Burnt— by Juliette Caesar

Dedication:

Dedicated to those who choose hope, even if they have to choose it a 1000 times a day

...

"Enjoy the party, Sir."

Ethan took back the invitation the guard held for him, tucking it inside the various pockets of his coat.

"And ma'am." The guard nodded at the lady with him

Victoria smiled and they walked inside the hall, lit up like the day of creation. Soft music flowed, and light chatter mixed along with it.

"Alpha Lyon went to great lengths to arrange all this," Tory mused, glancing at the a few minor Pack Leaders roped in conversation

"For good cause," Ethan grabbed a glass off a tray a server was carrying "He'd be damned for underestimating the enemy."

"I'm going to get myself a gossip crew," Tory glanced at him, face half obscured by a mask

Ethan nodded and she walked off in a swish of long skirts. The best way to get reluctant supporters to back you is to offer them secrecy. Or a masquerade party.

The young Alpha sipped his drink, one hand in his pocket. At the other side of the hall, he could see Alpha Lyon's familiar frame.

He looked over his surroundings, at every little trinket and every priceless showpiece. So much money, and yet it was all rotting on the Alpha's residence.

His gaze went to the double staircase and along the halls of the second floor from where people could look down.

In the furthest corner, in the shadow of heavy curtains, his gaze stopped at a hooded figure. The long muzzle of a hidden rifle just visible.

And pointed directly at him.

Ethan raised his glass in mock salute.

The bullet fired.

At the other side of the room, people screamed. Alpha Lyon was on his knees, hand on his shoulder, yelling that he'd been shot. There was a hole in the wall an inch away from where he stood moments ago. The bullet had missed him.

"There's the shooter!" Someone yelled

The shooter fled in the other direction, a few warriors rushing up the stairs. Everyone was talking and screaming at once. Ethan took another sip of his wine.

"Did you see that?" A man came and stood by his side, his eyes wide "He just shot at Alpha Lyon!"

"He missed," Ethan said "I wonder who could've sent him."

The man shook his head "Cowards, trying these methods."

"I much prefer duels." Ethan said "Like real men. Plus you get to insult the other."

The man laughed and clasped a hand on his shoulder "The only place big enough for a duel in here in the Alpha's study."

"Attention, everyone!" Alpha Lyon's voice raised over the murmurs "The shooter has been caught and will be adequately punished! The threat has been removed! Please, don't let it ruin your night."

At his cue, the musicians started playing a new song. The crowd hesitated a moment, then the first couple went to dance, others followed, and just like that, the mood was restored.

The man who was talking to Ethan moments ago was gone.

Ethan tossed back the rest of his drink and set the glass at a table, barely feeling the affect.

He searched for Victoria along the dance floor, only to come up short. He moved over to the other side, taking in the detail of every passerby. Then a girl was standing in front of him, an elaborate red mask covering more than half of her face.

She was smiling in a very disturbing way.

"May I help you?" Ethan asked

"Of course," she clasped her hands together loudly "I'll be honored to dance with you."

Then she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the dance floor. What in the tenth pit of hell?

They were moving to the rhythm of the music in no time. The girl smiled up at him, this one more sincere and apologetic.

"Sorry to drag you here," She said "But I couldn't wait another second."

Ethan raised his brows "Uh, Thank you?"

She winced "That sounds wrong. What I'm trying to say is, ah, this is awkward."

"It is."

"My friends are breathing down my neck, trying to get me hooked up to any man in the fifty meter radius." She said, then sighed, which sounded more like a growl "If only I didn't love them, I'd kill them."

He chuckled before he could stop himself, and cough-stopped when she glared.

"You escaped rather lucky," he said "Imagine I couldn't dance."

"Please," She rolled her eyes, but the upward curve of her mouth betrayed the expression "I can't be that damned."

"How about this," Ethan said, twirling her in a circle "I give you one full dance, and you accompany me upstairs."

She cast him a look which said she was reevaluating her life choices.

Ethan grinned "I mean to the balconies. That way you get some more time to run from your friends. I also hear the view is breathtaking."

"Oh," she looked past him, at someone near the refreshment tables "Why not?"

The music stooped and the musicians readied themselves for a new song. Ethan offered an arm to his new companion and made for the stairs.

