Page 61 of Brutal Alpha's Sold Mate
“Killing you would be too easy,” she says. “We want information. Like how you acquired so many demons, and what portal you used to bring them through.”
Malcolm’s face pales. Wiley’s eyes dart from left to right as though seeking an opening. I press Malcolm’s face into the dirt, ignoring his muffled groan. “Start talking,” I order, trying to keep my temper under control. “Where’s the portal? How do you keep summoning these monsters?”
Wiley hisses a response. “We found it near the cliffs beyond Red Arrow land. A hidden cavern with a gateway that’s been dormant for centuries. We just… woke it up, that’s all.”
Kai’s lip curls in disgust. “You two realized you could make a fortune selling demon muscle to any power-hungry wolf willing to pay. So you decided to exploit it.”
Malcolm scowls. “Not that simple. The portal opened a path, but controlling what comes through took… expertise. We partnered with someone.”
My wolf rumbles, furious at the thought of more conspirators. “Names. Who else?”
Malcolm clenches his teeth. “Don’t know. They wore a hood, spoke in riddles. They provided instructions. We tested smaller demons, saw success, and built from there.”
I exchange a glance with Kai as unease ripples through us. There’s a bigger threat lurking in the background. Great. One problem at a time, though. For now, we have Malcolm and Wiley in custody.
The shifters who finished mopping up the last of the lesser demons converge on us along with the witches. Alec and Quincey step forward, flanked by a few guards.
Alec gives me a curt nod, scanning Malcolm and Wiley with contempt. “We’ll handle their interrogation. Red Arrow has the means to lock them away. We’ll see if we can glean more about that portal.”
Malcolm begins to protest, but a Red Arrow witch silences him with a muttered incantation that forces him to cough uncontrollably. Wiley tries to lunge away, but a River Valley wolf grapples him to the ground, shackling him in magical chains.
I brush demon grime off my arms as Quincey steps up, surveying the two criminals with disgust. Then he turns to me. “We owe you a debt. I didn’t think you had it in you to coordinate so many packs and keep your head. Guess I was wrong.”
I wait for some biting remark, but instead, Quincey extends his hand. My heart pounds as I accept it, feeling the weight of grudges and tension dissolving in one moment of mutual respect. “I appreciate the help, Quincey,” I tell him. “I’m just glad we put an end to these scum.”
He nods, then steps aside so Red Arrow’s witches can cart off Malcolm and Wiley to their wards. We succeeded. We took down the lair, rescued or finished off every demon, and captured the criminals behind it all.
I glance at Kai, who stands some distance away, talking quietly with Alec and a few East Hills wolves. She looks weary,battered from the fight, but there’s a light in her eyes that reminds me just how strong she is. She wanted justice, and now she’s got it. The realization that we might soon part weighs on me like a boulder.
I swallow hard, gathering my wolves for a quick debrief. They’re bruised, half-limping, but alive. Many nod in my direction, gratitude clear in their expressions. They trust me more now than ever, seeing how I managed to unify different factions. But the success feels hollow in some corner of my soul.
Kai wraps up her discussion with Alec, then approaches me with her arms folded. “So,” she begins, her voice taut, “we did it. No more demon trafficking, at least from Malcolm and Wiley.”
I force a smile. “We did. Thanks to you, rallying witches and watchers from every corner.”
She looks away. “I guess this means you’ll go home now, back to Black Cauldron, since your immediate threat is gone.”
I muster a nod. “Yes. My pack needs me. Reed and Jacob haven’t vanished. I still have that business to settle.”
Her eyes flick to the ground. “Right. I won’t pretend I like it, but it’s who you are.”
I’m not sure what to say that won’t break me. My wolf howls, wanting me to ask her to come with me, or maybe to stay. But we both know the gap between us remains. She belongs here, and my warlike mission won’t do her any favors.
“Take care of yourself,” I manage.
“Same,” she whispers back, hugging herself tightly.
A swirl of movement catches my eye. One of my watchers calls me over, reminding me that we’re set to depart soon. Without another word, I turn away, joining my battered pack.
We march out of East Hills territory, hearts heavy with victory tinged by loss. The entire journey back to Black Cauldron passes in a fog for me. Each step is a reminder that I left Kai behind.
Once we cross into my domain, the familiar pine scent and rugged terrain do nothing to soothe the ache in my chest. I gather my soldiers, debrief them on next steps for reinforcing borders, all the while trying not to think about how empty my future feels. If they notice the change in my demeanor, they have the courtesy not to say anything, probably assuming I’m just worn out from the demon fiasco.
Days slip by. I bury myself in pack duties—meeting elders, scheduling patrols, half-heartedly drafting new strategies for confronting Reed and Jacob. Leonard asks me why my drive has dimmed, but I can’t bring myself to explain. Every night, I collapse into bed, haunted by memories of her laugh, her eyes, and her unwavering moral center.
I realize I’ve lost my appetite for conquest. The demon slaughter changed something in me, forcing me to see the cost of boundless violence. My heart is torn by the memory of Kai standing among East Hills wolves, strong and fearless, while I left like a coward who couldn’t reconcile my ambition with the deeper longing I feel for her.
On the fourth day after returning, I wander outside my cabin early in the morning, cradling a mug of lukewarm coffee. The wind rustles the leaves, and a gentle hush falls across the clearing. I’ve been wishing, in some desperate corner of my heart, that she’d appear. That she’d decide to join me. But hope is a cruel mistress.
