The Biker Alpha Who Became My Second Chance Mate Chapter 98

Tristan

The pack compound was buzzing with activity when we arrived. Sunday night meetings were mandatory for all pack members, a time to discuss territory issues, resolve disputes, and plan for the week ahead.

I could smell Marcus's scent the moment I walked through the main doors. He was in the conference room with the rest of my inner circle, probably discussing patrol schedules or supply issues like nothing had happened.

Like my mate wasn't missing because of his lies.

"Tristan," Orion said quietly as we walked through the corridors. "Remember, we're surrounded by pack members. You need to maintain some level of control."

I nodded, but inside, my wolf was pacing like a caged animal. The void where Athena should have been in my mind was driving me to the edge of sanity.

When I pushed open the conference room doors, conversation stopped immediately. Marcus looked up from the papers spread across the table, and for just a split second, I saw something flicker across his face.

Fear.

"Alpha," he said, standing quickly. "I wasn't expecting you tonight. Didn't we just talk? Is everything alright?"

"Is everything alright?" I repeated, my voice echoing through the suddenly silent room. "That's an interesting question, Marcus."

The other pack members were looking between us with confusion and growing concern. They could sense the tension radiating from me, could probably smell the rage rolling off me in waves.

"Everyone out," I commanded, my alpha voice making it impossible for anyone to disobey. The words carried power that hit every wolf in the room like a physical force. "Everyone except Marcus."

The room emptied quickly, pack members filing out without question but with worried glances over their shoulders. I could hear their whispered conversations starting the moment they got into the hallway. Only Orion and Derek remained, flanking me like bodyguards.

Marcus stood alone on the other side of the conference table, and I could see his hands beginning to shake.His scent was changing, fear mixing with that familiar smell.

"Alpha, what's going on?" he asked, but his voice lacked its usual confidence.

"Daxon," I said simply. "Tell me about the day Daxon died."

Marcus's face went white. All the color drained from his cheeks like water down a sink. "Alpha, I already gave you my report. He's dead. I disposed of the body myself."

"Did you?" I asked, walking slowly around the table toward him. Each step felt deliberate, predatory. "Did you really see him die, Marcus? Did you really dispose of his body?"

"Yes, Alpha. I swear on my pack loyalty, he's dead."

But I could smell the lie on him now. The sour scent of deception was rolling off him in waves, and my wolf was howling for his blood.

"As you know, my mate is missing." I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Someone took her from her apartment tonight. And the man who was supposed to be dead is the only person with motive to hurt her."

"Alpha, I don't understand... Derek was responsible... He got to her place and left with something..."

"Strip," I commanded, using every ounce of alpha power I possessed. "Strip down and prepare for punishment."

Marcus's eyes widened in shock. "Alpha, please, I don't..."

"That's an order!" I roared, my voice shaking the windows.

Marcus had no choice but to obey. His hands moved against his will, unbuttoning his shirt, removing his shoes. The alpha command was too strong for him to resist.

"Now tell me the truth," I said, my voice deadly calm. "What really happened to Daxon?"

"He's dead, Alpha. I swear he's dead."

I nodded to Orion, who moved behind Marcus with a silver-tipped weapon I hadn't seen him draw.

"Marcus," Orion said conversationally, "you're about to experience a level of pain you've never imagined. And it's going to continue until you tell us the truth."

The silver blade sliced across Marcus's back, and his scream echoed through the compound. Silver was one of the few things that could cause lasting damage to our kind, and the agony was immediate and intense.

It was one of the things used on Daxon.

"Shift," I commanded. "Heal yourself."

Marcus's body twisted as he took his wolf form, the wound healing as his body changed. But the moment he was back in human form, I gave him the same command again.

"Shift."

The constant transformation was exhausting and disorienting, preventing him from getting his bearings or formulating lies.

"Tell me about Daxon," I said again.

"He's dead!" Marcus gasped between shifts. "I swear on my life, Alpha!"

Orion's blade found him again, this time across the chest. Marcus's screams were getting weaker, his body struggling to heal from the repeated silver wounds and forced transformations.

"The body," Orion said calmly. "Who did you give the body to?"

Marcus's resolve finally cracked. "I... I gave it to the cleaners. The disposal team. I didn't... I didn't stay to watch."

"What was my order?" I said, my voice filled with deadly understanding.

"He looked dead, Alpha. He wasn't breathing, there was no pulse..."

"What was my order?" I asked my voice coming out deadly.

"You said I should dispose of the body myself."

"But you didn't stay to make sure he was dead, you gave his body to someone."

Marcus was sobbing now, his body broken and bleeding. "I'm sorry, Alpha. I'm so sorry. I thought he was dead. I swear I thought he was dead."

I looked down at the man who had been my second in command, my trusted beta, and felt nothing but disgust.

"Marcus Reid," I said formally, "I strip you of your beta rank. You are no longer part of my inner circle. Your failure has cost me everything."

The formal stripping of rank was like a physical blow to Marcus. He doubled over, his body rejecting the loss of status and connection to the pack hierarchy.

"Who else was involved?" Orion demanded. "Who helped Daxon escape?"

"No one," Marcus whispered. "It was just me. Just my failure."

"Who were you working with?" Orion pressed, raising the silver blade again.

"No one! I swear, no one! I just... I just failed. I made a mistake."

I was about to order Orion to continue the interrogation when Derek handed his phone over to me.

He handed me his phone, and as I watched the video play, all the clues came together like puzzle pieces snapping into place.

The image was grainy but clear enough. Clear enough to destroy everything I thought I knew.

"No. No. No."