They landed in New York without incident. They slept most of the plane ride, gathering the energy they needed for the long night ahead of them. Riley felt better for it, and Brenton seemed ready for what was to come next.

“I have done this before,” Brenton sighed. “This entire thing. Flying out to kill someone.”

“What?” Riley frowned at him as they loaded into a car that had been prepared for them while they were flying.

“About a year before I met you,” Brenton began quietly, looking off into the distance as he started the car. He got them moving off the tarmac for the dark journey to Lana’s home. “The entire Pride loaded up and we went after someone who… Andrew had that girlfriend, remember? His only serious relationship.”

“Yeah, I try not to ask about her,” Riley sighed. “But I know the story. Human girl while Andrew went to culinary school. It ended because she wanted to get married, and that was never going to work for Andrew and the Pride. She realized she would never get what she needed and left.”

“Yup,” Brenton mumbled. “She did not know about shifters or anything having to do with our world. Well, those last couple of years before coming back to Wild Junction were hard on us. They all were hard, to be honest, but those… We were constantly getting shit from people. And one day, Andrew got a picture in the mail. Andrew, our good guy who could talk anyone into anything. Who knows people. Who genuinely cares and loves and wants happiness around him.”

“Brenton?” Riley wondered where he was going with this.

“My Kingmaker,” Brenton whispered. “He did that for me. He never liked it, but it was a talent that could be used for good or evil. It got to the point where Andrew couldn’t turn it off, he was losing himself a little. Then he got a letter in the mail from Kathleen. She met another guy, and they were getting married. Another shifter. We went to the wedding.”

Riley crossed her arms and continued to listen as Brenton turned them onto a lonely highway.

“The shifter told her all about our world… and then left her at the altar just to break her heart. And to laugh in our faces that he could, and we hadn’t protected her.”

“What happened?” Riley asked quietly.

“She killed herself,” Brenton finished.

Riley gasped, covering her mouth.

“She was broken. And Andrew couldn’t handle it,” Brenton sighed. “So, we loaded up, hunted him down. Hunted his friends down for helping him hide. Hunted his Alpha down for not controlling his Pride and letting some small fry fuck with us. Killed his entire inner circle, because they tried to protect the Alpha.”

“How many?” Riley wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.

“Twelve,” Brenton growled. “By the end of it, we killed twelve people. Then Andrew went a little mad and began plotting for me to take over the entire feline world to stop it from ever happening again. I bought him the diner, instead. We redecorated the mansion, and we moved back to Wild Junction. People were terrified of us, Riley, and we didn’t even have normal dealings with that Pride.”

“Oh my God,” Riley mumbled.

“Can you blame us?” Brenton sighed.

Riley thought about it and shook her head slowly.

“No. Will they fear us after this?”

“Lana and the rest of my family members have found that I can be lenient to them. The world knows this. I would rather destroy their business and their reputations than kill them, like Cameron. I asked Andrew and Zachary what could be done besides killing him. I didn’t want to kill my uncle. I didn’t want you to think we were capable of it. A thousand things. Andrew offered blackmail. Cameron’s reputation was always important to him, so ruin it.”

“Will they fear us?” Riley asked again.

“They will be petrified,” Brenton whispered.

“Good.” They fell silent, and Riley quickly texted Gabe.

Riley: How are things at home?

Gabe: Andrew still out. Zachary awake and bitching. We head out in thirty for our targets.

“That is good,” Brenton murmured. “I’m more comfortable with Zachary being awake and injured than just the wolves being there.”

“Me too,” Riley whispered. “Is that it?” She nodded toward a house coming into view, and Brenton nodded.

“That’s it,” he sighed. “Riley… I’m going to kill her.”

Riley looked over to him with a frown.

“You mean…”

“I mean, you will let me take charge of this, and I will kill her.” Brenton’s tone was stern, and his face had become a cold mask.

“Why?” She asked him softly.

“Because I have to,” was his only response as they passed through the gates to the property.

“What’s the plan?”

“We are going to play nice house guests. Have a coffee. I will eventually ask to speak to her alone. I will kill her… and you will kill her husband.” Brenton sighed. “You are going to kill her husband, Marco, because he supported Abel, and I have a feeling he’s going to find you enchanting. Young, healthy, fiery.”

“We didn’t bring any guns,” Riley reminded him. “How am I going to kill a grown lion?”

“The same way you killed the last one,” Brenton chuckled. It was dark, dangerous. He pulled something from his jacket pocket. They had changed into new clothing and showered on the jet, so they looked fresh and ready to have a small gathering with family. “You are going to stab him. Aim for the eye. This is big enough to end it.” He handed her the switchblade, and she took it slowly.

“We’re about to murder two people in cold blood,” she mumbled to herself.

“We’re about to kill the competition. You asked for this,” Brenton reminded her.

“Well…” Riley smiled, “she started it.”

“Damn right, she did,” Brenton snarled, and Riley saw that his canines, once again, seemed a little too long. She could feel his anger and his rage, feeding her. “And we’re going to fucking finish it. For Andrew. For Zachary. For us. The Pride. Our family.”

Alphas set the tone of their Prides. Brenton’s was one of death. This was going to be a night of horror for their enemies and benediction for the Pride. With the world watching as they fell to their knees, Brenton and Riley were going to give them the middle finger and fight back.

Riley could nearly feel Brenton’s lion prowling inside him, ready to strike at the ones who’d fucked with them one too many times.

Brenton parked in front of the mansion and stepped out. Riley waited. This was for show. Brenton got her door for her as a butler ran out. He took her hand and helped her out. She kissed his cheek as Brenton growled at the butler.

“Go tell my aunt and uncle that I would like to see them. I want to offer my condolences over Abel.”

As the butler ran inside, Riley raised an eyebrow and looked at her Alpha.

“That’s cold, love,” she murmured, “since we’re the reason he’s dead.”

“He is the reason he is dead,” Brenton snarled. “They know that, even if we helped him to an early grave. They will accept us. Watch.”

Sure enough, the butler came back out and ushered them in. Riley was anxious for what was next.