Destiny's Choice (7 page)

“Yeah?” A small smile peeked out.

“Oh
,
yes. She too doesn’t suffer fools lightly.” It was somewhat of an understatement. Since finally understanding her role as female Alpha, his sister-in-law had become a force to be reckoned with.

“I think I’d like that. From what little I heard on your phone, she sounds…different.”

“She is at that.” He nodded with a big grin.

Before either could say more,
Steven
and Mikeal walked in.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go grab a bag and put enough for a few days in
it
while I give
Steven
and Mikeal a quick run down.”

“I…”

“It’s all right, Rivera. I promise they won’t think less of you for not sticking around.” He could feel her anxiety and the need to run.

“You sure?” Her gaze darted to his guard, no doubt taking the measure of each man.

Mikeal
Reynard
was tall and slender with dark hair and eyes.
Steven
St. Patrick was his opposite with light blond hair, blue eyes, a medium build and height. They were also strong and powerful. Mikeal was third to Roan after Flynn
,
and
Steven
wasn’t far behind a
s
fourth.
They were al
l
good friends and two of the few he
could
trust with what he was about to impart without them making any snide comments or judgment calls.

“Positive,” he assured her as he brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles.

“Okay. I really didn’t want to hear it all again anyway. Once was more than enough.”

“I know, sweetheart.” A
fter a
quick peck on the lips  he let her go.

Once he was sure she was upstairs and busy, Roan told Mikeal and
Steven
everything. They were overjoyed about Rivera being his
True
Mate
despite her inability to shift and the scum who sired her.

“It’ll happen,”
Steven
s
aid with confidence
. “She’s just a late bloomer, is all. My cousin Carl didn’t go through the First Transformation until he was twenty-one.”

“Hmm. Maybe the virus in her system just needs adequate time to
become
potent,” Mikeal surmised. “I mean, being half human, its possible that’s what’s slowed the virus in her system down and its taking longer to make her fully Lupus. Unlike when a human gets attacked by an elder.”

Roan nodded thoughtfully. “That sounds more plausible than the dormant gene theory. You and Flynn can talk it over after we get settled at the house in Montana.”

“Knew that course in virology would come in handy some day.” Mikeal smirked.

“And what about these two?”
Steven
asked as pointed to Ian and Lillah. “No offense Roan, but I’d rather we just took them out back, ripped their heads off, and let Mother Nature take care of the rest.”

“As much as that appeals, a quick death would be too merciful.” Roan grinned at
Steven
’ bloodthi
rsty attitude. “Besides, this opens up the perfect opportunity to move forward with our plan. And
its past time I set an example.”

Mikeal sighed deeply. “Brother
Dearest
and his stooges making waves again?”

“Shallow ones, but waves nonetheless.” Roan nodded again.

“Jeez, didn’t Elise getting a mud hole stomped in her privileged ass work? Damned if it didn’t impress me.”
Steven
huffed.

“Yeah. And from what Flynn told me later, Sasha was holding back. Otherwise, Elise would be missing an arm right now instead of healing from a busted one,” Mikeal added.

Steven
whistled. “So
neither Sasha nor Flynn knows just how powerful she is?”

“Her powers are still growing and developing,” Roan told them. “As she is right now, her power is on par with you,
Steven
. Another year or two and it could surpass you, Mikeal
,
and even Flynn.”

“You mean to tell me that in time, her powers could be on level with yours, Roan?”
Steven
’ blue eyes were wide with the question.

“It’s certainly looking that way, yes.”

Mikeal and
Steven
exchanged a look then both burst out laughing.

“Poor Flynn. If he thinks he has his hands full now…
” Mikeal snickered.

“Your dad must be having one hell of a good laugh. He always said the both of you would meet your match someday and damned if he wasn’t right.”
Steven
grinned as he shook his head.

“No doubt.” Roan chuckled. “But I have the distinct feeling I’ll be thanking him for that prediction everyday for the rest of my life.”

The two men nodded then
Steven
asked, “So, what’s the plan? Other than making sure these two get all that’
s coming to them?” His sky blues
began to glow as he stared daggers at Ian and Lillah.

The two were sitting up now, but otherwise hadn’t moved from their huddled position on the floor.

“Oh, they will, never doubt it,” Roan promised. “Reminding the moron triplets of their place is just an added bonus.”

“Excellent.”
Steven
rubbed his hands together in apparent gleeful anticipation. “Though no offense to you Mikeal, but your brother and his cronies have been cruising for a while now.”

“
He’s
been warned on several different occasions about his lack of respect for our Alpha as well as trying to undermine his leadership. It’s past time he and the other two paid the price for their stupidity.” Mikeal’s face was stony
, his scent convey
ed
anger. All if it, no doubt, aimed at his brother and the two who followed him, Roan thought.

