GIFTED RILEY by Lacy Mierr

Chapter 8: Mercy or Justice 

*Riley* 

I sat nervously on the very edge of the seat initially meant for the Luna of the pack. My body was in a state of shock, still reeling after hearing that the Alpha of my pack had been killed so easily. 

I hadn’t entirely cared for the man, since he still allowed for the bullying to happen to me, but that didn’t mean I wanted him dead. 

My gaze slowly tore away from the floor to take a glance at the giant. man beside me. The lycan king, as my brain so helplessly put together. A powerful king and my mate. I was doomed. 

His eyes turned down to me, smoldering in anger. I tried to pull myself tighter into my body to seem smaller. If he decided I did anything wrong, there would be no way for me to protect myself from him. Not that he needed a reason to be angry at me to do anything. 

The doors to the room opened to interrupt anything that could have been said between the two. My eyes immediately went to the intruding party with a sense of relief. Being so close to the man on the Alpha’s seat was getting the best of me. I didn’t know what I should do with myself, except try to cover what was still exposed from my ripped. clothes. 

My relief was stuttered out immediately when I recognized the group that came in. My father entered first, followed by my brother, then Noah and Ava side by side. 

When my eyes scanned over each of them, my gaze locked onto Noah‘ s. He was finally going to claim his spot on the Alpha’s throne now 

Chapter & Mercy or Justice 

that his father died. As soon as the lycan king vacated the spot, they would perform the ceremony to put him on top of the pack. 

It was a ceremony that I always thought I would be there for. Sat at hist side to encourage him through the entire thing. Now I can see that will never happen. 

The hatred in his eyes burned through my soul. No doubt, he blamed me for the death of his father. I flinched away from the heat in his expression. I wanted to cry. None of this was supposed to happen. Everything was supposed to be perfect for Noah’s birthday. I would be the next Luna and no one would interrupt it. 

Now I was to be a queen with a man I had never met before. One known for violence. I wasn’t going to survive this mating. 

They all bowed before the lycan king, who stared down at them now with a hard expression on his face. Everyone stayed frozen as they waited for the king to speak up. My gaze stayed on the floor, worried what would happen if I looked over at him to prompt him to speak. 

“Who has caused these injuries to my little mate?” His deep voice seemed to echo in the room around us. I sat up straighter at the sound of his deep tone. 

I wasn’t quite sure why he was so hellbent on trying to get those answers out of someone. Sure, I was his mate, but he barely knew me. I heard all the whispers that went around. Being the mate to such a dangerous man was only going to cause harm. What did he care about what had already happened to me? 

The bowed group seemed surprised at the question. Ava looked up from her position, staring directly towards the king. The disrespect was nothing less than shocking. Was she not scared of the lycan? 

Chapter & Mercy of Justice 

“Riley is just a nobody, my king. She has no wolf for your own to latch on to,” my sister stated quite bluntly. It was a harsh reality, so I couldn‘ t be too upset with her putting that information to light. Even though I already told him this, I hoped that someone else’s words would get through to him. 

My eyes turned back to the man claiming to be my new mate. He leaned forward on his knees originally then decided to lean backwards at her statement. 

When I thought he would finally come to his senses with another person letting him know the truth, his eyes turned to someone just a few steps away. He nodded towards my sister within the short amount of eye contact they held. “Vera,” he called as he did so. 

At his motion, the person stepped forward with her eyes set hard on Ava’s form. My sister shrunk back at the interaction in front of them. As if she finally realized her mistake for speaking up so blatantly. 

The woman that moved towards my family was beautiful, far more enchanting than me. Her hair was her most notable feature which was a cool shade of white. Her eyes were sharp, but also a glassy white color, staring through into the only one who had spoken up so far. She was just as intimidating as she was pretty. 

The lycan king leaned down towards where I was watching in 

anticipation. “That is my second in command, Vera. I trust her with my life, as I expect you will one day as well.” 

I nodded, still watching whatever she was planning to do to my sister. I had mixed feelings. While she was still my blood, she so ruthlessly pulled my happy ending from under my feet. I didn’t want to see her harmed specifically, but was this not some form of karma? I wasn’t the one able to act out on it, so my new ‘mate‘ would do it in my stead. 

Chapter 8 Mercy or Justice 

In a hushed voice, she spoke some words under her breath. Without a wolf, I didn’t have the supernatural hearing to understand her from where I was. So I sat anxiously waiting for someone else to react first. 

A gasp echoed in the room when my sister was suddenly thrown to the floor. Whatever had hit her was harsh and pulled back without an ounce of force. I covered my gaping mouth with a hand as I heard her hit the tile with a heavy thud. Torn between staying put in my seat and going to her aid. 

Ava just barely scrambled to her feet when another invisible force slammed her back down. She cried out in pain at the second heavy hit. I watched in horror, my wide eyes glancing up at the lycan king. 

When was he going to stop this? Would he ever stop it? He had a smirk while looking down at the punishment. 

The boys began to plead for Ava’s case as hit after hit fell upon her. Noah asked for mercy for his newfound mate. Both her brother and father were begging for their kin’s safety. 

It made me curious. Why was it that, when she was taking the hits, was it something to fight against? I had endured pain like this for so long and no one said anything. No one stepped in for me except Noah. I had scars from the hits I took. 

“Please,” my father begged with his eyes set on me now. “She’s your sister, Riley! Please show some mercy for your kin!”