Listen to me 167

‘Should we wait for back up, Sloane?‘ Scarlet asks as I track the scent of the pack who attacked us back to their pack.

‘I dare anyone to come at me and Aisling in the mood we’re in. My mate … my mate is fighting for his life. I swear to the goddess, Scarlet, if he dies…‘

‘Benedict is strong, Sloane. You know that. He wouldn’t be mated to you if he wasn’t.

He is strong and his heart was beating when I left. We haven’t even marked each other and I don’t know how I will live if something happens to him. I know I don’t want to. I also know that now, it doesn’t matter how long it takes us to figure things out, I want his mark on my neck and my mark on his. The rest is logistics. Benedict is mine. I am his. If I’d been marked, maybe …

‘You can’t think like that, Sloane. Kaelin obviously told his Alpha about us. But he won’t be talking ever again,‘ Aisling snarls.

When we get to the pack’s border, I don’t announce myself and I don’t stop. The howl of alarm goes up around the pack, and I feel the pack begin to panic. I’m sure they’re terrified. Most of their warriors are lying dead on my pack lands. Those who remain here will be suffering from broken mate bonds unless the Alpha left some warriors to protect his pack. If he did, they’d be smart to stand down quickly.

When several warriors come charging up to us, the largest one leaps at Aisling. She grabs him by the throat without stopping and begins dragging him to where the scent of wolves is strongest. That will be the packhouse. Behind me, I hear Davina snapping at the other warriors, keeping them away from us.

When we walk up to the packhouse, Aisling puts her paw on the wolf’s throat and I shift, keeping my hand around his throat and Aisling’s claws deep enough that he doesn’t fight against me. I stand, lifting him in the air so those who begin surrounding us can see.

“My name is Alpha Sloane Hartwell. Your Alpha came to my pack with the intent to overthrow me while your Beta forced his mark on me. Your Alpha, your Beta, and your warriors are dead. Who is in charge here?” I growl, letting Aisling’s Alpha aura push out to keep these wolves from trying to attack us.

Several people point to the wolf I’m holding in my hand.

I look at him. “SHIFT!” I command, putting the full force of my Alpha authority behind it.

He shifts, hanging in the air by this throat.

“Name and rank?” I ask him.

“Gamma Carl.”

“Did you know what they were going to do?” I ask. “Did you know what they were planning?”

“Yes.”

I let Aisling’s claws extend even more and I rip his throat out, letting him drop to the ground at my feet.

I hear a woman cry out and collapse, while others begin whimpering. I have no sympathy for them.

*Excuse me, Alpha Sloane,” a pregnant woman says, walking out of the back of the packhouse.

“Who are you?”

7:41 pm DMMW

“Luna Abbie, Alpha. I just wanted to clarify, my mate isn’t dead. I would have felt it.”

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I glance at Scarlet. It’s strange that she’s telling me her mate isn’t dead. If she cared about him, she’d keep that to herself.

“If he’s not dead yet, he will be. I’ve ordered everyone who survived to be killed. I will not allow anyone who attacks my pack to survive. Let this be a lesson to every one of you. I am not an Alpha to be crossed.”

“You fucking bitch! You killed him! You killed my son!”

A woman comes flying at me. This time, Scarlet steps forward, grabbing the woman by the throat and lifting her off the ground.

‘She smells like Kaelin,’ Aisling growls.

“You must be Lydia,” I say. “You’re right. Your worthless son is dead. My Beta and I literally ripped him apart. He came onto my pack lands, claiming that they should have been his. He attacked the former Alpha and then attempted to hold me while your Beta forced his mark on me. So, yes, he is dead,” I say, then shrug nonchalantly. “Or he’s dying. He wasn’t dead when I left. He was still bleeding out.”

“You’re a monster!” she growls.

“I’m a monster?” I say, putting my hand on my chest. “I’M a monster?” I ask, slowly spinning around and looking at what’s left of this pack.

“I had no problem with your pack. YOUR Alpha attacked ME. YOUR Beta tried to force his mark on ME. YOUR son,” I say, snarling at Lydia, “thought he deserved what is MINE! And now, my mate lies dying because of YOUR pack!” I snarl.

“You’re MATE? Who would want you? A freak. A murderer’s daughter. I don’t see a mark on your neck. Your mate obviously didn’t want you. You should have let our Beta mark you.”

I shake my head as Beatrice walks out of the packhouse, looking as arrogant as always.

“Wow. Benedict was hoping you’d finally listened to him. But of course, you’re too egotistical for that, aren’t you, Beatrice.”

“That’s Luna Beatrice to you!” she snaps.

“No, it’s not. You’re Luna of nothing, just like Lydia here. You both lost your positions because you were terrible people. terrible women, and terrible Lunas. Oh, and that mate of mine who is fighting for his life? My mate who YOUR Alpha and Beta attacked? That would be Benedict, your son. Since I have no doubt that you and Lydia had something to do with the attack on my pack, you better fucking hope that he doesn’t die, because if he does, there is nothing and no one in this world who can save you.”

“Benedict? Take me to my son!” she demands.

“No!” I snarl.

