Chapter 228
King Braedon POV
I paused, seeing Brynn in front of me. She heard the small sound of a pebble as it slid out from beneath my feet and moved, crouching over Blair whose legs were spread, her hair matted to her head, sweat pouring from her forehead. Brynn placed a knife against Blair's neck as I stepped out from the shadows, the others doing the same, so that we were crowding Brynn who merely grinned at us cockily. There was no escape, no back way out of this cave, and yet, Brynn didn't look fazed at all. Blair was breathing shallowly, panting, her face contorted in pain. I could feel my rage seeping through.
"Blair, sweetheart, are you okay?" I asked evenly, never taking my eyes off Brynn who brandished the knife threateningly at Blair.
"Just peachy," Blair said sarcastically, giving a small cry of pain and clutching at her stomach.
She was restrained by silver cuffs around her hands, I noted, as Brynn smiled at us.
"One wrong move and I'll slit her neck. Then not only will she die, but so will your precious pups" she spat, looking satisfied.
"Brynn, you know that if you do that, you're not getting out of here alive," I told her steadily, pinning her with my gaze. She snorted "Don't try and fool me King Braedon. We both know that what I've done, between trafficking women, ignoring your decree about the breeding program, kidnapping Blair and now threatening to kill her, I was never going to live after all that anyway, was I?" she asked me softly, her hand still steady as a rock with the knife while Blair continued to pant and groan.
I couldn't answer. Brynn wasn't stupid. She knew the consequences of her actions. She knew that she wasn't going to live another day. But I was hoping she might see sense and let my mate go, without having to fight or risk injury.
Alpha Johnathon stepped forward, his eyes on his daughter. "Brynn," he said quietly, his voice regretful "You've gone too far. I have no desire to see your death in front of my eyes. Please, for my sake, let your sister go" he pleaded as Brynn snorted at him. "Ah yes, the precious daughter you couldn't bring yourself to kill," she said mockingly "Is she your favorite father? Why didn't you kill her when you had the chance? Why do you plead on her behalf? Is it because she's the Luna Queen now?" Alpha Johnathon eyed his daughter gravely "I couldn't bring myself to kill my own flesh and blood. This has nothing to do with favoritism. Brynn please" he said with a choked voice "I'm begging you, let your sister go. You're only going to make things worse for yourself."
"I couldn't possibly make things worse for myself," Brynn said with laughter in her voice "How did it feel to see Mother die right in front of your eyes, you miserable coward?" she demanded, while the rest of us remained silent.
I could see Sierra studying her, looking for an opening, and James doing the same.
"It hurt" Alpha Johnathon admitted lowly "Even though she rejected me, never really loved me, it still killed me to watch her be executed in front of me. I don't want that for you Brynn. Please. Be reasonable" he urged her "you're out of choices and out of chances." But Brynn merely smiled. "Out of choices?" she said with a raised brow, while Blair let out a strangled cry "All I have to do is" she lifted up her foot and then stomped it down, right beside Blair before I could so much as make a move "is stomp on Blair's stomach here and she would be dead," she said sweetly.
"You wouldn't dare" I snarled "You'd be dead before you knew it."
"But so would your pups" Brynn pointed out casually.
I watched in silence as she reached down and grabbed Blair's arm, hoisting her up carelessly. She held the knife against her throat while Blair looked disorientated and dazed.
"Move," she told Blair, "slowly. The rest of you, back out of the cave" she instructed.
We hesitated. She narrowed her eyes and then pushed the knife into Blair's throat, causing blood to well up in the wound. I snarled.
"Move back," I told everyone.
We slowly moved back out of the cave, while Brynn came forward, Blair panting and sobbing, clutching her stomach and looking close to passing out.
"The babies are coming" she whispered, her lips dry and a panicked look in her eyes "Braedon please, the babies" she sobbed.
Brynn looked satisfied, standing outside the cave, holding the knife and eyeing everyone carefully. "Blair's been in labor for a little while," she said nonchalantly, while Blair groaned, "and I'm willing to bet that it won't be long until the babies are here."
I didn't like the look in Brynn's eyes. But I didn't dare move while she held the silver knife at my mate's throat. I hated feeling helpless. Blair looked scared and lost. I growled. Brynn laughed.
She tilted her head and gave me a long, considering look. "If things were different, we might have ended up as mates King Braedon," she told me amused "I would have made one hell of a Luna Queen. It's too bad you had to end up with my b***h of a sister" she commented as I glared at her.
"Your sister is a precious jewel to me," I said stiffly "and I thank the moon goddess for giving her to me every day."
Brynn's eyes glittered "You have the kind of love you only read about in fairytales" there was a trace of melancholy in her voice "or see in the movies" the merest hint of sadness.
"I thought I was going to have that once before Mother killed Ashton" she sighed "and took him away from me. It doesn't seem right that Blair should get her happy ever after, while I don't" she added with a spark of anger and a mutinous expression on her face. She was going to do something. I could sense it. I watched horrified, everything appearing to happen in slow motion as Brynn raised the knife and then stabbed Blair in the stomach, dragging the knife across, blood spurting out everywhere. Blair screamed as Brynn dropped her to the floor. "Now you have a choice, save Blair or come after me," Brynn said hauntingly, turning and shifting while I darted forward in a panic, turning Blair over in my arms.
"James" I roared, and he took off, after Brynn, while Sierra and Alpha Johnathon hovered over me.
"What do I do?" I begged them, lying Blair on the ground and looking at the wound. She was stiff, and pale, her body tensing and miraculously conscious.
The wound was deep, but she was still doubling over, as though still in labor. I didn't have time to grieve, I let out a long howl of anguish.
Her eyes were looking directly at me as she moved her lips. She muttered three words, three little words, but they caused my heart to turn to stone and dread to rise inside of me. She was still in labor, but she was fast losing too much blood. Sierra tightened her lips. Blair mouthed the words again, as I held onto her hand.
"Save our babies."