Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Kael

The four assassins knelt in a row before me as chains bound their wrists behind their backs.

Their ankles were shackled to iron rings bolted into the dungeon floor as blood stained their clothes, bruises covered their faces and yet none of them looked broken.

That irritated me even more.

The dungeon was silent except for the occasional crackle of torches mounted along the walls.

I stood before them with my hands behind my back while Beta Bastien remained beside me.

The Captain of the Guards stood a few steps away as all three of us stared at the prisoners while the prisoners stared right back in defiance, looking unafraid or pretending to be.

I tilted my head. "One last chance." I sighed. "You know, I always find this part disappointing."

One assassin spat blood onto the floor as another smirked while the third simply stared and the fourth kept his eyes shut.

Beta Bastien folded his arms. "They’ve been like this since capture."

"I noticed." I walked slowly before them as my boots echoed through the dungeon. "You infiltrated Blackbourne Castle, you crossed my borders, you attacked my people."

I stopped directly before the nearest man. "You entered my home."

The assassin smiled as the smile alone made me want to break his jaw but instead, I smiled back a much colder smile.

"Captain." The guard captain immediately stepped forward.

"Alpha."

"Begin." I said and the captain nodded. Almost immediately, several guards entered carrying equipment. Some carried metal hooks, chains, wolfsbane whips and knives.

Tools designed specifically to make people regret their life choices.

The guards got to work as the first scream came less than five minutes later. Then another and another.

Hours passed and the dungeon became filled with the scent of blood, sweat and pain but yet none of them spoke a word.

Not even when wolfsbane touched their skin, not even when their flesh blistered and I found that impressive, annoying yet still impressive.

Beta Bastien looked increasingly frustrated while The captain looked exhausted.

I simply observed and kept studying the Assassins. Eventually I crouched before the oldest-looking assassin as his face was covered in bruises.

One eye had swollen shut still he grinned making me chuckle. "You know what fascinates me?" His grin widened. "You."

I pointed at his brown hair then his eyes were brown as well which wasn’t uncommon but combined with his features?

"You’re not from Vargwyn." His grin faltered. "There it is." I smirked as Beta Bastien glanced toward me.

I continued. "Your accent is faint." I tapped the side of my head. "But it’s there."

The assassin’s jaw tightened while I smiled. "You assassinators are definitely from Ravenspire." His eyes flickered while I proceeded. "Or perhaps Velmora Region."

This time all four assassins reacted only slightly but it was enough for me.

My smile widened as Beta Bastien noticed immediately and asked. "So that’s it."

I rose to my feet. "Both regions share bloodlines." I began pacing. "They’ve got similar features, similar accents and similar customs."

I stopped before them again. "But the Velmora region has something Ravenspire lacks." I chuckled before saying. "Reputation."

I nodded slowly with a slight confirmation. "They are definitely from one pack in the Velmora region."

The captain looked impressed as Beta Bastien looked thoughtful while the assassins looked irritated.

I enjoyed that a lot.

"You’ve already lost." One of them laughed.

I actually laughed as the sound echoed through the dungeon. I stared at him. "You think so?"

The assassin nodded with his lips bleeding. "You know nothing."

I leaned closer. "No." My voice dropped. "I know enough."

The laughter stopped as I continued. "I know where you’re from, I know your training, I know your methods, I know how you entered, I know how you tracked your target."

The man’s eyes narrowed then I delivered the final blow. "And I know you’re terrible assassins."

That got a reaction as All four of them glared at me.

I smiled and continued. "You were tracked, you were trapped and you failed as an assassin."

One assassin growled as I added. "If you wanted to kill someone, perhaps try succeeding next time."

The chains rattled violently while Beta Bastien coughed to hide a laugh and the captain outright smirked.

The assassin looked ready to bite someone. Angry people made mistakes.

I folded my arms and questioned. "Who sent you? Alpha William?"

I got no answer but still, I already suspected Alpha William. Unfortunately, suspicion wasn’t proof and I wanted proof.

I looked toward Beta Bastien. "Beta Bastien." I called and he immediately understood that tone.

The dangerous one, the one that usually preceded regrettable decisions.

Beta Bastien’s eyes narrowed as he asked."What are you thinking?"

"The Pit." The dungeon suddenly became silent as even the guards froze and the captain looked alarmed.

Beta Bastien sighed. "Alpha Kael, they might not survive."

I shrugged my shoulders, "Then they should talk."

Beta Bastien rubbed his forehead as I could almost hear him questioning why fate had cursed him with me.

Unfortunately for him, I remained unmoved. "Take them to the pit."

The captain swallowed, then nodded. "I’ll prepare it."

Within minutes the dungeon became a flurry of activity as the assassins were dragged to another deeper and darker chamber.

A place most prisoners never forgot or survived. At the center stood a massive iron structure large enough to resemble a bathing tub.

Only nobody bathed in it because instead of water... It held fire.

Guards began dumping bundles of wolfsbane into the structure. The pungent scent immediately filled the room and I felt it immediately.

