Page 35 of Villainous Fate

He’s trusting me to make this choice.

I turn, squaring my shoulders, and deliver the answer we came up with together, relying on his gut.

“Trust Fate,” I respond.

That’s exactly what we’re both doing, handing them our fate.

Please be right.

Chapter 21

Deacon

Hisbrowsdrop,angercreasing his face as his one eye flares with annoyance.

We got it right.

My blood boils as I look him in the face. I should have known his slimy, traitorous ass would weasel his way here.

We should’ve killed you.

My wolf threatens control, and I take a slow breath to hold on, knowing unleashing him will have me removed, contest over or not. Instead, once I allow the silence to sit long enough, I lift the corner of my mouth, knowing the small movement will only add to his anger, and move my gaze to ignore him completely. Scanning the area, my attention falls on the Betas that flank him. Both appear at least a decade my senior, but neither poses a threat.

“Where should we take our gear?” I ask the man sitting to Rod's left. I can tell by his quick glance that he reports to Rod.

Fun.

My eyebrow lifts in annoyance as he decides if he should answer, everything in me wanting to push Command into my voice before I hear Stone speak.

“Yeah, you can take mine to the bunks,” he adds, tossing his bag at the man’s feet before continuing. “Got anything to eat? I’m starving.” He says, stretching his arms out nonchalantly while looking around for the source of the aroma wafting our way.

The man looks irritated and hesitates before responding, his eyes sliding between us and his boss for some sort of confirmation as to his role here.

“Cadet. You do not have the authority to boss my men around,” Rod says, his voice slow but menacing. “I didn’t catch your name…”

“I didn’t offer it, though where I come from, lower wolves obey orders from Alphas, or do you not have hierarchies here?” His voice stays neutral, but there’s a challenge in his tone.

Rod laughs; the sound deep and dark.

“You have no rank here, Alpha blood or not. And, as I have no idea whoyouare, your importance matters little. You can take your bags to the barracks on the North side of the compound, claim a bunk, and report to the center flag. Formation will begin when the last team is accounted for. Your stomach,” he pauses for effect, “will have to wait until then.” He turns with his final statement, leaning back in his chair again and feigning indifference, but the clench of his jaw gives away his anger.

“Appreciate the hospitality, RamRod,” I mock salute as I walk past them, not bothering to protect my back. Footsteps follow behind me, and I crack a smile at Stone’s passing remark.

“Later, Stickman.”

Brody Rodriguez was once an enforcer in our pack. He was on track to take over as head enforcer when my father stepped into power. When Giovanni gave him the option to step down or leave, Rod fought. Challenging for the Alpha title. His wolf was strong but no match for my father’s dirty fighting tricks. He walked away with his life, and the scar displayed across his eye as a reminder of who was in charge.

He spent nearly a year complaining to anyone who would listen that he’d been cheated, but with the loss of his eye, no one believed he would be able to lead any pack. To shut him up, he was added to the security team for the LLC briefings. How he weaseled his way into a leadership position here was beyond me, but one thing I knew for sure. He wouldn’t be letting that nickname go.

Stick up his ass. Stick in the mud. Stick a fork in him….

Oh yes. ‘Stickman’ would certainly be sticking around.

This Stone kid was growing on me.

***

It was another four hours before the final team made it to the gates with only minutes to spare. At least the final team that was still eligible. Out of the fifty cadets who started the day, only twenty-nine remained. Turns out Alvarez’s partner found him after all and dragged his sorry corpse to the gates an hour before the deadline.

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