Page 62 of Nightmare Island

“But what?” I grab her arm, beyond caring about gentleness. My claws have partially extended, pricking through her skin.

“You’re hurting me!”

“I’ll hurt you a lot more if you’re keeping anything from me.” Another crack of thunder makes the windows rattle in their frames.

“She was alone when I left her, but I warned her to be careful.” The tears spill over, rolling down her cheeks.

“Careful of what, Eve?” I square my shoulders square, and I’m barely holding on to a thread of patience.

“Axel betrayed me… and you. He promised to make me his mate once he took over your pack and territory. Then he turned on me and threatened to kill me if I told you.”

The words collide into me, knocking the air out of my lungs. “What the fuck did you say?”

My wolf howls for blood, and I struggle to think through the rage. My second-in-command wants my position? After everything I entrusted and shared with him? Everything I did for him?

A burning fire ignites in my chest, and with it comes a brutal fury.

Looking back, I can see some of the clues—his convenient absences, his probing questions in meetings, the times he seemed to vanish from the mansion entirely. The way he’d ask about our defenses, our patrol schedules. All under the guise of being my second, my brother in everything but blood.

The ones who’ll stab you in the back are always the closest to you, boy. They know exactly where to slide the knife.My grandfather once whispered those words to me before he passed. Words that now sit heavily on my chest.

Axel, who’s been by my side for three years. Axel, who helped me survive my first weeks here when I was nothing but a half-starved prisoner, dropped onto this hell of an island.

Zeus, I’d been blind.

All of it lies. All of it preparation for this moment.

“Where the fuck is Hel?” I hiss through clenched teeth.

A nod as she wipes her face. “He took her to Sten.”

The growl that tears from my chest feels like it might split me in two.

Running for the stairs, I shout back, “Don’t you fucking leave the mansion! When I’m back, you’re going to tell me everything, or I’ll hunt you down until you’re fucking dead!”

I burst out of the mansion at a dead sprint, my voice carrying to the guards over the howling wind.

“Get everyone together! Today, we paint this island with Sten’s blood!”

The rain is coming down heavily as I burst into the woods, running ferociously.

I’ll destroy the whole fucking island to rescue her, starting with Sten. And Axel? I’ll save him for last, make him watch as I destroy everything he thought he could steal from me. Then I’ll take my time showing him exactly what happens to traitors.

The rain soaks through my clothes while the forest around me groans under the storm’s assault.

Hold on, Hel. I’m coming.

And may the gods help anyone who stands in my way.

Chapter

Sixteen

HEL

The bark scrapes against my wrists as I finally break free, the rope snapping from frantically rubbing it against the tree. I stumble free, blood trickling down where the bond bit into my skin.

Winds howl around me, rain pelting sideways, turning the world into streaks of gray. My hair whips around my face, stinging my eyes.

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