Chapter eight
Gerald.
I swatted the fly buzzing around me with my hands. The buzzing stopped for a second but started again, barely giving me a chance to catch my breath. One minute it was gone, and the next it was back again, getting on my damn nerves.
Annoyed, I picked up my stiletto knife on the mahogany leather table and held my breath as the annoying creature continued to buzz and fly around.
Silently, I thrust my knife forward-fast and almost undetectable. The fly was on the table the next second with a divided torso.
I glared at the disgusting, puny insect, imagining it was Damon-Henry's body I had just cut into a perfect half.
It had taken everything in me not to kill him right where he'd been standing.
Seeing his elbow wrapped around her neck had activated a feral side in me that I thought I had curbed a long time ago. If I hadn't been fast enough, he'd have killed her.
It had taken everything in me not to immediately kill him. And everything in me wanted to pretend I was going to kill Liliana.
I clenched my palms, my nails biting into my flesh when I remembered the desperate tears that had flowed out of her eyes. She'd been so afraid for her life-not just afraid, she had resigned herself to her fate.
The bastard. How could he betray a woman like her? He didn't even deserve her. Yet he had the gall to betray her and even kill her.
He didn't deserve to see those tears!
I scoffed at my luck and fate. Who knew making such an oath to my best friend many years ago would become such a pain in the ass? Not only was I harboring a fugitive, but I was also breaking a contract.
My policy was simple.
You pay, and I clip whoever needs to be clipped.
"Are you listening?" Landen's voice suddenly penetrated my thoughts, pulling me unceremoniously out of my reverie.
I stared at Landen and tried to pretend I had been listening to him.
"Go on," I gestured for him to continue. He shook his head as if he knew I hadn't been listening.
We were in the council room discussing the reports of the past week. For the first time, I wasn't quite interested.
"I was asking what you intend to do with the mark."
He was referring to Liliana, who was still technically a marked target.
I scanned the room that contained three other of my most trusted men.
Max, the captain of the Markers; Ryan, the captain of the Dandelions; and Rita, the captain of the combative cohops.
"The meeting is adjourned for now."
I said, and Landen frowned. Clearly confused.
One after the other, they stood and walked out, leaving only Landen behind. He closed the door behind the men and walked over to me.
"What's going on, man? You've not said a single word throughout the meeting."
"That's because there isn't much to say," I shrugged.
"Right." Landen wasn't buying it.
"You realize you're free to go, don't you?" I said to Landen, my voice flat.
The man was my best friend, but he could be annoyingly nosy sometimes.
"What are we going to do about that woman upstairs? She's a liability, and I can't believe you risked the integrity of the pack just to save her."
Landen gritted.
I stared at the tall, big man covered in scars, my eyes doing all the talking of how uninterested I was with having this conversation.
He let out a sigh when he saw the unamused expression on my face.
"Fine. I'll go back and think about what I said."
I watched as he left the council room and then closed the door behind him.
He was right. I was risking the integrity of my pack and group. If the Council found out I let her live, they'd strip my title, maybe even put a mark on my head. Still... I couldn't kill her but what choice did I have?
Protecting Humphrey's daughter is the only thing I could think about that would ever make me feel that my misdeeds were finally atoned for.
I couldn't betray him-not again.
Something stirred in me that felt familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time, but I ignored it.
I stood up and left the council room a couple of minutes later, making my way to the training ground before going over to breakfast.
She's in my head. That's the real problem. And if I don't get her out soon... I'm not sure what I'll do."
Why can't I think straight ever since she was here?