Jackson started clapping while laughing hysterically, and my gum started to ache, a profound need to rip him to shreds overtaking me.
“Oh, you should see your faces!” he laughed. “Truly priceless!”
I’d expected Colin was up to something. We’d even expected an ambush here, but not this, not guns and siding with anti-supers. How could an alpha ever side with those monsters when we were among the most hunted by them? Had it been a lie that they’d lost members to the anti-supers?
No, Diana had confirmed it, so why?
When my wolf started howling in my head with panic, I looked down at Killian, and he nodded.
“Hey!” Jackson shouted, stepping forward, and the moment he was close enough, I grabbed the barrel of the gun and yanked him forward.
My wolves that had traveled through the forest burst out of the darkness, attacking Jackson’s men, and I headbutted Jackson. He was sent tumbling to the ground, a cut appearing on his forehead, and I threw the gun to the side.
Bending down, I stuck my fingers into Killian’s wound, and he bit down on his lip enough to draw blood.
I ripped the bullet from his stomach and whistled.
Three wolves appeared by our side, two in their transformed state and one in his human form. They took Killian and Mathieu, and I faced Jackson, who was shifting, readying himself to fight me.
But I didn’t have time for this. Diana was in danger. I hadn’t brought all my men here, but we needed to return if Colin was heading to the pack with anti-supers and guns like these.
I attacked Jackson while his bones were still being rearranged and ripped into his chest, stomach, and arms. Anywhere my claws touched, it tore. His bones breaking at my doing echoed through the night, and when Mathieu shouted stop, I threw Jackson to the ground.
I wasn’t going to kill him as much as I wanted to. He wasn’t a child as childish as he was, and I was sick of his immature behavior while believing he was a man. He was irresponsible, conceited, and a narcissistic little shit. He’d terrorized Diana, and I wasn’t going to forgive that.
“Please,” Mathieu yelled when I stepped on Jackson’s chest.
Being carried by one of my men, Mathieu stepped forward shakily, and my jaws clenched. “They’ve sided with anti-supers, Mathieu! Colin is on his way to the pack right now with them!”
“I know,” Mathieu replied when the last of Jackson’s men were thrown to the ground. “But Jackson’s just a boy, a foolish boy being controlled by Colin.”
“He is not a boy!” I yelled and stepped away. “When I was his age, I had a pack to take care of alone. A child would be clueless about what’s now on its way to my pack, mate, and family!”
“Go ahead!” Jackson yelled from his mangled pile on the ground. “Kill me, but I’ll be remembered because all of this was my idea! Mine! I’m not the moron you all think I am, and you’ll learn! And you!” he pointed at Mathieu. “Don’t speak for me, you fuck! Diana isn’t better than me. She never has been! I’m going to be Alpha! Me! And she’s going to die tonight!”
He staggered to his feet, and I realized he’d picked up the gun. I rushed at him when he aimed, and we tussled for a second before the gun went off.
We both went still until Jackson stepped back, his hand bent and the gun aimed at his chest.
Blood began spreading across his shirt right over his heart, and he fell to his knees. My jaws clenched at the sound of his heart slowing, and I caught him before he fell to the ground.
I looked at Mathieu, who walked forward and knelt down beside Jackson, and Jackson stared at him for a minute before smiling and coughing up blood that spilled down his chin.
“I did—good r-right grandpa?” he asked Mathieu, who took his hand.
He thought Mathieu was Colin, which just made this so much worse. He was dying and still trying to prove himself to that bastard.
“Get some sleep,” Mathieu told him softly, and I got up, oddly remembering my father while watching Mathieu. “You’re going to be okay now. Get some sleep.”
Jackson shook his head. “I-I did everything you asked.”
“I know,” Mathieu said angrily, and I shared his feeling. “I know you did. Rest now.”
Jackson fought for his life for a minute before his eyes finally closed, and I struggled to contain my emotions. Colin was a demon that needed to return to hell. He’d twisted Jackson so much there was nothing left of him other than a child trapped in a man’s body who was continuously vying for approval.
When the pack members started making their way out of their homes to fall to their knees, surrendering, Mathieu got to his feet. I watched the way he stared at each of them, and they stared at him, their eyes begging for help.
I knew why I remembered my father just now. Mathieu was as kind as he was, forgiving, and always in control of his emotions. Mathieu was an alpha, a true alpha who believed in serving his people and standing by them.
“You’re going to stay, aren’t you?” I asked him, and he nodded.
“I can’t face Colin, but you can,” he held my shoulder and squeezed with what strength he had. “Save my daughter and end this once and for all.”
I nodded because tonight would be the end of this pointless war without a shred of doubt.