CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO
Talia’s POV
“This is not a game, Jason!” I growled.
Jason scoffed and said, “I know that, but do you?”
That was when it hit me. There was never going to be a trade. Jason was going to keep stringing this
along.
“You bastard,” I growled.
“Language, Princess,” Jason teased.
“There was never going to be trade, was there? You designed this entire thing so I would stand here and watch you destroy the only thing keeping my father alive.”
Jason stayed silent. He simply waited, and that silence only fueled my anger.
“Say something! Say something, you bastard!”
That’s when I saw them and my heart sank. Nolan and Solon were running towards me.
‘What did you do? Did you reach out to them?’ I snapped at my wolf.
‘No, I didn’t say anything to them,’ my wolf answered.
That meant they followed me here.
They didn’t trust me.
“Looks like you’re not as good of a liar as you used to be,” Jason said.
“Release her!” Nolan’s roar split the air before he had fully crossed the distance between us. The sound rolled through the park. His Alpha aura slammed into everyone. Every rogue behind Jason shifted back a step and reset their stance.
“NOW!”
Jason finally acknowledged Nolan. “No need for yelling. This is a peaceful park.”
“Don’t play with me, Jason,” Nolan growled.
Slowly, almost lazily, Jason sliced through the rope binding my wrists in a single motion. I stumbled forward as the tension gave way. Jason caught my arm to keep me from falling.
Nolan and Solon surged past me toward him. The rogues rushed forward to intercept them, and the park
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exploded into motion. Bodies collided. Fists flew. Two rogues took on Nolan and Nolan tore them apart while Solon kept the rest off Nolan to take on Jason.
“Stop!” I threw myself between them, both arms outstretched. “Everyone stop now!”
“You heard the lady,” Jason chimed in and snapped his fingers causing the rogues to back off.
Nolan halted in front of me, breathing hard, blood running from a cut above his brow that he didn’t seem to notice. Behind him, Solon had a rogue by the throat only seconds from crushing his neck. The rogue froze beneath his hand, eyes wide in fear.
“What are you doing?” Nolan asked, glaring at me. “Move aside, Talia.”
“No. Not until I get what I came for,” I told him.
“Why are you defending him?” Nolan demanded.
“Have you forgotten what I came here for? I am trying to stop this escalation and you’re making this worse!” I shot back.
Jason laughed softly. “Do you really think you’re going to get them now? I told you my terms, Talia.”
“I had no idea that they followed me,” I said in exasperation. “This is not my fault. I didn’t trick you,
Jason.”
“But the conditions were clear, Talia. What to do, what to do,” Jason stated as he played with the container. He turned his attention to Nolan and Solon. “Is this how you trust your sister and your Luna?
Disgraceful.”
Nolan’s anger flared and Solon tossed the rogue away from him. I knew they were about to lunge, so I
quickly blurted out, “Name your conditions, Jason. Territory. Safe passage. A guarantee that every pack
stops hunting you. I can make that happen. I will personally ensure no Alpha harms you.”
“Talia, what are you doing? He’s a murderer,” Solon’s voice sharpened. “He killed innocent warriors. You can’t continue to negotiate with him like this.”
“What I am trying to do is fix the mess you made,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m trying to make sure you didn’t squander the last chance to save our father. So shut up!”
“Doesn’t matter what happens today. You won’t be able to catch me and bring me to “justice”, Solon,” Jason added calmly, as if stating a fact that he had already proven.
“Stop hiding behind your rogues and let’s put that to the test,” Solon retorted.
Jason ignored Solon’s taunt and turned his attention back to me. “Since technically you didn’t break the conditions, I’ll give you one more chance.”
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“What is it? Whatever it is, I’ll consider it,” I told him.
“Accept my mark again.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let the bond reform. Do that, and the potion is yours,” Jason offered and held his hand out to me.
Silence followed. No one spoke. No one moved. All eyes were on me. That’s when I realized this was the trap. He had planned all along to give me an ultimatum that he knew I wouldn’t accept.
“Damn you, Jason!”
“Come on, Talia. It’s yes or no,” Jason said.
Behind me, Nolan surged forward. Solon caught him around the waist, keeping him in place. “Get off me!”
Nolan snarled.
Solon tightened his grip. “Don’t. He already knows her answer.”
“He’s right, you know.” Jason’s focus never left me. “You should listen to him, Nolan. Now, Talia, what is
your answer?”
“You can’t be serious. Isn’t there anything else you want?” I said.
“That’s the only condition.” Jason dismissed Solon without even glancing at him. “I told you I’m not interested in territory or safe passage. I already have both.”
My wolf snarled within me, pushing to break free to maul Jason. My hands were balled into fists so tight that my nails cut into my hands. I finally forced myself to speak, knowing that this was dooming my father.
“I will not accept your mark, Jason,” I finally said.
“A shame. I thought you cared about your father more than that,” Jason taunted. He lifted the sealed container high up in the air.
“You don’t have to do this,” I pleaded.
“Prepare for your father’s funeral, Talia.”
I lunged for Jason, but I was seconds too late.
Jason slammed them against the stone at his feet. Glass shattered across the ground. Dark liquid spread through the cracks in the stone before disappearing completely.
“No!”
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I dropped to my knees, reaching for the shattered remains as if I could somehow gather the liquid back together. But there was nothing left. It had already soaked into the stone.
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