Stake Her Claim

[William’s POV]

I stare ahead, taking in the scene in front of me in disbelief. How? How could this be happening? I knew that my father was a monster for power, but to go as far as killing his own brother in order to achieve it was not something I believed he could do.

As I watch on, so many memories begin to flash before me—images of his kind smile, though those were rare—and of him comforting me. Were all those actions a lie to trick me into believing that he was good?

“Why?” I growl quietly. “Why the hell is this happening?”

Even if it was my father doing everything, I still felt as though I was also guilty. It was because of his absolute need to make me the alpha of Crystal Fang that he was doing this. Didn’t that make me guilty by association?

“Stop.” I hiss, drawing my father’s crazed gaze toward me. “STOP THIS!”

Beside me, the woman who my father wished to marry me off to gives a giggle, causing the anger that is slowly building to begin to bubble over.

“You’re cute,” she sighs