Chapter 177
Darth
The search for Dane isn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
The coward ran, of course. After what I did to Mary—his precious little bitch–he had no choice. But I know Dane too well. He’s greedy to a fault. Spineless, yes, but addicted to greed, no matter how small. He may have fled, but he could never stay away for long. He’s still Alpha of that pathetic little pack of his, and letting go of even that crumb of power? Not in his nature.
The moment he vanished, I sent my men after him, I told them to surround his home. Not to engage–just watch. Dane’s not reckless enough to return right away, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the itch to reclaim control got the better of him.
And it did.
He starts sending out messages–quietly at first–reaching for his Beta, nudging the lower ranks of his pack. Testing the waters.
I give the order for my men to vanish from sight. Publicly, the place looks clear. Abandoned. They pull back just enough to let him think the danger has passed. But really, they’re still there. Watching. Hidden in plain sight.
When we catch word that Dane is trying to sell his home, I know we’ve got him.
The idiot thinks he’s being careful.
But he’s walking straight into my hands.
Of course. The fool needs money.
I send one of my men to pose as a buyer for Dane’s house. We hand over a partial payment in cash–enough to bait the trap–and request to meet in person before completing the deal.
Dane, ever the desperate bastard, agrees almost immediately. Thly
is behind him.
He has no idea what’s coming.
moment
money in his hand, the paranoia fades. He thinks the worst
When he shows up for the second payment, my men move in. He’s gagged, masked, and dragged back to Blackcastle like the pathetic stray he is.
He arrives weeping beneath the mask, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm.
“Please,” he whimpers, voice muffled, “I didn’t do anything wrong! I just want
my full payment. I don’t deserve this!”
I let him kneel there, then speak
“Are you sure about that?” I ask, stepping forward, watching him cower like a cornered animal.
I motion for the mask to be removed. The moment he sees me, he goes pale. His lips tremble as he swallows hard.
“Scar… Scar, I’m so sorry! Please, forgive me!” he stammers,
“Shut up,” I cut him off, “You’re boring me, Dane. I expected more spine from you. Don’t beg you.”
me. Don’t
act like one of the helpless. It’s beneath
He lowers his eyes, ashamed.
“So you thought you could plant your child in my care and have me raise your bastard?” I I growl, my
Dane trembles before me, his lips quivering as he tries to speak.
voice low bu
dangerous.
“Scar, I swear–it wasn’t my idea! It was all Mary!” he blurts out, panic spilling from every word. “She never even told me she was carrying my child! I found out myself… and by the time I did, she’d already pinned the pregnancy on you. I confronted her that night—your guard must have overheard us!”
I stare at him, my rage boiling just beneath the surface.
“And how long,” I ask slowly, “have you been fucking her? You thought you had the right to stick your cock in a woman I was fucking? Who the hell do you think you are?”
“No, no! That’s not what happened!” he cries out, his hands raised as if shielding himself from my wrath. “I stopped sleeping with her long before
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Chapter 177
you ever came around. I swear it on my life, my Alpha! I would never dare lay hands on what’s yours. 1–I wanted to tell you the truth, but I didn’t know how you’d react. Please… I beg of you…”
He drops to his knees, bowing at my feet, his voice shaking with fear.
I stare down at him, disgusted.
Begging. Whimpering.
Exactly what I expected from a coward like Dane.
I want to kill him. I truly do. But that would be far too easy… too boring.
The truth is, I have no one. No one by my side. No one to talk to.
And Dane–this idiot–is right here. As much as I want to tear him apart, something stops me. Something tells me he might still be useful.
He’s a fool, yes. But even fools serve a purpose.
“Get up, Dane,” I command.
He scrambles to his fect, shoulders tense,
“I don’t believe your story,” I say, slowly circling him. “Not completely. There’s too much missing. But I do know one thing–Mary orchestrated this. That much is obvious.”
He nods quickly, desperate to stay in my good graces.
“I’m not going to kill you, Dane.”
His body slumps with relief, and he exhales a grateful, “Thank you, Scar. You won’t regret this.”
“But,” I say, holding up a finger, “there’s a condition.”
He straightens again, alert.
