An Alpha King's Revenge

Chapter 9: Done Being Nice

-Valerio-

I waited until I could hear the male coming closer. He thought he could just run and hide, but I was done letting these snakes get their way. Now it was time to find them all, arrest them, and then give them a trial that we all knew would end with their heads separated from their bodies.

According to our laws, betraying the king was a death sentence, and they knew this, but they expected Connor to be their savior. He wouldn’t come to save them now. I was going to clean up this mess, and I was going to do it right this time.

“Hello, Julian,” I greeted as the upper-class alpha appeared.

He froze in the doorway, leading into this massive living room. I was sitting in a chair facing him, while the others were standing behind me, except Evan, who emerged from the darkness right behind our target.

He tried backing away, but Evan stopped him and pushed him forward, so he stumbled into the room. I held a gun in my hand that was resting on my thigh, and even though only the fire from the fireplace gave us some light, he could clearly see it.

“My lord, wh-what are you doing here?” he inquired.

The alpha had retreated to another house of his. A smaller one, far from the city. I knew some of the alphas who had betrayed me had even fled to other states, but I would hunt them all down, just like I had done with the old council. They wouldn’t escape me. I would make sure of that.

“I thought I would pay you a little visit. Want to sit down?” I offered and pointed to the chair not far from mine.

Julian looked hesitant. He definitely wanted to run out of here and not look back.

“I think I will stand,” he replied.

“It wasn’t a suggestion.”

He could hear the dark warning in my voice and slowly went to take a seat, so we were now sitting in front of each other.

“So,” I began and leaned forward, placing my gun on the table.

I really hoped he would go for it because it gave me a reason to kill him without having to give him a trial first.

“You didn’t show up at the meeting,” I pointed out.

“I didn’t?” he asked, feigning innocence.

I shook my head.

“I’m rather forgetful. I… I had some stuff going on.”

I just nodded slowly. “I see.”

“I would have come, of course. I just…”

“Forgot. You said so,” I remarked.

Julian was clearly shaking now, and I couldn’t believe this one was even an alpha, but blood never lied. Sadly, you needed more than blood to be an alpha. You needed to work hard to connect with that power inside you.

It wasn’t just given to you. You had to earn the alpha title, and this one really hadn’t.

“I am very disappointed, Julian,” I expressed.

I could see him gulp. He knew he was in big trouble.

“I thought you would have my back," I taunted.

“My lord—”

“Still speaking,” I interjected, and the i***t shut right up, knowing he wasn’t making it better for himself. “You must know it was all a test.”

Julian looked down, and that gave me my answer.

“I needed to see who I could trust. Who would stand beside me, and it has been made quite clear who won’t.”

“Please, my lord, I was forced—”

“Forced to not come? I don’t buy that,” I disagreed.

“Connor has us all on tight leashes,” he stated.

“Then why can some show up when others can’t? No, I know why you didn’t come. You want Connor to sit on the throne. I bet he promised you a lot of things if you supported him, am I right?”

Julian didn’t answer me, but he didn’t have to. I already knew the answer, and the way he was eyeing the gun on the table just told me he was very close to making a very stupid decision.

He probably thought he could hurt me, and then he might be honored and celebrated as the one who took me down, but that would not happen. Such a weak alpha would never get to me.

“So disappointed,” I snarled. “I had hoped to see more loyalty from you.”

Julian was a good few years older than me, close to his forties, but he was just another weasel. You would think his age would have made him smarter, but clearly not.

“You understand what will happen now, right?” I questioned.

Julian shook even more, and I smiled cruelly. I had forgotten what this was like, seeing all those cowards tremble before me, yet I also had to remind myself not to fall back into that old role—the cold one, the one without a heart, the one I had to be in order to avenge my family and take back what belonged to me.

No, I could not revert to being that person. He had been cruel to his own mate, thinking the promises he had made were more valuable than her. I couldn’t become him again. Not now that I had Octavia and had created a life with her. One I cherished very much.

“My lord—”

“Tell me where Connor is, and you might not have to die,” I stated.

Julian made a funny sound as I mentioned his possible death. These people clung to their lives because they liked the power and luxury they had been born into. They didn’t want to die. They wanted to keep living, and therefore I didn’t mention anything about his trial. No, I wanted him to be afraid. Very afraid.

“I don’t—”

“Think very hard about what would be smartest right now. Lying or the truth,” I interrupted before he could claim ignorance.

I was going to find Connor. Someone had to know where he was, and even if I had to travel the world to punish all those who wanted to get rid of me, then so be it.

I would gladly show my power if they needed me to, but I knew once word spread around that I was hunting down the traitors, people would soon fall in line. They couldn’t help themselves.

“Well?” I prompted.

Julian seemed close to snapping, and I knew it was just a matter of time before… Suddenly, Julian went for the gun, grabbing it and pointing it at me. I just smiled and leaned back in my seat, and the others didn’t move either.

“He will bring a better world,” Julian declared.

“He will get us all killed. The humans will never accept us. They can’t handle it.”

“We will kill them!” he insisted.

I shook my head.

“Maybe there was a time when we could overpower them. The thing is, they have evolved. They no longer use swords and spears. Now it is guns and missiles. We simply cannot win,” I countered.

“And that right there is why no one will ever follow you! You are weak!” he retorted.

“Well, if I am so weak, what are you waiting for?” I challenged. “Pull the trigger.”

Julian smiled evilly, and I saw the true person that he was. He pressed the trigger, but there was nothing but a click. The gun was empty. Of course, I wouldn’t give him one that was loaded, but the fact that he had been willing to kill me just now gave me free rein.

“You really think I would give you a loaded one?” I remarked.

Julian tried to keep pressing the trigger, but no bullets came out. I slowly stood up, and I saw the way he started to retreat, knowing there was nothing he could do to save himself.

“I’m done letting you guys off the hook. I’m done being the nice king. You will all pay for what you have done,” I declared.

Julian threw the gun away and turned to run, but Evan was right there again, blocking his way.

“Please…” But it was all he got out before Evan snapped his neck, the crunching sound echoing in the room, before the alpha fell to the floor, now dead.

We all looked down at the body, feeling our old selves come back, but I knew none of us wanted to be those people again. We couldn’t be. Not now that we had mates to take care of.

“Burn the place down. Leave no traces of us,” I ordered.

I saw out of the corner of my eye Garrett nodding, and I knew this would send a clear message to everyone. I was done being seen as weak. They would soon learn what happened when you pissed me off.