Page 44 of Queen of Wrath

Jax was jostled from a deep sleep, the sudden panic almost causing him to fall out of bed. He looked around, finding his startled wife, Chika, already sitting up. It appeared to him as if she was talking to someone.

Jax’s eyes followed Chika’s line of sight to Diesel, seeing his uncle standing before him with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

“Go to Diamond’s room and close the door.” Diesel’s voice leaked into Jax’s ears, infecting his mind with fear and rage.

Chika looked at Jax, frightened.

Jax drummed up the courage to remain nonchalant as he waved for her to leave the bedroom.

Diesel waited until Chika closed Diamond’s door before speaking.

Smoke was practically coming out of his ears. “Were you having pleasant dreams?” Diesel's words had a twinge of spite and a sea of anger behind them. “How did this happen?”

“I'm sure I don't know what you mean, but whatever it is, it probably doesn't call for you breaking into my house and waking up me and my wife so early.” Jax tried to turn back over in his bed to go back to sleep, but Diesel grabbed him by the arm and dragged him, fuming and struggling, into the living room.

Then Diesel held a newsletter to his face. “Thousands of these copies have already gone out this morning.”

Jax’s tired eyes took a few counts to acclimate to the stark black lettering before he began to read what was in front of him:

“It would appear potions are being sold that are resulting in adverse effects for their clients. Although we haven't been able to determine the source of these potions, we can safely say that they are from a dubious company. Theskin News already has their best investigators on the case. They are working in tandem with the Bureau of Potion Regulations.”

Diesel then ripped the newsletter away from Jax’s face, and leaned in closer to instill fear. “You were there late last night. Who else was there? Did you notice anything suspicious?”

Jax only looked irritated. “I didn't see anyone suspicious. Don't you think I would have done something if I did? This really seems like a security issue you should be handling. I'm the one who has to run a whole company. The only thing you have to do is keep your people and your potions in check.”

“You've been getting pretty plucky lately. Do I have to knock you down a peg again? Perhaps spending a week in a prison cell will straighten you out,” Diesel threatened, grabbing his nephew’s arm with a clawed vice-grip.

“I'm not a child you can push around!” Jax growled from the depths of his chest as he forced his arm free. He then used the resistance from Diesel's weight to catapult himself, jumping high up into the air.

Skin ripped clean off, and fell to the floor like confetti, all before he landed back onto the ground on all fours.

His wolf pelt prickled out as his bones stretched and crackled with defiance.

Jax’s paws hit the ground with a heavy thud, shaking the entire house.

“I’m not that scared little boy anymore. You can't threaten me now!” he screamed so loudly in his head, that he almost heard it ringing through his own ears for a while after.

“Finally, I was wondering when you’d finally man up,” Diesel chuckled, shifting into a wolf quicker than Jax had ever seen.

Even for his uncle, that was supposed to be impossible…

Diesel moved faster than the speed of light, and before Jax knew it, he felt something sharp against his chest.

He looked down and saw blood bursting from him. It poured down like a waterfall, pooling around his paws.

How did he do that? Jax backed away, feeling the fear flood into him. There’s no hope of fighting him if he moves that fast!

Jax realized Diesel had to have taken some kind of potion that increased his speed by miles, probably one of the secret illegal potions he’d been working on.

Once Diesel had determined that Jax was no longer a threat, he shifted back into his human form. He didn't shift as quickly this time, though. “There you go. I needed to make sure you were subservient again so that you get it through your thick skull.”

Diesel continued to approach Jax as he backed away. “Everything you have, you have because of me. Never forget that I can take it away in an instant. You are living on borrowed time as it is.”

After he backed Jax into a corner, Diesel leaned forward until he looked directly into the bleeding and weakening wolf’s eyes.

“Now listen very closely as I say this. Find me the person who infiltrated my facility and sabotaged my potions. I want their head on a silver platter by the next full Lunair. If not, I'm going to lay ruin to everything you find precious in this world. Am I making myself clear?”

Jax didn't know what else to do. As much as he wanted to rip his uncle's throat out, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance to even get close enough to try. He lowered his head slowly, bowing in submission.

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