Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“Alpha.” Brutus stands at attention, fixing his gaze to the wall beyond Aiden to give his report. “We've collected the strongest pups from our vassals, as ordered. The pups are secured in the barracks. Dr. Osborne has administered sedatives. Training starts tomorrow.”
Finally, something's gone right. “Did the vassals behave?”
“They were honored to have their pups chosen to become part of the pack's elite forces. The few who would reject the honor are now in custody, slated to be re-educated.”
“Excellent.” Aiden's methods of re-educating disloyal wolves was more gentle than his father, but far more effective. And long-lasting. As the Warden and any wolf who dared question the purity of Aiden's bloodline after the Blood Moon were finding out.
“Osborne is considering testing a strain of Lupercalium on the pups," Brutus says. “He asks permission to select fifteen of the strongest pups–”
"No." Aiden's voice echoes through the massive room. "Give it to the weakest."
Brutus tilts his head slightly, showing the barest sliver of his throat in obedience. If he has any moral qualms about testing a drug on the pack's youngest and most vulnerable, he says nothing. Perhaps he realizes what the drug will do. It will either kill them or make them stronger.
Aiden knows that this is kindness. He’s giving them a chance to be stronger. His father would’ve just killed them.
In this world, the weak die, and the strong survive. Aiden is the strongest of all. He cannot be weak.
He clenches his fist and lets the pain wrack his body. It hurts like his bones are being pried apart, but no sound escapes from behind his clenched teeth.
Brutus lifts his head, sniffing the air as if he's caught a strange smell. There's no scent but the stench of fear and iron. Aiden had the throne room scrubbed when he became Alpha, but the scents of the violence of the past still linger in this place.
At times, Aiden thinks he can hear the moaning of past prisoners. The begging of the condemned. It's distant, like it's coming from the dungeons, but that's impossible. The Warden is in a soundproof room to better hide his tortured screams. The rest of the wolves in the dungeons have had their tongues cut out, for daring to ask questions about the wolf with no ears. They're lucky Aiden allows them to live.
Brutus sniffs the air again. Automatically scenting for weakness.
“Is that all?” Aiden snarls, ready for this audience to be over. Brutus' eyes flare red, as if his wolf is ready to do violence, but the light dies as quickly as it came.
“There's one more message from the doctor: The humans have been procured. Operation Romulus is ready to expand.”
“Tell Osborne to get on with it.” Aiden's already assigned a squadron of enforcers to the lab to assist with the experiments and keep an eye on the scheming doctor. “Trust no one. And lockdown our borders. No one gets in or out."
“It will be done, Alpha.” Brutus tips his head to the right to signal submission, then straightens and thumps his fist against his chest. “Romulus rules.”
“Romulus rules,” the rest of the enforcers shout, striking their chest with a fist.
The echoes of their shout linger long after they've stomped away. But all too soon, the silence advances. The longer the shadows in the corner grow, the more the ghostly whispers rise.
Stupid pup. Stupid and weak.
The voice sounds like Odin. His father.
But Odin is long dead. A ghost.
And ghosts aren't real. Right?
It's probably just the wind. Yes, that's it. The wind, moaning around the corners, fading into a plaintive whine that sounds like a young pup crying for his mother.
His mother is dead too, murdered by Odin. There's no help coming for that crying pup.
No, the pup isn't real. It's just the wind.
He has to remember that. It's been hard, though, ever since the shadow wolf attacked him that night. The night he lost the Seeress and gained a curse.
But when he turns his arm over and stares at the black poison spreading through his veins, he remembers. And he goes back to his plotting, his plans.
It's only a matter of time until the poison spreads up his arm, and to his heart. He's in a race against death.
He will win.
And when he does... he will make the Adalwulf pack whole. One leader, one mandate. Operation Romulus will be realized, not just for his pack but for all packs. And one day, the whole world.
And his enemies?
They will live long enough to know that he is the greatest wolf who ever lived. The Alpha of all Alphas. He will allow them to grovel before him, and then he will slit their throats and let their blood be the wellspring from which a new race is born.
Romulus Rules.
And soon the whole world will know.