell. You have the strategy thing and me too. I see the numbers. It was genius. Complete domination of the wolf species.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” the Alpha king roars.
“Umm. Anyone else feel weird?” Lilly asks. “Like violated?”
“You? You’re not even a part of this.” Jonas scoffs.
“Your father died two years before I was born. Your entire psychotic break is ridiculous,” the Alpha King dismisses her.
“Mommy!”
My heart drops at the sound of my daughter’s voice. I gasp for air and immediately try to get some of this blood off me. I turn around to see that they’re in no better condition. They hit the floor running. I kneel for them. Their little bodies smack against mine, almost knocking me back. All I can do is kiss them. Aizen is the first to push my face
away.
“Daddy, Vous n’avez pas de chemise.” Ayrie says pointing back at his bare chest.
“Je sais. Il s’est déchiré.” he responds casually.
“So many.” Aizen pulls away to go over to him. Knight lifts him up, and Aizen traces the lines of his tattoos to count them.
“Sixty–seven,” Knight tells him.
“Sixty–eight,” he stops at his neck. I cover my mouth when I see that my name is tattooed from his shoulder to his ear, right over the mate’s mark. It’s decorated with blue roses, and it covers more than half his neck.
“What did he do?” Knight asks me, getting upset. “I can’t see it, Angel. Tell me what he
did.”
“He-” I laugh because that is the funniest shit ever. “He tattooed my name on there. The script is actually very pretty. The roses look expertly done, actually. Very realistic.”
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“She’s right. This is nice. It looks expensive.” Perry agrees. “Aww.”
“I’m not doing that.” Jonas shakes his head.
“Would you consider it?” she places her hands on her hips.
“No. Your name is long as shit. We’re not doing that,” he says calmly. Perry looks over at me with a devious smirk.
“She couldn’t have been my relative. My grandfather said that we were the last four Rizens.” I looked down at my daughter to see that she is covered in dirt. Her little hands are still stained red. “Are you okay?”
“I’m tired.” She rests her head on my shoulder. “We go home.”
“Yeah, we’re going home.” Knight agrees, coming closer.
I hug the twins, feeling relieved that they’re both here now. I don’t remember a lot after getting off the elevator, but I’m sure Midnight is going to bring it up in my dreams. I’ve gotten glimpses of how she hunted those wolves the first time she came out. She shows me so I know what to do on my own.
“This isn’t over.” The Alpha King growls.
“I don’t know, man. It seems pretty over to me. This is a fire ass first meeting, Rogue King. There was injustice, and then there was justice. That’s what leading is about.” Lilly crouches down and rips a finger off the former Lycan King’s hand to stick it in her pocket. Then proceeds to do the same with the rest of the bodies.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Knight asks.
“I’m taking samples. I’m doing a paper on the effects of inbreeding within the royal court.” She answers as if it were the most obvious thing. Perry gives me this look.
“Don’t look at me. You were friends with her first.” I shake my head.
“We’re leaving. My kids and my mate need to be looked at and fed.” Knight tugs on my jacket. Am I wearing a leather jacket? I didn’t even know I owned one.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you had taken my first offer,” the Alpha King growls when we try to leave.
“You got what you wanted, Kid.” Knight turns around angrily. “What does it fucking matter how it happened? The Lycan King was mecriful enough to put your sister to sleep so she wouldn’t see how fucked in her head her mother was.
“It’s not a courtesy that was extended to my pups. Consider yourself lucky that my wolf was guided by his mate, or she would be part of the bodies you have to clean up now. My mate cleaned out every traitor in your court. I suggest you find people you can trust or this shit is going to keep happening to you.
“Trust me, man. It’s not easy letting people in when the people who were supposed to protect you betray you,” he looks over at his father. “It’s not easy to recover from it, and honestly, I doubt you ever really do. Try not to pass that shit on to your siblings.
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Especially her. You’re responsible for her now. Do all the shit you wish your parents had done for you or that’s going to be you on that floor one day.”
“You’re father is still alive,” he says.
“And he will remain alive until you grow the balls to come after him.” Knight scoffs.” This is the fucking Alpha King.”
“I can just kill him.” Mr. Knightly says.
“Pop–pop, I got Kuromi on Hello Kitty Island Adventure before the mean lady came.” Ayrie holds her hand out for him.
“Me too.” Perry beams. “I love that game. I have it on my tablet.”
“Me too. We be friends.” Ayrie reaches out for her.
“Yup. I’m going with them.” Perry waves at Jonas. “I’ll see you later, Sweetie.”
“Lillies.” Jonas calls out.
“Going.” Lillies jumps down from one of the statues.
“Where did you come from?” Lilly laughs. Jordan and Tulips jump down and take their place behind Jonas as he goes back to his podium.
Perry takes Ayrie from me, and they continue to talk about their video game. I look back at Mr. Knightly waiting for him to come with us. He sighs and looks between the Alpha King and me.
“If this is what you really want. Then take it.” I say.
“Phoebe,” Knight calls from behind me.
“It’s right there. No one here can stop you. I wouldn’t allow it. But just so you know, it’s not going to bring back everything they stole from us. I know you’re worthy. You know that shit too. She was fucking stupid. She deserved what she got, just like that lady there.” I point at the dead woman. “But now I have to live with the fact that her baby is never going to see her again.
“That every time she sees me or my kids, she’ll hate us and relive what we did today over something neither of us is ever going to understand. Choose. Do the thing and prove you’re the person I believe you are.”
“It’s not that simple,” he shakes his head.
“It is. It’s that simple. You wouldn’t hesitate if this is what you really want. You said it yourself. You don’t know how things got this bad. I want answers, too, but I’m okay with not knowing. Thanks to you, I already have everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“To me?”
“Yeah, you are Knight’s dad. You’ve taught me how to control my instincts. The smell of the blood is making my mouth water. I’d be on the floor licking that shit up of it were up to Midnight. I want to end this kid just as much as you do, but Perry is under the
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impression that he’s our brother. If you hadn’t taught me control, I wouldn’t care if he was. I’ve said it before. No one and nothing can make me hate you. I want what you want. It will always be that way.”
“You’re a very good liar,” he says tightly.
“I needed to be, and I’ve actually never lied to you. I just didn’t tell you what Knight was really doing.” I look back at my mate. “You created that. He did the right thing. If you had your way, he could be that dumb bitch over there.” I point at the Alpha King.” Maybe he’s not the king you wanted him to be, but look at everything he did to spite you. I never even questioned it because I knew he could do it. You gave him everything he needed for it. I know you still believe he’s perfect. I know I do. Nathan Knightly. The fucking Rogue King. Are we proud as fuck or what?”
