Freeing Starr
Chapter 26 ~ Good Choice

My body moved before I could even register what was happening.

I quickly rolled off of the bed to avoid the claws that were aiming at my throat, managing to narrowly evade death.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I landed on the floor with an oomph and quickly scrambled to stand.

Nadia's face that was usually covered with a smile was twisted with malice as her glowing eyes narrowed in on my sorry figure.

My wide eyes stared at her in disbelief as I brought a hand up to cup my throat.

"What the heck was that!?" I hissed at her, my heart stuttering in fear.

Frustration flashed in her eyes as she growled, "why can't you just die!?"

"What? Why do you want to kill me!?"

Her lips curled as she sneered in ridicule, "Do I look stupid to you? You're trying to get rid of me."

"I'm just trying to help!"

"By sending me out to die! We both know how hard it is for a wolf to survive without a pack much less a pregnant one and you want me to just leave? Just like that?"

I frowned, "You're the one who said you wanted to leave. I really was only trying to help."

She stalked towards me in anger and swung her claws towards my face. I quickly evaded and placed my arms out to calm her.

"Nadia, I don't want to hurt you."

"Bullshit! You're so pathetic I'm surprised you even consider yourself an Alpha. Even I'm stronger than you are," she cursed, swinging out a leg that struck my midsection, causing me to stumble back and knock into the dresser.

I winced at the crash but had no time to think as her claws came aiming at my throat again. I put up a hand to deflect them, wincing as my skin tore open but quickly healed after.

"Nadia, stop!" I shouted, feeling my wolf anxiously pacing at the back of my mind, growling at me to let her out.

My eyes began to flash as I struggled to control myself and avoid giving into the anger that was beginning to build in my chest. I did nothing wrong. Why was I being targeted?

"Stop? You want me to stop? You think I'd just shut up and roll over when another woman comes and tries to steal my mate away from me? You think I'm that easy? Zion only wants you because of your fucking bloodline! What do you think will happen if he heard that his soulmate, who's an omega killed his choice mate, who's an Alpha? He'd fucking love me more!"

I grabbed hold of her leg as it swung towards me and exerted a bit of strength to swing her against the wall.

Dust and debris flew as a crash was heard and the wall began to cover in cracks.

I grabbed a hold of my head as my wolf got louder and tried pushing herself forward. My chest was burning and my nails lengthened and began itching to feel blood dripping off them.

I felt hurt, shock, anger and betrayed as I placed some distance between Nadia and I.

"You're doing all of this to gain Zion's approval? Were you ever truly planning to leave?"

Nadia growled and clutched her stomach as she got up, wiping the blood that trickled down the corner of her lip, "I was planning to leave him at first but then I thought why should I? If anything, you're the one who's supposed to leave. You don't belong. This pack wasn't made for you, Zion wasn't made for you. When are you going to see that?"

My heart trembled.

She was right.

Of course she was right. I was the third party in their relationship. I didn't belong...

My eyes focused on her, "what made you change your mind?"

Her cold eyes stared at me in ridicule, "you really want to know?"

I pursed my lips, "I deserve to know why you want to kill me."

"Zion told me that I was his one and only. That no matter who he has as his chosen mate he'd always love me. He wished that I was stronger. He said that if I was stronger, he wouldn't have to look at other women. I'm going to become stronger for him."

Realization dawned on me.

"You lied. Zion did visit you. When was it?"

"Fuck off!" She came at me again and I deflected her claws each time, sweat beginning to coat my brow at the many close calls that I had but I couldn't afford to let my wolf out. In her rage, I was positive that she'd try and kill Nadia. I didn't want that kind of blood on my hands.

"Nadia, you're pregnant! Think about the baby!" I tried to reason with her, attempting to hold her down to no avail. She was strong for an omega, or maybe I was just too weak for an Alpha.

"I am thinking about my baby! He's the heir to our pack and he needs his father!"

Skin tore and blood dripped as I was slashed across my shoulder. My eyes glowed brightly for a second before I closed them and willed the anger that was building in me away.

The room at this point was a disaster. The beds were broken, clothes were scattered everywhere, the walls were covered in cracks and the both of us stood panting and oozing blood.

I sighed, "Let's just stop this and work something out. If you don't want to leave, I'm not forcing you."

A breathless laugh escaped her lips and I took a step back in surprise when she suddenly lunged towards me and shifted. Her wolf caught me by surprise and knocked me over, causing me to tumble onto the floor and hit my head, causing stars to gather in my eyes.

I blinked to regain focus but found myself screaming out in pain as her fangs sunk into my shoulder where my mark was, attempting to tear it off.

The last string of restraint that I was holding onto snapped and a growl escaped my lips as I grabbed a tight hold of her muzzle and tore her mouth off my shoulder, flinging her away.

