Trey stepped aside, making it clear he had no interest in contesting Nick’s desire to deal with Miranda. “Make it hurt.”
Squatting in front of Kerrie, Taryn spoke in a level yet menacing tone. “Because of you, a bomb might have taken out most of my pack—including my mate and son—and destroyed my home. My best friend would be dead, thanks to a fucking rifle grenade. And that’s not counting the other attacks on both my territory and this one. All things considered, you don’t deserve to breathe.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” proclaimed Roni. Abruptly, she used her claws to slice cleanly through Kerrie’s jugular. A heartbeat later, Taryn swiped out her own claws, mercilessly gutting her victim.
Miranda gasped in horror as her cousin painfully died right before her eyes. When she tried to speak, Nick cut her off.
“If you’re thinking of pleading for mercy, don’t bother. Your life means nothing to me. My mate and my daughter? They’re everything to me. This is for them.” He shoved his claws deep into Miranda’s chest, shaping the heart they could all hear pumping fast with fear. Then he twisted his hand sharply and closed his open fist slightly, slashing through the organ.
It seemed to take forever for Miranda’s body to finally give out, but in reality her death had been swift. It hadn’t been pleasant for Ally to watch, but the executions had been necessary. Kerrie—and Miranda as an accomplice—would have been responsible for many, many deaths had Kerrie’s plot worked. They knew what they were risking, knew what the punishment would be. It was how the shifter world worked.
Figuring she’d seen enough death for one day, Ally turned to Derren. “I need a shower. And clothes.” She was still wearing nothing but his coat.
Derren pressed a kiss to her nose. “Yes, you do. Come on.”
She tipped her chin toward the enforcers, who were preparing to move the dead bodies. “The guys might want some help with that.”
“I know, but you need me right now.”
She opened her mouth to deny it—dominant females dealt with things themselves, and it was what Ally had always done. But she didn’t have to go it alone anymore. “Yeah, I do.” Her admittance made his eyes gleam with approval.
Back at their lodge, Derren held her close as they stood under the hot spray. “You okay?” he asked gently.
“Rachelle deserved what she got, I know that. But I still wish it hadn’t had to end that way.” She never would have admitted that softness to anyone else, but she trusted Derren with every secret and every vulnerability that existed inside her.
“You had no choice.”
“I’m used to saving people. It’s all I’ve ever done. Killing was a first.”
“It might not be the last,” he warned her, gently massaging shampoo through her hair. “Being Beta female means you’ll be part of any battles that occur, baby.”
Sensing his worry that today’s events had affected her acceptance of the role, she kissed his chin. “I’m not going to ask for us to step down.” She smiled, gently prodding his chest with her finger. “You like being Beta.”
“No, I don’t.”
Her smile widened at his petulant tone. “Yes, you do. Admit it, the position suits you. And let’s face it, you couldn’t handle anyone else having a Beta level of authority over you. Even Nick doesn’t have your total compliance.”
“He doesn’t want people to follow him blindly.”
“Admit it,” she repeated.
He sighed. “Fine. I like being Beta.” Tipping her head back under the water, he rinsed the shampoo out of her hair. “I’m proud of you.”
Meeting his gaze again, she cocked her head. “Why?”
“Because you did what you had to do. It sounds simple, but not everyone does it. It’s not bad that you didn’t find it easy. Killing someone shouldn’t be easy.” But it was easier for some—including him—than others. Derren wasn’t sorry she’d killed Rachelle. Nor did he feel that the female had deserved to be spared. Hell, if he could have, he’d have dealt with Rachelle himself—both to get vengeance and to spare Ally the pain of doing it herself.
He loved that Ally had the capacity to feel some regret, loved the softness to her that most didn’t see. “Are you relieved that the truth is finally out? The Collingwood wolves all know what really happened now. They know who the real liar was. Know how badly they fucked up.”
“Yes. I feel . . . lighter. It shouldn’t have bothered me that they all thought a load of crap about me. I’m not part of their pack anymore, and I don’t want to be. But all the same, I wanted my name clear.”
“I get it.”