Four

/-Ezra-/

I sat at my desk, going over the reports for the day, but my mind kept drifting back to her. The witch.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get her out of my head. Melucia. Yes, our deal was done. I didn’t just have a son—I had two. That was all that mattered now. She was gone, and so were her people. She had been a breeder, nothing more. I couldn’t afford to think otherwise. I just hoped she wouldn’t cause any trouble for me.

I pushed the reports aside with an exhausted sigh. Why couldn’t I stop this troubling feeling gnawing at me? Is it that I’ve made a mistake? Should I have kept her with me? I shook my head, reminding myself that I had made a deal to let her go. She had given me two sons—Axel and Dani. Now my focus needed to stay on them.

Just then, a knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked up.

“Alpha,” the guard's voice came through. “You need to come outside. The sky... it’s bad.”

“Bad?” I grunted before pushing the chair back, rising to my feet and walking toward the door. What did he mean by that?

I followed him out, and when I looked up, I was overcome with dread. The sky wasn’t just dark—it was... wrong. Twisting, writhing, like it was alive. In the distance, a tornado spun violently into the clouds. I narrowed my eyes to see that it was spiraling up from the pack borders and it looked anything but natural.

The elders were gathered outside as well, their faces pale and tense. They turned to me, waiting for an answer.

“What’s happening, Alpha?”

I didn’t answer right away because I didn’t know. I just stared at the sky and I knew one thing was for sure: This was magic. It was her. It was Melucia.

I turned to the guard. “Get Carden. Now!”

I didn’t know exactly what the reason for the commotion was, but whatever it was, it was my duty to protect my pack, and I needed my Beta by my side to face it.

Just then, another guard came running up, breathless. “Alpha! Carden went to the borders shortly after the witches were... set free.”

My eyes widened as I turned back to the tornado as a cold wave of fear washed over me. What if Carden had something to do with this chaos?

I imagined the witches attacking Carden and whoever he took with him just to get back at me. Thinking the worst, I immediately took a good number of men with me and made my way to the border.

I jumped out of the vehicle the second we stopped, my boots crunching against the dirt. Thick bitter smoke filled the air and my stomach clenched as I inhaled. I knew that smell too well—burnt flesh.

The men behind me coughed, covering their mouths as they observed the area. “Keep your eyes peeled,” I yelled as I continued forward, swinging my arms in front of me to get a better view.

Shapes started to form through the haze, and my heart pounded harder with every step. Then I saw it. A heap of bodies.

They were burned beyond recognition, just twisted forms in the ashes. My throat tightened as I scanned the bodies, trying to see if Carden was one of them.

I took a shaky breath, ready to call out his name when I heard it—a laugh.

I turned sharply and so did my men. Carden stepped out from behind, clapping one of the men on the shoulder, a wide grin on his face. With him were some men and I just watched how his eyes were bright, full of pride, like he’d just accomplished something great.

I felt relieved that he was not hurt, but that relief was gone just as fast. Anger took its place. I marched over, my fists clenched so hard they shook.

“Carden!” I snapped. “What the hell is this?”

He turned to me with that proud smile and I just knew that he was responsible for all of this. “We handled it, Alpha. The witches are gone. No more threat.”

His words didn’t make sense. My mind struggled to process what he was saying, but the scene in front of me said it all.

I looked back at the pile of bodies, wondering why Carden would do something like this. My heart pounded in my ears as I moved closer, scanning them. My breath came faster as I observed the bodies.

I didn’t want to find her. I didn’t want to believe she was here.

But then I saw it.

A small gold anklet, barely visible through the ash and burnt skin, wrapped around a left foot.

My chest caved in because I recognized it to be the same one she always wore. A dull ringing filled my ears. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

Melucia.

I turned back to Carden, rage boiling inside me. Before I knew it, my fist was flying. It connected with his jaw, and he stumbled back in shock.

“What is wrong with you?” I growled. “Why the hell did you do this?”

He wiped the blood from his mouth but didn’t say a word.

“I told you to let them go.” My voice broke. “That was an order. A damn order!”

He looked away, refusing to meet my eyes and I was too furious to even look at him. Why would my own Beta go against my orders?

I turned away, my eyes landing on the smoldering heap of bodies again. I’d made a deal with Melucia. I promised her and her people freedom. And now, she was gone. And the worst part?

I knew this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

The darkened sky, that twisted tornado still ripping through the clouds, the bodies on the ground holding hands, even in death... Whatever spell these witches cast before they died, it wasn’t going to be good. Everyone knows that dying witches don’t go quietly.

I took a shaky breath, turning to Carden. I couldn’t let my anger show. Not now. These were witches. Showing any kind of regret could be dangerous. But Carden’s stupidity made it look like I broke my word.

I swallowed hard and kept my voice steady. “Get rid of the bodies.”