CHAPTER 2

MALCOLM

It’s been 3 hours since I was sentenced to a fate that didn’t suit the nature of my crime. It’s been 3 hours since I was dragged out of the courtroom as though I were nothing but a common criminal. It’s been 3 hours since my life came crashing down before my eyes.

3 hours and yet I’m still wearing a hood over my head while walking to a destination that only the goddess knows off.

“Where are we going?” I asked for the millionth time and just like every time, I was met with nothing but silent lips and glares that could burn a hole through steel. It’s not like I blame them. Donald was more than a comrade to us. He was a companion, a brother, a person you could count on when the tides of life decided to screw you over. He was my favourite.

This is why the pain of his death and my betrayal cuts the deepest.

“Don’t make me force the answer out of you,’’ I spoke in a dangerously low voice and peals of laughter fell from their lips at my words. They know that I have what it takes to make them regret keeping the answer from me. But they also know that under no circumstances would I disobey an order from my father and if this isn’t an order then I don’t know what is.

Just as I’d resigned into the prospect of waiting till they pulled the hood over my head, a sugary scent reached my nostrils and I froze in my tracks as the sickeningly sweet fragrance burned away the oxygen in my lungs.

They wouldn’t.

‘’Ah, you figured it out quicker than we expected, didn't you, Alpha? We hoped we could force you to wear a pride flag before realizing exactly where you were.”

The scent and that statement only should have been enough to tell me exactly where I am but the faith I had in my father was enough to blind my judgement fuel my ignorance, until they pulled the hood off my head and my stomach sank to the depths of my stomach.

‘’Welcome to the Blue Lily pack.’’

Blue Lily?

Blue Lily.

BLUE FUCKING LILY!

Of all the places they could have sent me to, they chose to send me here? How all the places I could have accepted they chose the one place I couldn't stand. The Land of faggots.

This isn't a sentence. This is a death penalty.

One I wouldn't be here to submit to.

“Hell no!” I struggled against the chains on my wrist, the silver biting into my skin with each tug of my muscles.

“Release me!” I yelled at no one in particular and increased the intensity of my struggle causing a string of curses to fall from the lips of men who I once saw as my comrades.

A crowd had already begun to form around me as I was dragged to what I can only imagine would be their pack house and the sight of the blinding colors of their shirts, crazy hairstyles caused a growl to leave my lips.

“What the hell are you looking at?!” The crowd scattered in seconds and raw terror crossed their faces and a sense of pride sparked within me.

“Yes! Fear me!” a demented peal of laughter fell from my lips and even when I was pushed through a pair of wooden doors and all but thrown to the ground, I didn’t stop laughing.

Until he came.

Sawyer Riot. The ringleader of this freakshow.

The laughter died on my tongue as his heels clacked across the floor. The sound would have seemed powerful to me if it wasn’t for the bastard wearing them. He stopped in front of me and the guards who had done an impeccable job at holding me down pushed themselves away from me and there was nothing keeping me from bashing his skull other than the silver chains and shackles adorning my hands and feet.

Chains and shackles which I could easily break out of if I’m being honest. But I make no effort to move and neither does he.

The tension between us was so thick I’m not sure even my father could cut through and the hall was so eerily quiet as everyone’s eyes darted between me and the sorry excuse of a male in my presence.

Then a sick smile sat on his lips and I could almost smell the mockery from his words before he even spoke.

“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise? I never thought I would see the day that the stone head Alpha would be on his knees before me. Dreams do come through!”

I said nothing to his taunting. The calm in my demeanor was a huge contrast to the blood that rushed through my ears and the anger that pumped through my bloodstream.

“Oh, Cat cut your tongue? Or was it daddy dearest?”

If looks could kill then he would be dead by now but despite the daggers my eyes threw at him, the grin on his lips grew impossibly wider and without tearing his eyes away from mine, he spoke to one of my warriors.

“Why is he here?”

“The council and the former Alpha banished him for killing one of our comrades in battle,” I didn’t miss the glare the warrior sent my way at the mention of Donald and guilt pinched at my resolve.

I still feel terrible for his death and I deserve whatever punishment necessary to atone for my sins, but there’s no way in hell or heaven that I would agree to stay here for 2 whole years.

“Why did he kill him?”

“Bloodlust.”

No, it wasn’t.

“How long will he be here?”

“2 years.”

Like hell I would.

I watched as they continued to talk over me about me like I wasn’t in their midst, and the flames which never got a chance to die down, burned hotter.

“I'm right here, faggot. Or are you too scared to face me like the man you aren't?”

Whatever he was about to say died on his tongue and his eyes which never left mine gleamed with so much mischief.

“Oh he still speaks. For a second I thought they chained your tongue. And why start the conversation with anything that isn't savagery.”

“What can I say? Savagery is how I earned my reputation. It's power.”

“Of course,” he lowered himself till our eyes were leveled and the bright shades of makeup on around his eyes almost made me gag. “...but I guess not even stone can deny the call of bloodlust.”

My eyes narrowed at the fucker and a growl slipped past my lips which only seems to get him even more excited.

“Do I have a say in this? Like if he commits an offense can I punish him?” He spoke to the warrior and the man responded with a simple ‘yes’ before a familiar emotion flashed through his eyes.

“I bet you've been fantasising about torturing me, haven't you? You must think that this is your chance but let me tell you something, over my dead body would I let that happen.”

“As appealing ad your death sounds, that wouldn't be necessary in this case,” The emotion in his eyes deepened and for the first time since he walked in, he pulled his eyes away from mine and stood to his full height before storming out the hall but not before uttering two words that left everyone stunned.

“I refuse.”