Konstantin: The Heartless Beta
10. Tell All

Konstantin

“It started at Russo's mansion that night you sent me there. I could tell he wanted her; he had thatsame look in his eyes that most men have when they see her. But his look was more... slimy. I can'texplain it.” I started when we were all seated in Kai's office. I had called for Zephyr to be present asthis concerns him too.

“But why didn't you check Russo's place in your search of her?” Dimitri asks, leaning forward in hischair and resting his arms on his knees.

I shrug. “She hated the guy and his advances; I didn't think she would head straight into his armsafter leaving here.”

“It's true; Lily didn't like that the Alpha’s attention was trained on her,” Zephyr says with a nod andscrews up his face. “Especially with that odd scent on him at the time.”

Kai frowns and looks at us both. “Odd scent? Describe it,” he urges. I look up at Caterina, then backat Zephyr. “Tell Kai your description, same as you did that night.”

He nods. “His dark ember and wood Alpha scent was overwhelming, but it was almost like he did iton purpose, to mask another scent. I caught a whiff of sulphur every now and then.” He says, thenturns to me. “I was supposed to meet you in your office the following day to discuss it, but you werekept busy here because Kai had left to collect his mate.”

The memory returns slowly; Zephyr mentioning this to me and me telling him to come to me thenext day, but Kai had left for Brooklyn, and I had to hold the fort.

“Sulphur? Like the scent on that beast Caterina summoned?” Dimitri suddenly says. This is whenCaterina steps forward. “What?” she asks incredulously, looking at Dimitri then me.

“Now that you mention it,” I say, the frown on my face disappearing as I remember that massivedog-like beast we fought in the vampires lair. “Fuck, could that beast have been demonic? Like aHellhound? Do they even fucking exist?!”

"Oh, they exist along with a lot of other nasty characters. Sulphur is usually associated with demonicpossession or demonic activities.” Zephyr starts, and all of our attention is on him. “My mother’sfather was a brujo before they came to the states, so naturally, she had a lot of stories andsuperstitions when she was growing up. One of them was that as soon as you stepped into a housethat smelled of sulphur, no matter how faint, you were to walk out of that house backwards andpray because usually, it indicated a demonic entity was present.”

Dimitri shakes his head. “Demons? Are we really going to believe such bullshit exists?”

"Hey, we exist, and so do witches and vampires, so maybe we shouldn't scratch the idea off our listsyet. Besides, can you explain why that beast disappeared as soon as Caterina came out of hertrance?” Kai says, lacing his fingers in front of his mouth. It looks like he was deep in thought, thenhe looks at Zephyr again.

“Do you have anything that might help us further? Maybe your mother knows what we're dealingwith?" He asks, but Zephyr shakes his head. “I can try, but she abandoned her old ways and customswhen she married my father, and you turned her.”

Something occurs to me then, something I had forgotten about entirely, and I jump out of my chairas disbelief hits me.

“Fuck! Why didn’t I think of this?” I say, pacing the office floor.

“Care to fucking elaborate, brother?” Kai asks, shooting me an annoyed look.

How did this fucking slip my mind? I didn't think anything of it at the time because I thought thatBeta just wanted me out of this sight.

“That night we went to Russo's place, there were three other packs there beside his. The DarkMoonand Dawnguard, and that fucking DC biker pack, Hellfire Horsemen,” I say. Kai growls when I saythis. “What does this have to do with them?”

“Because Ruin, that fucking cocky Beta, pulled me outside and warned me to get out of the mansionbefore midnight. He told me that he couldn't tell me why I needed to leave, but I had to leave rightthat instant. Obviously, I thought he was fucking with me and went back inside, but then he pickeda fight with me, and Russo threw us both out.”

The scene comes back to me, and I scoff. “Ruin knows something, that entire pack does,” I say. Kaisits back in his chair and sighs. “Do you want me to call Ryker and ask him to meet with us?” Heasks.

I shake my head. “Before that, I have to go to Vegas,” I say, dread setting into my chest, knowingthat Fenriz will rip me a new one. But he needs to hear this from me, from the man who has failedhis sister.

Kai nods then. “You might not come back alive when Fenriz replaces out; you know that, right?” Heasks.

“I wasn't man enough to admit my feelings for her back then. The least I can do is tell him his sisteris being held as a fucking sex slave.” These words burn as I speak them, but essentially they ringtrue. I don't think Lily is doing this because she wants to; there's something else...

“I'll go with you,” Dimitri says, standing up from his chair and walking over to me. He slaps myshoulder and grins, “No one can resist a charming cobra after all.”

I chuckle at this. “Thanks, brother.”

“I'll come too,” Zephyr speaks up, but I frown and shake my head. “Are you fucking crazy? The VegaLycans will eat you alive; no fucking way will you come with me.” I say, glaring at him, andsurprisingly a growl escapes my throat.

I can literally see his wolf submit and flatten his ears when I say this, and it leaves me feelingincredibly fucking guilty. So I walk over to him where he’s retaken his seat and place a hand on hisshoulder.

“Zephyr, it's way too dangerous for you to come with. Besides, I was hoping you could take overand handle things here while I'm away. You're my second in command, remember?” I say, looking athim intently until he nods.

"Yes, sir. I just want to feel useful.” He says sadly, and this is when Dimitri walks over and slings hisarm around Zephyr's neck. “You're a fucking Blood Crest wolf; you are useful,” he says, rufflingZephyr's hair and messing up his mohawk. Zephyr smiles and nods, but I still think he’s upset thathe can't tag along.

Whatever, I can't baby him forever.

“Maybe see what you can replace out from your mother in the meantime, Zephyr. Kai and I will lookthrough the vaults and ask the witches for guidance.” Caterina suddenly speaks up with her eyestrained on us and looking determined.

Kai sighs and stands up. “We all have a part to play right now; Lily has asked for our help, so wehave to acquiesce. She's a Blood Crest wolf and Kon's mate with a Volkov pup in her womb - she'sfamily no matter how we look at it, and family comes before anyone else.” He says, his eyes flashingthose double crimson irises that still scared the shit out of me.

“Thank you, brother,” I say, this entire thing making me feel weak as fuck. I'm known for beingheartless, cruel, killing first and asking questions later. This is how I've always gone through my life;the pack had to be protected and came before all else.

Until she walked into my life and gave it purpose again, until I claimed her with my bite andeverything else fell into place, and my life felt whole. Now she’s being violated by another, she hasbeen the entire time she left my side, and it simultaneously broke and angered me to a point wherepunching a wall won't be enough.

No matter what or who Stefan Russo is, I will get my mate back and kill him with my bare hands,demonic creature or not.