Something in Ryan broke. He collapsed to his knees, horrible laughter bubbling up – the sound of a wolf losing his mind.
“Jamie killed that pup,” he choked out between laughs. “Marcus was innocent. I knew… I always knew… I let you convince me to
sacrifice my own son to protect a murderer!”
Katherine’s face contorted. “Lies! Jamie would never-”
“Test his claws against the victim’s wounds,” Ryan’s laughter turned to sobs. “Test Jamie’s DNA. I knew the moment I saw the body. The claw marks were too small for Marcus, but perfect for Jamie. I knew, but I was too weak to stand against you!”
Sarah grabbed Jamie protectively, but I saw the truth in her eyes. “You promised to protect us! You swore an oath!”
“And I lost my son for it!” Ryan crawled toward me on his knees, reaching for my hand. “Celeste, please. I’ll make them pay. I’ll avenge him-”
“You already made your choice,” I said, ice replacing the blood in my veins. “You chose them over your mate and pup. Now live with it. Live with it like I have to live without my son.”
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William’s hand cracked across Ryan’s face, drawing blood. “You let us kill our own grandson? For this whore’s murdering brat?”
Katherine swayed, her aristocratic facade crumbling. “The dead pup was our blood? Our true heir?”
“THROW THEM OUT!” William roared, pointing at Sarah and Jamie. “The murderer and his whore mother! GET THEM OUT OF
MY PACK!”
I turned away from their chaos. From Ryan’s broken howls and Sarah’s screams. From Jamie’s confused cries as guards dragged them toward the gates.
“Let’s go home,” Emma whispered, her small hand finding mine.
As we left, Ryan staggered after us, blood dripping from his split lip. “Celeste, please! This is your home!”
“Home?” I laughed, the sound as bitter as wolfsbane. “My home died with my son. In a basement. While you played family with his killer.”
Alexander stepped between us, his Alpha power making the air crackle. “Stay away from my family. You’ve lost the right to call her mate.”
We left them to their destruction – Sarah and Jamie being dragged to exile, Katherine collapsed in the dirt, William raging at the gods.
And Ryan, my mate, kneeling in the mud, destroyed by his own cowardice.
Let them tear each other apart.
Let them taste the pain they fed my son.
Because my vengeance?
It was just beginning.
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