Chapter 12


    High atop the towering skyscraper that served as the heart of his corporate empire, Ethan stood on the


    highest floor, overlooking the sprawling chaos of the city below. The afternoon. breeze, cool and


    invigorating, ruffled his mane of hair as he stood there in contemtion.


    With a casual flick of his wrist, he produced a cigarette, its tip glowing to life as he drew in a deep


    inhtion. Externally, his demeanor remained calm andposed, but within him, a fierce internal


    struggle raged. His wolf, a primal force within him, yearned to tear and destroy, for his beta and best


    friend had met a tragic end.


    For years, his pack had thrived in peace, even before he had taken on to the role of Alpha. But the


    times had changed and their lives was under siege. The responsibility for the survival of his kind now


    rested solely on his shoulders as their leader.


    “Boss, we’ve located them, one was killed but we got the other one,” Axel reported, prompting a


    momentary pause from Ethan. A muscle twitched at the side of his jaw as he clenched it.


    With


    With onest draw on his cigarette, he carelessly discarded it to the floor. “Let’s move.”


    Ethan and Axel entered the elevator, ascending from the building’s highest floor. As they -emerged, he


    strode purposefully through the corridors, his pack members falling in line


    behind him. Six loyal members trailed him, ready to execute his everymand.


    To the outside world, he was a billionaire, a powerful CEO of a tech empire and several airlines. He


    formidable syndicate, a mafia boss. Yet, this was a mere facade. In truth, he was the Alpha of the


    Times were changing, and the safety of his pack, his kind, teetered on the brink. Their hidden existence


    was no longer a secret, and the threat of exposure loomed.


    As he made his way forward, apanied by Axel and five other members of his wolf n, his


    employees instinctively backed away. His aura radiated an intimidating and frightening presence, with


    his inner wolf battling and struggling for release.


    Humans couldn’t perceive it, but they could sense the heat and pressure of his mood, a natural


    defense mechanism. Ethan Roberts was not a man to be trifled with.


    Stepping out of the imposing Empire building, he briefly basked in the sunlight, which highlighted his


    ruggedly handsome face. Hazel’s ex–husband had transformed in just a couple of years. Even if she


    had encountered him at that moment, she wouldn’t have recognized him. His aura and presence had


    undergone aplete metamorphosis. This change, from a calm, gentle Alpha to a ruthless killer, was


    a sacrifice he had deemed necessary, as the lives of his people depended on it.


    -Passersby couldn’t help but cast curious nces at the enigmatic group, with their dark


    vehicles and tinted windows.


    Ethan settled into the plush back seat of his luxurious vehicle, unbuttoning his cufflinks and rolling up


    his sleeves as they approached a secluded location.


    “Alpha, we’ve arrived,” his driver dered,


    Stepping out of the car, he adjusted his attire, signifying the transition from businessman to something


    darker and more primal. They approached a derelict, abandoned building with a sense of


    purpose.


    The room was a sinister, dimly lit chamber where shadows seemed to dance with malevolence. The


    man, battered and bruised, was bound tightly, rendering him utterly immobile. His b*dy bore the marks


    of a brutal beating, leaving him barely conscious. The air in the room was thick with an unpleasant


    stench, suffocating in its intensity.


    His captors had shown no mercy, blindfolding him and gagging him, leaving him vulnerable and reliant


    solely on his other senses. The echoes of approaching footsteps sent his heart racing, a pulse of fear


    coursing through him. The steps drew nearer, each one like a sinister drumbeat, and he shivered,


    frantically scanning the room in a panic.


    In a sudden, heart–stopping moment, the blindfold was torn from his face, and icy dread washed over


    him as he found himself staring into the eyes of Ethan Roberts. His eyes widened in shock; this man,


    Ethan, was one of them?


    The gag was ripped from his mouth, and Ethan took a seat, positioning himself directly across from the


    helpless, bound man. In that chilling moment, he came face to face with the person who had brutally


    murdered Christopher, leaving him to die like an abandoned animal.


    Recognition struck the man like a lightning bolt; he knew Ethan immediately. In a voice weakened by


    terror, he begged, “Please, spare me.”


    Ethan’s gaze remained cold and unforgiving. “Is this the man who killed Christopher, leaving him to rot


    like a dog?” he asked with a bitter edge in his voice.


    “I didn’t know. We were sent by the Reapers. We had no idea he was rted to you,” the wounded


    man stammered, his voice trembling with fear. “We never knew that a Roberto belonged to that n. I


    swear, I would never have crossed you.”


    “The Reapers?” Ethan sought rification.


    “Yes,” the man nodded anxiously. “I had no idea he was one of yours. I couldn’t have known. Please,


    let me go. I didn’t kill him. The one who did is dead. I have a family, a family! That’s why I took the job,


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    but I didn’t kill him. It was a mistake, an ident. It won’t happen again. I have a family!” His voice


    grew frantic as he mentioned his family, knowing that the wolves had a soft spot for family. He hoped


    Ethan would have mercy at the mention of his. “You should have been more discerning in the jobs you


    epted,” Ethan remarked casually. “No one would know what I Know. I swear.” The man yelled


    convincing.


    The secret of who Ethan was could not be exposed, now he had seen his face, he tried his best to


    convince him


    Ethan signaled to his men, and tface,moved in to do as instructed, untying the terrified man as Ethan


    had indicated. Gratitude washed over the man as he hobbled off the chair and threw himself to the


    ground, his life spared, or so he thought.


    As he turned to flee, a sudden, deafening gunshot shattered the air, and searing pain ripped through


    his back. He stumbled and crumpled to the floor, realizing that the bullet had struck vital organs. Hey


    there, slowly dying, his vision fading as he glimpsed Ethan’s expensive shoes approaching.


    “I’m doing this for my family too,” Ethan mumbled, his words the man’s hauntingst memory before


    taking his final breath.