Once they neared the balconies, he let her go.

"It was an honor to help you, madam," her hand was light in his "But I must take my leave now."

She arched a brow "You said you wanted to see the pretty view."

"There are only so many pretty views a man can have in one night," A blush tinged her cheeks when he brushed a kiss to her knuckles

Ethan turned, aware of the weight in the front pocket of his suit jacket. Along

the halls, warriors lingered, but their shoulders were devoid of tension, many focusing solely on their partners. The shooter had already been taken care of, they had succeeded in keeping everyone safe.

He'd never seen this place in person before, but he ticked the markers Tyler had told him of.

Only minutes later, Ethan stood outside Alpha Lyon's study.

He pulled the key from his front pocket and turned it in the lock. It opened with a soft click. He slipped inside, closing the door behind.

It was plain, and devoid of any personal touch. Ethan doubted Lyon ever used it more than when was strictly necessary.

He searched along the shelves, in the drawers of Lyon's desk, under the carpets, behind the few portraits on the walls.

The sound of footsteps made him freeze in his tracks.

Outside the study door, a group of people laughed and chatted loudly, no doubt drunk, and walked away without any problem. He needed to hurry. He might not be so lucky for long.

'If I had a walnut sized brain and a mountain sized ego, where would I hide important files?'

It had to be something equal amounts cliché and clever.

Ethan lowered himself under the desk, running his fingers along the wood. Bingo. He pulled open a latch.

A little compartment slid down, a few papers in it, and among them, a small USB.

Ethan pulled one of the same size from his pocket and changed their covers, putting his back and Lyon's in his pocket. He pushed the compartment back up and stood.

In the next five minutes, Ethan was down in the main hall again. He spotted a familiar face and walked over to him.

"Give the Alpha my apologies," He said "But I have business to take care of."

"Leaving already?" The same man he'd been talking to earlier, his dark eyes hooded

"Unfortunately," Ethan put his hand forward

They shook and when Ethan pulled his hand back, there was no study key on his person.

The man raised his glass in a toast "To debts paid, Alpha."

Ethan put his hands in his pockets, thumbs peeking out "And deals held up, Marco."

He spotted Victoria talking to a couple of women, giggling over something she'd said. He caught her eye and grinned. A moment later, Tory had excused herself and stood beside him.

"Home?" She raised a brow

"We shouldn't keep our driver waiting," Ethan offered her an arm "You know how he gets."

They left the hall, stepping from the bright lights and soft music into the eerie silence of the night, chilled from approaching winter.

They crossed the parking and Ethan opened the door of an SUV for Tory, before sliding inside himself.

From the back seat, he could see a familiar figure on the wheel, in the passenger's seat, a hooded cloak was tossed. Almost hidden under it, was the shining muzzle of a rifle.

"Ethan? Tory?" Vincent did his best imitation of an old man's voice "Is this— is this really you? It's been forty years since I last saw you!"

"I see your point." Tory said to Ethan, staring unamused at her twin

"Cheer up, Vincent." Ethan said "I left your message for Lyon."

The Gamma's grin was instant, he turned and started the car "Oh, he's going to love it."

Hours later, Lyon sat at the head of a table in the meeting room. The silence was terse.

"Gentlemen," He stood up "Now we finally come to the point of tonight's meeting."

He produced a USB from his jacket. It had all the information he'd gathered in months. All the information he needed to ruin Parks for good.

"Well Lyon," An Alpha from one of the smaller packs said "Go on. Show us."

Lyon waited a moment longer, watching each of their faces. Then gave the device to his beta, who put it in a laptop and started the presentation.

He didn't turn to the screen, but waited to watch every man's expression change to awe. Because on the front page had been the internal view of Parks Territory, which he'd gleaned after losing many of his best men.

All eyes turned to him, and Lyon smiled triumphantly.

"What," An Alpha rose, dead serious "Is the meaning of this?"

Lyon raised his brows "Do you not understand it?"

He turned to the screen. Idiots. Low born brats he'd been forced to take support from. They couldn't even understand a simple map—

His eyes found the screen, and stopped. It was a picture of three, big, hand scrawled words.

"GET FUCKED, ASSHOLES!"

He was going to murder Ethan Parks if it was the last thing he ever did.

…