CHAPTER 8
Master's POV
You know that feeling when everything's fine, and then someone comes in and messes it all up? That's exactly what this Emma girl did.
Never in a million years did I think Leo would kill a vampire—his own family! The people he's protected his whole life. And for what? A werewolf girl.
He just showed up one day with her, like it wasn't a big deal that we all hate werewolves. He's our leader, yeah, but he's also my best friend. Couldn't he have at least talked to me before bringing her here?
Not that it mattered. I wouldn't have agreed to it anyway, but Leo doesn't need my permission. When he gives an order, we follow, no questions asked.
Even though I hated it, I had to call the doctor. Leo's orders. The doctor didn't waste a second—he just came along, no hesitation. That's Leo for you. He makes the calls, and we trust him, even when it doesn't make sense.
I took the doctor to Leo's room, and there she was. Emma. Lying on his bed like she belonged there. Like she was his wife or something. My blood was boiling. I wanted to grab her and throw her out of our lives for good.
But I couldn't. I couldn't go against Leo. He's done too much for me—saved my life more times than I can count. I owe him everything.
Still, killing a vampire over a wolf? It felt wrong. But honestly, that vampire got what he deserved. Leo warned everyone to leave her alone, but they just couldn't help themselves. They bullied her, pushed her around. Not that I cared about her, but they went too far. Now Leo's pissed, and when he's pissed, he's a whole different person.
After the doctor finished, he left, and I followed him out, shutting the door behind me. But I couldn't shake this uneasy feeling, leaving her alone in there.
Before I could take another step, I heard Leo's voice in my head. Mind-linking me like the wolves do. Of course, Leo can do that too. There's nothing he can't do.
"Is the doctor done treating Emma?" His voice was sharp, full of anger.
"Yeah," I answered, trying not to sound nervous. "He just left."
"Good. I'm in the torture room."
Torture room? My stomach dropped. He cut the link before I could ask anything else. Who the hell was he torturing?
The torture room is where we deal with spies, witches, werewolves—anyone who crosses us. But we hadn't caught anyone lately.
I ran there as fast as I could. The closer I got, the louder the screams. Begging, crying, all echoing down the hall.
When I walked in, I almost lost it. The scene was... brutal.
Two vampires I knew were torn to shreds. Pieces of them—arms, legs, intestines—were scattered all over the place. My chest tightened. I couldn't breathe.
Three of them were still alive, but just barely. They were chained to the ground—hands, legs, and necks—blood pooling around them like some kind of nightmare. I thought I'd seen enough, but then my eyes landed on one of them. His eyes were gone—completely ripped out.
Leo was sitting there, his hands covered in blood. And the way he looked... he was enjoying it. Their screams and pleas for mercy? They didn't mean a damn thing to him. He didn't even flinch. For the first time in my life, Leo didn't seem like Leo. He seemed like a monster.
"No point begging," he said, cold as ice, standing up from the chair. "You did this to yourselves."
I froze as he walked over to one of them, snapping the chains around the guy's neck like they were paper. Then he grabbed the man and lifted him clean off the ground, like the dude weighed nothing.
"P-please, have merc—"
Before he could even finish, Leo's hand shot into his chest. One quick motion, and he ripped the guy's heart out.
"I gave you one simple order, and you couldn't even handle that," Leo growled, tossing the lifeless body aside like it was garbage.
But he wasn't done. He moved on to the next one, his face set like stone. I couldn't look away. This wasn't like anything I'd ever seen from him. Usually, I—or one of the warriors—handled this kind of stuff. Leo kept his hands clean, only showing up when it was time to talk. But this? This was something else.
It was like he snapped.
I watched, horrified, as he crushed bones with his bare hands, the sound echoing in the room. Their screams were so loud, so raw, it felt like they were drilling into my skull. My stomach churned, my head spun, but I couldn't move.
"Leo," I whispered, my voice shaky. "Please, stop. Have mercy."
He didn't even glance at me. He just kept going, his rage pouring out in waves. But it wasn't just anger—it was darker, deeper. He wasn't just mad; he was making a point. A warning to everyone watching: mess with Emma, and this is what happens.
Emma.
This was all because of her. If she wasn't here, those vampires wouldn't have suffered like this. Leo wouldn't have... snapped.
I couldn't take it anymore. I turned and stumbled out of the room, my legs barely holding me up. Leo didn't stop me. Didn't even look my way.
Why did he call me here? Was it to scare me? Send me some kind of twisted message? Whatever it was, I knew one thing: if Emma stayed, this wouldn't be the last time Leo lost it.
I made up my mind right then. Something had to be done.
I headed straight to Leo's room to confront her, but she wasn't there. My frustration boiled over as I searched the estate, until finally, I found her. She was curled up in her tiny bed, fast asleep, like she didn't have a single worry in the world.
Meanwhile, my people were dying because of her.
The anger inside me exploded. Before I could stop myself, I lunged at her, my hands wrapping around her neck. Her eyes flew open, panic filling them as she clawed at my hands. I didn't let go. I tightened my grip, watching her face turn purple.
Then I let go.
I stumbled back, my breath heavy. I couldn't do it. I couldn't betray Leo like that. No matter how much I hated her, I couldn't kill her. Not after everything Leo had done for me.
But I couldn't let her stay either.
I grabbed her arm and yanked her out of bed. She tried to fight me, but I dragged her down the secret tunnel—one only Leo and I knew about.
"Get out," I hissed, shoving her toward the exit. "And don't ever come back. If I see you here again..." I leaned in close, my voice low and threatening. "It'll be the last thing you ever do."
She stared at me, her face pale and terrified, then turned and stumbled into the night.
I stood there, watching her disappear. Finally, she was gone. Out of our lives for