34 The Accords

"This is against The Accords." Justin did not hide his growl. It vibrated in his chest steadying him from tearing out her throat. He thought himself the even headed out of The Generals. Alec was hot headed, emotional. He would not have hesitated to shred Tessa and anyone else that stopped him. Their alpha... well, he no longer knew. That man was a shell of himself. No one challenged him out of respect for his wife. Alec did not challenge him out of fear. Justin feared little. However, the whimpers outside brought a slither of it back. The memories of dark places as he listened to the screams from his mother. The memories of snapping teeth from those bigger than him... stronger than him. His own bitter anger choked him. He was older now, powerful, and yet when dealing with this women the fear always came back. The tightening in his chest always returned.

Hard blue eyes followed Tessa as she stretched her legs out as her lips parted in a boring yawn. She flashed her teeth at him as her pink tongue curled before slithering it along her teeth to return. It was meant to provoke him, to show she was bored. His lip twitched to show her his own teeth, but he held back. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest as he waited. Snapping her jaw shut, Tessa made a show of lazily sitting up and leaning back on her hands. Her back arched and breasts pushed out. Justin did not even look at them. If he found her attractive before, it was long gone now. The scene outside had his stomach rolling and bile burning his throat. Tessa's playful ice blue eyes flickered to his feet, moved along his legs, and crawled their way up until they came to settle on Justin's. A smile crept into along perfectly crafted lips as her tongue tasted them.

"Hmm." She hummed cheerfully and tilted her head. That smile inviting him to rip her heart from her chest. "Is that anyone to speak to a lady?" Tessa purred in pleasure.

Justin should have known it would not be this simple. Tessa was like a child, even if she was older than him. She was spoiled, twisted, and thought she owned the world. She had no concept of life or death. Maybe she did not care. He was not sure. He just knew she loved the chaos, the pain, and got off by twisting those around her finger. One day, it would be the death of her, but today would not be it. Taking her head off would not do well for the ocean children. "Mrs. Jormungand, it is against The Accords to enslave children." Justin managed to not snarl the words, although the displeasure still bled from his lips.

Tessa smiled at that. "You always were so polite, so domesticated."Giggling, she stared at her wiggling toes as they warmed by the fire.

"Going to bit far, are we?" He smiled a bit at that.

"Is that why you are being a good puppy, while Alec is off hunting for a miracle?" Justin's tilted his head at this, forcing back a reaction. However, deep inside anxiety raged. Did they know what his beta planned? If so, why play cat and mouse with him?

"Alec did not need to tie me up and whip me to earn my loyalty." The husky chuckled. "Unlike your slaves."

Tessa threw her head back in laughter. Her breasts bouncing from the strength of it. "Oh, how I missed you! Maybe we should play more!"

"I doubt you have time with-" The female's eyes returned to his. They had become darker, hardened in warning at his next words. Justin could not stop his smile from growing at her annoyance. Oh yes, she still got angry if he decided to not play along.

In a second, however, the tension was gone leaving her relaxed once more. Shooting up, she smiled cheerfully. "Sit." It was a command as she waved her hand to the fire. An invitation. Justin found himself uneasy as his eyes followed her. He did not move as he watched her come to the tent's door and push it open. Poking her head out, she called for someone to fetch them something to drink and eat. He felt uneasy. Something about this whole situation was not right. Why stay behind her army? Why have children enslaved here? Why was she waiting for him? It was as if she wanted to lure him here, but why? He just did not understand. She had only two guards here.

The male parted his lips and breathed in the air. He could taste the smoke from the fire, the burning wood, and the forest. The trees, the dirt, the water. He breathed in deeper and closed his eyes. He sorted through the scents, yet again he came up with the same. The children smelled the same.. the lions, and even his team. However, there was no other scents. He wrinkled his nose against the burning of the fire just as he heard Tessa speak. Not having caught her words, he chose to ignore them. Instead, he folded his legs under himself and sat in the dirt. He glanced back as the flap of the door closed. He clenched his jaw when he could not spot his unit. Maybe Mary moved them away. He hoped she did. She did not exactly trust Tessa, and she shouldn't. Nothing had gone according to plan. The moment he had spotted the children everything had gone to astray. He had hoped to get the damage to a minimal. He hated spilling blood, painting the world red. Once again, he was reminded of his mother's shame.

Justin's blue eyes flickered away as he collected his hands in his lap. Perking his ears, he listened outside even as he drowned out the voice of the foe in front of him. Well, until he felt the burning of her eyes on his flesh. The general glanced back with a grin. "Say again?"

