>>>>>URGE TO KILL HIM.

Akira’s gaze lingered too long on the silver knife beside Dominus’s plate, and crazy thoughts began to creep into her mind.

The blade was curved, polished, and sharp enough to deliver a lethal stab to the neck, aimed at cutting veins. It was meant for slicing roasted meat, but Akira knew how to wield such small knives to her advantage.

‘Do it,’Aya, her wolf, surged inside her. ‘One move, and you'll kill him. Do it for Klax.’

Right then, she could see his blue-hazel eyes again, and pain shot through her chest. She remembered her brother's warm and mocking stares when she crawled into his training room. Akira’s throat went dry at once, and her fingers curled tightly around her dress. The murderers of her family were right here. All she needed to do was kill those motherfuckers!

He had usually taught her to be a soft girl, despite her training to become a knight. Soft girl?..........She chuckled inwardly.

She wasn't a soft girl. Not anymore. Whatever softness might have been left inside her had long burned to ashes.

Now, the people who killed her family, caused her all that pain, and subjected her to slavery were sitting right there in front of her, laughing and mocking her family.

“Eastern wolves really thought they stood a chance,” Cierra sipped from her goblet. “Poor Klax. I really did have a huge crush on him. All that beauty burnt to ashes.”

“Fools,” Ragnar barked, slapping his goblet against the table. “Half-shifted mutts, yapping like they could stand against us in a war. We gave them more than a decade to obey the Grand Alpha King, and they still didn’t do so…”

Akira furrowed her brows, confusion flickering across her face as she tried to understand what decade and obedience to the Grand Alpha King they were talking about.

“And their Alpha King,” Cierra went on, smirking now. “What was his name again? Ed… Edward, right? Whatever. Weak spine, weak heart. Should’ve bent the knee when he had the chance, but he thought Klax was getting popular.”

Akira froze mid-step. Her spine stiffened, and she swallowed hard, trying to control and compose herself. Standing there and watching them devalue her family was heart-wrenching.

“What of the daughter? Heard he has just one little whore out of his six sons?” Cierra asked.

“All burnt to ashes…” Ragnar burst out laughing.

“Poor her. Her father should've taken that offer,” Cierra mused. “We do love a pretty little Eastern whore.”

Laughter rippled through the hall, and Akira swallowed hard, her throat dry from pain.

Dominus didn’t laugh. The same went for Brevin. He leaned back in his chair, swirling his drink, his gaze once again drawn to Akira. He noticed her distress…

“Did Father ever say why he instructed us to burn down a whole family and their loyal subjects?” Brevin asked out of the blue, and the whole place went dead silent. Brevin’s eyes darted across the room to everyone who had been laughing at the story. He wasn’t really disputing that they were wrong about the Grand Alpha King. For Brevin, he just thought his father wasn’t a great leader since he led with fear and blood, making hasty decisions out of insecurity.

“We don’t care. The Grand Alpha is never wrong in his decisions,” Ragnar’s tone was stern, leaving no room for argument.

Next, Brevin tapped his goblet against the table, signaling for a drink, and Akira moved to pour him one. Her hands shook, the wine nearly spilling from the jug as she filled his goblet.

“I’m sorry, my lord,” she apologized, blinking fast and trying to hold back her unshed tears.

“I was the happiest when I heard they burst that motherfucker Alpha Edward and his family. The satisfaction I got…” Ragnar pointed out. Akira stared at the damn blade again, then at Dominus’s hand, how it gripped his goblet tighter, knuckles turning white..

Something was wrong. He was not happy with the conversation. He was supposed to be; they were talking about one of his greatest deeds.

Akira wanted to do something right now, but she stayed quiet. Because that’s what slaves do.

Revenge takes patience. She couldn't wait to drive a knife into Dominus’s chest while looking him in the eyes.

Her stomach twisted hearing all the derogatory terms used against her family.

Her thoughts spiraled, each word from Ragnar and Cierra fueling her rage. She could almost feel the heat of her brother’s spirit urging her on, pushing against the chains of her servitude. But any hasty decision would cost her life.

Brevin, seated across the table, suddenly shifted his gaze, his sharp eyes catching the flicker of pain that crossed Akira’s face. He leaned forward, the smile fading as he studied her closely.

Brevin sensed the tremor in her hands; his focus remained on her, a flicker of concern etching itself into his features. He presumed she was tired. Of course, she had been standing for hours.

“Go back to the kitchen, Nia,” Brevin announced, catching everybody off guard. “Your job here’s done.”

She bowed low. “Yes, my lord.” As she walked off, she could feel Ragnar’s eyes burning into her back again, and Dominus wouldn’t stop gawking.