Chapter 4

Damon's POV

The man next to Lancaster is scrambling to bow as a show of respect. I'm disgusted by his audacity and drill my arm straight through his chest, grabbing his heart in the process.

As his body thuds to the ground with blood pooling from the wound, Alpha Mills starts to sputter out a pathetic excuse. His face is drained of blood from fear. Just looking at him pisses me the fuck off.

Saving his pack? He ensured its destruction! Before he can say anything else, I slam my arm through his chest as well. I can feel his heart pump beneath my fingers. I grab it and feel surprised it's warm despite his reputation of it being cold.

I grab ahold of it and rip it from his chest cavity. I take a few seconds to observe his pain as he watches his heart take its final beats in front of him. Quickly he falls to the side, lifeless.

I throw Alpha Mill's heart onto the ground and put it under my feet in a final act of degradation. There's a young she-wolf kneeling before me. She's been like this since I got here.

She's gasping for breath and her body is trembling and there are bruises all over her body, all in different stages of healing. I turn to end her life as well, just like all her pack mates before her.

However, the closer I get to her, the stronger this sickeningly sweet and thick aroma surrounds my very being. It's almost like the smell of honeysuckle, but on a stronger scale.

I try to walk further, but my beast will not let me. He growls in warning deep within me. "Not her." I hear him say from within me.

"Why not her? I have to destroy the entire pack, you know this."

"If you kill her, you will suffer greatly."

I groan internally. Always with the cryptics, huh Draxon? "You, she-wolf, what is your name?"

I hear a surprised yelp come from her mouth before she answers quietly, "Leena Mills, Your Majesty." She is Alpha Mill's offspring.

Despite her voice lacking any confidence and resolve, it's still like velvet to me and my beast purrs in affection. The realization hits me. She's my mate, the one that's fated for me.

How can this be when I have come to wipe out the entire pack? The beast growls within me at the thought and I grumble in protest. There's no way, there can't be.

Her meek, yet velvety voice graces my ears once again. "Your Majesty, if it isn't too bold of me, please show me mercy and make it quick." I can hear the tears she is working so hard to fight back. She's trying hard to remain strong during one of the most devastating times of her life.

A slight grin places itself upon my face. She has very obviously been tortured and beaten horrendously, from the various colored bruises along her curvy body, not just tonight. Despite this, she still manages to have gumption.

Such bravery to speak at a time like this to request mercy. Yes, I suppose a quick death would be mercy to her after all she's been through. My beast lets out a slight whimper of sadness before it turns to an angry growl.

I look over to Lancaster's body to see him holding an axe. I knew he was cruel and cold-hearted, but this was a new low. Her and the adolescent wolf that I slain have similar features. I look at the young wolf's body to see that he is Lancaster's son, next in line to be Alpha.

The realization hits me. This is Lancaster's daughter. She looks to be about the age of the child rumored to be lost during the birth. My anger rages violently. That son of a bitch has been taking his mate's death out on this girl.

I feel my blood boil until I see her trembling violently. I can't tell if it's from her injuries or from fear, but I feel pain at the sight. My mate bond has taken effect. There's no way I can kill her.

"There will be no reason for that, Leena Mills." Her quiet gasp sent shivers throughout my entire body and I have a sudden image of our bodies entwined in passion, as that same sound escapes her lips.

I mentally shake the image from my head and kneel down to her. "You're coming with me." Before she can fight back, I grab her and cradle her to my chest.

She's injured more than I initially thought. I gently raise back up and carry her out of the building and away from the bloodbath I left behind.

She's so weak she can't even fight me and that just makes me all the more angrier. That sweet honeysuckle fragrance surrounds me as I hold her against me.

I see scars all over her arms and legs, and I know that if I were to see the rest of her body, it would be the same. There's also bruises, new and old. Her hair looks like it's bright red, but that could be the red emerging from the wounds on her head.

She looks to be on the brink of death. I'm shocked she's had the strength to face me the way she did with injuries this extensive.

My goddess, mate, what did they put you through? The sudden urge to mark her rises up from within me. That would be Dixon's doing. It was give her full healing abilities that would save her life.

I can't bring myself to mark her though. She's been through so much already in her life. If I were to do it now, she'd undergo more trauma and I'd never have her trust.

Dixon roars in me. He's angry. He's found his mate and he wants her now. I don't blame him, but he's a beast incapable of rational thought right now. I can talk him through this when things calm down.

First I have to get her back to my kingdom and hope she lives. It may take some time, but I have to make sure she pulls through.

There's no denying it now. I need her. My kingdom needs her. If I have a chance at defeating the Hybrids, I need her by my side.

Now that our bond has been established, if it were to break, then I would weaken immensely and end up dying. I can't have that happening now. Not when I'm finally making headway into this.