~Leo~
We arrived at a run-down small warehouse. It did not look like anyone lived in it, but I knew it was more than what it looked like on the surface. We shifted back to our human form and wore our clothes. David seemed excited about the mission.
"I am itching to beat this bastard up," David said, and Devin laughed.
"You don't know how I feel right now. I am sure the douchebag had a hand in the shooting. Must have stolen the shit from Erik," Devin said, and I knew his near-death experience played on his mind.
I could understand Devin's rage. It had only been yesterday. He would have died, leaving Susan alone and marking the end of his lineage. It was alright for Devin to have a go at him.
" Please allow me to lead his questioning. When he becomes stubborn, we can exert force. I need to know why," Erik said, and as much as I did not want to agree, Sylvester said it was okay.
'As long as you do not interfere when we decide to mess him up," Marcel said, and we all laughed.
The ten of us walked into the warehouse. Ready to do damage. There was no point coming with warriors. There were already ten of us, and Bryce had his men there, too, so we were okay and ready to fight if there was to be an attack.
We walked in, and I was surprised that the warehouse looked as ordinary as it looked outside. It had tungsten bulbs. A few wooden chairs and a table.
Bryce was there with six men, and a man with brown hair was sitting on the chair. His hair was a bit clammy, meaning he had been drugged.
I could not blame Bryce for drugging him. Stepanovs were immune to Silver. Drugging them was the only way to subdue them.
"Can he speak?" Sylvester asked Bryce, noticing the man's state, and Bryce saluted the king and the rest of us.
He saluted all the lords, including me. I had forgotten I was a lord until he called me Lord Albert instead of Councilman Albert.
"He tried to give us a hard time, so we had to administer medication," Bryce explained, and Sylvester told him it was okay.
We all grabbed a chair and sat in a circular formation, putting Ighor in the centre. Bryce stood beside him. It was necessary because the drug would wear off eventually. Now that we were around, there would be no need to administer another dose. There was no way he could escape us.
"I found him at the airport heading back to Mountain. I think he was returning to Hayland and not Cain as Joan had claimed," Bryce said, and I heard Ighor slur a curse.
" fucking whore," were his words.
I wanted to laugh because that wasn't an insult. It was the actual situation between him and Joan.
"Ighor, how could you allow yourself to get caught up in this shit?" Erik asked him, sounding very emotional.
"How can you allow yourself to be used against your family?" Ighor slurred, and Erik got off his chair and approached Ighor.
"What happened to being peaceful and searching for freedom?" Erik asked him, and Ighor looked up at Erik and smiled. I could see signs of the drug wearing off.
"You can't have freedom with peace. You have to fight for it," he said, and Erik shook his head.
"At what cost? Yuri is going about slaughtering innocent people," Erik said, and Ighor laughed.
"Just like they slaughtered our people," Ighor replied with a bit of strength. The type that came with anger.
"How does Killing the people in the east and south atone for the crime against us?" Erik asked him, and Ighor shrugged.
"They were complicit in the matter. They did not condemn their Lord. The council representing the people agreed with Dimitri, and they buried his crimes," he said, and Erik shook his head.
"So it is wise to kill the people who took us in, sheltered and protected us? Is it okay to murder them and prove that Dimitri had a point all these years? Yuri's actions show that Gregory and Dimitri were right all along. How does that make you feel?" Erik said, and Ighor spat at him.
"Bloody traitor," he said, and Andrew cautioned him.
"I used to have a lot of respect for you, Uncle. I did not know your hands were this dirty?" Andrew said, and Ighor laughed.
"Mikhail must be rolling in his grave right now. You could not avenge your father. You are a bloody traitor. First, you worked against Yuri and now this," he said, and Andrew shook his head.
"Protecting my cousins, the true heirs of our family isn't treachery. My father attempting to murder Uncle Erik for no just cause is treachery. If your perception of right and wrong is flawed, mine isn't. Yuri is killing innocent people and has to be stopped." Andrew said with a bit of rage.
I did not need any more convincing that he was on our side. Indeed the man was misguided by his father and lack of accurate information. I was glad we gave him the benefit of the doubt.
"If Yuri is fit to be king, why is he hiding? King Sylvester is here. He did not hide behind his minions. He is here with us." Alexei said, looking at him.
"Where is your King, Ighor Stepanov?" he asked, looking at Ighor, and Ighor looked in his direction.
"In Hill Valley fucking your pregnant wife," Ighor said, laughing, and Alexei joined him.
"I would have believed you if she was there," he said, and Ighor frowned. I realised he had only said that to aggravate Alexei.
Sylvester got up from his chair and went o where Ighor was.
Without warning, he punched him hard in the face. I saw blood, but instead of pain, Ighor laughed, and Sylvester joined him.
"I like your kind," Sylvester said and went to stand behind Ighor. We were all attentive. I knew whatever Sylvester planned to do to the psycho would be epic.
"I want you to give me a location leading to Yuri, Ighor. Then I might let you remain whole," Sylvester said, and Ighor laughed.
Sylvester hit his shoulder from behind, popping his arm out of the socket, leaving the hand dangling at an unnatural angle.
"If they feel one of us has been compromised," he said, nodding in pain.
"In other words, if you do not check in," Vino said, and he nodded.
"Well, that can be arranged. You are supposed to be in Cains having fun with Joan, right?" Vino asked him, and he nodded.
"Well, It is just a matter of phone code. You will be here, but you will call, and it will seem like you are in Cains for ten days. That will help you stay in touch with them," Vino said, and David shook his head.
"What if they have a secret code, and he tips Yuri off?" David said, and Andrew shook his head.
"I was in Yuri's camp. I know their code. I will be there whenever they converse to ensure he doesn't." Andrew offered, and Sylvester looked at me. I knew he did not trust Andrew, but I nodded, indicating it was alright.
"Well then, ten days is a short time to prepare for war, but I knew we would make it.
"One more thing. Will Sean's arrest make them change their plans?" Clay asked a crucial question since the meeting would be in Gad, and Ighor shook his head.
"Sean wasn't invited. In fact, Sean thinks Yuri is in the South. Yuri planned that Sean would be caught, likewise Joan. Yuri wants you to believe he will be in Greenville hence why Brighton will be attacked tonight." He said, and we had figured that much out.
"What about the people that shot at us last night?" Devin said, and the man bowed his head.
"That was me. I was the only one there," he said.
It was evident due to the timing of his arrival and his need to leave in a hurry. The fact that no one came at us when we were running indicated the shooter might be alone. I wasn't surprised, just pissed off.
Devin walked up to him and punched him in the face.
"You bloody scumbag. My family took your people in. Allowed you to settle on our land, in our region. Your cult didn't only wipe out Pridewood; your sick cult also took my home from me and my people away from their homes.
My mate is part of the Stepanov clan. Leo is partly part of the Stepanov clan, and his mate Amelia is one of the heirs. Have you no conscience?
I would have died. Leo would have died. An innocent man lost his life last night.
He had a mate and three children.
You fucking asshole.
You ruined lives for a psycho. I hope you die a most painful death, and if you have a family, I hope the same happens to them," Devin said with so much rage, and I did not know that the kappa had a family.
I felt the same rage as Devin, but there was no need to approach the man. We might not have told him yet, but we all knew Sylvester wouldn't let him live.
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