Konstantin: The Heartless Beta

Konstantin

“It started at Russo's mansion that night you sent me there. I could tell he wanted her; he had that same look in his eyes that most men have when they see her. But his look was more... slimy. I can't explain it.” I started when we were all seated in Kai's office. I had called for Zephyr to be present as this concerns him too.

“But why didn't you check Russo's place in your search of her?” Dimitri asks, leaning forward in his chair and resting his arms on his knees.

I shrug. “She hated the guy and his advances; I didn't think she would head straight into his arms after leaving here.”

“It's true; Lily didn't like that the Alpha’s attention was trained on her,” Zephyr says with a nod and screws up his face. “Especially with that odd scent on him at the time.”

Kai frowns and looks at us both. “Odd scent? Describe it,” he urges. I look up at Caterina, then back at Zephyr. “Tell Kai your description, same as you did that night.”

He nods. “His dark ember and wood Alpha scent was overwhelming, but it was almost like he did it on purpose, to mask another scent. I caught a whiff of sulphur every now and then.” He says, then turns to me. “I was supposed to meet you in your office the following day to discuss it, but you were kept busy here because Kai had left to collect his mate.”

The memory returns slowly; Zephyr mentioning this to me and me telling him to come to me the next day, but Kai had left for Brooklyn, and I had to hold the fort.

“Sulphur? Like the scent on that beast Caterina summoned?” Dimitri suddenly says. This is when Caterina steps forward. “What?” she asks incredulously, looking at Dimitri then me.

“Now that you mention it,” I say, the frown on my face disappearing as I remember that massive dog-like beast we fought in the vampires lair. “Fuck, could that beast have been demonic? Like a Hellhound? Do they even fucking exist?!”

"Oh, they exist along with a lot of other nasty characters. Sulphur is usually associated with demonic possession or demonic activities.” Zephyr starts, and all of our attention is on him. “My mother’s father was a brujo before they came to the states, so naturally, she had a lot of stories and superstitions when she was growing up. One of them was that as soon as you stepped into a house that smelled of sulphur, no matter how faint, you were to walk out of that house backwards and pray because usually, it indicated a demonic entity was present.”

Dimitri shakes his head. “Demons? Are we really going to believe such bullshit exists?”

"Hey, we exist, and so do witches and vampires, so maybe we shouldn't scratch the idea off our lists yet. Besides, can you explain why that beast disappeared as soon as Caterina came out of her trance?” Kai says, lacing his fingers in front of his mouth. It looks like he was deep in thought, then he looks at Zephyr again.

“Do you have anything that might help us further? Maybe your mother knows what we're dealing with?" He asks, but Zephyr shakes his head. “I can try, but she abandoned her old ways and customs when she married my father, and you turned her.”

Something occurs to me then, something I had forgotten about entirely, and I jump out of my chair as disbelief hits me.

“Fuck! Why didn’t I think of this?” I say, pacing the office floor.

“Care to fucking elaborate, brother?” Kai asks, shooting me an annoyed look.

How did this fucking slip my mind? I didn't think anything of it at the time because I thought that Beta just wanted me out of this sight.

“That night we went to Russo's place, there were three other packs there beside his. The DarkMoon and Dawnguard, and that fucking DC biker pack, Hellfire Horsemen,” I say. Kai growls when I say this. “What does this have to do with them?”

“Because Ruin, that fucking cocky Beta, pulled me outside and warned me to get out of the mansion before midnight. He told me that he couldn't tell me why I needed to leave, but I had to leave right that instant. Obviously, I thought he was fucking with me and went back inside, but then he picked a fight with me, and Russo threw us both out.”

The scene comes back to me, and I scoff. “Ruin knows something, that entire pack does,” I say. Kai sits back in his chair and sighs. “Do you want me to call Ryker and ask him to meet with us?” He asks.

I shake my head. “Before that, I have to go to Vegas,” I say, dread setting into my chest, knowing that Fenriz will rip me a new one. But he needs to hear this from me, from the man who has failed his sister.

Kai nods then. “You might not come back alive when Fenriz finds out; you know that, right?” He asks.

“I wasn't man enough to admit my feelings for her back then. The least I can do is tell him his sister is being held as a fucking sex slave.” These words burn as I speak them, but essentially they ring true. I don't think Lily is doing this because she wants to; there's something else...

“I'll go with you,” Dimitri says, standing up from his chair and walking over to me. He slaps my shoulder and grins, “No one can resist a charming cobra after all.”

I chuckle at this. “Thanks, brother.”

“I'll come too,” Zephyr speaks up, but I frown and shake my head. “Are you fucking crazy? The Vega Lycans will eat you alive; no fucking way will you come with me.” I say, glaring at him, and surprisingly a growl escapes my throat.

I can literally see his wolf submit and flatten his ears when I say this, and it leaves me feeling incredibly fucking guilty. So I walk over to him where he’s retaken his seat and place a hand on his shoulder.

“Zephyr, it's way too dangerous for you to come with. Besides, I was hoping you could take over and handle things here while I'm away. You're my second in command, remember?” I say, looking at him intently until he nods.

"Yes, sir. I just want to feel useful.” He says sadly, and this is when Dimitri walks over and slings his arm around Zephyr's neck. “You're a fucking Blood Crest wolf; you are useful,” he says, ruffling Zephyr's hair and messing up his mohawk. Zephyr smiles and nods, but I still think he’s upset that he can't tag along.

Whatever, I can't baby him forever.

“Maybe see what you can find out from your mother in the meantime, Zephyr. Kai and I will look through the vaults and ask the witches for guidance.” Caterina suddenly speaks up with her eyes trained on us and looking determined.

Kai sighs and stands up. “We all have a part to play right now; Lily has asked for our help, so we have to acquiesce. She's a Blood Crest wolf and Kon's mate with a Volkov pup in her womb - she's family no matter how we look at it, and family comes before anyone else.” He says, his eyes flashing those double crimson irises that still scared the shit out of me.

“Thank you, brother,” I say, this entire thing making me feel weak as fuck. I'm known for being heartless, cruel, killing first and asking questions later. This is how I've always gone through my life; the pack had to be protected and came before all else.

Until she walked into my life and gave it purpose again, until I claimed her with my bite and everything else fell into place, and my life felt whole. Now she’s being violated by another, she has been the entire time she left my side, and it simultaneously broke and angered me to a point where punching a wall won't be enough.

No matter what or who Stefan Russo is, I will get my mate back and kill him with my bare hands, demonic creature or not.