Page 69 of In Plain Sight

"Ruby, what are you doing here? Please don't make this any harder than it has to be," Kelsey said. "I do not enjoy killing for any reason, but especially a needless one. Isn't there anything we can do?"

Ruby took a deep breath and turned to her. "We've gone over every possible scenario. There's no way to break the oath without one or both of you dying."

"A challenge situation seems like the most humane way to handle things. Kyle discussed it with you already, yes?" Thomas asked.

Kelsey nodded and sighed. "I thought all this was behind us."

"He will never stop," I warned her. I passed Patrick a USB thumb drive loaded with as much information and files as I could muster while working around the gag order. "That's as much information as I can offer. I truly hope it helps you take him down once and for all."

"You could have killed me sooner, Bran, and you didn't. We can work something out," Kelsey offered.

I shook my head, resolved in my fate. "I'm afraid not. I've already tried and in doing so I hurt the only two people in this world that matter to me. I can't risk their lives. The oath is growing stronger. The pull of it is too much. The pain is unbearable. The only relief I get is in the active pursuit of your demise, or in death itself. I know how my story ends, Kelsey. I'm sorry to put this burden on you, but you have a family of your own and those boys need their parents. You have to fight me. You have to kill me," I told her.

Thomas and Kyle looked on helplessly. No one wanted it to come down to this but there was no other way. I desperately needed the pain to go away. Patrick tossed her a sword. I turned one last time to kiss my mate a final goodbye, and pulled out my dagger.

The searing pain that shot through my hand made me cry out as I dropped the dagger and fell to my knees.

"What the hell?" I yelled. "I'm doing everything he asked. The pain should be lifting, not worsening."

"Maybe your heart's not into it?" Liam offered.

"I've given up everything. I'm resolved to my own death," I said.

"That's it," Patrick offered. "Maybe Liam's right and you don't really have any plans to kill Kelsey, just to let her kill you, so it's not enough. I think you have to pick up the dagger with the intentions of actually killing her."

I looked at the two of them as if they were insane. "What do you think I'm touching the dagger for at all? I know I have to actively move to attack her. I'm telling you, I can't."

I reached for it one last time, and screamed out at the fire it caused. My blood felt as though it were boiling.

"Kyle, I'm not doing this," Kelsey said stubbornly. "Look at him. This isn't self-protection, this is blatant murder. I won't have any part in it."

"Kelsey, you have to," I practically begged her.

Raina calmly walked over and picked up the dagger. She turned it over in her hands, studying it.

"Branimir, stand up," she finally said. "Tell me what has changed."

"Nothing. Nothing has changed. The oath was very specific," I tried to explain.

"They usually are," she said sadly. "What were the exact words of the oath?"

I thought back, remembering the moment vividly. "’I swear to enact the wishes of my Alpha or die trying.’"

She considered each of my words as the rest of the room waited silently, watching to see what happened next.

"And how did the witch that forged the oath reply?"

"She said, 'It is done. From this moment forward you are bound by blood to obey the wishes of your Alpha.'"

"Your Alpha," she considered. "Is it possible his wishes have changed?”

"Never," I admitted.

"Wait a sec," Thomas interrupted. "Pick up the dagger again."

I looked at him like he was insane, but I obeyed. This time there was no pain whatsoever.

"What the hell?" I asked, not for the first time.

---