I feel a presence behind me. I don’t turn because I recognize her.

“Hello, Ayla,” I say as Samara’s large white wolf steps between me and Scarlet.

She growls, a low, angry growl, her focus on Beatrice.

“If you have a problem with me, why don’t you take it up with my aunt,” I say, smirking at Beatrice as Ayla closes the distance between us and Beatrice.

*Alpha Sloane, I would like to ask for leniency for me and my pack. We didn’t know what Felix’s plan was. He didn’t tell us. Maybe a select few knew what he was going to do, but most of us did not. Please, don’t kill the pack because my mate was a

7:41 pm DMMW

horrible man.” Luna Abbie says.

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“Sloane,” Alpha Roman says softly from behind me. “War is terrible. People you care about, pack members that are your responsibility, die. As an Alpha, that’s very hard to accept and reconcile. But sometimes, giving grace, showing mercy to those who deserve it, demonstrates your strength more than killing does.”

“Is that what you did when my mother and Sawyer killed the Brenners and their pack, Uncle Roman? Did you show mercy?” I ask, not looking away from the pack members who are watching me.

“To those who were responsible for killing them, no. To those who were unwitting pawns in the war, yes. These people didn’t attack you, Sloane. They didn’t kill your pack members. They aren’t the reason your mate and your grandfather are in the pack hospital. Just like Dylan’s pack and what was left of the Brenner pack weren’t responsible for what Althea, Sawyer, and Dylan did, neither are these people, with the exception of a select few. It is your choice, Sloane. Your pack was the one attacked. As Alpha, you can decide to kill everyone here; every woman, every pup, and every omega. That is your prerogative, but I know you, my niece, and I know what a heavy burden that would be for you to have to live with. I just want you to think about it before you make a final decision,” he says, remaining calm and surprisingly, letting me know that no matter what I decide, he’ll stand back and let it happen, even if he doesn’t agree.

I look around at the faces watching me. Ayla now has Beatrice backed against a wall. Scarlet is still holding Lydia off the ground by her throat.

I focus on Luna Abbie. “Why did you tell me that your mate wasn’t dead?”

She looks down at the ground, her hands coming to her rounded belly. “Because I hate him. He’s a horrible man, a horrible mate. I have no doubt that once I gave him an heir, he would have started cheating on the mate bond and eventually killed

me.”

I nod. “And yet, you’re willing to ask for leniency for his pack. Why?”

She looks around at the pack members. “I’m a Luna. That’s what we do, right? We protect our pack, just like you, as an Alpha, protected yours.”

I nod. “Your mate is paralyzed from the neck down. I snapped his spine, but he’s alive. I can keep him that way until after you deliver your child.”

She nods. “Thank you.”

I turn and look at Lydia still struggling in Scarlet’s hold. “End her.”

“N…” Lydia’s cry is cut off as Scarlet rips her throat out, her body dropping to the ground, her eyes wide with shock, even in death.

Then, I turn to Beatrice.

“You can’t kill me! Benedict will never forgive you!”

“Benedict may not survive the night,” I growl. “And if he doesn’t, you will have to live with your part in your son’s demise. Until then, I want her locked in a dungeon,” I say, turning to Uncle Roman. “But if she stays in mine or Benedict’s pack, I

know I’ll kill her.”

“We’ll take her until you decide what you want to do with her,” he says.

I nod and sigh, suddenly feeling overwhelming exhaustion. I need to get back to Benedict. I need to make sure that he’s healing and he’s safe. And I need to make sure my pack and his are stable.

“The rest of you … you can join my pack, or you can become rogues. That is your choice. I’ll send vans tomorrow to get you. If you want to join my pack, get in a van. Otherwise, you will officially be rogue.”

7:41 pm MM W

I turn to leave.

“Alpha Sloane.”

There’s a voice I didn’t expect to hear.

Scarlet growls and I turn back. “Ellis, what are you doing here?”

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“I want you to know I just left Alpha Benedict’s pack late last night. I didn’t know what this pack was going to do. I came here when I heard Luna Beatrice was here and I asked for a place to stay. I haven’t even joined the pack, so I had no idea what they were planning. I may not agree with Alpha Benedict’s ways, and I didn’t like being demoted, but I would never have been involved in an attack against you or him. I wanted you to know that,” he says.

‘He’s not lying, Aisling says.

“You are not welcome in my pack, Ellis, for obvious reasons. But I believe you. Aisling believes you. Because of that, I’ll let you go, on one condition.”

“What condition?” he asks.

“Spread the word, far and wide, anyone who comes after me, my pack, or my mate will find their pack decimated, just like

this one.”

He looks at me and finally, after all this time, I see respect rather than pity in his eyes.

“Yes, Alpha.”

I turn, ready to get back to my pack and my mate. As tired as I am, I know I still have a long day ahead of me.

Uncle Roman puts a hand on my shoulder as I pass him. “I’m proud of you,” he says softly.

I smile a very weary smile. “Thank you.”

“Go, we’ll deal with Beatrice.”

I nod and leap, letting Aisling pull the shift. A moment later, Davina is beside us and we begin racing back to our pack.

Cedella

Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.