Page 26 of The Onyx Covenant

“Shut up.” I don’t take my eyes off the door she entered.

“Just saying, you could’ve given some warning before deciding to upend pack law and tradition.”

“It wasn’t exactly planned.”

“No shit.” He follows my gaze toward the tree line. “She looked ready to gut you where you stood.”

“She’ll learn to accept it.”

Kieran raises an eyebrow but doesn’t press. He’s one of the few who know pieces of what happened between Lyra and me—not everything, but enough to understand the weight of what I’ve done tonight.

“Don’t look now,” Kieran mutters. “But Daddy Dearest is coming, and he doesn’t look happy.”

“When does he ever?”

Kieran quickly heads inside.

My father’s hand clamps down on my shoulder like a steel trap, fingers digging into muscle hard enough to leave bruises. Without a word, he steers me to the edge of the bunker, where there are no windows. I could resist—part of me wants to—but causing a scene would only make things worse.

“You’ve created a real fucking mess!” His voice is a low growl, and his crimson eyes are gleaming.

“The binding is done,” I say, keeping my voice level, not wanting anyone to hear us. “The Covenant accepted it.”

“The Covenant,” he spits the word like poison, “is composed of idealistic fools who believe in peace and unity.” He steps closer, the bone beads in his braids clicking together like death rattles. “I raised you better than this. Trained you to be a leader, not some Elios-loving weakling who binds himself to the enemy.”

“The packs weren’t always enemies,” I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

His eyes narrow dangerously. “What did you say to me?”

“Nothing.” Too late to take it back, but too dangerous to elaborate. The journals hidden beneath my floorboards contain truths my mother discovered that would get me killed if he knew I’d discovered them.

“Nothing,” he repeats, mockery dripping from the word. “Just like your pathetic excuses for why you bound yourself to that Elios bitch.”

My hands curl into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms to keep from striking him. “Don’t call her that.”

A cruel smile spreads across his face. “Ah, there it is. The real reason. You actually care for her.” He laughs, the sound devoid of any warmth. “Just like your mother—weak for anything with a pretty face and Elios blood.”

The mention of my mother sends ice through my veins. “Leave her out of this.”

“Why? She left herself out years ago, didn’t she? Escaped into the night without a trace, only for me to discover she was seeing a fucking Elios man behind my back. Then she disappeared… that same pack she adored would have killed her for breaking the law.” He leans closer, his breath hot against my face.

I don’t look away. I let him see the fury in my eyes when he brings up my mother. He does it to provoke me. He always fucking does. The bastard knows exactly where to cut. How can I blame her for running when she was shackled to my father in a marriage she never chose? But he does—he blames her for leaving, for disappearing, for breaking the image of the perfect little family. Claims she was murdered, as though that’s easier to believe than the truth. But they never found a body. Just silence. And it screams louder than any lie he tells.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he whispers, his voice low and venomous, glancing over his shoulder like the walls might be listening. “The first night of the ritual, when the little blonde priestess is asleep and dreaming of gods who’ll never save her, you’re going to end her. Slit her throat. Snap her neck. Hell, push her off a fucking cliff if that’s what it takes. I don’t care how you do it. Just make sure she doesn’t see the morning.”

Rage explodes through me, hot and volatile.

“Do you understand me?” His eyes lock on mine, blazing with ruthless intent. “I will not let your bleeding heart destroy everything we’ve built. We didn’t claw our way to the top of the food chain just to lose it all because you hesitated.” He leans closer. “The only reason our pack survives the dead of winter with full bellies is because we own the Onyx Covenant. Because we take what we need without apology. And now you’re gambling all of it—our future—because you can’t bring yourself to kill one pretty little girl?”

My vision edges as I fight to keep my wolf contained. The audacity—to order me to murder her, to speak of her like she’s nothing but an obstacle.

“You dare?” I growl, voice dropping to a dangerous timbre that causes even my father to tense. “You speak of pack power while ordering me to kill my bound partner?”

His lip curls. “Grow up. Do your fucking duty. Or I’ll find someone who will.”

I step closer, towering over the man who raised me to be his weapon. For the first time, I see a flicker of uncertainty in his crimson eyes. Good. Let him fear what he’s created.

“I am not your attack dog, Father.” The title tastes bitter on my tongue. “And Lyra is not your sacrifice. This binding happened for a reason. Maybe it’s time our packs stopped circling each other like wounded predators.”

---