C13

I intended to go visit Zuri at her quarters right after dealing with this mess here. I didn't even bother to pretend about the real reason anymore. My sister came back with her moonbound sister, and those tempting, whiskey-brown eyes of Nia Whitmore flashed in my mind, inviting my inner wolf to claim what was his. Her soft smile was too much of a temptation to resist, and now that she was physically in my city, I was absolutely determined to have her under me again.

I imagined this was probably exactly how my father was tempted by her mother all those years ago. But he was already mated and married to the Queen. Her mother should have never touched him. Luckily for Nia—or unluckily—I wasn't bound to anyone. I had decided I would take her. Get my absolute fill of her body for as long as it took. If after five long years I had been completely unable to get her out of my system, I needed her pinned under me for the foreseeable future to finally quench this burning thirst.

"These are the pricks that tried to blow up the outpost," Tunde, my other brother, finally answered since Kellan was intent on peeling his goddamn apple. I strode toward the slumped, bleeding bodies and stood three feet away with my boots slightly apart and my hands locked behind my back. I immediately spotted the leader among them; he was the only one who dared to meet my fierce alpha gaze.

"Gentlemen, meet your host. Kairo Adeyemi," Tunde taunted, a cruel smirk on his face.

When I first found out about the half-brother I never knew existed, I searched high and low through the rogue lands for him. He was an Adeyemi regardless of who his mother was, and our pack stuck together no matter what. I never regretted bringing him in, because Tunde was a step closer to my woman. I would have kept him with us regardless, but fuck if I would miss an opportunity to use his protection skills to keep Nia safe. Tunde would try to fight me if he knew it. He had never met Nia Whitmore, but he was protective as fuck about her because she was Zuri's best friend. Zuri and Nia were his number one protection priority. I didn't have to worry about their safety if I fell in battle.

Nia Whitmore didn't even know she had two living half-brothers roaming this world. She grew up believing she was an only child, while there were two powerful alpha men sharing her bloodline. One from her mother's secret past and one from her father's side.

Bringing my sharp attention back to the captive in front of me, I watched pure fear dilate the pupils of the wolf who thought he was brave enough to stare at me. He didn't completely lower his head, but his body started shaking. Truth be told, I relished the absolute terror my name evoked in people. It made them far less likely to mess with my family and the wolves under my protection.

"And why did they try to burn down my building?" I asked casually, my voice low and dangerous. No answer came. "Hmmm?"

It seemed he completely lost his ability to speak under my pressure.

"We can do this quickly, or we can take all the time in the world," I drawled out, though I didn't want to waste time. I just wanted to end these fools and be on my way. I had Nia to see. "I am sure you have already had a small taste of Kellan's playing style."

The captives visibly stiffened, and one of them even pissed himself right on the floor. I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes at the sight. Darius Crowne should really send tougher warriors because this was pathetic.

"So, what is it going to be?" I asked, stepping closer.

"W-we don't know anything!" the leader cried out, his voice cracking.

I chuckled, completely unamused by his lies. "So you went to burn down an alpha outpost without even knowing the reason. You are either completely stupid," my tone turned sharp and agitated, "or worse. You think I am stupid."

I let a heavy, suffocating silence fill the warehouse before I added, "And with that, I'll let Kellan give you a proper lesson. Just in case you forgot who owns these lands."

Truthfully, I could teach them an even better lesson with my own claws, but fuck it, I was going to see Nia at my sister's place after this, and I wasn't willing to ruin my fresh white clothes. She wouldn't be happy if I showed up covered in rogue blood. Then again, she probably wouldn't be happy to see my face anyway, if our last encounter at the lodge was any indication.

Therefore, if I wanted to get her back into my bed, I would have to behave myself. She was the only female wolf I would ever change my ways for.

Kellan strode over leisurely, a happy, twisted grin on his face. Sometimes I worried he enjoyed torturing enemies a bit too much. He kept toying with his silver knife, throwing it up into the air and catching it on the way down. Without a single word of warning, he flicked his wrist, and the edge of the blade buried itself straight into the chest of the weakest captive. The wolf went limp instantly.

My lip quirked into a small smirk. It was a method I taught my little brothers years ago. Scare the shit out of the remaining captives by instantly killing off the weakest link. Though now, watching both Tunde and Kellan grin at the blood, I worried I taught them a bit too well how to break people.

Once Kellan was standing directly in front of the shaking leader, his hand struck like lightning, his thick fingers wrapping tightly around the man's throat. He squeezed hard, completely cutting off the air through his windpipe.

"What is the Shadowfang clan's plan?" I asked, watching the man's face turn bright red. His eyeballs bulged out as he clawed desperately at Kellan's arm for a gasp of air. The man's eyes started to roll back in his head, his fingers losing their grip. Just as he was about to pass out, Kellan released him. The leader dropped sideways onto the hard concrete along with his chair, gasping and coughing for air.

"Five seconds for an answer, then my brother starts squeezing again," I told him. It was a very generous offer. His wet cheek was pressed against the dirty floor, and I was tempted to just smash my boot down to flatten his face.

He raised his bloody head and looked up at me, true, primal terror shining in his eyes.

"He wants to hit you where it hurts the most," he rasped out, coughing up fluid.

Darius Crowne wasn't stupid; he knew burning down a minor outpost wasn't where it hurt the most. This was just a warning shot. Kellan kicked him hard in the ribs, the massive force knocking the remaining air out of his lungs. He collapsed onto his face, his forehead smacking the hard floor.

"What else?" I questioned, leaning down slightly.

"It was payback for the old warlord," he grunted, blood drooling out of the side of his mouth onto the stone. "And for the hidden female. He knows you have been hiding her tracks from the council. He wants her... to keep her from Alphonso Romano."

My heart paused, and my breathing stilled completely. My inner wolf went wild. Darius knows about her!

"What female?" Kellan asked in sudden surprise, looking at me.

"I don't know!" the captive cried out, weeping. "He only knows she exists in the world! He found out after the old man died. He doesn't have a visual description, but Malik knew the Adeyemi family had her hidden in their clutches!"

I pulled out my gun from the back of my pants and shot the remaining captives one by one, execution style, before they could say another word.

"What the fuck, Kairo?" Kellan shouted, jumping back from the sparks.

"We could have found out exactly which female they were talking about!" Tunde scolded me, a dark expression on his face and a knowing, sharp look in his eyes. He had an uncanny ability to see through lies, even when things were hidden in plain sight. It was probably what kept him alive during his years in the rogue wilderness.

I turned around without acknowledging my brothers' complaints. I knew exactly which female these men were talking about.

"Clean up this bloody mess," I ordered coldly, walking toward the exit without a single backward glance.