3. His personal slave

[Xavier’s POV]

The funeral had gone by smoothly, but I was certain that my father wasn’t resting. How could he do so when his killers were alive and well? The messenger had come back to report that the so-called traitorous Omega clan had disappeared from their home, and the trackers were currently searching for them.

My blood boiled with anger, and I had been pacing around the throne room deep in thoughts, with Jeffrey, standing by my right-hand side, just looking on. I was waiting for answers, I was waiting to see the heads of the traitors lying before my feet, I was waiting to see the entire family of those Omegas destroyed totally.

I was drowning in sorrow, for my father was no more and I had become an orphan; and anger, because he had been murdered unjustly by a group of peasants. Even thinking of it made my brows crease in frustration. If I could get a hold on any one of them, I’d be sure to strangle them with my own bare hands.

“The head-tracker is here,” Roman, my cousin who had been muttering all sorts of nonsense informed me.

I was jarred out of my thoughts, and I looked towards the door immediately. The head-tracker came in, and I felt like my eyes was seeing things.

He bowed and greeted me.

“Why are you empty-handed?” I inquired, looking at him in a distasteful manner.

He looked up at me, hesitating to say a word.

“Speak! Where are their heads?” I thundered.

“Alpha King Xavier, we could not find them. My trackers are still out there trying to locate them...”

“Then, why are you back? I clearly told you to not step your foot in here until you find those murderous traitors!” I yelled, cutting in.

He cowered. “I know. However, we found a maiden from that family, and I brought her along with me,” he explained.

“Why didn’t you just kill her on the spot? I told you I want them ALL dead!” I screamed.

“I am aware of that, but I was thinking we could torture her into telling us where the rest of her family is,” he explained.

I calmed down as I took what he had said into consideration. My anger had gotten the best of me and I hadn’t seen it in that manner, but he had a point.

“What do you think?” I fired the question at Jeffrey, my best friend and advisor, and Roman, my cousin, whom I hated dearly.

“I think he is right,” Jeffrey said.

“Right? Do you think she would be willing to reveal where the rest of her family is? In my opinion, you should demote the head-tracker for going against your order,” Roman said, eyeing him in a displeased way.

“If I kill her right now, would you be able to find the rest of her family members?” I inquired.

He looked stunned upon hearing that question, and quickly looked away without saying a word.

“I guess not. Take me to her,” I commanded.

“Yes, Alpha,” he said, and turned his back around.

Clenching my fists, I followed him closely behind and we got outside, where most of the members of the Pack were gathered and still mourning my late father, and now, they were hurling curses at the girl who had been captured, while some threw eggs, tomatoes and stones at her.

She was sitting on the floor with her hands and legs tied firmly. Her mouth was gagged with a filthy rag, so that she didn’t scream. Her golden blonde hair draped all over the ground, covering most of her face, and she was battered and bruised, with blood oozing from her fair skin.

I approached her, and everywhere instantly became quiet. They stopped what they were doing, and instead, showed reverence for me. I acknowledged their greetings and stopped right in front of her.

My teeth pressed down hard on my lower lip as I struggled to contain my anger, with my fists tightening as soon as I saw her.

“Ungag her,” I ordered, and a guard removed the rag that had been used to seal her mouth.

“I will not beat around the bush. Where is your family?” I asked.

“I... I don’t know,” she said in a voice that sounded more like a whisper.

I scoffed. “Do you have a death wish or something? Where in the goddess’ name is your good-for-nothing family?” I asked.

“I swear, I... I don’t know,” she responded, and at this point, her voice was breaking.

“Where did you find her?” I asked the head-tracker.

“In the forest on the outskirts of Mayhem Road. They had taken that route, but left her behind because she got caught in a hunter’s trap and didn’t want her to slow them down,” he replied.

I guffawed. “You are protecting a family that abandoned you. How stupidly loyal! I won’t ask you again. Where is your pathetic family?” I inquired.

“I promise you, I have no idea where they are,” she said.

A part of me wanted to believe her, but the sensible part of me knew better than to trust the words coming out of the mouth of a lowly Omega.

“Take her to the gallows and hang her. Her death will serve as a warning to anyone who dares to cross my path in the future. When her family gets caught, they will suffer a much worse fate,” I declared.

She shuddered and began to scream, pleading for mercy as the guards took her in their arms and took her to the gallows which had been placed next to the stable room.

The members of the Pack hurriedly went along with them, cheering wildly in support of my judgement. I followed closely behind, wanting to see clearly how my father’s death was going to be avenged little by little.

She used all her strength to break free from their hold and ran towards me. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I just left with them because they were all leaving and I didn’t even know why they were leaving. I am so sorry. I don’t know where they are, and I don’t want to die. Please,” she said, as tears trickled down her neck.

“She must die. Kill her!” the members of the Pack yelled furiously.

I looked down at her, and that was when my eyes met hers, and a feeling of astonishment overpowered me.

Those icy blue eyes that looked like they could pierce through my soul, I would recognise them anywhere. What kind of trickery was this? I thought, fury building within me.

“Are you okay?” Jeffrey asked in a low tone.

I nodded and looked back at her. How was it possible that someone so sweet and gentle could be part of the family who had killed my own father? How? I had wanted to give up everything just to spend more time with her, I had wanted to find her when all this was done and over with, but she... she was the same person partly responsible for the death of my father.

I was utterly speechless, frozen and befuddled.

She looked like she recognised me and she grovelled before me. “I didn’t know it was you, but you believe me, right? I know nothing about it. I’m sorry for what happened to your father, but I had no hand in it. I don’t care about everyone else, but I just want you to believe me, please,” she rambled on, sobbing greatly as she fixated her eyes on me.

I scoffed as my face reddened in anger, grinding my teeth and filled with a rage I couldn’t control. I stooped to her level and grabbed her by the neck, strangling her as I stared deep into her eyes, unfazed by her choking and desperate cries for help.

“Your family murdered my father, and you expect me to believe whatever it is that comes out of your mouth? You lying wench. Is that why they left you there? Did they think I would go easy on you because you appear timid and innocent? Is that it?” I roared violently at her.

“N - - no. I swear, that’s not it,” she said, her tears multiplying.

“I will kill you with my bare hands for what you and your family have done,” I told her, tightening my grip on her neck.

“If that’s what you want, then so be it. I don’t have anyone or anything in life after all. If you can’t believe me, then just kill me,” she said, then presented a ring she had just taken off her finger to me.

The grip on her neck softened as I stared at it. It was the only thing I had ever gotten from my mother before she died a few minutes after having me, but I had given it to her without thinking twice.

My teeth chattered as I stared from her to the ring, unsure of what I wanted to do.

“Take it back, please. You not trusting me or caring about me is worse than death anyway, and it’s better to die than to live like this,” she said.

I closed my eyes, then pushed her away, deciding to spare her life because I just couldn’t bring myself to kill her... at least, not yet. I took the ring which had rolled onto the floor and held it firmly before standing up.

“Death is an easy way out, wouldn’t you agree? Lock her up in the prison. She will be my personal slave and suffer endless torment and would even wish she had died today. That is my judgement,” I declared and stormed out.

I could hear the people murmuring as they didn’t really understand what had just transpired between us, but I understood. She had said it herself that my hatred for her was worse than death, and the only way I would achieve my revenge was by ensuring that she suffered something way worse than death.