Page 81 of Court of Evil

Following after him, I keep my gun raised just in case, but he’s right. There’s nothing living here, just more blood and bodies—all hunters. We pass through the room and follow a narrow corridor marred with claw marks, finding rooms holding more bodies.

Wolves. It seems the hunters picked a fight with the wrong people.

There’s a cage in the back room that draws my attention. It’s empty, the door hanging off its hinges with claw marks and blood leading away from it. Clearly, it held a wolf.

Turning around, I scan the room. “There was a big battle here, and the hunters lost.” From the smell, I know it has to be a few days old, maybe even weeks.

“I smell wolves, a lot of them,” Addeus remarks, and I nod. I see the signs as well, even if my senses are not as good as his.

“It seems they picked a fight with someone they couldn’t win against,” I murmur.

I stand in the midst of what was once a hunter HQ. All that is left is death and destruction. I wonder where and how Black fits in when my eyes land on the computer room, and I walk inside. A video is loaded on the screens, so I hit play.

A determined, grim-faced woman starts to speak. There’s something about her eyes . . . She’s a wolf.

“Last night, my pack and I killed every hunter in this area. We didn’t do it unprovoked. Hunters came into my home, burnt my family alive, and chopped my father’s head off before my eyes. They killed so many, the blood cannot be washed away, even today. They also went after children, innocents who had never done anything wrong. Along with this email, which I am sending to every hunter whose email address is in this laptop, I will attach the videos I found that show their crimes—not just against wolves, but against every beast, as you call us. You vowed to protect human life and innocents, but you are just using it to cover your sick tendencies, like rape and torture. You aren’t soldiers, you are serial killers, and this is your warning. We will rise. We will not accept this anymore. Every monster will be made aware. You have two choices—die for your crimes or clean house. Stop the madness. Kill those who hurt innocents, not those who are innocent. I know from my mates, who were hunters, that you did not start this to be evil, but to help, so do that. If you don’t, and if this doesn’t stop, mark my words—I will hunt every single one of you down and rip out your hearts.”

The date is from a week ago. What does this mean?

Is Black dead?

I didn’t see his body outside, nor the others’, but that doesn’t mean anything. He could have been ripped apart, eaten, or simply be somewhere else.

Is my revenge gone?

It’s a bitter pill to swallow.

“Tate?” Ronan murmurs. “I think we should leave.”

I nod, knowing he’s right, but as I look around, I know I cannot leave without answers. Pulling off my glove, I press my hand to the closest bloodstained wall and watch. Agony, pain, and death ricochet around my chest. A female . . . A wolf . . . It’s her memories. She’s angry and so very strong.

Love fills her every action, and respect fills me as I wander through and up the building, touching every surface I can, searching for Black and my old team.

At the front door, I finally see what I need to.

Black’s voice rings through my head, igniting my fury. I wish I were here that night to end him—not just for me, but for all the wolves huddled around, scared and tired of fighting. I can feel this she-wolf’s need for peace.

She never wanted this, just like me.

I follow the trail outside and lay my hand on the ground, closing my eyes as I watch what went down. I see my team fall, and then Black.

Standing, I slide my glove back on and turn around to find them all watching me.

“They are dead. It’s over,” I announce.

I hate those words so much, but it’s the truth.

Black and my team are gone, and so is my revenge.

It’s a good thing they have been stopped, but I can’t help feeling like it was stolen from me.

CHAPTER 34

We have nowhere else to go. I don’t want to go back yet, and I can’t move forward. I’m almost listless, so when Fang steps up and we find ourselves in a hotel room, I’m almost thankful, but I will admit I’m in a bad fucking mood.

I hear them whispering, but I focus on cleaning the blade in my hand, trying to relax with the rhythmic movements, but if anything, it’s only making it worse.

I hear one of them yelp, and my head jerks up as Ronan is pushed before me. “Hey there—” he starts, but I throw the knife. It soars right through him as he shouts and hides behind Fang, who sighs.

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