vengeful luna

chapter 4

Alpha japhet pov

The smell of blood lingered in the air, thick and metallic, as I sat back in my chair, watching Elijah work. He was good at this, terrifying really. His large hands gripped the rogue’s shoulder like a vice, twisting just enough to make him scream but not enough to break anything. Yet.

Elijah looked more beast than man in these moments, his eyes cold, calculating. I tossed an apple in the air, catching it absentmindedly before taking a bite. The sweet crunch was a sharp contrast to the rogue's pained whimpers. I glanced down at the mini tray beside me—four more apples, untouched. This was going to take a while.

“Elijah,” I called out casually, as if we were discussing the weather. “Use the branding iron. That should loosen his tongue.”

Elijah didn’t respond, just nodded, his face expressionless, but I could see the faint flicker of a grin forming. He thrived on this, the thrill of breaking a man. I took another bite of the apple, savoring the taste as the rogue let out another agonizing groan.

Just then, James barged into the room. I didn’t have to look to know it was him—his annoying presence was like a headache that wouldn’t go away. The man was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and his bald head made him even more of an eyesore.

"Alpha Japhet," he started, his voice carrying that familiar self-righteous tone that made my skin crawl. "I don’t think this is the right thing to do. You can’t keep torturing this man. He might not know anything."

Elijah’s grin widened, but it only made my blood boil. I could feel my jaw tighten as I leaned back in my chair, the apple still in my hand. James always had something to say, something that rubbed me the wrong way.

“Are you trying to teach me how to do my job, James?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm.

He hesitated, shifting awkwardly. “No, Alpha, I just—"

“Stick to your beta role,” I cut him off, flicking the apple core aside. “And get the f**k out of my business.”

James sighed, rubbing his bald head in that way he always did when he was trying to calm himself. “My role is to help you in accomplishing yours, Alpha. I only want what’s best for the pack.”

I stood up slowly, my eyes narrowing. “You really are foolish, James. Your mouth’s too big for that tiny brain of yours.” I moved closer to the rogue who was still chained, blood soaking through his shirt, dripping onto the stone floor. His head hung low, his breathing shallow. He looked like he was at the brink of giving in, yet still holding on.

The rogue suddenly let out a twisted laugh, his voice hoarse, psychotic. "You think this will break me?" he spat, his eyes wild. "You think I'll talk? You're all fools. All of you."

I calmly began rolling up the sleeves of my shirt, folding them neatly as I walked closer. He stopped mid-laugh, watching me, his gaze flicking nervously between my hands and my face.

“Go on,” I said, my voice soft, almost encouraging. “Keep talking. Don’t mind me.” I yawned deliberately, stretching my arms as if this whole ordeal was boring me to death. “I yawn when I enjoy someone’s speech.”

He blinked in confusion, clearly caught off guard. But I knew he wasn’t concerned about my yawn. No, it was my sarcasm, the underlying threat in my words.

Without warning, I swung my fist hard into his stomach. He gasped, the air rushing from his lungs as I hit him again, this time feeling the satisfying crack of his ribs under my knuckles.

“Tell me,” I growled, landing another blow, “who led the attack?”

The rogue's screams echoed through the room, but I didn’t stop. My punches were relentless, each one driving deeper, harder. "Who led the attack?" I demanded again, but he only whimpered, his head drooping in defeat.

I straightened up, wiping the blood off my knuckles onto his torn shirt. He wasn’t going to last much longer. I glanced back at Elijah, giving him a nod to continue. There was still time to break him completely.

Elijah sat down on the stool across the room, his eyes never leaving the rogue. The guy was barely conscious now, blood dripping from his mouth, his breaths shallow. Elijah didn’t seem bothered, though. Torture was just part of his job, like brushing his teeth. He glanced over at me, his voice casual, as if we weren’t in the middle of a bloodbath.

“Alpha,” he said, nodding toward the laptop screen beside him. “I think she’s back.”

I raised an eyebrow and made my way over to the laptop. The screen showed a grainy video feed of a car parked outside the pack’s gate. Inside the car sat Delphine. I knew she was coming today. Hell, I knew everything about her.

There was just something about her that I couldn’t shake, something I couldn’t place. I’d made sure she had everything she needed, paid her tuition fees for school in California, all in the name of my father. She never knew it was me. I had people watching her every move, reporting back to me like clockwork. It might’ve been too far, but I was obsessed. I couldn’t stop.

But after what Alicia did to me, it was hard to let anyone in. Still, Delphine was... different. I wanted her. More than anything. Her body, her scent, just the thought of her made me burn in ways none of the pack whores ever could. She was dangerous, though, because the last time I felt this way was with Alicia. My f*****g mate. And what did she do? Tried to raid the Silvercrest Pack, destroy everything I knew. The worst part was, I never saw it coming. Blinded by love.

That kind of s**t made me weak.

“Hey, has she taken over your mind completely?” Elijah’s voice snapped me back to the present. He had that look on his face, the one that always came with a cocky grin.

“Hell no,” I muttered, shaking the thoughts of Delphine away.

Elijah’s smile widened. “I don’t think so,” he said, amusement dripping from his voice. Then he stood and left, leaving me to deal with the growing tension inside me.

I leaned back over the laptop, eyeing the car outside the gates. I needed her inside. I mindlinked the guard on duty. “Let her in. Now,” I growled. “You’re wasting time.”

There was no room for hesitation. I told James, Check on the preparations for the ball tomorrow. I needed to keep him busy and away from me. But more than that, I needed to go ahead with my plan. Tomorrow was crucial. I had to see her.

I turned back to the rogue, still hanging on by a thread. His breathing was raspy, blood now dripping from his chin to the cold floor. I stepped closer, my wolf pushing at the edges of my control, begging to be let loose. But I had to stay calm.

“This is your last chance,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Who led the attack?”

My wolf was close, too close. I could feel him pacing inside, clawing at me, trying to break free. I hadn’t let him take control in years. The Moonveil tea was the only thing keeping him at bay—a tea my father made sure I never lacked before he died. Without it, I would be a monster, a danger to the pack. And it would make me look weak. No one could know how close I was to losing control.

My hands clenched into fists. The anger bubbling inside me was boiling over. Grabbing a spanner from the table, I swung it hard, smashing the rogue’s jaw with a sickening crack. His scream filled the room, but I didn’t stop. I hit him again. And again. My vision was going dark, the bloodlust taking over as I lost myself.

“Tell me!” I roared, my voice barely human, as I slammed the spanner down once more.

But the rogue had gone limp, unconscious. His body slumped in the chains, blood pooling beneath him.

Suddenly, Elijah rushed in, his strong hand grabbing the spanner from mine. “Chill, my Alpha,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “I’ll take care of this.”

I stood there, breathing hard, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The rogue was already out cold, his face a bloody mess, but the anger in me hadn’t subsided. I wanted more, needed more.

Elijah looked at me, his eyes steady, but I knew he could sense it—the edge I was standing on. He didn’t say another word. He didn’t have to.