15. EZEKIEL'S MEN

JULIA

What was I supposed to do in a room full of men? They all wore smug expressions and their auras screamed ‘danger!’. None of them looked friendly, especially the last one on the line. He was tall, the tallest among any of us. His body was big and wide, like all he did was weightlift all his life. His face was in a permanent scowl and his fists were the size of my head. He could crush my head like a grape if he wanted to.

“These are my men,” Zeke walked forward and slightly pushed my back, guiding me towards the sofa. As soon as we seated, they followed. Amir remained standing beside Zeke.

“Amir is my beta and these men will have their own specialties in the pack.”

I looked at Zeke, wanting to ask what I had to do with all of these. But his face remained calm and expressionless. I guess that was better than having him violent.

Amir cleared his throat and gestured to the first one who had a burned scar on his face, he was the one who had a permanent scowl on his face.

“The first one is Brute, he's pure strength and force. He may be the strongest one in the pack.” Amir explained. Brute didn’t react, he just stared at us with the same usual expression he had. A big part of me feels like he doesn’t want to be here.

“One time, he managed to crush the heads of 8 rogues while he was pushing through the crowd. I’ve seen it myself, and it was just pure rage,” Zeke excitedly explained with a large grin on his face as if he was talking about something entertaining. I blinked at him and looked at Amir, but he just shook his head at me.

“They attack with fire, Brute hates fire.” Brute said, his voice was deep and monotone. I was surprised that he even spoke.

“He was burned on the face by his mother when he was young, so he developed a fear of fire. But other than that, he’s pretty obedient and loyal.” The man behind him spoke. He was one of the normal ones, I think.

Aside from his aura, I didn’t find anything odd about him. But I knew that he wasn’t less harmful than the others. He had three different holsters hanging from his waist, and two across both of his shoulders and all three were filled with different kinds of knives.

“I’m Chris, I do scouts on other packs, and I also assassinate if needed. Brute and I were here even before Cronos. We worked under Amir before we got thrown into exile aka prison for being disobedient.” He threw his arms over the boy beside him who looked like he was at least seventeen or eighteen.

“This kid beside me is Leo, he’s new here. He's been a well-known hitman ever since he was young. And don’t expect him to speak, he can’t.”

I turned to Zeke for answers, but his eyes remained on the boy who stared back at him. His face was indifferent and the friendly aura he had a few minutes ago was gone.

“We just met a few weeks ago, you had your tongue back then,” Zeke said, his voice ice cold. “Did my stupid brother cut it off as punishment for warning me back then?”

The boy’s face was lifeless. He just stared blankly at Zeke and bowed his head. I couldn’t wrap my head around what Zeke had just said. A few weeks ago, meant that we were still at the forest, but I don’t remember him—wait.

He was the boy who led us to Zeke’s brothers in the forest. My hands flew over to my mouth and gasped. He was it! He was that boy! On the night Zeke disappeared, that boy was the one standing outside the shelter waiting for him. He looked so different back then.

How did he end up this way?

“He’s going to guard you, Julia,” Zeke said, his face finally turning to me. “I can’t be with you all the time, so I need someone to watch over you.”

“Why?” I ask, “I don’t need a bodyguard, Zeke. I don’t like being watched all the time. You didn’t even ask me first before doing this.” I turned towards Leo and raised my hands, “No offense to you.”

“It’s for your own safety.”

“Am I not safe here? I have Lyla. It’s not like someone would come around and kill me in your own house.”

The men in front of us looked at each other. Their silence and with Zeke’s obvious look, they just affirmed my suspicions. But I truly did not want a bodyguard. I didn’t like the thought of someone following me and watching my every move. I felt uncomfortable—I felt suffocated and controlled.

“He wouldn’t bother you. It’s best to have him by your side, Julia. Even if this is my territory now, I still don’t have control over everyone.” Zeke’s expression was authoritative, and his words sounded final.

I couldn’t help but feel upset about all of this. He didn’t ask for my permission; he didn’t even try to talk to me about this first.

“Is it because I’m not like you people?” I asked him, “is it because I’m an easier prey?”

Zeke paused, his expression hardened, and his jaw clenched. He always didn’t like it when I didn’t do what he wanted. He never liked it when I didn’t listen.

“Am I not worthy of opinion? Am I not worthy of respect?”

“Julia,” Zeke warned, his voice was low and almost like a growl. “Just listen to me.”

“Why do you always want me to listen to you?” I snapped at him. I felt everyone around us tensed, growing uncomfortable in their seats but I didn’t care if they watched us argue. I don’t like someone taking control of me, I don’t like it when someone orders me around.

“Because you will listen to me,” his voice thundered inside the room. It was calm yet I knew that he was giving me a warning. Zeke’s expression was deadly, but it felt like I was being robbed of the freedom I tried so hard to have. It felt like I escaped from the shackles of my past, but it was being placed back on.

I refuse to be controlled.

“I will not have someone watch me,” I said with finality and stood up. “Gentlemen, if you excuse me, I would like to take my leave.”

They looked like they wanted to stand up, but Zeke remained seated, glaring at me and so they followed their boss. I took one final look at Leo, he didn’t look like he would harm me or would try to control me, but something inside me didn’t want an event to repeat again.

As I went out of the door, Lyla was standing in front of it looking startled. She might have heard what happened inside. I smiled apologetically at her and walked past her. I heard her footsteps behind me, but she didn’t speak.

As soon as I got out, the wave of fresh air met my face. The blue sky was wide compared to the ceiling inside the house. I walked around to let some steam off while Lyla followed me behind silently. I appreciated her silence and respect as we walked around the house. She didn’t try to pry around what had happened inside.

I stopped on my tracks and turned around to meet her startled face. I smiled at her and held my hands behind my back.

“You’re curious, aren’t you?”

Lyla’s cheeks turned bright red and looked down. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that I heard your muffled voices inside and got worried.”

I tilted my head in wonder. “Worried? Why?”

Lyla hesitated and her eyes flickered with a faint hint of fear and worry. She kept fumbling with her fingers and grew restless.

“Do people here usually harm each other?” I ask her.

“Harm each other?” she repeats then her gaze suddenly goes to a train of thoughts. “Males have absolute authority in the system. Women are expected to follow them, especially if it’s the Alpha. Even if we didn’t want to, our bodies reacted in obedience to his voice.”

“Well that’s messed up.”

“At first, it wasn’t. We are protected and provided for by the males so we do everything in our power to help them with what we can. But that was abused when Cronos took over. Women were forced against their will and—and—” Lyla froze, her face had a daunted expression.

I couldn’t utter a word. I didn’t know what to make out of what Lyla was saying, but I knew that I wouldn’t like it. That Cronos deserved what happened to him, and he deserves to be punished a thousand times more.

“Does—Does the Alpha not force you?” she asks, her voice meek. She couldn’t meet my gaze, but it felt like she was worried about me. I immediately shook my head at her.

“No, he could never. And if he did, I would never let him,” I strongly told her. Relief washed over her face, and she gently smiled at me.

“It’s a good thing. I was worried when my father told me that the Alpha was in your room. Even if he hasn’t marked you yet, he could have overpowered you if he wanted. I’ve heard rumors about him.”

“Zeke’s not like that,” I cut her off, even though I was surprised by my sudden outburst. “He wouldn’t do that to me.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I misspoke. But you are lucky to have a mate like him. He is different when he is with you. Even back there, if someone even dared challenge him in a staring contest, they would have their head or limbs cut off immediately.”

I swallowed.

Maybe I was pushing my luck back there?

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END