My Alpha's Mark

198 Kill! Kill! Kill!

Charles yanked his arm back but I didn’t let go. I did the opposite, I dug my nails in as he pulled, my claws dug into his skin and ripped. Blood pooled and burned, he yanked again this time, ignoring the bite of my nails as they pierced deeper. He wrenched his arm free, or what was left of it. I could feel his skin under my claws, chunks of meat between my fingers, as he cried out in pain. I take a moment to enjoy my work. His once scorched pink skin had turned black, blood ran down his arm and dripped to the floor.

Charles turned to glare at me, and for the first time since meeting him, fear stares back at me. He clutched his injured arm and I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows nervously. Sweat pools on his temple and slides down his brow. I chuckle at this small victory. He must have thought that I would be an easy kill. The young girl he once knew died a long time ago.

Did he think that his words would have weakened me?

Did he think that his words would have an affect on me?

Did he really think that I’d go down without a fight?

I didn’t even know who he was. Putting a label to what he or I were did nothing. Maybe once upon a time I would have cared, but that girl is dead and long gone. The words of a stranger had no effect on me. All of this could have been avoided. All of this death could have been prevented but no. It was too late for what could have been. They chose death and that’s how this would all end. With the last elder dead, we wouldn’t have to worry anymore. I already had a family, no, it’s broken but it’s still mine.

I already had a family.

I charge him and he tries to dodge. With Athena here with me, with us moving as one, I’m quicker, we’re quicker. My canines extend and I snarl and snap my teeth at him. I can feel her itching for me to shift but I’m not going to. I grip his other shoulder and dig my claws into his belly as I shove him backward. He fights to regain his balance but it’s too late, he’s falling. With me on top, my hair falls down around my face and my flames add to the pain as blood bubbles and oozes out of him.

Charles reaches up, clawing everywhere he can, but I don’t let up. My hands slide up and down his body and I touch everything and everywhere I can. He cries out as I cause him pain, as I give him what he’s given me today. His clothes are singed everywhere that I’ve touched and I see a small flame starting to catch. He reaches out for me but I his charcoal fingers do nothing to me.

There’s a crazed look in his eye as he glares up at me. His fingers are curled in on themselves now but I watch as he brings it back and thrust it toward me, no, not toward me. I lower my gaze and try to move, but it’s not quick enough. His burned fist slams into my abdomen and air is expelled from my chest.

I gasp in pain and in fear as saliva falls from my lips and drips down to the ground. This is the first time since facing the elders, since facing Charles that I feel regret. I forgot my promise to my mate, to Jake. I forgot to stay safe, I forgot to keep a distance from him, from them. When I lost Jake, I forgot it all. The need for vengeance overrode everything. The only thing that had mattered was his blood on my hands that I forgot about my promise and the one I needed to protect. All at once, fear spirals through me like a tornado, uprooting my anger and leaving my fear exposed. It tunnels through me and destroys everything I’ve held tight to protect myself from feeling the loss of my mate. I use this feeling to drive me, to stop playing and take his life.

Charles screams in pain but doesn’t stop, he doesn’t pause. Despite the pain that I’m causing him, he tries again. He dares. Instead of giving up and accepting his fate, he tries to kill my child again. He pulls back his almost charcoal arm and thrusts up and into my belly, but I won’t let him. I push my flames out and it licks up the remaining skin from his hand and spreads up his arm. I reach for what’s left of the sensitive skin there and I pinch, twist, and dig my nails deep. He cries out and thrashes beneath me, but I don’t stop, I can’t stop now. I claw at his thigh and revel in his blood staining the ground beneath us, and the blood-curdling scream that fills the air.

Kill!

Kill!

Kill!

There’s nothing I can’t do now. All I can think of is causing him pain, as much pain as I can possibly give. It’s at this point that I hope for more that I know he’s close. There’s only so much a body can take before it starts to fall apart. It hasn’t bled enough, it hasn’t cried enough, it hasn’t despaired enough. I lean down as tears leak from his eyes. The small weakness is enough to make me smile.

I didn’t know the devil could cry.

“You failed to achieve what you set out to accomplish. You should have killed me instead of taking me to Blood Moon pack. Your one weakness is what brought about the elders downfall, what brought about your death, and ended the world. I hope your last few moments are filled with the knowledge that you failed,” I whispered.