Walked Away 66

66 It Isn’t Possible

Xavier POV

This can’t be happening. I can’t lose Evie or our pup, is the thought on repeat in my head as I follow Olivia through the pack house. Why would Miranda do this? Who the hell was Olivia talking about when she said Cassandra? As I round the corner, my eyes look toward the cell that Olivia is standing in front of. All the air is knocked from my lungs and I can’t breathe. It’s not possible for him to be here. He’s dead. I was there when they burned his body.

I fall to my knees and the only word I can bring myself to say is “how?” This has to be another trick of Miranda’s. His laugh sends a shiver down my spine. It’s still the same cold sound that lets me know what he is about to say is anything but funny. “Still pathetic I see. You and your brother were such disappointments. Always concerning yourselves with what is right instead of what is necessary,” he says.

“You aren’t real. This is a game that Miranda is playing because of the pup. Who are you?” “You really are dense. You still think this is about the pup she lost. She never wanted the pup. Hell the pup wasn’t even yours, Xavier. Once we found out it was a boy, Cassandra started having visions about your wh*re of a mate,” he says. “The pup wasn’t mine.” “What’s the matter, son? Thinking about how heartbroken you were when the pup died, thinking you lost your son” he says, his smile evil.

“You are disgusting. What was the point? Why even include me in your little love triangle?” He throws his head back and laughs. “Love, still such a little boy believing in a fantasy. Love isn’t real. Power and status are real. Once your brother died and Cassandra started having visions of you and your little mate, we assumed your daughter would be the midnight wolf. It’s the only reason I knocked the witch up to begin with,” he says.

“Who the hell is Cassandra?” “Ask the Lycan King standing behind you? He knows her well, don’t you my king,” he says and bows condescendingly. The man growls as he steps toward the cell. “I should have known a snake like you would be involved in this mess. I didn’t recognize you at first because time hasn’t been kind to you, William, but the minute you spoke I knew exactly who you were. So desperate to become king, you would do this to your own son. You would take his mate from him,” he says.

“Do you think I care about him in the least? He and his brother were a product of what happens when you accept what the goddess gives you. Their mother was an omega and my father insisted I accept her. So sure of the goddess‘ wisdom. He insisted she would make me stronger. All she did was produce weak Alpha pups. I knew I was right the minute I broke our bond,” he says.

“What the hell did you just say?” A sinister smile breaks across his face, and he steps closer to the bars. “I said your mother was weak and pathetic. She caught me f**king her best friend. She was already broken from the pains of my betrayal, so I put her out of her misery and rejected her. She lasted three days because she was so f**king weak,” he says.

“You ba**ard. She loved you. She wasn’t weak, she was kind. She was your f**king fated mate. Everyone in the pack loved her except you. You were f**king monster that spit in the goddess’s face. You think you can be king. You are nothing but a sad little man parading around like an Alpha. You and your wolf were never worthy of my mother or this pack.”

Atlas finally manages to take control. “Open the f**king door so I can show him what a real Alpha wolf can do, Atlas growls. Olivia steps in front of us. “Don’t hurt her, Atlas.” “Do you think I would hurt our pup? Even if

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she doesn’t feel the same way, she is mine.” “Atlas, I know you’re angry and scared, but if you kill him we won’t

find mom.” Did she just call Evelyn mom? Goddess, I wish she were here to hear it even if it was a slip of the

tongue.

Atlas gives me back control. “Drag him to the room at the end of the hall.” I notice fear flash in my father’s eyes for the first time since he started spouting about how pathetic I am. “You wouldn’t dare. You never had the stomach for torture, pup,” he says. “I’m not your pup and you’d be surprised what you can do when the love of your life is missing. You’d be surprised how far you will go for answers and to punish the ba**ard that helped take her.”

The man he called the Lycan King swings open the door and William backs up until he is grabbed by two of the men. “Cassandra, please. Help me,” he calls out. I almost laugh until she answers. “Sorry William, I have

what I want. Besides, I’ve grown bored with you and your ramblings about being king,” a feminine voice says from behind us. I turn just in time to see Miranda turn into a woman I don’t recognize and then fade from

view.

