SWNOVELS The Dark Rising: Chapter 22
behind you to power your strike, use your whole arm when you swing your blade, it is an extension of you, not an accessory!” I shout to my Elites as they spar with each other.
The training yard is on the other side of the west wing. It’s a large square enclosed with fencing, with soft dirt on the ground for when they land. The summer sun beats down on their naked backs, nicks and some shallow wounds dripping blood from them as we enter our fourth hour of training.
“You’re hard on them, more so than usual,” Leo says when I reach the fence that goes around the perimeter.
I shrug. “War will be coming.” I fold my arms and lean back on the fence, observing.
He sighs. “This is not where I expected it to be. Fending off rogures and about to start a war with the Highers.”
“Neither did I, but we cannot let it continue.” Not after what was hidden from us right before our eyes.
“No,” he says solemnly. “I can’t help but think of all the times we followed orders, took creatures down, and wondered if they were really looking for an Heir at that time.”
“Those types of questions will probably never be answered, you will drive yourself mad.” He grunts. “Again!” I order, when some of the them finish.
Leo chuckles. “Those that are scared of you will do no good in battle, never mind a war.”
“They think since I’m an Heir, I’m dangerous to them?” Ridiculous.
“You always were.”
“Not in any way like they think I am now,” I sigh. I cannot have them fearing me because of who I am. I’m pushing hard in training, but that’s only to help save their lives. Now, they think I’m going to snap their necks with no thought or reason.
“They will come around,” Leo says, laughing as an Elite gets his legs swiped from under him by Maverick. He’s the one who holds the fort when my brothers and I are out. “He’s getting better every time.”
“I did train him.”
Leo shoves my shoulder. “Cocky bastard.” I shrug. “Most of the others are following his lead in not pissing themselves when you’re near,” he snickers.
“I can’t have men who I can’t trust, especially not now.”
He nods. “Are we weeding them out?”
“Yes. I want names of everyone who has a connection to the Highers, or their families have connections to the Highers, no matter how little. We cannot hide Rhea and her pack forever. They also need to train, and I need to be able to trust that my Elites will follow me like they should, not the Highers.”
“I will start on it with the others.” He reaches into his pocket. “Another letter for you.” I see the seal on it and instantly shake my head, letting him know to discard it.
Leo pauses for a second.
“Spit it out,” I say, turning around to face him, my arms crossed.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Are you two patching things up?”
“That doesn’t concern you,”
“Come on, brother,” he says, exasperated.
I turn and look back at my men. “I don’t know about fixing things. How could I ever make up for what I did? I’m still angry at her, at her lies. But my actions and hers are not so simple. We both had reasons, and I’m not sure we are both ready to hear them, though her reasons are pretty obvious.”
“Have you told her why you didn’t disobey Charles’s order?”
“No,” I grunt.
“She may change her mind—“
“My reason doesn’t matter why I did what I did, brother. It’s too late for that. It’s unforgivable.”
“You are too hard on yourself,” he mutters. “You were put in an impossible situation.”
“That doesn’t matter either.” I start toward my men. “Let’s focus on weeding out the rotten for now.” I hear him sigh before he leaves.
I breathe deep and let it out, clenching my hands before releasing them. “Maverick,” I call. His head snaps toward me and he comes over.
“Yes, Alpha” His chests heaves with his deep breaths, sweat dripping off of him.
“Good work, you have improved even more.” He dips his head in thanks. “I know your loyalty is toward the Elites and no one else.”
His brows pinch together. “Of course.”
“Do you have any others in mind who aren’t?”
He looks at me for a moment. “Something is coming, isn’t it.”
“Something we all weren’t prepared for, so answer my question.”
He nods. “I have a few in mind, but nothing solid.”
“It’s a start.”
“You were very angry when we last spoke,” Charles says as he takes a sip of his liquor. I grunt, not replying. He sighs. “Darius, you need to adhere to my orders, it will not go well for you otherwise.”
“I am not here to be controlled, I’m the Alpha of the Elites.” And he is a piece of shit that needs me to rip out of his throat. Just the thought of his hands on Rhea, what he did to her, what he allowed to happen has me boiling with rage.