“You’ll stay by my side–always. That way I can keep an eye on you. You see, everyone I trusted has betrayed me. Amica. Mary. Deckard. One by one, they showed their true colors. Now I sit on a throne, surrounded by wealth, by power… and yet I have no one to share it with. No one I care about who hasn’t turned their back on me.”
I pause, and for a moment, I hear my own voice tremble. I didn’t mean to let all that spill.
“It’s lonely at the top,” I say quietly. “Especially for someone like me.”
Dane stays silent, unsure of what to say.
“No, you’re not alone, Scar,” Dane says suddenly, his voice shifting from trembling fear to something softer… almost sincere. “I’m here. I’ll be here for as long as you want me I’d never betray you.”
I scoff. “Of course you’d say that. You’re just trying to save your pathetic life. You don’t want me to kill you.”
“You’re right–I don’t,” he admits. “But that’s not all there is to it. You know I aided you to take down Deckard, You wear his crown now because of that moment.”
I narrow my eyes at him.
“We’ve always hated the same people, Scar. We’ve always wanted the same thing- I’m not asking to be your friend, I’m offering loyalty… if you’re willing to put the past behind us.”
His words hang in the air for a moment.
I don’t trust him completely–but for the first time in a while, I don’t feel alone.
Dane leans closer, “You should call a meeting,” he says. “Gather every Alpha across the continents. Let them see the new face of the Apex Circle.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“I’ve never seen them face to face,” I admit.
“Well, now’s the time,” Dane replies. “You’re not just part of the Apex Circle, Scar. You lead it now.”
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Chapter 177
I remember him once rambling like a child about the Apex Circle, treating it like a sacred brotherhood. It was his dream to be one of them.
Fool.
But maybe this fool still has his uses.
Dane leans in, eyes gleaming like a man who’s just remembered something devious.
“There’s a ceremony,” he says, “a grand, exotic ritual the Apex Circle throws once in a year. You should call for one. Make it official. Let them see that the Apex Circle now bows to you.”
I tilt my head, considering it.
“It would also be the perfect opportunity for you to choose your Luna,” he adds quickly, excitement lacing his voice. “Since Amica thinks she’s too righteous to stand beside you, you should pick someone more… fitting. Someone worthy of your name, your throne.”
I frown slightly. “I thought all the men and women of the Apex Circle were already bonded to one another.”
Dane smirks, his voice dropping into something darker. “How else do you prove your dominance, Scar? Bonded or not, if you want her, she’s yours. That’s the point. The Luna of the Alpha of Alphas is chosen by force, by fire. Hell, if you want two–three–even that is your right. You can remake the rules. You’re above them now.”
He chuckles, a sinister little laugh that doesn’t sit right with me.
I can feel something brewing behind his eyes. “Spill,” I say sharply.
“Well…” he starts, voice low, “you could choose the Luna of one of the strongest Alphas. Imagine it–ripping one of their precious bonds apart, claiming her before them all. A bold move. Savage. But it would cement your place. Show them that loyalty to the old ways means nothing under your reign.”
He pauses, watching me closely.
Take what’s forbidden, Scar. That’s how legends are made.”
Dane leans in again, that twisted little grin returning to his lips. “Or… if you’re in the mood for something different,” he says, voice slick like oil, “you could even choose an Alpha for yourself. Imagine bending one of them–someone powerful–bending him over just to satisfy your needs. That would send a powerful message. It speaks Power, Scar. Real power.”
I narrow my eyes. “Oh yeah?” I say, a dark smirk tugging at my mouth. “I can imagine that…”
Then Dane pushes it too far.
“Imagine bending someone like alpha Deckard over,” he whispers, “making him choke on your cock-”
“Hey!” I snap, voice rising like a whip crack. “That’s my blood brother, you sick bastard!”
His grin fades instantly. “I–I’m sorry, Scar. That was out of line. I got carried away–but you get the idea.”
“Oh, I get it,” I say, eyes narrowing.
He goes quiet. Good.
I know Dane. He wants a seat at the table. He dreams of standing beside kings–of being one. But that’s not a problem. Let him dream. Let him crawl. But I don’t dream.
I take.
I become the nightmare
Now
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