Chapter 25

Naiya stood with the rest of the employees on the game court and wondered what was going on. She had cooking and laundry to do. Maybe it was news about Laylah. If anything happened to that child…she couldn't bear to finish the thought. She would keep hoping that Laylah was safe and had been found. She looked up when Henry arrived followed by Jacques, Kenneth and Michael. This couldn't be good if they were here. Boris and Bryon were already outside with the rest of the staff.

"Ladies and gentlemen. As you know, yesterday afternoon we experienced a breech in security. My mortal enemy sent some of her pets here to harm what is mine. This is an insult I will not tolerate and shall repay. At the heart of this attack is something even more disturbing. One of you is a traitor," Henry announced.

The assembled staff began shouting at once, proclaiming innocence and denying the charge.

"Be quiet! There is a traitor and evidence to support this. Michael and Kenneth, please be kind enough to fetch my traitor and bring that person to me," Henry ordered.

The cousins fanned out and slowly walked through the crowd of nervous employees until they stopped at Naiya. There were gasps of surprise and Naiya's heart beat painfully fast. It took her panicked mind a moment to realize that Kenneth and Michael had grabbed Thaniel and were dragging him to Henry.

"No!" She moved to stop them, but found her way blocked by Jacques. "Move, Jacques! They're mistaken. I have to clear this up. It can't be him!"

Jacques gently shook her. "No, Naiya, I can't let you interfere. We have him on the surveillance footage. He turned off the alarms and let them in, Naiya. He let that monster in to hurt Laylah. I'm so sorry. I know you two are together. He means the world to you, but he's with them. He has to be removed."

She covered her mouth and sobbed, sagging against Jacques in grief. How could Thaniel do it? How could he help Zina? It made no sense. Thaniel was stoic, not one protest made when the cousins had grabbed him. She didn't want to believe it, but Jacques wouldn't lie about something this serious. She couldn't force herself to look as her Alpha started speaking again.

"Thaniel, I took you in as a pup. Cared for you, gave you employment, a home and a life. And what thanks do I get in repayment? You fling open the doors to my home and let the enemy waltz right in."

Thaniel smirked. "Yes, you gave me a lot, Henry, but you lost the one thing that mattered to me. The one thing I swore I would avenge."

"Meaning what?" Henry snarled and his dark brown eyes changed to amber.

"Helena. She was always so kind to me. Taught me how to be a person. Showed me how nice life could be. But then that day at the lab, when Zina attacked…you didn't try to protect Helena. None of it should have happened if your Chief of Security had done his job. More lives could have been saved."

Jacques was moving before Naiya even registered the fact that he was gone from her side. He was up front and near Thaniel, an incredulous look on his face. "You mean to tell me that you let them in because you blame me for Helena's death?"

"Yes, I do. I wanted to watch you suffer as Gerard took what was most precious to you, Jacques--Laylah. You worship the ground she walks on! Treat her like she's your pup. I wanted you to suffer the same pain I did, knowing that I couldn't save the most precious thing to me!"

Thaniel's triumphant look sent Jacques over the edge. He swung a fist and punched the younger male. "You stupid little prick! If they kill her, I'll rip you into so many little pieces, they'll have to use a DNA scanner to know it's you!" Boris and Bryon pulled him away from Thaniel who continued to smirk at Jacques' loss of control.

"Thaniel! Thaniel!" Naiya pushed her way through the crowd and stopped at a glare from Henry. "My Alpha, please."

"Let her through. Be quick, Naiya. I haven't got all day."

She approached Thaniel. She had eyes only for the bitter young man before her. "Thaniel, did I mean nothing to you?"

He seemed to waver and then he glanced away from her. "You were a means to an end."

His cold words seared her heart, and, with a sob, she ran from the court.

"Let her go! We have an example to set," Henry ordered as some in the crowd tried to stop Naiya. "Bring the traitorous cur closer."

Kenneth and Michael put Thaniel a few feet away from Henry. They forced him to his knees and awaited their Alpha's next order.

He studied the defiant young man. "Such a waste. Let him shift. The cur shall fight for the right to live." He continued above the howls of approval from his people. "If you can beat me, you get to live, Boy, but you will be outcast. If you don't beat me, you die."