More wolfsbane followed as the fire ignited and green flames burst upward as several guards instinctively stepped backward.

The heat alone was intense and the smell was worse.

Beta Bastien stopped beside me. "This is excessive."

"That’s why it works." I said with a nonchalant smile.

The captain approached. "Alpha." I glanced at him. "Only a handful have survived this and they could die."

I met his gaze. "I know."

The captain looked uncomfortable but finally kept his mouth shut.

The first prisoner was dragged forward as an idea occurred to me. A much better one and I quickly raised my hand. "Wait."

Everyone stopped as the guards looked confused.

Beta Bastien looked suspicious. "What now?"

I smiled. "Put all four in at once." The entire room fell silent.

One finally shouted. "You can’t do that!" I smiled wider without saying a word.

The guards stripped them of their outer clothing as the men struggled, cursed, threatened and promised revenge.

Moments later all four stood beside the Pit as the wolfsbane flames crackled hungrily and the heat distorted the air itself.

I inhaled once then stepped back. "Do it." And the guards obeyed immediately.

The four assassins struggled the moment they realized what was about to happen. For the first time since their capture, genuine fear appeared on their faces.

One of them pulled violently against his restraints. "You can’t do this!"

I smiled. "I already am."

Another spat in my direction. "You bastard!"

"That isn’t new information." I grinned at him as the guards dragged them closer to the Pit and the green wolfsbane flames crackled hungrily,while the heat rolled through the chamber in suffocating waves.

The smell alone was enough to weaken most werewolves. Even standing several feet away, I could feel its effects trying to crawl beneath my skin.

Beta Bastien stepped back immediately as the Captain followed. Neither of them looked eager to remain inside.

Unfortunately, I needed answers and answers often required discomfort. ƒrēewebnovel.com

I watched all of them without sympathy because they had entered my home, attacked my people, and attempted to take Selena and mercy was not high on my list of priorities.

"Put them in." The guards obeyed and one by one, the assassins were lowered into the Pit.

The moment their skin came close to the burning wolfsbane, screams erupted throughout the dungeon.

The sound was horrific, raw and animalistic. The type of scream that clawed at a person’s nerves.

I remained where I was as the heat blasted against my face, the wolfsbane fumes filled my lungs, pain prickled beneath my skin and still, I didn’t move.

I simply held my breath and watched as the assassins thrashed violently, their chains rattled while their skin reddened almost instantly.

One of them screamed so loudly that several guards looked away. Another vomited from the pain yet none of them was ready to speak.

I stepped closer as the first assassin lifted his head with his face drenched in sweat, his eyes were bloodshot and I crouched beside the Pit. "What rank are you?"

His response was another scream but I waited and asked again. "What rank?"

There was no answer. Only screams of agony.

I moved to the second man. "What rank are you?" I still got nothing. The third and the fourth still gave me nothing.

I was beginning to think they truly intended to die. Then suddenly, one of them threw his head back as a roar exploded from his throat.

The sound slammed into the dungeon walls as Dust fell from the ceiling and Several guards staggered backward.

I froze as my wolf immediately reacted with recognition.

The roaring continued as the dungeon shook then understanding struck me. The realization settled heavily inside my mind as I turned and walked away from the Pit.

Beta Bastien frowned the moment he saw me outside. "What is it?" He asked.

I looked at him and said, "They’re Alphas."

The Captain blinked in surprise while Beta Bastien stared in shock. "What?"

"They’re Alphas!" His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline.

"That’s impossible."

I shrugged. "Apparently not."

Beta Bastien glanced toward the burning men inside. "Why would Alphas become assassins?"

That was an excellent question. One I didn’t have the answer to yet.

I folded my arms as the implications alone were disturbing. Alpha bloodlines, Alpha heirs risking their lives on a mission that should have been beneath them.

Nothing about this made sense.

The roaring assassin finally collapsed back into the Pit as his strength seemed spent. The others looked close to death as well.

I have learned enough for now. "Put the flames out." I ordered and the guards hurried to obey but before they could put off the fire, one of the assassins screamed that he was ready to speak the truth.

I walked back inside, the assassin was pulled out of the pit and he collapsed against the metal sides barely conscious and barely breathing.

The assassin struggled to lift his head as his lips trembled and his entire body shook. "I’ll... speak..."

I crouched before him. "Go ahead."

His burned fingers clawed weakly against the stone then he finally spoke. "I’m... from Redgrave Pack in the Velmora region."

Just as I’d suspected.

The assassin continued as his voice sounded broken. "I am... the Alpha’s son..."

The assassin pointed weakly toward the others. "They are too..." He swallowed painfully. "The sons... of neighboring Alphas..."

Silence swept through the dungeon as even the guards stopped moving. For a moment, nobody spoke because the revelation made absolutely no sense.

Alpha heirs, future rulers acting as assassins and risking death inside enemy territory.

Beta Bastien slowly turned toward me and I looked back at him as neither of us had an explanation.

We shared a perturbed look.