Page 52 of Bound to Four Alphas

“As you say, Father.”

“I know you have a soft spot for the girl, Elian, and for that reason, I shall be lenient in her punishment. This time.”

“Punishment?” Elian growled, and Ronan took a step towards him. Malek remained still where he stood, his eyes never leaving Phaendar.

“Of course,” Phaendar sneered at his son. “She left the palace grounds without permission and opened the gate for you.”

All pretenses of civility were gone. Father and son faced each other, hostility prickling the air between them like lightning.

“So you didn’t let us in on purpose.” Malek had never heard Elian’s voice so cold, so devoid of any feeling. This was the Fae who commanded more magic than Malek had ever seen in a mortal being, the Fae who danced into minds and destroyedthem after inflicting centuries of torture. The Fae that would gladly kill to defend his pack.

“I asked you what you know about the human threat. You chose to score a cheap point instead of answering. So I will tell you. The humans have a weapon. Something bigger, more dangerous than any paltry magic you may wield, boy. And they’re using it to control the filthy nightmare creatures that infest the woods.”

Every single one of Malek’s muscles stiffened. Phaendar was looking right at him now, open disgust clear on his face. Malek was vaguely aware of Ronan and Kaelen falling into step beside him, but he didn’t care. There was roaring in his ears, and the sharp taste of blood on his tongue.

“And you,” Phaendar spoke to Elian, even as he stared down Malek, “wanted to permit this … this …thinginto the Marble Halls. What other choice did I have but to refuse you entry?”

The world went silent as the beast took hold of Malek’s mind. It didn’t matter how many times he told himself he didn’t care, how many times he made himself smaller to appease others, how tight his control remained, even he had his breaking point.

And Phaendar had found it.

He growled, thunderous and heavy with promise of death, the ground beneath them shaking as shadows snaked from his feet, his claws extending, his eyes burning.

Phaendar scoffed. “Look at it, it can’t even speak, only grunt like an animal.”

“Father—” started Elian, but Phaendar held up a hand.

“I will not hear you. I want this thing gone from my Halls, gone from my land. If it does not leave now, I will have it slaughtered and mount its head on a spike.”

Malek’s human form fell away, his true self bursting free with a tremendous roar. And only then did Phaendar’s scent spike in fear. Malek let his tongue sweep over his teeth and stalked forward, inky claws scraping against the marble floor.

Because it was one thing to insult him, to stop him from crossing through the gate because of what he was.

But because of it, Selena had been put in danger.

Sweet, beautiful Selena, who looked at him not like he was some slavering beast, but like he was worth something. Worthy of her. Such a perfect being bestowing her favor upon him—surely that was an act of the Gods.

And Phaendar had endangered her.

Malek ignored the other alphas as he paced forward, shadows dripping from his teeth, every muscle trembling to attack.

“I am Malek. I am the ruler of the shadows left when your God abandoned you. I am the nightmares that plague you when you sleep. I am the fear that clouds your mind even now.”

Phaendar was backing away, his expression one of horror and awe. “Dear Gods,” he whispered as Malek snarled.

“I am Malek. I am aking. And your Gods are not here now to save you from me.”

He pounced. And Phaendar turned to dust in his teeth.

Malek roared in frustration, flipping around, hunting for his prey in the vast throne room.

“He’s gone,” said Elian, more subdued than normal. “Ran away.”

“Coward,” said Kaelen, fists balling.

Malek barely registered them. He howled and paced, sniffing the ground where Phaendar had stood. Nothing. Phaendar was smoke on the air. He turned, tail lashing, only to meet the raised hackles and bright yellow eyes of Ronan in his wolf form, teeth bared and wary.

“Are you going to threaten me too?” Malek snarled, crouching low and preparing himself for a fight.

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