CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED & ONE
Talia’s POV
Marco brought Jason to the border in a convoy of five of our vehicles, each one filled with elite warriors except for Jason’s seat. We came in a different car with Father. Leslie had set him up with a portable IV and a reclining chair. Solon and Nolan were in the front. I sat in the back with Father and held his hand the entire ride.
We got out at the border of Silverfang territory. Jason was already standing outside his vehicle, surrounded by the elite warriors. He looked calm and relaxed as if this were just a normal routine. Jason saw Father in the chair, and
he smiled.
“He looks great. Really. The picture of health,” Jason mocked. “You sure you want to waste a potion on him? He looks like he might not make it through the next hour, let alone the day.”
“Shut up, Jason,” Solon said.
“I’m just saying. The dormant potion knocks him out for what, twelve hours? Twenty–four? You all keep telling yourselves he’ll wake up, but I’m not so sure. A man in his shape goes to sleep, sometimes he just doesn’t wake up.”
“I said shut up!” Solon growled.
Jason fake–pouted and said, “Fine. Issue the order to remove the bounty on my head. Then, you get the potions, and you’ll never have to hear from me again.”
“Issue the order first,” Jason said. “All packs stand down. Public, in front of these warriors, in your own voice. Then you get the potion.”
“I can give the order, Jason. But before I do, I want to make sure you understand what comes with it. Yes, the bounty will be removed, but it doesn’t change how the other packs will see you,” Father stated. “If you continue to align yourself with the Rogue King, you make yourself an enemy of every pack ever harmed by rogues.”
“Spare me the sermon,” Jason sneered.
“You are going down the same path as you did with your father. The Rogue King is not an honorable man. He leads those who were banished for their crimes, drawing desperate followers with promises of vengeance. Anyone working with him jeopardizes the peace that we’ve bled for, you bled for. Every pack in this territory will come for you again, and removing the bounty today will not change that,” Father said.
I was surprised that he would even attempt to sway Jason back to our side. He had done too much, in my opinion, to ever be trusted again. But I got my empathy from my father. He always wanted to give people second chances, even after they had wronged him.
Jason shrugged. “Noted. Are you or are you not going to lift the bounty?”
Father did not react. He looked at Marco, who lifted a small recorder.
“To every pack aligned with Silverfang, by order of the Alpha King, the bounty on Jason Shadowclaw is hereby lifted. All hunts are called off, effective immediately. He is to be allowed to leave Silverfang territory unharmed.”
Jason looked at Nolan, then reached into his jacket and pulled out two vials. One was the same one we saw in his room last night. The other was smaller with a darker glass.
“Two doses. Here you go,” Jason smirked. When Nolan reached for them, he pulled back.
“What are you doing, Jason? The Alpha King did what you asked,” Nolan stated.
1/3
“I want Talia to escort me fully out of the territory,” Jason said.
My wolf bristled within me. What was he up to now? Why did he keep changing the rules?
“Why?” Nolan asked.
“Because I want her to. Last condition. Marco can come too if it makes everyone feel better,” Jason replied with a shrug.
Nolan’s jaw tightened. I could tell he was deciding whether to argue. I touched his arm.
“It’s fine. Give Father the potion. I will walk him out with Marco and meet you back at the house,” I said.
“Talia.”
“Nolan, we can’t waste anymore time. Just go. I’ll be okay.”
Nolan exhaled and snatched the vials from Jason. He glared at him before turning back to the car. I was thankful that Nolan didn’t argue with me this time.
“Shall we?” Jason said.
Marco pushed him forward and said, “Let’s go.‘
I walked next to Marco, with Jason between us. The border was just a stretch of road along a thin line of trees, and we walked about a quarter mile to the marker. Jason stayed quiet for most of the walk. He glanced at me a few times, but I didn’t look at him.
At the marker, I stopped.
“This is as far as I go,” I said. “Do not come back into our territory. If you attack us or any packs, the bounty goes back into effect, and this time it won’t matter if you’re alive once caught.”
“Fine.” Jason smirked and said, “Now hurry back, Talia. I would hate for you to miss anything.”
Hearing those words, I felt a sense of dread settle deep in my stomach. I turned and ran back down the path with Marco right behind me. “Reach out to them. Reach out to them right now, Marco. Something is wrong,” I ordered once we made it to Marco’s car. He drove me back to the pack house faster than was really safe.
“No one is answering me,” Marco said in a panic.
When we came up the drive, the front of the house was crowded with people. Della was on the steps. She saw the car and ran toward it before Marco stopped.
“Talia, you have to come now,” Della pleaded.
I was out of the car before she finished speaking. I ran past her toward the hospital. The hallway to the ER was crowded with staff fleeing. I pushed through them only to freeze in the doorway.
It was complete chaos. Derek fought with my father. He slammed him hard into the ground to get him off Solon, who held his chest in pain. Father was on the floor. His eyes rimmed in unnatural red, pupils blown wide and unseeing. His body jerked and convulsed as he thrashed around, snarling.
Panic collided with disbelief, tearing through me, and for a second, all I could do was grip the doorframe to keep from falling. Leslie was tending to a nurse who had been mauled pretty badly. Blood was dripping from a gash in Solon’s chest and arm. He was straining to hold down one of Father’s arms while Derek held the other.
“Nolan, do it now! We can’t hold him much longer,” Solon said desperately.
2.3
CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED & ONE
Nolan stood over my father while holding a dagger.
“No, wait,” I started to say but it was too late.
Nolan brought the dagger down into my father’s chest.
I screamed.
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