Page 39 of Sins of His Wrath

Naya’s throat tightened.

She knew what Mama was referring to—their conversation yesterday about her wanting to kill Akoro. If Naya killed him, there was no way she’d get out of his land alive. Mama was telling her to bide her time.

Naya wanted to tell her she couldn’t live like that—with him—but the look in Mama’s eyes silenced her. She exhaled slowly. Nodded.

Papa was still pacing like a caged beast. “We were ready for battle, Naya,” he growled. “You said you were ready! And then you make this offer, and the bastard spits in your face by not agreeing to it.” Papa stopped pacing, a murderous look in his eyes. “I never agreed to anything. If you don’t return in a reasonable time, I’ll come there and fucking destroy them all.”

Naya rose slowly and calmly. “No, you won’t, Papa.” Her voice was quiet and unshaken. “You gave me the reins to the Lox and the empire, and this is what I’ve decided. You have to honor that.”

“The throne isn’t yours yet!” Papa bellowed. Mama moved to stand next to him, her presence a quiet counterweight to his storm. “I will not allow you to risk your life,” Papa continued, voice cutting. “We did not agree to this.”

“I know what we agreed,” Naya insisted. “I know what our plan was. But everything changed once they took the village hostage.” She held his gaze. “What was your plan to prevent them from killing all the Omegas, Papa?”

A sharp silence fell between them.

“You know we couldn’t afford that,” she said. “Not after everything you and Mama went through for them.”

Papa’s scowl deepened. “That doesn’t mean you have to do this.”

“It does. Can you imagine having to tell the empire that most of our Omegas are gone? Killed by the enemy about to raid their homes?”

Papa fell silent. The weight of her words sank deep. While the Lox were revered, and even seen as an extension of the throne, the return of Omegas after over a hundred years of their disappearance had cemented the empire’s pride. No other land could claim such an achievement, and it was the main reason most of the Lox’s dissenters fell silent. If the Lox Omegas were wiped out all at once, faith in the throne would crumble. At such a crucial time, the empire couldn’t afford it.

“We could have evacuated them if we’d known.” Papa’s voice was lower now, gritty. “Transported them to another part of the empire. We could’ve even sent them to Kardos or Malloron to keep them out of harm’s way.”

“I know.” Naya’s throat felt tight. “It’s my fault they’re at risk.” Her chest ached with the admission. “I’m trying to fix it now. Once the Omegas are free, you can relocate them and their families.”

“This isn’t fixing it, Naya,” Papa said. “You agreed to hand over the empire if you fail.”

Naya tilted her head, watching him closely. “Do truly you believe I will fail, Papa? Be honest.”

“Of course you won’t,” he snapped back without thinking.

Papa stilled, his own words hitting him. His shoulders easing slightly and his gaze softened, though the worry still lurked in his eyes. “You are an Andaus,” he said, quieter now. “The most resourceful person I know. Everything you do is for the empire. I trust you with my life, with the lives of your family and our people.” He sighed. “But I hate that you’re choosing to go back there.”

Mama stepped forward, her eyes shining.

“Be safe, Nayara,” she whispered. Then she pulled her into a fierce hug. Naya gripped her tightly, inhaling the warmth and comfort of her mother’s presence and guidance, the quiet strength she always carried. And then, Papa’s arms enveloped them both, his huge arms strong, unyielding, protective.

“You will do what is needed and come back to us,” Mama murmured, her voice filled with certainty. She pulled back just enough to meet Naya’s gaze. “I know you will.”

Papa exhaled, stepping away, the warmth finally reaching his gaze—but not easing the weight in his voice. “Everything rests with you now, Naya.” His tone was weighted with both pride and sorrow, a reluctant acceptance of the path she had chosen. “You fought for this choice. Now it’s yours to see through.”

His lips pressed into a hard line, his jaw tightening briefly, as if holding back something else he wanted to say. Then—his voice dropped lower. “One way or another, my brave daughter, our empire’s future is in your hands.”

Naya returned to the village, determination and dread tugging for dominance inside her.

The sky stretched vast and cloudless, a sharp, pale blue tinged with streaks of gold where the sun climbed higher. The light was bright, yet the air was still thick with the remnants of tension, as if the empire itself held its breath.

Akoro’s soldiers had cleared out, leaving only the men restraining the Omegas behind, and the Lox warriors stood watching, still motionless, their presence heavy, unmoving.

Naya ignored their silent scrutiny and walked toward where Akoro stood waiting. A group of soldiers gathered around them, and wordlessly they began walking.

As they passed the captured Omegas, Naya’s gaze sought theirs, catching their wide, fearful eyes. She whispered soft reassurances, and most of them calmed, clinging to her words.

The soldiers hauled them forward, dragging them along as they followed Akoro and Naya through the village. Around them, the village bore the scars of invasion—doors left hanging from broken hinges, shattered wood littering the ground, the occasional smear of blood drying in the sun. The bodies of fallen Alphas had been pushed aside, and the scent of trampled earth and steel lingered.

They walked through the length of the village, as Naya had done many times to visit her forest. Yet, it was jarring—this violence, this ruin—in the one village of the Lox Empire created to be free from violence. A place built as a sanctuary, a refuge for those who were meant to be protected, shielded from cruelty.

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