From the moment Roan became Alpha,
by
defeating his only challenger, Mikeal, Boone
Reynard
had shown in small ways his dislike of who the new Alpha was. Not being nearly strong enough to challenge for the Alpha position himself, Boone had been using his influence as the head of one of the highest ranking Pack families to try and topple Roan that way. But the only ones he had convinced to aid him were Morgan Salaud and Kyle Montblanc. While both were the heads of two more high ranking Pack families, they were just as low in power as Boone. Roan had, of course, been aware of Boone’s
schemes
, but it wasn’t until after Sasha had fully stepped into her role as female Alpha that he had made his move.
Using his
Mate
’s greedy nature against her was just the first
step
.
One
that had ended badly for Elise. Others had come in the form of business deals gone sour, complaints from Pack members about Boone overstepping his authority, and even stirring up the younger generation in regards to the Packs dealings with humans. Specifically, encouraging the young males to seek out human females for the sole purpose of using them for sex. Lupus ha
d
a high sex drive, males especially. And given that the Lupus were significantly stronger than a human
;
there had been a few incidents.

With all these acts combined, Roan had given
Boone just enough rope to hang
himself. Now it was time to tighten the noose.

“Yes, well, let’s just hope he has enough sense not to pay as high a price as these two.” Roan nodded in Ian and Lillah’s direction. “I’m alread
y well within my rights to issue a formal reprimand with public corporeal punishment and have him replaced.
But seeing as these two have given me the perfect chance to move forward, I’m going to take it.
”

“
N
o doubt Boone will be his conceited self when the hammer comes down.”
Mikeal snorted. “
As for replacing him,
Lord knows the family would be better off. The only reason he even has that position is because dad is too old and I stepped down to be your personal guard. Our younger brother Nikolai would do a better job. He’s much more powerful and considerably more intelligent.”

“He has more common sense, too,”
Steven
quipped.

“I want to see what Boone has up his sleeve first.” Roan grinned. “Later, if Nikolai can be counted on, I’ll keep him in mind. In the meantime, Conner needs to be called and our flight plan scheduled. I want to be in the air by seven tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll call him
and
give him the details,” Mikeal said.

Roan nodded. “I’m taking Rivera back to the cabin. She needs to rest and have
a little quiet time. Today has
been…”

“Eventful?”
Steven
supplied.

“Yes. And not all of it joyous.” Roan frowned. It would take time, but he was sure Rivera would survive. She had made it this far, after all. “These two will be your responsibility until we get to the house in Montana. I don’t think they’ll try to run, but deception seems to be a skill set
they’ve
have mastered. I’ll trust whatever decision you decide upon.”

“You’re really going to have us tried and executed, aren’t you?” Ian’s incredulous voice came from where he was sitting on the floor.

Gazing at Ian
, Roan found a stranger staring back at him. After nearly a century of friendship, Roan had discovered in a short amount of time that he really didn’t know the man at all. He still couldn’t understand how a parent could do such heinous acts to their own child. No matter the circumstances of Rivera’s birth, Ian and Lillah should have treated her like the treasure she was. Not as if she was some grave mistake they needed to cover up and wash their hands of. It broke a piece of Roan’s heart to discover that he had been so close to these two without knowing what monsters they really were on the inside.

“Yes. And without an ounce of remorse,” Roan answered
.
H
is voice
was
cold and emotionless.

“I see. And if Rivera wasn’t your
True
Mate
?”

“I would still do the same
,
” He
replied
without hesitation. “Children are the future of our Pack, Ian. They are
precious and to be
loved
. Not abused, not tortured,
and not
tossed aside like so much garbage. They are not mistakes no matter the circumstances of their birth
.
And
if you think for one moment I’ll let that pass or let the fact that you were my friend for nearly a century sway my decision, then you don’t know me as well as you thought you did.”

“Maybe not. But you said it yourself, there’s no precedent for this crime. Do you really think you’ll get the backing from the families to have us executed? Not to mention Lillah’s parents. They hold more power in the Pack than Salaud and Montblanc combined and are fast friends with
Reynard
. Understand?” His smirk was oily and overconfident.

Afterward, Roan couldn’
t quite b
e certain which had pissed him off more. The smarmy attitude or the absolute faith
Ian
e
xuded that he
and his
m
ate
would suffer no punishment for their transgressions. Whatever it was
, it cracked open the door to the deepest heart of his power. It felt good to let some of it go
since he’d
been unable to for some time. So good, in fact, that even without laying a finger on Ian and Lillah, he picked them up
and
pinned them to the wall
. He then
slid them up until their heads were touching the ceiling. And just because he could, every stick of furniture that he came near as he walked toward the pair, he tossed to the back of the room
. He was also
careful not to hit Mikeal or
Steven
. When he finally reached the two, their eyes were round with fear, the whites showing.
The scent of t
error and urine was heavy in the air. Roan was unmoved
.

“Oh, yes. I understand completely.” The words were low, his fangs had dropped, and he could feel the power swirling around his body like a warm wind as it ruffled his hair. “I understand that every one of you have underesti
m
ate
d me and what it truly means to be Alpha. 
For
decades, all of you have thought the position was about strength.” He sensed where the chair was then picked it up and tossed it out the window. The sound of shattering glass
echoed
in the small room. “But I will very much enjoy teaching you and showing you all the error in judgment.”