Thaniel spat at Henry. The spittle missed and earned him a punch to the gut from Kenneth, knocking the air out of him.

"Release him. Time to fight and live, or fight and die." Henry's last words came out as a growl for he was in the midst of shifting. A large gray wolf with a white left foreleg stood in his place.

Thaniel looked around at the crowd of his former friends. He saw only angry, eager faces. None would help him here. With a snarl, he changed into a brown wolf that was one-third the size of Henry's larger wolf.

The two wolves squared off, circling and sizing up each other, while plotting their attacks. Thaniel made his move first. Dashing in, he aimed for Henry's flank, trying to knock the older wolf over. Henry spun, moving his hindquarters at the last second, causing Thaniel to overshoot him and go sprawling.

Henry was on the younger male, his teeth snapped and sank into flesh. He jerked backward, pulling fur and skin off to leave a giant wound. Thaniel howled, snarled and barely managed to get free. The hole was on his left side and blood flowed from it. Thaniel bared his fangs, his eyes on Henry.

There was a tense moment, and then Henry charged toward Thaniel's injured side. Thaniel twisted but Henry anticipated his movement. He was already there and his jaws closed over Thaniel's windpipe. With one hard chomp, he broke it. Thaniel's whimper died in his throat.

Henry whipped his head back and forth until he heard Thaniel's neck snap. He growled with disdain, tossed the body aside, flung back his head and howled his victory. All the assembled Weres went down to their knees and groveled as he reaffirmed his status as their Alpha.

He remained in wolf form for a moment longer as he trotted over to Thaniel's body and peed on it, the final act a physical reminder of what would befall any others who crossed him. Satisfied, he changed back. "Anyone else want to join my enemy? No? Dismissed!"

The staff scattered, giving the body a wide berth. Jacques, Bryon, Boris, Kenneth and Michael stayed behind with him. He eyed his Betas. "Let's go. We have strategy to discuss and I'm famished."

Henry walked back to the mansion, completely unconcerned about his nudity and entered through the kitchen entrance. The comm rang, shattering the quiet. He snatched up the ear piece. "Hello?"

"Fa-father?"

Henry's eyes narrowed. "This is Henry Le Croix. Who is this?"

"Father! Please, it's me. It's Laylah!"

"Oh really? I'm in no mood for games. However, I know someone who enjoys a good story."

"Father, wait!"

He handed the ear comm to Jacques. "Take care of this." He left the kitchen and his five baffled Betas to wonder at his change of mood.

Jacques put on the ear comm. "This is Jacques."

"Jacques! Oh, my god! You're alive! You're alive!"

Startled, all Jacques heard were squeals of joy. He gathered his wits and held back his excitement. "Laylah?" He saw the other men straighten, intently watching his face.

"Yes, Jacques! It's me. I'm alive and okay! Please, tell me that you're not hurt, Jacques."

"I'm fine, Laylah. Where the heck are you?"

"I'm at Kattcha Silentshadow's house."

"Kattcha Silentshadow!" He was so surprised at her answer that he angrily growled and then cursed his temper when he heard Laylah's breathing speed up in fear. "Calm down, Laylah. How did you get there?"

"Donil saved me from five Weres that chased me to a hilltop. Please, Jacques. Is it safe now? Can I come home?"

"Yes, come by cab. I'll be here to get you."

"Okay." A pause, then she cleared her throat. "Jacques, is he mad at me?"

"No, Laylah. It's been hectic around here trying to figure out who broke in and what happened to you. I know your father was worried and he'll be happy to know you're safe."

"Okay, Jacques. I'll be there in an hour. Bye."

He turned off the ear comm. "We have to get this place cleaned up before she gets here. Someone remove the body and dispose of it."

"I'm on it." Boris left the kitchen, whistling some tune only he knew.

Jacques sighed and gave the others a look that sent them hurrying from the kitchen to get the house ready. Laylah was safe, but for how much longer? And knowing Donil, what had the man told Laylah about Donil's connection to the Le Croix family? Jacques hoped that Donil had revealed nothing. Otherwise, things would be very messy around the house for years to come.