20
Jester’s POV
I paced the room, my hands clenched into fists. The rogue attacks had been constant for the past weeks, b now they seemed to lay off, and that made me even more anxious. They must not stop now, especially since I planning to use them as my weapon against that bastard Elias. I would destroy that goddamn Redwood Palace!
If Mauve wouldn’t come to me willingly, I’d make sure she had nowhere else to go. Her sanctuary would fall, and
she’d have no choice but to run into my arms.
My new Beta entered, looking uneasy. “We caught the rogue leader, sir.”
“Bring him,” I said sharply, sitting down to wait
Two guards dragged the man in, his lean frame and sharp eyes giving him the look of someone used to survival. He was defiant, glaring at me like I was dirt under his boots.
“Do
you know who I am?” I asked, leaning forward.
He smirked. “I do. And I don’t care. He’s a rogue, and manners don’t matter. At least for now”
Lignored the insult, keeping my voice calm. “I’ll make this simple. Gather all the rogues in the northern country Help me destroy the Redwood Palace, and you’ll have wealth, power, whatever you want.”
For a moment, I thought he might agree. But then he laughed, the sound grating against my nerves
“We’re not roques anymore,” he said, proud. “King Elias accepted us into his pack. We won’t betray him after the kindness he and the Luna Queen showed us.”
The mention of Mauve, tied to Elias’s name, sent fury coursing through me. My claws extended before I even thought about it, and with one swift motion, I slit his throat.
“Then die, you bastard!”
The rogue leader crumpled to the floor, his blood spreading in a dark pool. I stared at the lifeless body with
disqust
“Throw him back to their pack,” I ordered. But as my men moved to comply, another idea crept into my mind–a darker, crueler plan.
“Wait,” I said, a sinister smile spreading across my face. “Leave a message with the body. Tell them Elias killed
him”
I
That night, I hunted down as many of those ex–rogues as I could find. They had become pawns in my game, and I played my role mercilessly. Each body I left behind carried the same note: I will forever despise rogues. All of you will die–Elias.
The next morning, I buried myself in work, but my concern was about the selling of this useless hospital.
Papers piled high on my desk, but one stood out. A buyer had offered three times the price anyone else had for
Shadowpine Hospital.
“Have my secretary handle it,” I said with a wave of my hand.
By evening, the deal was done. My secretary returned, saying the buyer wanted to meet me.
I sighed, irritation bubbling under the surface “Fine. Send them in.”
The door opened, and my blood boiled in my veins when Elias himself entered.
“You?” I spat, standing so quickly my chair scraped against the floor. “What the hell are you doing here? Do you
want to die today?”
Elias stepped in casually, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I’m here to go to my office. I’m the new owner, after all, What are you still doing here?”
His words were like a slap. “That’s impossible,” I growled, snatching the papers off my desk. “There’s no way you bought this hospital. Don’t play games with me. Get out, or I’ll have my warriors throw you out.”
I barked into the intercom “Guards! Arrest this intruder!”
Moments later, a group of guards entered the room. Relief washed over me until they turned to Elias. He gave them a simple nod, and my stomach twisted.
“What are you doing?” I yelled as they grabbed me, “Are you out of your minds?”
No one answered. Despite my struggles, they dragged me outside like a common criminal. My face hit the cold pavement, the impact sending a sharp pain through my nose as blood poured down my face.
I scrambled to my feet, humiliated and furious, only to find Elias standing over me.
“Such a predictable move,” he said. “Killing those rogues and trying to pin it on me? Really, Jester?”
I wiped the blood from my face. “Don’t lie! You hated them and killed them yourself, didn’t you?”
Elias’s smirk deepened. “Hated them? I welcomed them. They’re part of my pack now, and I protect my people. “You can’t prove anything,” I shot back, desperate to regain control
He shook his head like he was dealing with a child. “Jester, we’re werewolves. Our senses are heightened. The stench you left on their bodies was unmistakable. You didn’t even bother to mask it. It was you.”
Before I could respond, angry voices erupted behind me. I turned to see a crowd approaching, their faces. twisted with grief and rage.
It was the families of the dead ex–rogues,
“That’s the one who killed our loved ones!” they shouted in unison, pointing accusing fingers at me.
The scent of wolfsbane hit me before I could react, my body weakening instantly. My knees buckled, and ! collapsed to the ground.
–
Then the blows came–fists, claws, and kicks from every direction. Pain exploded in my ribs, my face, my legs tried to fight back, but the wolfsbane sapped my strength
Through the haze of pain, I heard Elias’s voice.
“This is your doing, Jester. Redwood is mine, and so is Mauve. You’ll never touch what belongs to me.
Π
I wanted to scream, to lash out, but the darkness was too strong. As the blows continued, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness, defeated and humiliated.
