Page 21 of Rathgar

“Take me to them. Now.” The words sound foreign even to my own ears. Something deep and primal rose up within me the moment he tried to bargain his wife and child for his safety. Not only because it’s utterly despicable, dishonorable, and downright evil…

But because of Janie, and Iris, and the little one that could be in Janie’s belly right now. There it is. The Alpha instinct to claim, protect, and devour anyone and anything that gets in their way.

Starting with this lowlife piece of trash.

Kovarx scrambles to his feet and stumbles out of the room and down the hallway. I motion to my squad to stand down and let us pass. He leads us to a bare, nondescript door at the end of the hallway. Fishing a key out of his pocket, he unlocks it and pushes the door open.

“You see!” He cries. “They’re very pretty, will serve you well—“

But I’m not listening to him. I’m staring at the woman and children huddled together in the cell-like room. There’s only one bed and no windows. A stark contrast to the rest of the palace. Just what had he put this poor woman through?

The woman’s pretty, but it’s covered up by years of trauma and mistreatment. There’s a bruise just below her eye and her hair hangs in awkward tangles. Her child isn’t much better, a young girl with the same ruddy face as her mother and the most terrified eyes I’ve ever seen.

I’ve been through a lot in the wars. Seen a lot of terrible things, fought a lot of terrible battles. Made some decisions that haunt me to this day. But there’s only one thing that drives straight to my heart like a knife. That cuts past all of my tough exterior and really, really wounds me.

And that’s to see a child in pain.

“Get out.” The words break on my trembling voice. “The both of you, get out, right now. We’re going.”

The child starts crying and the mother tries her best to comfort her, but I can tell she’s just as scared.

All the while, Kovarx stands there with a smug grin on his face like he just made the deal of the century.

And he calls us the savages.

“Go on, you heard ‘im!” Kovarx barks, and they flinch at the mere sound of his voice.

Gods.

Slowly, the trembling mother and her child near the door. I turn and motion for Mina, our medic, to come forward.

They cross the threshold, still wailing and quaking and trembling. They can hardly keep their balance, unsure steps and bare feet. They visibly tense when they walk past Kovarx.

Oh, he is going to regret this. And he’ll have plenty of time to think about his choices…

As soon as the mother and child are out of range, I come down on him hard with the butt of my sword, bashing him in the back of the skull. He drops like a sack of potatoes and I grab the key that clatters to the floor.

Picking him up by the collar again, I toss him unceremoniously into the cell and slam the door. “Enjoy your stay, my lord.” Every word drips with venom, with vengeance for all those he wronged. And especially for the mother and child.

With that, I shove the key into the door and snap it in half. He’ll never see the outside of this cell again, and even that’s much too merciful a punishment for someone such as him.

But in the moment, it’s enough. Blood still boiling, I turn back to my squad and we prepare to leave the building. The mother and child are still crying, but in Mina’s capable hands. I just hope they can learn to trust, to let us help. I know not what torture he put them through, but on my honor as a soldier and an Alpha, I will never let that happen to any woman or child ever again.

Thoughts of Janie flash through my mind once more, only steeling my resolve. My cock jumps at the thought of her sweet heat enveloping me once more. Battle always did get my blood up, and this time it was personal.

I know she’s just my contract surrogate, but I need to see her. I need to make sure she’s all right. Janie’s back at the cottages without me, probably thinking I gave up on her too, as the lowlife who fathered Iris did.

I don’t know how I’m going to make it up to her, but I vow right then and there that I’ll do whatever it takes to see her smile and trust me again.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

JANIE

THREE MONTHS AFTER RATHGAR VANISHED

It has been three months, and I haven’t heard a peep from my so-called ‘mate’. He’s just another sperm donor at this point, running off when he gets cold feet.

I should have expected it, really. Should have known better than to trust a man again. But at least I have Iris, Lara, and Soren.

---