Chapter 0176

Athena

My forehead pressed against the cool wood of the desk.

Alexander, Sebastian, and Theodore were discussing strategies.

Every plan they proposed felt useless.

Gabriel was cunning.

He had outsmarted Isabella, Sophia, even his own brother.

I turned my head slightly, glancing at Brianna asleep on the sofa.

Theodore had argued she shouldn’t be alone during her recovery.

My mate had agreed to let him bring her here.

Her eyes were shut, one arm dangling off the edge.

But I had a strong feeling she wasn’t truly asleep.

She just wanted to listen.

Should we say something? Nyx murmured.

Not yet, I replied.

I still didn’t trust Brianna.

Saving her life didn’t make her trustworthy.

Everything about her seemed too perfect.

The others insisted she was trying.

But they would see the truth eventually.

It was only a matter of time.

Zachary had shared more about his past than she ever did.

All she talked about was what she’d done to me.

It made me suspicious.

I saw her eyelashes flutter.

She rolled over, facing the back of the sofa.

Now I couldn’t tell if she was faking.

“Are you okay?” Alexander moved around the desk toward me.

He blocked my view of Brianna.

“Tired,” I muttered.

It wasn’t a lie.

The twins had been moving all night.

I’d barely slept.

“Do you want to lie down?”

I noticed Brianna tense, waiting for my answer.

“No.”

He leaned down and kissed my cheek.

A knock at the door pulled my attention away.

Theodore opened it to reveal Zachary and Isabella.

Her cheeks were flushed.

She’d probably been in heat.

They’d been in her room most of the day.

“What’s the problem now?” Alexander muttered.

“Gabriel has been trying to watch Isabella.”

“What do you mean?” I sat up.

“Bloody handprints on her window. His scent,” Zachary replied.

“How?” I asked, surprised. “Your room doesn’t even—”

“I know. We haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Please tell me I get to kill someone today!” Zachary said.

Alexander had promised him Ethan.

“You’re in luck. Today’s the day,” Alexander smiled. “We need him gone.”

About damn time, Nyx muttered.

Theodore woke Brianna.

She sprang up the moment he touched her.

Just as I suspected—she hadn’t been asleep.

The seven of us headed to the dungeon.

Ethan’s execution was supposed to be public.

But given the circumstances, Alexander decided to do it privately.

Ethan laughed as we stood before his cell.

His eyes scanned each of our faces.

As if memorizing who to haunt after death.

“Go on, then! Do it!” he gloated.

Alexander cleared his throat.

His crimson eyes locked on the man in the cell.

“I sentence you to death for crimes against Alpha and Luna Athena Harrison.”

Ethan laughed again.

His smile stretched wide.

He’d lost weight in captivity, looking even creepier.

“I assume the girl is dead,” Ethan said as Alexander unlocked the cell.

“Why would you assume that?”

“When she was down here, he said he’d kill her. She still opened his cell. But not mine.” He spat on the floor. “She deserves to be dead.”

“Deserves? After you had her kidnapped by your brother? You think she deserved to have her heart ripped out?” I was furious.

“Careful, Athena. You’re carrying precious cargo. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to the twins.”

“You’ll be dead soon. Those twins mean nothing to you,” Zachary growled.

“Rather invested, aren’t you, Lycan?” Ethan’s grin widened. “My pack is coming for me.”

Alexander burst out laughing.

“No. They’re not. Your Beta has taken over Crestwood City. Your pack wants nothing to do with you. In fact, your Beta wants to be called when your heart stops beating.”

Alexander unlocked the cell and stepped inside with Sebastian.

“You’re a liar, Alexander. They will avenge me. They won’t rest until you suffer.”

Alexander and Sebastian held him still as Zachary unlocked his chains.

Isabella slipped an arm around mine, steadying herself.

“Go on, kill me. You’ll never learn the truth about the young redhead.”

Athena, Alexander linked me. He’s trying to get in your head. Buying time.

“The truth,” I muttered, removing Isabella’s arm.

I stepped into the cell, locking eyes with the gaunt man.

“The truth is that she was just a girl whose life was destroyed. You don’t know what that’s like. But maybe if I rearrange your organs, you’ll feel it for a few seconds. Zachary, move.”

Zachary glanced at my hand, already shifting into claws.

He stepped aside.

One by one, my claws pierced Ethan’s chest, like slicing soft cheese.

He fought back screams.

Sweat poured down his body as he struggled.

It only made my claws sink deeper.

I sliced his flesh open.

He fought against Alexander and Sebastian, but they held him upright.

“Isn’t this what you want, Ethan?” I heard the darkness in my words.

Rage surged through me.

“Please, stop. Or kill me quickly,” he begged.

“You don’t deserve a quick death,” I muttered, pulling my claws free.

The wounds partially healed, just for me to slash again.

I repeated it three more times.

Pouring all my anger into his slow, painful death.

His head dropped as he coughed up blood.

My claws had pierced his lungs this time.

A strange whistle came from his mouth.

I forced my claws deep, squeezing his lungs.

Tearing parts of them from his chest.

His whole body trembled.

Then Alexander and Sebastian released him.

He fell face-first into a pool of blood and piss.

I left the cell.

Isabella had her head buried in Zachary’s chest.

But his eyes were on me.

So were Brianna’s.

I hoped they both saw.

It wasn’t worth fucking with me.

Not anymore.

I didn’t stop.

I walked straight out of the dungeon.

If Gabriel wanted to attack, I was ready to rip him apart.