Leah's POV
Lucas wrestled the gun from Lester’s hand, aiming it at him.
"No!" Darren shoved Lucas’s arm, causing the bullet to hit a nearby chair instead.
"What the fuck are you doing, Swanson?! That freak’s going to kill us!" Lucas yelled.
"That freak is my brother!" Darren cried, a raw anguish in his voice.
Lucas lowered the gun, letting it clatter to the floor. Despite Lester's desperate struggles, my wolf refused to relent. Darren, with tears streaming down his face, approached me.
"Leah, let go of him," Darren pleaded.
My wolf, still in fight mode, snarled, but Darren wasn’t deterred. He met my gaze with a calm, steady stare. "Let go of my brother, Leah," he whispered, tears choking his voice.
Finally, my wolf released Lester. Blood gushed from his neck as he choked, drowning in his own fluids.
"I'm sorry, brother. It should have been me," Darren whispered, collapsing beside him.
Lester tried to speak, his mouth forming silent words. Darren leaned close, listening. Whatever was said, it died with Lester as his body went still.
I shifted back to my human form. The adrenaline was wearing off, and I realized just how much blood I had lost. My vision blurred as I started to collapse.
Lucas caught me. "Leah, I’m taking you back to the lake house. Dr. Monk is there. He’ll help you," he said, urgency in his tone.
As he lifted me, I glanced back at Darren, who kneeled desolately beside his brother’s body, looking utterly alone and hopeless. "What did Lester say, Darren?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Darren remained silent for a moment before lifting his head. "He asked me to protect you on his behalf," he answered hollowly. "I am your batair now."
With those words hanging in the air, the world around me faded as I succumbed to the darkness, feeling both the weight of loss and a strange sense of new loyalty and protection.
Lucas' POV
"Alpha Lucas, your wife's condition is stable. We've successfully removed the bullet; it wasn't a critical shot," Dr. Monk reported.
"Can I see her now?" I asked, my voice thick with anxiety.
"Not just yet. She's exhausted and needs rest," he replied compassionately.
Relief washed over me knowing Leah was safe and resting upstairs. Now, it was time to tackle the chaos at hand. I turned my attention to the scene before me.
Troy Greer, Leah's head of security, lay on the bed, drenched in blood. My gaze shifted to Jorah, who met my eyes with a blank expression.
"Don't look at me like that, Alpha. He was already like this when I found him," Jorah said defensively.
Troy's condition was dire; he had been brutally beaten to a pulp.
"What happened?" I demanded. "Where's Finn?"
The mention of Finn agitated Troy. It was clear Finn had left a significant mark on him.
"He's gone..." Troy mumbled through his swollen, fractured lips.
"What do you mean he's gone?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.
"I honestly don't know. Jalin ordered me to kill him, so I was dragging him downstairs, minding my own business. Then, out of nowhere, he transformed into a wolf and attacked me. He slaughtered everyone and nearly beat me to death. Then he took Sak Doyle and fled."
Leo. It had to be Leo. He had somehow activated Finn's killer instincts, just like he had with Lester Swanson. The thought of an enhanced, murderous creature roaming the Kingdom sent a chill down my spine. Innocent lives were at risk.
I needed to act. The only person with enough resources to help was...
"Lucian, we need to talk," I said into my phone.
"Where is Leah, Farrow? If you've harmed her..."
"My wife is safe with me. I saved her from your deranged Beta, Jalin Cleary."
"What did you just say?!" Lucian's voice was filled with disbelief.
"Cleary. He tried to hypnotize Leah. If I'd been a minute later... I can't imagine what that perverted scumbag would have done to my wife and your sister."
"Lucas Farrow, are you playing games with me?" Lucian's voice trembled with horror. "Jalin would never do something like that!"
"Call him and see if he answers," I said, rubbing my temple in frustration. "But first, we need to put out a warrant on Finn."
After exchanging the necessary information with Lucian, I made my way to the military prison to confront Leo. That sick, twisted bastard always knew how to get under my skin. I brought Jorah along for backup.
As soon as Leo saw me through the bars, he smirked and said, "Farrow, I know you can't get enough of me."
"How did you control Lester and Finn?" I demanded, my voice low and threatening.
Leo grinned shamelessly. "You want answers? Then start asking the right questions."
"Cut the crap," I snapped. "Or I'll toss your sorry ass to the dogs."
"Even my father, the Lycan King, can't stop me from doing what I want. So why do you think you can?" Leo retorted, his arrogance palpable.
"Everyone has a weakness, even a lunatic like you," I countered.
Leo's smile widened as he licked the prison bars and touched his chest theatrically. "I've got plenty of weak spots, Farrow. More than you can imagine."
Once we were outside the prison, Jorah's face was tense. "What kind of monster is he?" he asked. "Are you sure he's related to Leah?"
"He's her half-brother," I confirmed.
"What do you want to do with him? Want me to bring in some specialists to handle this?" Jorah whispered. "You know, to extract information?"
"He's imprisoned, but he's also the son of the Alpha King," I reminded him.
"Bastard son," Jorah shrugged.
"I don't torture prisoners," I said sternly, fixing him with a hard stare. This kid needed some discipline.
Jorah scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Well, he seems to have a particular interest in you…"
"What are you insinuating?" I asked, irritated.
"I mean, if he’s into men, I have someone who can handle this kind of situation," Jorah suggested.
"Who?" I asked, curious.
An hour later, a life-sized, dark-haired Ken doll walked into my office, followed by Jorah.
"Who's this?" I inquired.