Two

DEVON

"Just another boring day," I sighed as I signed off on a few papers and laid back on my seat.

Who knew being at the top would be so boring. The process of rising to the top was a lot more interesting than this. It makes me want to bring everything I've built down and start over again.

I picked up the ornamental dagger on my table and unsheathed the blade, revealing its crystal clear and reflective surface.

The blade's edges were dulled as expected of an ornamental blade but they were my favourite weapon. Even more valuable than a gun.

A knock on the door drew my attention and the door opened before I could give permission for whoever it was to enter.

"James," I said as my second in command walked in. His hulking 6'5 frame standing imposingly with his head bowed.

"Good morning, Alpha," he greeted.

My eyes glowed at the greeting.

"What brings you here?" I asked. "Last time I checked, you were on a mission."

"I completely my mission, Alpha," he said. "I also happen to have your parcel delivered here. It's downstairs."

I grinned at that.

"Good job, Beta. You are always reliable."

I stood up and picked up my suit which I wore and buttoned up in order to look presentable.

"Let's go, James. I can't wait to see it."

"As you wish," he said as he turned around and led the way.

Once I exited my office, everyone who saw me or felt my presence paused whatever they were doing and bowed. They paid their homage to their Alpha and kept their heads bowed until I was out of their sight.

James led me through interconnected hallways, down two flights of stairs and finally, we reached the basement door where my parcel is waiting.

As we walked down the basement, motion sensor lights picked up out presence and lit up the basement like a Christmas tree.

Unlike a Christmas tree though, my basement wasn't colourful. Neither was it a place of happiness or celebration.

All that existed down here was pain.

I walked through the rows of prison cell bars. Some of which still had suffering prisoners while others were empty, but the evidence of life in the form of dried blood remained.

We stopped at a particular cell door at the very end.

In this cell, a man was tied to a chair, blindfolded and gagged as he struggled against his bonds.

"Quite a lively parcel," I grinned as I gestured for James to open the door.

At the sound of my voice, the man's efforts to free himself grew frantic and frenzied. He struggled and thrashed around to no avail as I simply waited for him to have his fill.

"Satisfied?" I asked with a smile. "I could give you some more time to struggle if you'd want that. I doubt it'll do you much good though."

The man thrashed and struggled some more but eventually gave up and calmed down as he waited for his fate.

"Take off his blindfold and gag, please," I said to James. "We aren't animals, you see."

The blindfold and gag was taken off and the look of unhinged fear and horror in the eyes of my prisoner made me grin with glee.

"Don't you agree, Mr Homer?" I asked. "We aren't beasts, are we? We're civilised humans. We should be able to have civilised discussions, shouldn't we?"

"Please! Please!" He pleaded frantically. "Trust me. I haven't told a single soul! I would never tell a single soul until the day I die! Trust me, please!"

"Ah, I trust you, Mr Homer," I said. "I trusted you when you told me you needed a job to help feed your family and asked to work for me so earnestly. Who would have thought you were a secret agent planted to spy on me?"

"Definitely not me," I grinned. "I definitely didn't give you a job just for my amusement at what you would find."

"Please, sir!" he begged. "I haven't said a word to anybody!"

"I just said I trust you, didn't I?" I shrugged as I took out the ornamental dagger and.drew the blade, tracing my finger along it's dull edges.

The fear in Homer's eyes intensified as he tried shrinking away from me.

"Oh, it's a dull blade," I smiled as I demonstrated it by sliding the blunt edge on his skin. "Don't be scared."

"I'll do whatever you want, sir!" he offered. "Use me however you want! I won't say a word until I die."

"First of all, Homer," I said. "What did you see? What do you know?"

"Nothing!" he replied. "Nothing at all!"

"Have you ever heard of the creatures called werewolves?"

"Never," he replied firmly. "I have never heard of them and I never will."

I brought the blade down to his forearm and he flinched once the cold steel touched his skin.

"I told you not to worry, didn't I?" I smiled. "It's a dull blade."

With that, I held the hilt tight and forced the blade into his skin so deep that it tore through muscle, sinew and his bones until it separate one third of his arm from him.

He watched as his hand a part of his forearm dropped to the floor in horror.

It happened so fast that the pain register after his hand had fallen off.

He yelled his lungs out and thrashed even harder on his seat, trying to tip it over but James held him firmly upright.

"We will have a discussion later, my good friend, Homer," I sighed as I wiped the blood off the blade with his hair. "I never knew a dull blade could sever your arm. I'll let you rest now."

James provided me with a napkin as I made my way upstairs.

"I just received information that you have a visitor, Alpha," James said.

"Who is it?"

"It's a girl," he said. Her name is Gina. Gina Harrington."

"Oh," I smiled. "Now, that's interesting."