Page 18 of Not a Pawn

“A mess?” Harlow asks with a frown.

“Well, yes. Since they burned down my home, I will take this one once they are dead.”

“Over my dead body,” Sebastian cuts in.

“That’s exactly the plan, my friend,” Marco replies with a chuckle. “And then I will tie the bitch to your bed and fuck her until she submits.”

Harlow rubs her hand up and down Sebastian’s back to keep him calm. I can see his dragon shimmering just beneath the surface of his skin, but I know Marco will not hesitate to shoot both of them. There is too much that can go wrong while he has that damn gun in his hand.

I am beside my brother and our mate a moment later as Marco tracks my movements with his weapon. Harlow and I help Sebastian stand and walk as we make our way outside. Memories from earlier today assault me as we walk out onto the patio.

We should have stayed in the sky and skipped all the drama down here. But it’s too late for wishful thinking now. No. Now I need to think of a plan that will get us all out of this situation alive.

****

I Have Something To Show You

Harlow

I can almost hear the wheels turning in Julian’s mind as he tries to figure this out, but I already know what to do. Marco thinks I am just a weak little omega, but he doesn’t know the truth. I’ve already decided I will kill him, now all I need is for him to focus his attention on me.

“What is your grand plan, Marco?” I ask. “It can be as simple as killing the brothers and taking over their home and territory. They have people who work for them, alliances. You can’t expect to just get away with it.”

“You don’t know a fucking thing about our world. I will be the new head of this family and you will fall in line along with everyone else,” he says with a glare. “I don’t need a mouthy bitch telling me what will or won’t work. Omegas are there for the pleasure of Alphas and nothing else. You should learn your place.”

“I think you’re mistaken,” Julian cuts in.

“And I think you’re about to die!” Marco screams. “On your knees. Now,” he commands.

“Marco,” I say softly. “it’s clear you have won.” Both my mates stare at me in confusion. “Before you kill them, you should ask about their secret.”

“Secret?”

“Yes, they have something valuable. Something only one other person has,” I reply.

My feet are planted firmly to the ground, my stance low. I know that when I shift, my dragon will want to take him down as quickly as possible. My mates stare at me in varying degrees of disbelief.

“What is she talking about?” Marco asks no one in particular. “Tell me.”

Bas is the first one to catch on to what I plan to do. I see the moment Julian understands, horror sketched across his features.

“Ask her,” Sebastian says with a nod in my direction.

“Don’t do this,” Julian growls at his brother.

“Why not?” Sebastian asks. “He wants to know the secret, she brought it up. Give me one good reason.”

“You’re a bastard,” Julian roars before shoulder-tackling his injured twin to the ground.

Marco’s weapon lowers as he enjoys the sight of the fighting brothers. He knows whatever their secret is, they will fight to keep it hidden, which means it is worth something.

I watch him carefully instead of my mates. The moment the gun is pointed toward the ground I allow my beast the free reign she so desperately craves, shifting in the blink of an eye. Marco’s shock has me chuckling internally as my dragon swipes a massive claw at him.

That’s all it takes. My dragon swipes out with her talons and severs his jugular artery. She does enough damage that his head almost falls from his shoulders to roll across the grass.

The instant his body crumples to the lawn beneath her feet, she allows me to shift back and get to my injured mate, but he is already in his dragon form allowing the shift and the magic it creates to heal his gunshot.

Julian wraps me in his arms as his twin’s dragon stomps around angrily, fuming at being hit and not being the one to deliver the kill shot.

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