All Chapters of The Alpha Assassin: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Ezra was sullen when he returned to the library that afternoon. I left only for lunch, more to catch up on gossip. My nerves prevented any hunger, but I had to keep my strength up. The gossip was about Dominick, but it seemed that no one could confirm his death. The talk was almost immediately shushed by Amelia, even though I could tell she was dying to find out more.Ezra sat on the chair next to me across from the fire. I put down my book about old pack treaties and laws and gave him my full attention. “The next challenge is moved to tomorrow; it has to be changed completely,” he said. “Is that more work for you?” I asked, trying to assess his cold mood. “A bit, but I volunteered.” Half of his lips tugged up, and he leaned forward so the sharp yet beautiful planes of his face danced in the fireplace. “It’s the challenge they want,” his voice dropped. “Now that they’re only two, they don’t want to skip to the dual. They’re doing a sort of race.” “And that’s different from an obst

I got the clear from Ezra. I ensured at least one of the ranked members saw me before bed, but even with Luna Natalie’s impassive nod when I told her I was off to my room, her eyes were vacant. I thought about that as I slipped out, how she was excited about the trials but seemed to either forget that her own blood was to fight to the potential death or maybe she was ignorant to the fact of how sadistic her own sons were.You were the one that ended him - Aksala reminded me - Beautifully, I might add. I smiled, I did, but death was expected in the trials, or so I was told. I was just helping the fanfare. Sure, sure - Aksala barked a laugh. With each step away from the packhouse, I actually felt lighter. The nerves I carried with me all day, the ones that hardened when I thought of this meeting, were dissipating. I was sure Aksala had something to do with that. The fact that I wasn’t alone anymore was a huge burden lifted.I walked the path more confidently than I felt, checking a f

He tensed only for a second, but I heard the sharp inhale of his breath and smiled. “Where did you get that?” he crooned and wrapped a hand around my wrist that held the dagger. I let him think that he could stop me with only that. “Do you want to play?” His face was closer to mine.I twisted the dagger a small bit. “That’s why I’m here.” My smile widened. “Wait..” His grip loosened, and the blindfold was ripped off. The now evening light seemed almost blinding compared to the pitch black. I blinked as my eyes quickly adjusted, and I made out his startled expression, which quickly turned into a wicked smile. “Simone.” He looked me over in disbelief as I ripped off the scarf covering my hair, whipping some strands loose from my braid. “This is a nice surprise,” he said but seemed utterly puzzled.“I was hoping it would be you,” I purred. “How far away is Nolan?” I asked.“Even if he were close, he couldn’t save you. Not from me.” He tilted his head, studying his prey. “Neither will t

I jumped awake to something touching my cheek, brushing what felt like my hair away. I swatted it off. It took me too long a moment to realize it was Ezra, and I was still sitting on the floor. Opened my eyes, but they felt heavy. Too heavy. It took me another long minute to groggily pull myself to stand. I stretched against my sore muscles for something to do, stifling a yawn. Sleeping sitting up on the floor was a bad idea. I needed to stay limber. But I knew I would have gotten no sleep without Ezra’s warm, steady presence. “Hi,” I grumbled.“Hi,” he said. I forced my eyes open to see him still sitting motionless on the long windowsill. “You look well rested,” I noted and couldn’t hide my disdain. He was perfect; he always was. I envied him; he was what I wished I could be. Half of his lips quirked up. “I rarely sleep deeply. I can get some sleep while still keeping watch,” he admitted.“Warlock,” I muttered, and my sleepy smile echoed his as I made myself go to the bathroom.

Nolan’s eyes widened, and he looked away from me. “I don’t know,” he admitted. I took a deep breath through my nose. Something inside me crumpled, and I lost some of the anger.“I understand,” I murmured, “the good and the bad are muddled.” That was one overly simplified way to put it.I felt him glance at me, but I was looking ahead. “Yeah. They are,” he agreed.But who were we to discern when the bad outweighed the good? We all had different ideals.But that was why I was here. To enact justice. Part of me felt that was cheap, a huge part of me that wanted another reason, but I knew deep down I didn’t need one. I knew my reason. It was vengeance, and I clung to it.It was tight and fiery and lit me up from the inside. It tasted of justice, and I knew it would feel like it, too. My fingers tingled at the possibility, at the very idea of more vengeance. I clutched them into a fist and tried to hide my smile.I tried to focus and pull a response from my mind. An honest response. “I