Page 28 of Reign of the Beast

Draco released my jaw and I dropped into a heap on the grass.

Quickly, I reared back and somersaulted to my feet.

The demon was back in my space instantly, glaring down at me. “You despise what I have done today and you despise me by extension. Not only for my actions today, but also due to the girl’s reactions to me. You care for her, yet she is closed to you. You engage in a fruitless pursuit there. The same is true of your life here as a lowly wolf ruling over but a single pack, squandering your abilities.” He leaned in and grabbed my right hand. “The latter is not your fault. You have been denied a great deal. It is a cruel injustice that I will remedy.” Shoving my jacket sleeve up my inked arm to my elbow, he stared at the birthmark on my lower forearm that was like a beacon through all the heavy ink. A two-inch-wide flaming circle that I’d had since I was born, something that I’d never been given an explanation for. “The mark of eternal hellfire,” he said, smiling with victory.

He pushed up the sleeve of his cloak and pointed to an identical mark onhisforearm.

Shit.

I fought to jerk my hand free, so I could grab Mia and wolf speed the hell away.

But he held fast, telling me, “That is the mark of the Anointed, those possessingmypower. My kin. You are more than wolf. A hybrid. My blood runs in your veins. We are power personified. I will free you from the shackles forced upon you by Cornelius. Then we will reign.”

“Look, you’ve got the wrong guy. Now, accept you made a mistake and get the hell out of here so I can start rebuilding what you’ve destroyed.”

“Fool!” he bellowed. “I do not do things half way. When I set out to accomplish a task, I am thorough.” He pointed to the forest behind us. “You think I did not plan accordingly? I have soldiers positioned at all throughways located on Silverwood pack lands. Those you believed had been saved with evacuation are no more.”

“What?” I croaked.

He leaned in close. “Your secondary enforcers charged with leading your pack to safety, women, children. Those remaining fifty soldiers who stood with you on the mountain edge. Your pack is no more.”

“You’re lying,” I seethed.

“Reach out with your instincts. Seek them out.”

Hating that I needed to follow his instruction, I did. There was no other way to know for sure. Ihadto tap into the connection I had as Alpha to each member of my pack.

My stomach turned, my body tensed when I felt nothing.

The connection was… empty. There was no energy there at all.

I’d felt it before with my old man.

Death.

No. No. No.“No!” I roared, lunging at him, my teeth gnashing, my claws slashing.

I’d lost it.

I was out of control.

My rage, my grief was too much, too raw.

I couldn’t swallow it down.

I couldn’t fucking stomach it.

He’d murdered my entire pack, destroyed my pack lands? They were all gone? In one rapid-fire brutal attack, it was just... over? Everything was lost? I couldn’t... I couldn’t take it.

His boot socked me in the gut, blowing me back several feet.

As I struggled to keep on my feet, coming to a skidding stop, I noticed he didn’t have a scratch on him. My attack had done nothing to him.

“You will join me, boy. With their annihilation, I have severed your connection to this life, a life not meant for you. You will thank me for it soon enough, once I release you and you taste true power.”

Black flames started to swirl around him and he reached out to me.

I recognized the spell from Mia. He was going to teleport me away with him.

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