Reach {Book One of the Deathly Consequences Series}

Chapter 12

"In fact, due to my mother severing her ties to the Pack and pledging her loyalty to the Guild, she had officially became a sanctioned member of the Guild. By law, the Pack could no longer touch her. It was you all who broke the law, not her. You fucking ignorant cunt!"

Ulfa snarled loudly. Blinded by rage at my accusation, she lunged for my throat sloppily. I took advantage of her attack, immediately ducking my head to latch onto her throat instead. Ulfa's endless growls cut off as I clamped down on her windpipe, cutting off her airflow as I tasted fresh blood in my mouth. Satisfaction made my dead heart dance as I reached out to Ulfa's mind again.

"By Pack Law number 13, I judge you Pack Luna Ulfa Lupis Aatu-Shade, for the murder of Necromancer Guild Co-Leader and former Pack Luna Amara Lupis Winter-Kage. As the punishment the law states for an unsanctioned attack upon another Clan leader, I sentence you to death." I recited formerly with a tone that could create an iceberg.

"You are not pack! You cannot judge me!" Ulfa screamed desperately in my mind.

"And therein lies your mistake Luna," I chucked darkly. "You see, when Rodolf first met me privately with my mother, he anointed me as an honorary Pack member to rebuild bridges with my mother. So, in fact, I can judge you and I will."

"No...NO!"

Just as I tightened my jaw to end Ulfa's life, shouting erupted from the sidelines.

"Thana, stop! Stop!"

My focus shattered at the sound of Rafe's voice. I flicked my gaze to the right as Rafe and Raul shoves their way through the crowd of wolves. Horror tightened their faces at my position at their mother's throat. They reeked of desperation as they fell to their knees in unison a couple of feet away from us.

"Oh fuck." I heard Luna whisper but my attention was all on the twins as they bared their throats in submission before me.

"Thana, please don't do this." Rafe begged.

I hated their pitiful efforts, disgust shooting through me as they fought to defend this murderer even though they knew the truth. She deserved this. Why couldn't they fucking understand that!?

"My loyal sons." Ulfa whispered in relief and I saw crimson.

"Thana, I understand your need to kill her but you can't." Rafe continued. I cut him off with a growl that had the hairs on their arms standing on end.

"You can't because this isn't right. This isn't you." Raul explained, which made no fucking sense. They didn't even fucking know me. They understood nothing.

"If you do this, you would destroy the Pack. There are many things going on in the world that you don't know and we need the Pack at full strength when those things come to a head." Raul said. I growled again.

I knew exactly what was going on in the world right now, more than even what they think they knew.

I was the Keeper of the Wall, the final tether that kept the entire fucking godsdamn living plain from descending into a darkness it can never recover from. If I fall, the Wall falls. I protected this world with my very fucking soul. Literally. The chains that keep this shitstorm under wraps was created from my essence of being. But they didn't know that, no one can ever know that. It was one of the few most sacred laws a necromancer had to abide by.

"Thana...please. She's our mom." Rafe whispered shakily.

I loathed the sight of his tears, so unbefitting on my strong unshakable alpha Rafe. If I killed Ulfa the twins would hate me forever and I would gain two powerful foes who would stop at nothing to hunt me down. Was my personal revenge worth that? Was it worth it losing both of them all over again? I...didn't know. I don't fucking know.