Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox) novel Chapter 65

Knox's heart clenched at the sight of her, memories of their past flooding back. He stared at her and felt nothing but hate.
Seraphina watched the exchange, her heart beating. She felt Ryder's glare on her. She wanted more than anything to kiss her teeth at him but she remained focused on them.
Knox turned to Seraphina, ignoring Rebecca's presence, "The only reason you are still standing there is because of what you did for my mate. Get her and get out of my study and if I even catch a glimpse of her in the pack—"
He finally looked at Rebecca, "There will be no hesitation on my part. Pup or no pup."
Rebecca took a cautious step forward, her eyes locked with Knox's. "I didn't come here to cause trouble," she said softly. "I just... I have nowhere else to go."
Knox's anger flared as Rebecca attempted to take another step towards him. He could feel Ryder's protective stance next to him.
"Don't take another step, Becca," Ryder's voice was firm, a warning lacing his words.
Rebecca's eyes flickered with hurt, but she stopped in her tracks, respecting Ryder's authority. She looked back at Knox, desperation evident in her eyes. "Please, Knox, just hear me out," she pleaded.
Knox's jaw clenched, "You forfeited any right to be heard when you betrayed us," he retorted coldly.
Rebecca's shoulders slumped, and she looked down at the ground, seemingly defeated. "I know I messed up," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I've changed, Knox. I'm not the same person I was back then."
Knox remained stoic, unwilling to let his guard down. "People don't change overnight," he replied. "And even if you have, it doesn't erase the pain and damage you caused."
Tears welled up in Rebecca's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I never wanted to hurt you," she said softly. "I just wanted power and I went too far to get it and now Nikolai is gone—" She stopped as the tears started to flow.
Knox felt Aria's psychic pull, "She has nowhere to go and she is carrying a pup. If not for anything else." Knox sighed wondering why his mate was so kind hearted.
 "Wait outside. I need to talk to Ryder." He said, suprising everyone in the room.
Rebecca nodded, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye. "Okay," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you."
As Seraphina guided Rebecca out of the study, Ryder turned to Knox. "What do you want to do?" he asked quietly.
Knox sighed, the anger slowly dissipating as he looked at his beta. "I don't know," he admitted. "My wolf hates get but Aria…"
Knox didn't need to finished the sentence. Ryder already understood.
Ryder nodded, "Whatever you decide, I'll support you," he said. "But remember, we need to think about other members of the pack— Lydia, Shana and most especially Melody will not be happy if decide to let her stay."
Knox nodded in agreement, grateful for Ryder's unwavering loyalty. "I know," he said. "I will talk to them about it before making any permanent decision but until then–"
"I will make sure she stays away from you." Ryder completed.
************
In a dimly lit underground chamber, the air was heavy with anticipation as werewolf hunters from different corners of the world gathered. The room echoed with hushed murmurs and the clinking of weapons, creating an atmosphere of tense expectancy. The hunters, driven by their fear and hatred of werewolves, had come together under a common purpose: to eradicate the creatures they saw as monsters.
As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the room became almost palpable. Whispers of previous encounters with werewolves and tales of near escapes added to the sense of foreboding that hung in the air. The hunters glanced at one another, their eyes filled with determination and a shared sense of mission.
Then, like a sudden gust of wind, the room fell silent. All eyes turned toward the entrance as the leader of the hunters, Antonio, stepped into the chamber. Tall and imposing, his presence commanded respect and fear in equal measure. He was known for his ruthlessness and unyielding hatred for werewolves, and the scar that ran across his face served as a constant reminder of the battles he had fought.
Antonio's gaze swept across the room, his eyes cold and calculating. His lips curled into a sneer as his eyes settled on the wolf in the middle of the room, chained to the ground. The wolf's fur was dark as night, and his eyes glowed with a fierce determination that matched Antonio's own.
One of the hunters stepped forward, bowing slightly in deference to their leader. "Sir, we caught him hunting within the woods, looking for his next kill " he said, his voice respectful but filled with a hint of excitement.
Antonio regarded the hunter with a steely gaze before turning his attention back to the captive wolf. "Good," he replied, his voice icy. He turned to the chained wolf, "Shift."
The wolf growled, his eyes locking with Antonio's. The hatred between the two was apparent, each seeing the other as a symbol of everything they despised. The hunters looked on, their anticipation growing as they awaited their leader's command.
With a wave of his hand, Antonio motioned for the hunters to step back. "Prepare the ritual," he ordered, his voice low and commanding. "We will make an example of this wolf and show the world that we are not to be trifled with."
Antonio looked at the wolf again, his voice more commanding this time, "Shift."
A second passed and finally bones cracked as the wolf shifted into his human form.
Antonio circled the chained wolf, his eyes filled with disdain as he taunted him. " What is your name?"
The wolf glared at him, "Why do you want to know? You will kill me anyway."
A cruel smile finally rose to Antonio's lips, "Because you will be another name added to my list. Your name wolf."
"John."
Antonio tasted the name on his tongue, "John. You werewolves think you can just take whatever you want because you have power," he sneered. "You roam these lands, killing as you like, thinking you're above us humans."
Jonh's eyes narrowed, but he held his ground, his voice calm and steady. "We only defend our territory and protect our pack," he replied. "You humans have encroached on our lands, destroying the balance of nature. You build your cities, pollute our waters, and expect us to stand idly by."
Antonio's eyes mirrored pain and anger as he retorted, "And you think slaughtering innocent people is justified? You're nothing but savages."
John's gaze remained unwavering. "We never attacked humans unprovoked," he stated firmly. "Your kind fears what it doesn't understand, and in turn, you hunt us down without mercy."
"And what about the children? The families you've torn apart?" Antonio spat, his spite for their kind evident. "You call yourselves protectors, but all you bring is destruction."
John's eyes softened with sorrow. "We have lost loved ones too," he said, his voice tinged with pain. "But we do not seek out needless violence. We only want to live in peace."
Antonio scoffed, his hatred clear in his voice. "Peace? As long as your kind exists, there will be no peace for us humans," he growled.
"You can't blame an entire species for the actions of a few," John replied, trying to reason with Antonio. "We are not monsters; we have families, feelings, and the same desire for safety and happiness as you do."
"Save your lies," Antonio retorted, his voice cold and unyielding. "You've caused enough suffering. The world would be better off without your kind."
John's eyes flashed with anger, but he took a deep breath, trying to remain composed. "We are not the monsters here," he said firmly. "Your hatred blinds you to the truth. We only defend ourselves and our loved ones, just like you do."
Antonio shook his head, refusing to listen. "You expect me to believe that?" he spat. "Your kind has taken enough lives. I will pick all of you one after the other and bring and you will all meet your end."
"Everything has been set in place for the ritual." The room fell silent as every hunter anticipated what would happen next.
All eyes were on Antonio as he stepped forward, a look of triumph in his eyes. He raised a silver dagger, its blade glinting in the candlelight, and the room held its breath.
The tension reached its peak as Antonio brought the dagger down. Their eyes met and Antonio smiled just before the dagger pierced his head and he saw the fear evident in the wolf's eyes.
As John fell to the ground with a thud, one of the hunters stepped forward offering a cloth to Antonio. He took it wiping the blood off his blade.
Finally he turned to the hunters in the room, "I will waste no one's time but giving a long speech. We know why we habe gathered here." His hand went to the scar on his face, "These creatures have taken away so much from us but not anymore. From today on wards, we hunt and we kill."
"Death to all werewolves." One of the hunters shouted and the cheers erupted.
Antonio finally smiled fully as he looked at the dead on the floor, "Death to all werewolves."