Chapter 8

"Alpha Damien, Wh..what is the meaning of this?" the old alpha blabbered, straining his eyebrows in panic while struggling to get out of my beta's clutches. I gestured Clayton to release him.

"Alpha Vincent, I had some business with Kane, which you can see is taken care of," I nonchalantly replied, pointing out to his corpse. "None of your pack members are killed. Clayton, wrap this up", I said, turning to my beta, who quickly searched Kane's corpse for the key. Vincent didn't say a word after that. I bet he was relieved to know this attack was only meant for Kane, the coward.

I was shocked to see Kane's nerdy beta transformed into some tough-looking wolf. The glasses gone and his hair stood straight. Was he hiding his true nature under the pretense of being plain old smarty pants? After his alpha's position all these years, he hid his true motives waiting for the perfect opportunity. My eyes didn't miss how he delicately held Kane's mate in his arms and slithered aside to a corner like the snake he was.

An ulterior motive, I see.

He was ogling at the unconscious girl. She must be gorgeous for him to go against his alpha and stab him in the back.

'Grrr..grr'

And there goes my peace, 'Now what Duke?'

My wolf didn't feel the need to answer me as he just sniffed the air, his focus on Kane's wife, or I should rather say, his widow.

"It's not here," Clayton declared, and my moon of delight was eclipsed with a shadow of rage.

"Beta Elijah, care to explain," my voice was stern, laced with anger and frustration. If the key is not found, then all this was for nothing.

He cleared his throat, tightening his grip on Kane's widow, stepped forward, "The key is small; it's a part of his bracelet."

Clayton held the bracelet in his hand, but it only had a small royal wolf dangling on it, "It's not here, Alpha."

As soon as those words left Clayton's mouth, the beta's face paled, "Th..the last time I saw it was two days ago...h..he must've hidden it". I tilted my head sideways and hardened my knuckles. Somehow, I subdued the urge to cut him down.

I marched furiously toward him and tossed the girl in his arms, over my shoulders, "FIND. IT," he let her go; he wasn't an idiot to go against me.

She weighed as light as a feather. My palms ignorantly cupped her firm ass. But that bastard's scent was all over her. Witnessing her mate's death must have been highly dreadful. Like I care a damn. That was her fate. Kane had no blood relatives, at least not those of pure royal blood whom he could trust. So if anyone might know the location of the key, it only can be this girl.

'Hm...mm', Duke sniffed in approval of the female that I was carrying. But, of course, being a wolf, his olfactory sense was much better than mine.

"Alpha Damien...sh she's from my pack", Vincent interfered with an almost pleading face. It indeed isn't his daughter but might be someone significant for him to cross-question me. I narrowed my steely gaze on him, "The moment she took the vows, she cut ties with your pack, and now being Kane's widow, she falls under my authority."

'Hmm,' Duke hummed in approval.

The alpha cowered back in terror, and I saw a few females crying over their friend—disgust and hatred filled in their teary eyes for me. But fear was more evident, which is excellent. If they fear you, they will respect you. This principle led me to become powerful as I am now. Fear feeds my ego, my soul.

"Wait...what about our deal?" the nerdy beta asked.

The audacity. Even after failing miserably, that mutt expects me to grant his wishes. I turned around, red hot, boiling rage covering my face. He flinched after meeting my gaze.

"The deal was, I make you alpha, and you hand over the key. Once you find the key, I'll make you alpha of Golden Hounds. Helping me kill that bastard was not a part of the agreement", he clenched his teeth in frustration, and I turned to everyone. I would have easily killed that bastard Kane without his beta's help, but I was waiting for an opportunity. I already had it all arranged for during the coming Red Moon Festival, but that son of a b*tch just had to find his true mate. Luckily, he didn't mark the girl; else, it would have been a pain in the ass to kill him.

"As of now, Golden Hounds is my territory," a frozen silence scattered all over the forest as I made my declaration and marched towards the car. Then, pulling the handle, I carefully tilted it and got inside my SUV with Clayton and one of my men.

'Lift it,' Duke ordered, his focus keenly on the beauty that laid on my lap. I knew he meant me to lift the veil, and my hands met the edge of it.

'I sensed your interest in her. She must be pretty but don't get your hopes h.." and I forgot to breathe seeing her mesmerizing beauty.

The long silky brown locks complimented her lustrous olive skin, glowing radiantly under the street light. Instinctively, my fingers found the urge to grazed her skin. It was smooth and supple. The lipstick on those pink lips was smudged, turning me on. One of my palms covered the base of her delicate neck. The top of the two soft mounds was visible, focusing my attention on her cleavage. Duke was also getting horny inside my head.

'Mmm,' Duke moaned in ecstasy.

Her long lashes rested on her eyes. I wonder how her eyes are. She was drop-dead gorgeous.

'Yes, but we still don't know if she is like the other she-wolves or not,' Duke pitched in.

No. I can't give in to my urges.

'She is that bastard's true mate. Whatever it is, we are not even touching her. It reminds me of all that he had done in the past; I say to which I only get a scornful growl. Like every other girl, Duke will surely lose interest in her as well once he witnesses her strength. She won't be the submissive she-wolf that he is expecting, at least not after seeing us kill her mate in cold blood. She is the enemy. I have to get that key. I have to make her spit out the truth, by any means, even if I have to torture her or use force.