Tessa's lip twitched. Her eyes much darker in her irritation, however he knew she would not show it. Instead, she licked her lips slowly and came towards him. The husky felt his hair rising, but refused to move as she swung her leg over his hip. Her claws painted along his cheeks, drew along his jawline, trailed down his chest, and flattened against his stomach. Instinctively, Justin settled his hands on her hips as she got comfortable in his lap. Her tongue drew his earlobe between her lips where her fangs nicked the skin. It head the husky's chest vibrating in warning. Her breath poisoned his skin, yet sent goosebumps down his arms. Justin did not dare move. He tasted the challenge as her incisors gazed his jawline where she spoke. "Do I have your attention now?"

She did, but not the way Tessa wanted it. Her flesh burned Justin. His lungs felt as if they were on fire, and his stomach.... Damn, it flipped inside out. If he had eaten, the male would have lost it. Once upon a time, he would have been rather pleased at her touch. In fact, he would have begged for it. Now, it brought back memories he wished to keep buried. "I'm growing tired of your games, Mrs. Jormungand." Justin's voice was quiet as it brushed against her ear. To the naked eye, his smile was playful, flirty, but those that knew him it was anything but. It was dangerous, blood thirsty. A mockery. He kept himself relaxed and lazy, when he his emotions rained lava inside. His claws itched to rip into her flesh. His hand came to her stomach where he pressed against the bare flesh. He needed space before he ripped her heart out.

"They are just slaves Justin. Stop worrying about it." The male's skin crawled at Tessa's words. His lips pulling back as a low snarl slithered free. Justin's hand snatched around her throat as blue eyes darkened. The demon in them clawing at the chains that held it.

"They are children!" Justin's control broke. His hand shoved against her throat as he stood. A growl of rage ripped from her lips as she collapsed on her butt. Her blue eyes now ice cold as she flashed her fangs, but not because of his words. No, it was his rejection that had her ready to tear his eyes out.

The playing was done. "They are tools, and they worked perfectly. You canines never learn."

That was when the scent of blood slammed into him. Air left his lungs to leave him gasping. Blood. Fresh. Metallic, close enough he could taste it on his tongue. Justin's eyes widened slightly as he turned towards the exit. Fear swarmed his system, yet years of war had him trained to react. There was no time for thought, even as the haunting memories assaulted him. Alissa's soft eyes. Her smile. Her golden hair. Her laugh. Her touch. Her heavenly kiss. All of it was drowned by blood. The thought of his mother. The thought of Kenya... the thought of his loud sobs as he sat alone in the dark... hovering over where he buried his beloved. It all came crashing down as everything started to add up. Tessa wanted them to come. She expected them to come here. It made sense. It all started to make sense, but who was her target? Him?

Justin nearly roared at his stupidity. He burst from the tent. His blue eyes searched for Mary's in the darkness. He found them as she rushed forward. The red pitbull's side was bloody. Her jaw coated in blood of her foe, and her ears torn up from fighting. Panic gripped her being. Terror made a home in her eyes. A fear the general had never seen in her before. Her jaw parting to scream just as a whoosh pierced the air. Justin's body jerked forward nearly sending him to his knees. The husky gasped and choked on his own blood. It splattered against his chin and colored his teeth. His went himself. He stumbled, once, twice, and a third time. His hand gripping his chest instinctively. The world shifted for a second making him blink in confusion. A sickness curled in his stomach. A numbness taking root as the world went grey.

Thump Thump

A numbness started to creep in. All he could hear was his own heartbeat. Everything was blurring... becoming a splash of paint on a canvas. A buzzing begun in his ear as he watched chaos erupt within the camp.

Thump Thump

A lion tackled Mary to the ground before she rolled to turn on the big cat. The children were crying, yanking on their chains and speaking all at once. Shouting, yowling, howling. A cry for help.

Thump Thump

All of it blended together, yet all he could hear was his own breathing. Justin was rooted in place.

Thump Thump

Justin's hand felt his chest. His hand came back crimson. In confusion, he looked down finally to find an arrow sticking from his chest. An arrow that was covered in his blood. An arrow that was stuck in his chest. The wound oozed blood, coating him in a thick liquid, and yet it did not seem real. He did not feel the pain, even as he coughed up more blood. It ran down his lip, along his chin to collect into a small pile on his chest. Slowly, it became a puddle on the green grass.

Thump Thump

Realization started to settle in. He had been shot, by an arrow.

Thump Thump

He had messed up again.

Thump Thump

The husky barely registered when someone brushed their hand on his cheek. "Always quick to react, to protect. Just like your whore mother." Tessa chuckled as her thumb brushed blood from his lip. Her smirk widening as she leaned forward. Her soft lips brushing against his as she painted her lips red. Only when she pulled back did his knees finally give out and everything went dark.

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