The Pack's Nemesis (Quirin's Story) novel Chapter 83

Quirin

As soon as I knew Kennedy was comfortable and safe, I stripped off my clothes and leaped off the patio. About halfway to where my patrols had announced that my trackers had Slater, Kier joined me.

‘I can’t wait to find out where they found him,’ he says.

‘I can’t wait to see his face when he realizes that we know what he did. You know he thinks we don’t know about his part in all of this,’ I tell him.

‘What are you going to do with him?’ Kier asks.

‘I haven’t decided yet.’ I growl as I feel the silver burning Raif’s paws. I’m pissed off all over again at Jasper.

When we get there, I shift and walk up to Slater who is on his knees in front of the patrols.

“What’s the meaning of this? I left. I wasn’t bothering you. I rejected you and this pack, so why the fuck did you drag me back here?” he snarls. I glare down at him, and I can see the fear behind the bluster. I can also see that my trackers weren’t exactly gentle with him while dragging him home.

“Not bothering me ... Hmmm,” I say, turning to look at Kier. “Did he bother you?”

“Yeah, I sure as fuck was bothered.”

“Mmm,” I agree, nodding and acting like I’m thinking through both men’s statements.

“How about you, Terrance. Were you bothered?”

“Yeah, I was fucking bothered,” he growls.

“Hmmm, was anyone else bothered?” I ask. Everyone agrees, or growls angrily at Slater.

“What the fuck is your problem? What did I do to you?”

“What did you do to me?” I ask slowly as if thinking it through. “Well, now, let’s see. You betrayed your pack and therefore me, as your Alpha. You conspired with Jasper to kidnap your previous Luna and my mate, you conspired to kidnap my pup, even though you probably didn’t know she was pregnant. Even I didn’t know she was pregnant at the time,” I say as if I’ll give him that little bit of grace. “But, if you hadn’t connived with Jasper to kidnap Kennedy, you wouldn’t have inadvertently kidnapped my pup so... yeah, I’m holding you accountable for that too. Did I miss anything?” I ask, looking at Kier.

“He protected his rapist brother,” he growls.

“Oh right. You not only betrayed your pack by betraying their Luna, you betrayed them by being an asshole who doesn’t treat his fellow pack members with respect, therefore disrespecting me as their Alpha.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with Kennedy’s kidnapping,” he yells. With a quick slap, Raif rakes his claws across Slater’s face.

“That’s Luna Kennedy to you. Show some fucking respect for once," I growl.

“I didn’t do anything,” he snarls, slapping his hand against his face, the blood seeping through his fingers.

“Funny, that’s not what Jasper said.”

“He lied.”

“Well, he’s dead now, so I guess we’ll never know. Where did you find him?” I ask my trackers.

“Skulking around Alpha Jasper’s pack lands,” one of the trackers says, smirking because this just adds more weight that Slater is lying.

“Oh so you DO know he’s dead. That makes this much easier,” I say. “You’re a traitor and you’re here to pay your dues for participating in the kidnapping and attempted murder of my mate,” I say, my voice dripping with false patience.

“Brogan wasn’t going to kill her!” he yells before suddenly realizing what he said.

I squat down in front of him, my fury barely held in check.

“What was he going to do with her, then, hmmm?”

“H-How would I know?” he asks, his tone much less confident.

“How did Jasper know that Kennedy’s favorite spot in the pack was the overhang, and that it was the only part of the pack that wasn’t patrolled? Who would have known that?” I ask, looking up at Kier.

“I let the pack have him,” he says.

I turn, looking at the rabid excitement coming from my pack and I know that what they would do to him would be worse than anything that I did. I would torture him, make him suffer, yes. But they will toy with him, keep him alive, give him hope that he can escape before dragging him back. It would also give them a sense of unity, bonding over protecting each other.

“I took Yara inside and let them do what they felt needed to be done. Slater didn’t just betray you and Kennedy, he betrayed the entire pack,” he says.

I turn and look back at Kennedy. “What do you think? Could you live with that?”

I can feel her struggle to accept what will happen to Slater, but I also feel her anger that he had a role in putting our pup at risk.

“Yes, I can live with that,” she says.

I hear Slater scream ‘NO’, but it’s drowned out by the howls of excitement from the pack.

“Kennedy, why don’t you and Quirin come to the hospital. We can see if an ultrasound will pick anything up while the pack ... deals with this,” Yara says.

I turn and look at Kier. ‘Make sure we’re away before you let them begin,’ I say in the mind link.

‘Yes, Alpha.’

“Do you mind if I come with you? I doubt we’ll be looking over the pack lands today,” Warren says.

I look at Kennedy, wanting her thoughts. She shrugs. “Sure thing, Dad. It’s your grandpup.”

"I expect all of you to come to the pack hospital to have your wolf's paws or your hands and feet cleaned of silver when you're done," Luna Yara says loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"Yes, Luna," they say.

We’ve just reached the hospital when the sound of excited growls, howls, and yips begins behind the packhouse.