My eyes glowed fiercely as I steadied myself and watched her shake off the pain, snarling at me.

My voice deepened, "I told you to stop."

I hunched over as I felt my wolf push herself forward with a vigor I've never seen before, my back contorting and my bones rearranging into that of my wolf. Grey and white fur lined my arms and legs as my body expanded and my teeth turned into fangs.

A guttural growl escaped my lips as I turned my bloodshot eyes to Nadia's cautious figure.

An urge to kill suddenly washed over me and unlike before I wasn't able to control it. My vision turned red as I pounced forward with a swiftness I never knew I had.

I gave my wolf full control, allowing her to vent her pent up anger as whimpers and snarls filled the room. We collided with Nadia's body and quickly clamped our fangs around her hind leg and bit down hard, hearing the satisfying crunch as it broke and spilt blood into our mouth.

We grew even more crazed, ignoring the cries Nadia made and quickly swiping our sharp claws across her stomach that she was trying desperately to protect.

Fear entered her eyes as she whimpered and tried slipping away. Unfortunately for her, I was too far gone.

I didn't care that she was baring her neck in submission, I didn't care that she was begging me to let her and her baby off. I didn't care about anything anymore. I've tried so hard to be the good guy but my efforts were always in vain.

I had completely given in.

The blood on my tongue was tantalizing as I snarled my rage and tore off a limb, spitting it out on the side without hesitation. In my red haze, nothing but crimson rained as I gave into my primal instincts and tore Nadia's body to pieces, killing both her and the child in her stomach.

It took me a while to bring myself back from my frenzied state but when I did, I shifted back to my human form and sat in the blood and gore scattered around me, staring blindly at the limbs that were barely recognizable.

I didn't know what to feel.

My heart trembled as my actions began to register and tears gathered in my eyes as I realized that I had just taken my first kill... and it was a mother and son.

The worst part about it was that my tears wasn't because I had killed Nadia, it was because I couldn't sense any regret or guilt in my decision. Instead I felt relief... as if I had finally gotten rid of something that had bothered me for a long time.

It was a scary thought.

My wolf comforted me and told me that this was inevitable. That as an Alpha female, I couldn't allow my pride to be trampled on like that. As if she wasn't the reason I was so fucking pathetic in the first place.

I glanced down at my blood soaked figure with a frown then tilted my head as I picked up slightly on the faint sound of someone breathing.

I sighed as I glanced around at the damaged room and wondered how I was going to get myself out of this tragic mess.

"You don't belong."

Nadia's voice echoed in my mind as I got up and wiped at the blood that was dripping across my cheek.

She was right.

I really didn't belong.

I walked towards the door to our room and opened it, my eyes instantly connecting to the emerald green eyes of the man that leaned casually up against the wall.

"You'll come to me on your own even if I have to make it happen myself."

His words finally registered.

I blinked at him blankly, "how did you do it?"

His lips tilted up slightly, "Do what?"

"How did you convince her to try and kill me?"

His eyes gazed over at me thoughtfully, "what are you talking about?"

I sighed, knowing that I wasn't going to get him to admit to anything and pointed back at the room behind me, "Can you resolve this issue?"

"It depends. Where do you plan to go after I clean up after you?"

I pursed my lips, "do I need to say it? I'm asking for your help, even though I'm sure you played a part in this. So help me and I go with you. My choice."

My choice.

My voice trembled as I said that and my heart roared with mixed emotions as I thought of what I was about to do.

My mate smirked at me in approval, "good choice."

His eyes glazed over as he contacted someone. We didn't have to wait long before the receptionist from earlier approached us.

She glanced at my appearance in surprise but didn't say anything as she turned to my mate and bowed, "your highness."

My brows furrowed in confusion.

Your highness?

My mate nodded towards my room, "mark this room off limits and get it cleaned out as soon as possible. Dump the body at the borders of that pathetic rogue pack then report back to me."

My heart trembled.

He knew.

He knew where we came from.

The receptionist nodded and quickly left to do his bidding.

He turned his attention back to me and offered a hand, "come let's get you cleaned up."

I eyed his hand warily and asked, "are you going to tell me who you are now? I won't leave with a stranger."

His smirk grew as he leaned off the wall and approached me, quickly clasping my hand in his and tugging me down the hallway.

"What's your name?" He asked, though I was certain that if he knew which pack I came from then he probably already knew my name.

"Starr," I answered, "what's yours?"

"Leon," came his response.

"Alpha Leon?" I probed cautiously, wondering if he was an Alpha of his own pack, which I suspect he was.

I stared at the back of his head as I was tugged along and felt my eyes widen at the next words that slipped pass his lips.

"Alpha King Leon."

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