Page 58 of Cursed Wolfsbane

He’s standing halfway down the sooty limestone alley, his shiny black dress shoes a contrast to the dirty cobblestone floor. In his black pinstriped suit and solid black tie, Patrick looks like a wannabe gangster. The shiny silver and black pistol he’s holding at his side completes the bad-guy look he’s going for.

“Briar, do you know much trouble you’ve caused me?” Patrick spits. His mouth twists in a sneer as he takes in the five of us. “I knew you were a whore just like your mother, but I didn’t think the alpha heir was stupid enough to fall for your pathetic charms. And a mage, really? You’re a disgrace to Dido’s line.”

A red haze coats my vision at Patrick mentioning my mom. “Don’t fucking talk about her,” I snarl as I attempt to lunge at him. Malachi’s hand shoots out and wraps around my left wrist before I can get far. As I’m tugged to a stop, I try to get ahandle on my anger. Insulting me is fine, but the second he talks about my mom or mates, I have the urge to throat punch him. Charging at him in a blind rage is probably what he wants, so that’s the last thing I should be doing.

Patrick raises the gun and aims it at Malachi’s head. “I don’t want to kill you, Wyldhart, but I will if you stand in my way. Let her go, and you four will live to see another day. Is she really worth it?”

“No, I’m not,” I answer for him.

At the same time, Malachi hauls me back into his chest. “Yes, she absolutely is. There’s no way you win this, Patrick. So, drop the gun and walk away.”

Patrick throws his head back and cackles, his laugh is the most unhinged sound I’ve ever heard. I never particularly thought Patrick was crazy, just a horrible person. Now, however? I’m wondering if he was ever all there.

His laugh turns to coughing that racks his slimmer-than-usual frame. He raises his hand not holding the gun to his mouth. When he lowers it, it’s covered in blood.

Well, that’s not good.

For him.

Personally, I would delight in seeing him choke on his own blood. It would make my day.

Is that sentiment a little sociopathic?

Probably.

Do I care?

Not even slightly. He deserves it for what he did to my mom and likely my dad.

“That’s the thing, boy. I have much more at stake in this fight than you do. My life is on the line if I don’t bring her in. It’s not just an easy lay and a disappointing pussy for me. If you’re as smart as your father thinks you are, hand her over. Now.”

Eww.I physically cringe at Patrick’s words. A shiver of revulsion snakes down my spine as I fight my body’s instinct to be anywhere other than here with Patrick.

I can’t believe he just said that. I know he’s never been a parent to me, but it’s still wildly uncomfortable having him talk about my pussy. And I’m not an easy lay, for his information. I’m at least an average-to-mildly-difficult lay, thank you very much.

“Who are you working for, Patrick?” Malachi infuses alpha command into his voice.

Patrick flashes him a sharklike grin but doesn’t answer the question. “That won’t work on me, Wyldhart. They’ve found an antidote to alpha commands. I don’t answer to anyone now.”

Well, that’s new. I didn’t know anyone was even looking for an antidote to alpha commands. Although, I can see why people would. It has to be annoying to be able to be ordered to do things against your will by your alpha. I wonder if this alpha command antidote has anything to do with how ill Patrick looks and why he’s coughing up blood.

“Except for the people you’re worried about killing you, whoever they are,” I mumble under my breath.

His eyes narrow on me, and he lowers the gun until it’s pointing at my head.

Lovely.

Who doesn’t enjoy having a gun aimed at their face? Although, I do prefer this to him pointing it at any of my mates.

“You don’t know anything!” he screams at me. “I’m the one who picked the winning side! I’m the one who isn’t blinded by the bullshit packs spew. I’m the one smart enough to see that the only wolves who have a future are the ones who work with the Knights!”

I gasp in shock that he would stoop so low as to work with them. Although, I really don’t know why I’m surprised. Patrick has only ever been interested in helping himself, no matter thecost to anyone else. The Knights of Aeneas are dedicated to the complete and total eradication of all supernaturals. So Patrick, logically, thinks they would be great partners for him to be evil with.

That makes sense. I’m sure nothing bad will happen to him after they get what they want.

“How long have you been working for them, Patrick?” I ask, disgusted by him more than I thought possible. Being willing to sell my family out is one thing, but selling out supernaturals as a whole is another. Thinking about my family makes my blood run cold as I realize something. “Did you kill my dad for the Knights?”

A slow smile spreads across Patrick’s face. He looks so pleased with himself it makes me want to barf. “Ah, you figured that out, did you? My only task was to make your mother fall in love with me. When that proved challenging, I took out the competition. Even without your disgrace of a father, your mother was too loyal for me to sway. I blackmailed her, which was far easier but less satisfying.”

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