Page 85 of Forced Alpha Bride
She enjoys killing! It’s not casual with her, a means to an end. She loves doing it!
I know that gives her an edge against Damon, who is not violent by nature. As the two of them get closer, my fear returns tenfold, making me shiver so hard that I have to hold on to Galen for support.
Oh, my love… I can’t lose you now!
It seems like a cosmic joke that only now that I’m about to lose Damon, I realize I can’t live without him.
Chapter 26 - Damon
As I watch Regina enter the ring, I feel like my entire life has come full circle to this moment. Every battle I’ve faced, every hardship I’ve lived through, has led me to this place.
She stalks around the perimeter of the circle, her eyes on mine. Both of us are still in our human shapes, sizing each other up. She looks pretty confident. This surprises me, since she avoided the alpha’s challenge before this.
She murdered her squad of guards, as well as a handful of my brothers. She’s more dangerous than she looks.
“What kind of savagery does it take to murder your own people?” I ask her. “How deep is your hatred?”
“I always do what needs to be done,” Regina hisses. “And the accusations against me are ridiculous. You saw how I reacted when my men were brought in.”
“Yeah, I did. And that was a damn good act, Regina.”
A small, vicious smile curves the edges of her lips, and I know for sure she really did murder them.
And she loved it. She’s a monster!
“Those who know me will trust me,” she says. “Especially when I kill you and claim the alpha position. I should have done this the moment Roderick died. It was a mistake on my part to allow tradition to dictate my moves when the pack so clearly needs me.”
“No one needs you and your twisted ways!” I hiss, getting angry. The idea of what she would do to Gryphon Eyrie, as well as the innocent people of Valentine Creek, fills me with a desperation that fuels my rage.
I can’t let her hurt anyone else.
Regina shortens her circle a little, using slow, graceful steps to get closer to me, but still staying out of range.
“I’ll cleanse the pack,” she says. “Traitors will be executed, and only people I trust will be members of the council of my choosing. Then I’ll take down Valentine Creek and end the threat forever.”
She’s getting an almost dreamy look in her eye, and I have to wonder how someone stays functional that long when they are clearly fucking deluded.
“I’m done listening to you!” I yell. “Let’s get this over with!”
I shift into my wolf shape and charge at her. Regina turns towards me, standing still as I race in her direction. She’s still wearing her cruel smile, and I wonder if she’s crazy enough to just stand there while I rip her throat out.
Makes my job easier.
At the last stride, I leap towards her. It seems like my victory is assured, and I bare my teeth, eager to sink them into her neck.
Regina moves so fast, I don’t even see it. Her hand cuts through the air, catching me across the cheek with the force of a concrete wall. I hit the ground hard, all the breath blasted out of me, my head ringing from the blow.
What the fuck?
“Oh, little pup,” Regina taunts, circling me. “Never fought an elder before?”
I get up slowly, drops of blood leaking from my mouth. I keep my eyes on her, realizing now just how dangerous she is.
No, I haven’t fought an elder before. Is it common knowledge that they’re this strong? Why the hell did she avoid the challenge?
As I back slowly away from her, I realize that taking the alpha challenge would not have served her needs. It would have been unusual for a woman to compete for the alpha spot, and she would have had to kill or maim all the challengers who were from the first families. Her allies.
No, far better to prop up a puppet she can easily control and rule from the sidelines. Cunning, clever bitch.