Drax growls inside of me, a continuous sound that doesn’t help with my control. He’s damn-near feral as I sit across from him, wanting to be let out to have his teeth sink into him.
We will have his flesh torn soon, we just need to find evidence of where these children are that he has taken.
“It’s for the greater good of Vrohkaria,” Charles goes on. Once again, he sits there, all imposing as he tries to command me to do what he wants. No more.
“I will not rape and create pups.”
He scoffs. “I am very disappointed in you lately, you are not yourself. You seem to think highly of yourself since you have been recognized as an Heir.” He looks over me, nose high in the air.
“Nothing has changed since I have that title.”
“A lot has changed, including yourself.”
“I disagree.” I lean back and fold my arms. “What did you call me for?”
“Do not treat me like a pest, Darius,” he warns, and the air fills with tension. “I am Lord Higher, watch your tone or I will have you thrown in the dungeons with your men.”
I grind my teeth and say nothing. What I wouldn’t give to have my hands around his throat. I can see it so clearly too. I would squeeze and watch his eyes bulge, I would watch his blood vessels pop, watch him claw and gasp for breath. Then I would let up, just to start again. Maybe I could hang him for a time, just to watch him struggle, then tie him to a pole or strap him down.
The many, many things I want to do to this male. All I can think about as he moves his mouth, talking to me more like a pet than a respected Alpha, is how many ways I would make him hurt. How many times I would make sure he survives just so I can make him suffer for longer.
I will have that, Rhea, will have that.
“Are you even listening!” Charles throws the glass against the wall, and silence follows as he breathes heavily like a rabid dog on the other side of the desk.
“I have a lot on my mind with the rogures, this is why I wanted to look at the crystal once more—“
“You will not be looking at the blasted crystal again! You have seen it, you do not need to another time. You need to focus before I have you replaced,” he growls, a vein bulging on his forehead.
His words make my eyes sharpen. “You can’t just have the Alpha of the Elites replaced. There are rules to abide by for that to happen, a ceremony. None of my men will take my place unless I allow it.”
“Patrick has no such problem. Now, get me another drink.”
“Patrick?” Rhea’s sick cousin? Just hearing his name has my hackles rising even more. “That shithead hasn’t even passed the rite of passage, and he would die trying.”
“He doesn’t need to,” Charles growls. “Drink, Darius, now!” My jaw ticks, but I get to my feet on stiff legs and go to his liquor collection. I choose one that’s already open and fill a glass, resisting the urge to spit in it.
Taking it back to him, I slam it down and some spills over the rim, onto his precious desk. Power blasts through the air and it slams into me. I fly into the wall, my chest feeling like it’s about to explode before it’s suddenly gone. I drop to the floor, my eyes hard as I look at Charles who cleans his desk.
My hands fist at my sides as I stand.
“I would apologize for that loss of control, however, you are no barbarian, Darius. You know to take care of my things.” I’ll take care of things alright.
I just need more time. Get the crystal, find the names of all pack members who have gone missing or are lost. Then, then I can drive a blade into this asshole.
I dust myself off, growling beneath my breath as I make my way back to my seat.
“Your father would be so disappointed with how you are acting.” I think I broke off some of my tooth. “As would your mother and little sister.” The ground beneath my feet trembles, and Charles smirks as he looks over some papers in front of him. “Now, now, you only have yourself to blame with the shame of that. Moving on.” I’ll move you six feet under. “I have planned for Maize to arrive at the keep. She is very easy to get her to spread her legs, so bedding her shouldn’t take too long. She is not a wolf, but she can take a tonic to bring on a mimicked heat cycle to get you, shall we say, in the mood.”
I stare. “No.” I will not touch her, the thought repulses me.
He stills, and lifts his head. “No?” he asks in a quiet murmur. I glare, letting him know I will not be doing this. “I wasn’t asking, but very well.”
There is a knock on the door, and I tense as Charles welcomes them in. “Seeing as though you will not do as you are told.” A guard walks to the side of Charles’s desk and bows his head, his neck shows as a sign of submission. “Have someone grab the large, red haired male and the one who uses a bow.” I tense. “And then bring Kaden down to the dungeon with them. We have another interrogation session to complete.”
My stare bores into Charles. “What did you just say?”