Chapter 17: No Mercy

The loud knocks on his office door startled the Don. Absorbed in the morning paper, it took him a moment to respond. "Come in," he said grimly, setting the newspaper aside.

The wooden door creaked open, and a man in a black tuxedo strode in. Known only as Sebastian to the brotherhood, his real name was Carlos Cadavos. For two decades, he had been the Don's trusted, silent, and deadly shadow.

Sebastian approached the desk and placed a sealed envelope in front of Don Alejandro. Without hesitation, the Don ripped it open and scanned the contents. His expression darkened instantly, anger flashing in his eyes.

"The Dragons have interfered—"

Alejandro raised a finger, silencing him. "Be direct, Sebastian. What happened?"

"They snatched the partnership with the Rodriguez family," Sebastian said.

"I already know that!" the Don bellowed, slamming a fist onto the glass table. "I want to know how and why it happened."

Sebastian's face remained calm. "There's a mole, Don Alejandro. Someone's been feeding information to the Dragons."

"Mierda (Damn it!)!" the Don roared, sweeping stacks of papers off his desk. "Tell me you've identified the traitor!"

"He's in the torture room now," Sebastian replied evenly.

The Don's jaw clenched as he stormed toward the door, Sebastian trailing behind. "Voy a matar a esa mierda (I'm going to kill that piece of shit)," he muttered under his breath.

"But Don Alejandro," Sebastian interjected, "we can't kill him yet. He claims to know something about the golden key."

The Don froze mid-step, his anger flaring anew. "Are you saying, after decades of searching, that cursed key is now in the hands of the Dragon Brotherhood?"

"Yes, Don Alejandro. With the key, your family's lost wealth—everything your ancestors left behind—could finally be yours again."

"Then we'll extract the truth," the Don said coldly. "And afterward, he dies."

The two entered a small, dimly lit room. A man sat tied to an electric chair, wearing only his bloodstained Calvin Klein underwear. He was in his fifties, battered and bruised, but the Don recognized him instantly.

"Renato Salcedo," the Don spat, his voice thick with disgust. "A business tycoon. A renowned surgeon. You were welcomed into the Alpha Brotherhood as a family. And now? Here you are—tied like a dog, sitting in the infamous electric chair."

Renato groaned weakly, his battered face barely able to lift, but before he could reply, the Don's fist slammed into his stomach. Blood splattered from Renato's lips as he doubled over, gasping for air.

"Why?" the Don growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Why did you betray your family?"

Renato let out a hoarse, bitter laugh. "Y-you're insane, Alejandro. That's why!"

Sebastian stepped forward and pressed a button on the chair. Renato's body jerked violently as electricity coursed through him, his screams echoing in the small room.

The Don raised a hand, signaling for Sebastian to stop.

Renato slumped forward, panting, his face drenched in sweat and blood. Yet somehow, he managed a broken laugh.

"What did the Dragons offer you?" the Don asked again, restraint was heard in his voice. "What made you betray us?"

"S-something you'd never give me," Renato rasped, barely audible. "Greater power."

"You ungrateful bastard!" the Don snarled, pressing a lit cigar into Renato's shoulder. The traitor howled in agony, thrashing against his chains.

"I gave you everything—money, influence, protection. And this is how you repay me?"

"It's not enough," Renato hissed. "You want your whore daughter to inherit your position, and we both know—"

Another scream ripped through the room as the Don slammed the electric chair's button again. Renato's body convulsed violently, the stench of burning flesh filling the air.

"Say that again," the Don dared, his voice trembling with rage. "Say it!"

Renato slumped back, his breaths shallow. "I-I have information… about the golden key…"

The Don's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "I know… and I was willing to give you a chance to prove your loyalty to me by giving me that piece of information… but, you've betrayed the Alpha Brotherhood. I can't take any chances. Do you know what happens next, traitor?"

Renato's eyes widened in panic. "Don Alejandro, please! Spare my wife and daughter!"

The Don leaned in close, his voice dripping with venom. "You should've thought of them before you betrayed me."

"No! Please—!"

The Don straightened, turning to Sebastian. "Finish him."

"W-wait! I can tell you—"

The Don didn't bother listening. His footsteps echoed as he left the room. Renato's final screams trailing behind him.

Days later, the body of Renato Salcedo was found floating in the filthy waters of Manila Bay. His wife and teenage daughter were discovered in their mansion, their lifeless bodies bearing the marks of brutal flogging and worse.

"This is what happens when they mess with the Alphas," the Don said to Sebastian, seated comfortably in his office once more. He inserted a flash drive recovered from Renato's belongings into his computer. A smirk crossed his face as the long-lost location of the golden key lit up on the screen.

"The Alphas don't give mercy to traitors," Sebastian replied, raising his wineglass in a toast.