Stake Her Claim

[William’s POV]

I stare ahead, taking in the scene in front of me in disbelief. How? How could this be happening? I knew that my father was a monster for power, but to go as far as killing his own brother in order to achieve it was not something I believed he could do.

As I watch on, so many memories begin to flash before me—images of his kind smile, though those were rare—and of him comforting me. Were all those actions a lie to trick me into believing that he was good?

“Why?” I growl quietly. “Why the hell is this happening?”

Even if it was my father doing everything, I still felt as though I was also guilty. It was because of his absolute need to make me alpha of Crystal Fang that he was doing this. Didn’t that make me guilty by association?

“Stop.” I hiss, drawing my father’s crazed gaze toward me. “STOP THIS!”

Beside me, the woman who my father wished to marry me off to gives a giggle, causing the anger that is slowly building to begin to bubble over.