259 The Breaking Point
Mara
Rowan stepped back into the room, a tray in his hands. The polished silver instruments clinked softly against one another, and Tina’s eyes widened in a flash of raw fear.
“Since you want to act like a hardened criminal,” I said evenly, “I’ll treat you like one.”
I reached for a tool at random, and she screamed before I’d even touched her.
“What do you want to know? I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything!” she blurted, her voice cracking.
I froze mid-motion, staring at her. “That easy? You couldn’t even put up a fight?”
She stayed silent, her breathing loud in the small room.
“I want everything, Tina. What you know about Chase. What you discussed with him. What you helped him do. Where he is now. And the name of the kitchen staff working for you.”
Her chest rose and fell faster, panic tightening every muscle in her face. I sat back down, leaning forward,
elbows on the table.
“I’m listening, Tina. I don’t have all day.”
She exhaled sharply, muttering, “Only crazy people listen to crazy people.”
I stood, closed the space between us, and drove my fist into her stomach. She doubled over as much as
the restraints allowed, coughing through the pain.
“How dare you,” I said coldly, “speak about your so-called friend like that.” The venom in her words told me what I already knew-Tina had never been a real friend to Keisha.
When she straightened again, there was no attempt to deny it. “I won’t bother lying, Mara. I did it. I worked against you. I gave him your address. I sent the letter, made it look like it came from Mistwood. I mailed it
a month early because I knew I’d be in labor soon.
“He promised to help me get Richard back from Neev and set me up financially. So I helped. Two weeks ago, I met him in Goldenpeak. He said he was heading to sea, to Mistwood, to intercept a vessel.”
Her chin lifted in pride. “We’re in love, Mara. Even if you lock me up-which I know you will-he’ll come for me. Lucian is no match for him. Chase has the military behind him and all the Nighthorn money at his
disposal. He’ll crush the Nighthorns like a fly. This is already a lost battle.”
I stared at her for a beat, then began to laugh-low and genuine-at the sheer delusion spilling from her
mouth.
“I doubt he loves you, Tina,” I said, rising from my chair. She’d told the truth, at least the parts that mattered-and she was certain Alaric would come for her. I didn’t feel the slightest shred of pity.
“Tina Livingston,” I said, my voice cold and clear. “I am sentencing you to a minimum of fifty years, and a
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maximum of seventy years imprisonment with hard labor under harsh conditions-for treason. You can spend that time reflecting on your wickedness and pleading with the goddess for forgiveness… if there’s anything left of your soul worth cleansing.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Chase will crush the Nighthorns, Mara. I’ll be free in no time. They’ll march on this soil and end your reign. I hope you’ve said goodbye to your loved ones.”
Her gaze dropped pointedly to my stomach. “That baby will never see the light of day.”
I only smiled. “You must not have heard the news about Rockville. Sometimes it pays to keep up.”
Confusion flickered across her face. I linked Rowan. Play it.
A screen was wheeled in. Five minutes of Rockville’s footage ran in silence. The laughter left Tina’s eyes. first. Then her breathing quickened. When the truth settled, she erupted-screaming, shouting, struggling
against the silver bindings.
“Take her away,” I said. “May the goddess cleanse your soul, Tina.”
“Wait! I can help you get him! Please-don’t lock me up!”
The switch was instant. Too instant. A moment ago she’d sworn eternal love for him and certain victory.
Now she was ready to trade him in for her freedom. Fickle didn’t begin to cover it.
“I’ve gotten more than enough out of you, Tina.” I turned for the door.
“The kitchen staff’s name is Gilbert! Please let me go!”
I ignored her entirely, stepping out to join Lucian in the observation room. He met me with a small smile of
approval.
“Lacy said the same about his whereabouts,” Lucian murmured. “Looks like we need to prepare for an
attack. He won’t stay in the shadows now.”
I nodded. The next move was coming-whether we were ready for it or not.
“We need to solicit help from others-build a resistance big enough to hold the line,” I told Lucian.
He nodded, rising from his chair. As we walked toward his office, our voices stayed low.
“It won’t be easy to get people on board,” he said. “If they won’t join our military force, we’ll have to lean on
Mooncrest’s residents for defense.”
I knew he was right. The balance of power between Alaric and the Nighthorns was razor-thin. Most people would rather stay neutral than risk picking the losing side.
We stepped into Lucian’s office-and froze.
Alpha Vander was there.
The last time we’d seen him was when he stormed out during Lacy’s questioning that morning. Seeing him here was unexpected… and judging by the tightness in Lucian’s jaw, it was just as much of a shock for him.
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“Father,” Lucian said, surprise breaking through his usual composure.
Vander looked up, his eyes still burning with rage. “I can’t retire with that bastard still on the loose.”
P
I crossed the room and sat on the couch without a greeting. In his current state, I doubted Vander even saw me. The air in the office was thick with tension.
“Father, I’m in charge now,” Lucian said, steady but firm.
“Yes, I know,” Vander replied, his voice controlled but simmering. “But this is personal now. Alaric is my
problem.”
His tone was cold steel wrapped in restraint. I had never seen him this angry-it was unsettling.
“I know,” Lucian said carefully. “But I’ve inherited that problem. He’s coming for all of us.”
Vander’s gaze was fixed on some point beyond his son, as if the words weren’t reaching him.
Vander rose from the chair and closed the space between them. Standing toe to toe, the resemblance
between father and son was striking-same jawline, same height-but where Lucian’s blue eyes were cool
and calculating, Vander’s gaze burned hot with råge.
It wasn’t anger aimed at his son, but the sheer intensity of it made the room feel smaller.
“That man took Natasha from me for petty reasons,” Vander began, his voice low but carrying the weight
of years. “He couldn’t take no for an answer, so he decided to kill her. He didn’t let her rest-not once. He
drove her into depression with his harassment.”
His jaw tightened. “I almost destroyed Neev because I thought the Alpha there had worked against me. I hunted her killer for years. I stayed awake night after night, wondering what went wrong. I felt like a failure
-because I couldn’t bring her justice.
“No one will rob me of this opportunity, Lucian. I will get justice for Natasha… and for Martha. The poor woman might be erratic, even irritating, but she didn’t deserve what he put her through. Claimed or not, she is my wife. He gave her to me, and then that bastard tried to kill her.”
The air seemed to darken around him. “He’s crossed me too many times. It’s time I paid him back. He’s a
sick f**k who needs to be put down like a dog. And don’t misunderstand me-I have no intention of making it quick. A slow, painful death will be most befitting.”
