A King's Game
627 Words
ELIJAH
Stepping through the wooden door felt like entering another world, blinding sunlight after the suffocating darkness of the dungeon attacked my eyes. I had to blink several times before I adjusted.
Hazel was already on her feet, dipping her head in respect. The others? They huddled on the couch like cornered vermin.
Alpha Donald dropped to his knees first. His daughter hesitated, which didn’t much surprise me before reluctantly following suit. Then came the excuse of a man. Landon. The bastard who’d struck Adriana.
My fingers itched with the need to draw blood. I wanted nothing more than to show him exactly what happened to men who put their hands on what belonged to me. The disrespect alone warranted punishment, but it went deeper than that. He was testing me. Wanted to see if I’d actually retaliate.
He’d find out soon enough.
I moved past them without acknowledgment, settling onto the couch. My clothes were filthy with mud and debris from the forest clung to every inch. I stripped them off without ceremony.
“Your attire, My King.” Hazel appeared at my side, holding my royal garments. I couldn’t quite suppress the slight upturn of my lips. She always knew exactly what I needed.
Once properly dressed, I finally turned my attention to the pathetic display before me.
“What a f*****g mess,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.
Donald was an Alpha. Attacking him meant war. Everyone involved in my imprisonment would face consequences.
The problem? War took time. Preparation. Strategy.
And I was bored just thinking about it.
“This disaster is entirely your doing,” Donald hissed at his daughter, eyes still fixed on the floor as if I might strike him down for daring to look up. “Your stupidity knows no bounds. What possessed you to do this?”
“Oh, spare me the righteous act, Father.” Lisa’s voice dripped with venom. “You never cared about Adriana either. We’re not so different, so don’t put the blame on me.”
Fascinating. So the abuse wasn’t just directed at Adriana. It was woven into their entire family dynamic. Which raised the question; why did she stay?
“You need to apologize,” Donald snapped. “Make him believe it. This catastrophe is your responsibility, and you’ll fix it. Everything we’ve built is at stake because of your recklessness.”
While they continued their little domestic dispute, my gaze shifted to Landon. The coward hadn’t uttered a single word. Just sat there looking utterly useless.
So this was the man who’d stood by and watched while Lisa tormented Adriana. Of course he had.
“Um, Elijah—”
“You will address him properly!” Hazel’s sharp rebuke cut through the air.
Lisa flinched. “Forgive me. My King, I apologize for what transpired. It was a terrible misunderstanding. This doesn’t reflect how we conduct ourselves. We mishandled the situation completely. Please accept my sincerest apologies.”
Every word out of her mouth was bullshit. I noticed the scar marring her face. Almost half of it was covered with the jagged mark. Someone had gotten to her before. Maybe she’d crossed the wrong person.
Not my concern.
What interested me was the game. I excelled at manipulation, at pulling strings until people unraveled completely. And this little group was about to become my entertainment.
“An apology doesn’t cut it.”
Donald spoke this time, desperation bleeding through. “I’ll give you anything. Name it. Surely there’s something you want?”
I let the silence stretch, watching them squirm. An idea came to my head and I leaned forward. The sides of my lips turning up into a small smirk.
“Actually, there is one thing.”
- Writer