“F**k, they are the same person. I thought you said you’ve known Miranda since you were children,” Olivia says, accusation in her tone. William’s laugh has us all turning back toward him. “Memories she planted so you would be easier to seduce. You met her just before she got pregnant with my pup,” he says, and I stagger

back.

Before I can stop myself, I lunge forward, landing a hard punch to his jaw. “She left you to die. So I have a feeling you won’t be laughing much longer, you pr*ck,” I say standing over him. The two men drag him into the room and chain his arms and legs. I pace as Atlas flashes images of what he wants me to do to my sperm donor in my mind. “Enough, we need answers. Everything you’re suggesting has him bleeding out in

seconds.”

“Fine, but once we have the information, he is mine,” he says but I make no promises. “Xavier, I know you don’t know me, but I understand your anger. I lost my mate because of William and Cassandra. I lost seeing my pup grow up. As much as you want vengeance for all he has done, you need to stay in control until we get the information we need to find your mate,” the man William called the king says.

“You are King Hudson” I say, and he nods. “He and Gregory said you were killed because you were unfair towards the wolves. They insisted that in order to protect our kind they had to enlist the help of a coven and eradicate the Lycans. It was all a lie wasn’t it?” “Yes, William was power–hungry. I didn’t know which members of the council were involved, but I suspected Gregory since he pushed so hard for the separation of the kingdom. Did they ever mention any of the other council members that supported their decision,” he asks.

“No, but I’ll make sure to ask, my king” I say, showing him the respect he deserves. “He is not our king. He is a f**king Lycan, not a wolf” William screams, spittle flying from his mouth. I cross the room, grabbing the short silver whip. Everything but the handle is pure silver. William’s eyes get big as I come to stand in front of him.” Where is my mate?” “Do you really think even if I knew I’d tell you,” he asks.

I pull back my hand and bring the whip across his stomach. His shirt falls to the ground and his skin sizzles. He screams and I smile. “I’ll ask you again. Where is my mate?” “I’m not sure. Probably in the coven, although if I know Cassandra she is hiding her someplace only she will know. Please don’t hit me again, I don’t know where she took her,” he pleads./

“What’s the matter, father, can’t take what you loved to dish out?” I crack the whip again, this time across his

thighs. Blood pools staining what’s left of his pants as his skin burns. “Xavier, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have

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betrayed you. Please forgive me,” he cries. It’s my turn to throw my head back and laugh. “You aren’t leaving

this pack in one piece, let alone alive. Now what members of the council know and agreed to your plans to kill the king?”

“Just Gregory” he says, but his answer is too quick. “He’s lying, I can feel it,” Atlas says. This time I bring the whip across his chest and his whole body shakes. “Please no more. Please I’ll tell you. Just let me go,” he says. “This isn’t a negotiation. This is you f**king answering my questions, or I take you apart plece by piece and enjoy every minute of it.”

“Fine, Augustus, is the one that came up with the plan. We all agreed I would be king and they would be my advisors. We would rule the wolves together. The other council members were against the idea. They had no idea about the attack until it was done. We blamed it on the witches and vampires. When Augustus attempted to appoint me, the other council said that without royal blood there would be no king. In fact, they thought I orchestrated the attack, which is why I was in hiding,” he says.

I look back at Hudson and he nods. I turn back and look at the man that helped create me. I’ve done

everything in my power to be nothing like him. I walk over to the table and don gloves to protect my hands. “Lower him,” I say to no one in particular. The two Lycans do as I say, and I come face to face with William for the last time. He starts to thrash when he notices the silver rope in my hands.

“Don’t do this, Xavier. I’m still your father.” “No, I have no father. I only had a mother and brother. You are nothing to me. I’m going to find my mate and I’m going to love her the way you should have done with your own, but you will be long gone. My only hope is the goddess has something even more painful waiting for you.” I wrap the rope around his neck and pull it tight. Not enough to cut off his air supply but enough to burn

through his skin.

He screams as the rope burns through each layer and with every inch the blood rushes over us until his body goes completely limp. His head lulls to the side and I breathe a sigh of relief that he is actually dead this time. That is until the realization that I’m no closer to finding my mate washes over me. Goddess, please let