An Alpha King's Revenge

Chapter 3: The Leader

-Hope-

It was cold in the room I was being kept in, but at least I was being left alone mostly. I was only brought some food once in a while, but I was always kept trapped. They hadn’t really touched me. I had tried to speak to them and that earned me a slap, but other than that, they stayed clear of me. None of them spoke to me or said much. They were so quiet, yet I knew they were constantly analyzing the world around them, so nothing would ever come as a shock to them. They kept me somewhere in a completely normal room, except it was rather dirty and dusty, and there were no windows. It was clear no one had lived here in a while, and it was not a place they were going to settle down in. They just lived here, for now, trying to draw out Phoenix most likely.

Oh, Goddess … Phoenix.

I could feel so much rage at his end, and it just felt impossible to get through to him. Our emotions could become too powerful so we couldn’t contact each other, but I hoped he sensed, despite my fear, that I was not being harmed. A part of me, though, hoped he wouldn’t come. Nothing good could come of it. There were many of them here. I didn’t believe this group held all The Dark Soldiers there were. There had to be more, and I just couldn’t see Phoenix taking all of them.

My mate was strong, but he was one male. There were at least fifteen in the house, all deadly and every one of them ready to kill Phoenix.

“Don’t come,” I whispered, as I sat there on the floor.

The room had been mostly cleaned out, so there was nothing but one chair in the corner. I felt a little like I was going insane, even though I hadn’t been here long. I had a hard time keeping track of things since I was kept in this dark room without barely any light except the light on the ceiling. I just hoped they would continue not to want to touch me. I felt disgusted by the thought of them coming close to me. Phoenix was the only male who had, and I wanted it to stay that way.

“Don’t come,” I whispered again.

I didn’t want to see him dead. I couldn’t take losing him all over. It was too hard, and I wouldn’t survive it. I needed him to stay alive, so I could stay strong too.

“Good Goddess, just watch over him,” I said and looked up at the ceiling. “I know you don’t listen to me anymore, because I have forsaken my duty and my sisters, but don’t take it out on my mate. Please don’t. I love him. I love him more than I can say, and I don’t want to lose him.”

I knew she wouldn’t answer me, but I continued to pray anyway. I just needed to. It made me feel centered. It reminded me so much of when I lived in the hidden world. I wondered sometimes though how my sisters were doing. I wondered if they ever thought of me or were curious about what had happened. I knew I had been very different, loving to ask questions about our world and our choices, but I wondered if some of my other sisters didn’t ask questions too. They might just be better at hiding it.

“Don’t punish him, please,” I begged, just before I heard a click.

I looked at the door, just a second before it opened, and I quickly got to my feet. I thought it was just my food being brought to me, but an older male appeared. One I had not seen before, and he carried no food. His dark eyes zeroed in on me and a cruel smile spread on his lips. They all had the same eyes as Phoenix. Dark, showing the torture and pain they had been through, but the difference was, that Phoenix had fought to gain back his humanity. These people had lost it. Slowly, the older male closed the door. He had this salt and pepper hair, and he had to be one of the biggest males I had ever seen. Broad and tall. So f*cking tall I had to lean my head back just to look at him, as he came closer.

“So, you’re the little female Phoenix has chosen?” the male said, his voice dark and rather smooth, actually.

You wouldn’t think a monster hid beneath the skin if you just heard his voice. It was almost calming.

“The Goddess paired us,” I said.

“Ah, yes, I forgot. You’re a … chosen one,” he said, and I heard the clear accent in his voice.

“Spiritual,” I corrected.

“Still chosen.”

He smiled a little.

“And you are?”

“Right, where are my manners?” he asked and walked over to take the chair from the corner, before he walked back to me, turned the chair around, and sat down on it, so his arms rested on the back of it.

Even sitting we were at eye level. It was scary how big this one was, and even though he was dressed in a shirt and some normal pants, the material was stretched over his big muscles, making him look even more threatening.

“I’m Seth,” he said. “Named after the God of chaos.”

“We only have one Goddess,” I said.

“Yes, but you see I was never a believer in her. Nor were my parents,” he said. “Of course, that was not the name they gave me.”

“They didn’t name you Seth?”

He shook his head.

“No, I was named by the former leader of The Dark Soldiers,” he said.

“The former leader?”

“Yes, before I killed him, of course, and took on the position myself.”

I gasped and moved back, pressing myself to the wall.

“You’re the leader of this sick organization?” I asked.

He chuckled.

“I guess it is sick in your eyes,” he said. “But we have taken out many sick people too. People that could have caused so much more chaos.”

I shook my head, and he sighed.

“Let me tell you something, little one,” he said.

I looked at him scared.

“A very important lesson I was taught many years ago.”

I swallowed hard, as his dark eyes held my own blue ones.

“Sometimes the world does not need a hero. Sometimes the world needs a villain,” he said.

“What does that mean?” I whispered.

He smiled a little.

“Why don’t you think about it?” he suggested.

“You’re cruel and evil, and you’re helping Connor.”

“Actually, not anymore,” he said.

“What?”

“Well, Connor has failed to deliver,” he told me. “We wanted Phoenix. Do you see your mate anywhere?”

Seth held out his arms, gesturing around him, and I slowly shook my head, compelled to answer him, even though he wasn’t really looking for an answer.

“No, and we do not serve anyone who can’t deliver,” he said. “And now I hear Connor has gone completely underground after killing his son.”

“What?! Chris is dead?”

Seth nodded.

“Seems like it. I hear the queen went after Connor and Chris saved her life. Sadly, he couldn’t save his own. Too bad. I hate hearing about the waste of a good alpha, or at least the potential to be one.”

“Yes, because a good alpha in your eyes is only good when he has lost his humanity.”

“We need to lose it, to become what we need to be. You think this life is easy?” he asked.

“Then choose something else,” I snarled.

That made him laugh, and I looked at him shocked. While the rest of The Dark Soldiers didn’t say much, this one seemed almost chatty and so … normal. It was even scarier.

“Phoenix should have felt honored, and not been such a coward. I am only bringing him home,” Seth said and slowly stood up.

“You’re going to kill him.”

Seth narrowed his eyes and walked closer to me, making me press myself even harder into the wall. He stopped when there were only inches between us, and I felt my heart beating like crazy in my chest, as fear took over.

“You have no idea what Phoenix means to us. To me.”

“To you?” I asked, my voice shaking a little.

“He was going to be next,” Seth said.

“Next?”

“The next leader. He had so much potential in him. He was like a son to me,” he said.

I looked at Seth so shocked. I had no idea Phoenix had held so much importance to this organization, but now I learned he was going to one day lead it.

“And then he betrayed us.”

“He wanted to live.”

“He was meant for a higher purpose,” Seth said. “And now he will find his way home. Thanks to you. Of course … I can’t really let you live.”

“W-What?”

“You see I can’t let Phoenix have anything that might weaken him. It is why we kill our loved ones. So, we have nothing to hold us back,” he said. “Now you have become too important to him. You will have to die.”

I felt the tears press in my eyes, but I refused to cry and just stared right back at Seth, ready to meet my maker if this was the day. Seth smiled though and took a step back.

“But not yet. I kind of enjoy having you here. You bring a little bit of … light,” he said and chuckled. “I think I will keep you around for a little longer.”

“You’re a monster.”

“As I said, sometimes the world needs a villain,” he said and then turned around, walking out of there and leaving me alone, feeling so paralyzed.

“Don’t come,” I whispered again.