Chapter 69

Alpha Hawthorne was sometimes a stupid reckless man, and his son had inherited that from him. However, he also liked to think that he was a decent man and he knew that he had made a few mistakes in his life.

But now he could never forgive himself for what he had caused, and he had no idea how he could fix it. There was nothing he could do to fix it, everything about his problem was hopeless.

Ari had been a member of his pack for most of his life, but now he wasn't anymore. Maybe it was for the best since this place gave him nothing but grief and sorrow, and he had just amplified it by offering him to a known psychopath. The thought of it was unbearable, and he couldn't help but beg his friend to do anything – anything at all – to make sure his son doesn't hurt Ari.

If it was within his power, he would have had Constantine killed.

However, this would only lead to more pointless deaths and Constantine would still be alive. He might be a stupid man, but he wasn't completely hopeless. Five of his men who were together died at his hand, and he effortlessly killed a father and his sons – three alphas – without any issue.

And if there's one thing he realized about his situation, it was that he was never in control at all. He knew that if Constantine wanted to, he could easily take Ari away with him. There was nothing really stopping him from doing so.

Now it made sense to him when Chris told him that Constantine was fond of toying with people. They're being toyed with.

And it seems like time was running out for them by the looks of it. The killer was usually sitting there distractedly until they told him his new objective. He had served well, and it was too good of a situation to be true, and it was. But now there's something disconcerting happening.

Constantine's gaze was unrelenting this time.

"-and I do think this territory would be a nice addition to yours."

Alpha Hawthorne wasn't paying attention to what was being discussed.

"Yet, I do think we should take that one first. They're allies."

The gaze was unwavering.

"Well, what do you think about it? You haven't said a word since we started." When two heads turned his way, he had no choice but to clear his throat and shrug his shoulder pretending like he was listening this whole time. His hairs were sticking up, he was getting goosebumps.

He had to take a sip of water to be able to speak. "I think it's a flawless plan."

"Then it is settled." Eyesore quickly turned to Constantine in his excitement, and beckoned for him to come over as if he was his lackey. After all, he did give the impression to be listening to every command like an obedient dog.

It made them forget that he wasn't only a Dietrich, but someone who they sent to kill other alphas with unmatched boldness and efficiency.

There was a flaw in their plan from the beginning, but they all failed to see it. They thought leashing someone like that would be something they could do. The gains easily blinded them to the glaringly obvious outcome of their decision.

And alpha Hawthorne could now see it clearly as Constantine quietly walked over.

"This time you get four nights, how is that?" Eyesore grinned up at him clasping his hands not really noticing the shift in attitude. "Two alphas, two of their sons. And more territories for us."

The two alphas held up their glasses making them clink together as they did so many times, but when they turned to alpha Hawthorne they wondered why he wasn't sharing their happiness. Instead, he was looking straight at Constantine.

"Tell me again what to do."

Grump let out a grunt in dismay mistaking that for a repetition request. "You deaf? You heard him, two alphas and their sons."

They were getting too comfortable, too arrogant.

That made Constantine lean down on the table with both of his hands, looking at Grump in the eye. "Tell me again."

"You... What is this?" Grump gestured at him not understanding what was happening, but there was a hint of panic in his tone. "Just get on with it like you usually do."

"I suddenly don't feel like it."

Eyesore was not very fond of hearing that, and he didn't get to see the look Constantine was directing at the other to rethink his words. "Then no more nights for you with that omeg-"

That omega had a name they never bothered to learn, not that it mattered now.

It was Eyesore who was yanked up from his seat and found himself tumbling on the floor. Grump soon followed right after as he was also torn from his seat, and alpha Hawthorne watched two grown alphas be handled as if they were actual weaklings. No normal alpha could do that. This wasn't an alpha anymore.

The power gap was more than ranks and biological attributes.

Alpha Hawthorne remained seated.

"There is one thing you need to understand here." Constantine spoke calmly, steadily, and he had his finger stroke his knife hungrily. Eyesore was already standing up from the floor. "Nobody controls me."

"The hell." Grump was still on the floor still discombobulated from how harshly and suddenly he was thrown away like that. He didn't even stand up when he made his remark. "You're feral. You're turning feral."

As always, those words irked him making him mutter. "I am not a feral."

But his red eyes were as clear as day and they had the same crazed appearance that every feral had, a look that reflected their insanity. However, while looking the same, the gaze of these eyes was different.

They were cold, and they were sane.

"I am going to kill you." He told them both, and alpha Hawthorne understood how much toying Constantine loved to do. Everything from the beginning was him toying with them. "But I am also giving you a fighting chance."

Despite being on the floor, it was Grump who moved first, lunging from his place to tackle him. The instincts of his wolf side showing themselves. His eyes changed their color to showcase that, and he was a large powerful alpha who intended to fight and kill for his life.

All it took is one step to the side for Constantine to avoid him.

"That is disappointing."

His tone remained calm and steady just like his movements, and the two alphas found themselves standing side by side finding their chance at winning this fight to be in their favor when they silently agreed to attack him on the same time.

They both went at the same time, and while Constantine was able to avoid one attack, he had to kick the other aside to not get hit.

"Your son had no chance, and neither do you." Those taunting words struck a nerve for Grump who only saw red and instantly attacked the moment he heard it. If he had been fast enough, he would have been able to land a hit – one that would have hurt – but he was too slow for it to happen. He found himself kicked down on the ground with a foot pinning him. "Don't worry, I will be giving you the same treatment."

Grump knew these were his own words being echoed back to him as he felt his bones buckle under the pressure, but Eyesore took this as a chance to ambush him.

If Eyesore could feel the force Constantine was casually applying on the alpha under him, he wouldn't have attacked.

The confidence and speed of Eyesore's movement quickly backfired when a knife found itself plunged into his eye – a sick joke Constantine made to himself due to the nickname – and he let out a scream when that same knife left him making him bleed all over the floor.

Alpha Hawthorne witnessed how a face was easily ripped out before its owner's throat was slashed so savagely. All the while, another man was slowly being crushed to death. "My god."

No this was not an alpha; this was a fucking monster.

"Alpha Hawthorne," The monster's attention was on him now as he let Eyesore's body drop on the floor without any care, and the blood splatter resulting from that will lead to this whole room to be refurnished. Still, he wondered if he should be glad that the playful tone made a reappearance. "May I speak to you?"

It was funny how he asked so politely as if the alpha had a chance to refuse that. He stuttered his words as he spoke. "Go right ahead."

"I'm taking Ari with me, but he might want to come back here again."

The alpha nodded his head finding his words to automatically come out by their own with the usual politeness. All he could think about was how he just wanted to appease the murderer so he may live. "You're free to do so and he's always welcome here."

Constantine made an amused sound.

"So kind of you." He said wiping his knife on the fabric of the seats one of the recently killed alphas had been sitting on. It was Eyesore's. Alpha Hawthorne did not dare say a word. "Please don't go after him anymore. My father won't like it when I kill you if you do."

Alpha Hawthorne recognized the threat.

"No, of course not."

"Thank you."

When Constantine finally left, the alpha quickly hunched over the trashcan and emptied his whole lunch in it. This was not something he wanted to experience or witness again, and he was glad that it was over.

He was ashamed to admit that he was relieved that Ari was now part of the Dietrich's pack. It was his friend's problem to deal with. Not his. He's just glad he survived this.

Men loved to shed themselves of any blame with those convictions.

And true to his words, Constantine didn't kill the two alphas because of Ari. He killed them because they tried to control him.

He liked when things worked out on their own.