Chapter 301

The elevator dings at the top floor and the doors open.

The Alpha King, still gripping my throat with one hand while the other holds a gun to my temple, drags me out of the elevator first. The entire top floor is just one room. A massive meeting room with windows on every wall.

The view is incredible. You can see for miles up here.

There’s a large table with chairs in the center of the room. The Alpha King coaxes me over there.

The brothers and Isaac follow carefully behind. More goons meet them at the doors. These goons are also holding guns.

Silver bullets are fiercely regulated in the nation. I suppose the Alpha King doesn’t have to worry about that. With all his power, he can likely get as many as he wants.

The threat he poses here in his own domain is very real. He has all the power here. He could shoot us all dead and there would be hell all we could do about it.

The Alpha King forces me down onto the seat near the head of the table. He himself sits in the seat at the end. A guard in an officer’s uniform comes close. The Alpha King passes the gun to him. He stands very near me, the gun pointed to my head with precision.

“Come,” the Alpha King waves to the others. “Sit.”

The brothers and Isaac sit down, with the goons looming over them threateningly. The brothers show no outward signs of discomfort by their presence. Even Isaac is putting on a strong face against the danger.

“Well, we are here, father,” Neil says. He leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. He laces his fingers together. “Tell us, what exactly do you want?”

The Alpha King leaned back in his chair. It creaked under the shift in weight.

“Your stunt the other night was something of an embarrassment to me,” he said. “I thought it best that we meet again, in a more pleasant environment, to discuss the necessary steps going forward. As well as the necessary consequences of your actions.”

“You became sick,” Neil says. “That is hardly our fault.”

“Don’t play a fool, boy,” the Alpha King snaps. “It’s far too late for that to be anything other than insulting.”

Neil’s brow lowers. He drops all pretext. “You came there that night to threaten us. We responded in turn.”

“Like hell you did. You poisoned the leader of your nation! Let alone your father!” His voice breaks twice into shouting. I straighten in my chair, as the Alpha King glances at me. “Give me that gun back,” he says. The officer hands it over at once.

“Now wait a minute,” Neil says.

“Put the fear of the Gods into you now, didn’t I, boy?” the Alpha King says. His wicked smile is back. He shakes the gun at me. His finger is too close to the trigger. I hold my breath.

“Father,” Neil says.

Archer is sitting ramrod straight in his hair. His eyes are flashing red.

Beau is gripping the armrests of his chair so hard they look like they are bending.

Steven’s hands are curled into fists on the tabletop.

“Now I have your ear, huh? Good. The fact of the matter, children, is that you have mortally offended your only father. If you had kept this a private, family matter, I might have forgiven it. But you made it public with your interviews and your backing of that worm who runs against me.”

“We can fix it,” Neil says.

“You will fix it,” the Alpha King says.

I look sideways at the Alpha King, at the way his hand shakes, at the unsteady way he’s waving that gun around.

If I’m quick… very quick… I might be able to disarm him.

A warning glance from all four of the brothers at once gives me pause. They’ve all come to know me well.

But that doesn’t change the fact that I hate being a hostage. I’m not helpless. If I can disarm him, they can easily face the rest. Even with guns, the brothers have the advantage. The guards look tired and weary. Some are still rubbing at their wounds from downstairs.

A surprise attack is what’s needed here. I try to convey that to Neil with my gaze. But Neil won’t look back at me, his eyes moving and staying fixed to his father.

Instead, Archer glares at me. I know that look, Move even an inch and I’ll kill you myself.

He would never kill me, of course. The more Archer barks, the more he cares. The deeper his glare, the more worried he is.

I understand some of their hesitation. Even with lightning fast reflexes, I can’t exactly dodge a bullet two inches away from my head, if that gun actually does go off.

“And Isaac,” the Alpha King says sharply.

Isaac lifts his head. He swallows hard.

“I am most disappointed in you,” the Alpha King continues. “Here you are, a loyal and trusted confidant. And you throw your lot in with this wayward lot. How exactly were they able to turn you against me, huh? Or was it this harlot who whispered in your ear.” He presses the muzzle of the gun to the center of my forehead.

“Father,” Neil says quickly yet calmly. “We are talking. Please lower that gun.”

“Stay out of this, you ingrate. I am speaking with Isaac.”

Isaac clears his throat. “It was not the words of your children or my step-daughter that swayed my judgement of you,” Isaac says. “Rather, it was your own actions while you were in my home that convinced me you are not a man worth following.”

My eyes go wide. I’ve known Isaac to be a good man, but I had no idea he could be so bold. So brave. Even in the face of certain demise, his morals did not falter.

Gods, I am so glad he ended up with my Mom. He’s a good man.

The Alpha King narrows his eyes. “What a disappointment you are,” he sneers. “Regardless, I can give you, too, an option to leave this room unharmed and return to your regular life.” He looks at Neil. “Play your cards right, and everyone gets what they want.”

“What is it you think we want?” Neil asks carefully.

The Alpha King laughs. “You want the girl to live, don’t you?”

The brothers and Isaac all look at me. I glance at them only for a second before glowering at the Alpha King.

It’s just as Neil warned. The Alpha King invited me only to attempt to harm me. Like this, he can use my life as leverage to get whatever he wants.

It makes me so unbelievably angry.

I am not a bargaining chip to be tossed around. I am a person.

I am a warrior.

I just need my moment. A hole. An opening. And I will make my move.

“I cannot publically forgive you all for what you’ve done. Not after how you’ve humiliated me,” the Alpha King says. “However… if we say that this girl was a temptress pulling all of strings...” He grins at me. “Then things can return to normal.”

I’m no scape goat! I ready myself for Neil to tell him to buzz off, but the longer I wait for his reply, the more uncomfortable I become.

I look at Neil, and he’s deep in thought.

He can’t actually be thinking this over?