The Lycan Kingpin's Captive: A Baby For The Beast

Chapter 48 - Mia and Nikolaos

I look over at Niko with a frown on my face. We’ve stopped in front of the gilded gates where the Elders

supposedly live and from what he’s told me, they don’t know he’s here. I suspect he’s about to retaliate

for what happened, but I cannot be sure.

“Are you going to tell me why we’re here?” I ask, a sliver of unease slipping down my back. “You

haven’t mentioned a thing and to be honest, this is all freaking me out.”

It’s nearly 8 PM; the Gammas are on foot, Maxim is overseeing things back home and Ares is asleep

on the backseat in his little chair. Why would he have the Pente out here with us if it wasn’t an

infiltration? What does Niko have planned?

Niko reaches over and touches my chin. “Do you trust me?”

I scoff. “What kind of question is that? Of course, I trust you!” I say, then he leans over to place a kiss

on my lips.

“Then trust me now. No matter what you see or hear in there, trust me and my words,” he says

cryptically and gets out of the car. Walking over to where Ares is, he removes him from his little seat,

and hands him over to me with a warm blanket.

I hate being out here in the cold and dead of night with him, but Niko has something planned so I

should just trust in him for now.

Taking my hand, he leads us up the stone steps to the mansion while holding something in his other

hand. I feel the Gammas are close, but not too close to cause attention to be drawn to them.

I don’t see any guards stationed around the perimeter at all, which I thought was odd until I see Ghost

slip around a corner and realize something that makes my heart drop.

Nikolaos might be taking out the Elders tonight.

“Not a word, little rabbit,” he says as he opens the front doors. He knows me so well already that he

can pick up on my thoughts and it makes me smile even as unease sets in my heart.

His loud footfalls echo throughout the mansion and yet I still see no guards approaching. The place

feels more like a museum than a packhouse - art displayed everywhere, antique furniture and unique

contraptions I realize are all torture equipment.

Oh, gross.

We turn a corner where I hear voices; then he walks into what seems to be a dining room where four

people are seated having dinner together. They seem ancient, graying, and well dressed; but they jump

up when they see Niko, surprise and some fear in their scents.

“What is the meaning of this, Nikolaos?!”

“You can’t just barge in here!”

“Where are the guards!”

They all clamor to get their annoyance and surprise out, the looks on their faces now becoming masks

of anger. While they’re looking at Niko with disgust, no one seems to notice me.

Niko lets go of my hand and takes a step toward them with the bag in his hand. “Karras Elders, forgive

me for simply barging in while you’re having dinner together. But you’ve given me no choice, seeing as

you’ve refused to see me for the last week.” He says, maintaining his smile.

One of the women scoffs. “So you decide to sneak into our home like this? Unforgivable!” she says,

slamming her fist on the table while one of the men steps forward.

“Care to explain what’s going on?” he asks, looking down at Niko as if he’s trash. “Is this your so-called

surrogate and bastard?”

I can feel him bristle, ready to tear them apart, but then he chuckles, looks back at me, and winks.

“Indeed,” he says. This is when Niko reaches into the back bag and pulls out something that makes me

dry heave - two severed heads - then he throws it on the table in front of them.

“I’ve also come to return what’s left of your daughters,” he says, and screams erupt around the table.

One of the women screams so loud that she tumbles backward, while the man holding her looks at the

heads with a blank expression.

“What is this?” he whispers, white as a sheet.

Niko gestures for me to approach, then he places an arm around me. “I’ve kept my end of our

agreement; not only do I have a Luna, but an heir,” he says proudly, then his voice drops low. “But if I

so much as suspect you might be in my territory, I will not hesitate to do to you what we did to your

daughters.”

He doesn’t wait for them to respond, he simply walks out with no fear and his head held high. I’m really

not sure what the point of this interaction was, so I turn to Niko with a frown on my face.

“Did you need to do that?” I ask as we walk down the steps again. “You dragged us out of here just for

that?!”

Niko chuckles and shrugs. “Oh, you mean this?”

I’m about to ask why he’s smirking when my heart nearly bursts out of my chest at the explosion behind

me. I hold Ares close while my jaw drops open at what I’m looking at - Niko has just blown up the

mansion with the Elders still inside.

Flames burst through the windows, and from here I slowly hear the four heartbeats slowing down and © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

reduced to nothing.

“Niko!” I try to keep my horrified voice low, but he simply shrugs and pulls me close while we walk

away. “What the hell was that?!”

“Did I forget to mention they were in my territory?” he says, grinning and I remember his last warning to

them. I’m still shaking as he walks us to the SUV, uncertainty gnawing in my gut. This isn't good!

“But what if their children attempt to get revenge for their deaths?! What happens to us?!” I now shriek,

knowing this can’t be the end of it, but Niko cups my face gently and kisses my forehead.

“Leave that worry to me for now, my love,” he says with a smile and opens the SUV door for me to put

Ares back in.

How can I not worry about something like this? Niko has put targets on our backs by killing the Elders!

We climb into the SUV, but he doesn’t start it; instead, he turns to me and sighs. “I had to do this, Mia;

they not only tried to have you and Ares killed, but they’re the reason Mischa killed Bastien’s mate and

why my mother was so messed up. Everything starts and ends with them; there was no other way.” He

explains, then takes my hand in his.

“When I say don’t worry, I mean that everything is already taken care of. There will be no blowback

from the Elder's family because they all wanted them eliminated; some of them washed their hands

from the sickening lineage.”

I take a deep breath and allow this news to wash over me. “So…they gave their blessings?”

Niko nods and draws my hand to his lips. “They did. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this, not

when it concerns you and Ares,” he says.

Somehow this sets my heart at ease and when I let out a sigh, I lean forward and kiss his stubbled

cheek. “Thank you for taking care of the threats to our pack, Alpha,” I say and see the visible shiver in

his body.

He pulls me close to kiss me, deepening it when I moan into his mouth. I have a feeling that I won’t be

getting much sleep tonight, seeing as I can already smell his arousal.

We leave and a secret smile crosses my lips. Somehow this feels like we can breathe easy after this,

but I don’t want to get my hopes up, yet.

***

Nikolaos

I wake up early and get ready to greet the six women who will be arriving from various packs. Maxim

tried to get out of getting married, but I told him this needed to be done to secure alliances with these

Alphas. just because I acquired Mikhail's territories, doesn't mean I have the alliances he forged.

Stepping out of our bedroom, I head downstairs to my living room to see Maxim and the Gammas

waiting. They’re all wearing somber expressions, especially Divan, but I won’t change my mind about

this.

“Can you all stop looking like you’re on your way to a funeral?” I growl as I step inside and the Gammas

straighten up but Maxim just rolls his eyes at me. He doesn't say anything; he simply crosses his arms

and scowls at me.

The warriors stationed at the front gates let me know three armored vehicles have arrived and I allow

them to enter after they’ve inspected them. In the next few minutes, six beautiful women will arrive and

my men have to choose between them; why the fuck are they looking like I’ve given them a death

sentence?

Stifling another growl, I calm myself down when the front door opens and turn to meet the women

being ushered in… only instead of six women, there are five. The one that is not here is pissing me off

already, but then again, what did I expect?

I frown and walk towards them. “Welcome, ladies. Am I wrong to assume there should be six of you?”

They’re quiet, fear palpable in their scents until one of them, a short, dark-haired one that I recognize

as Gianna Rossi, steps forward and nods. “There should be, Alpha, but Xiomara Montesino escaped

one town over,” she says in a soft voice.

This little piece of information makes the anger bubble up in my chest because Xiomara was supposed

to be Maxim’s fucking bride. I chose her because her father mentioned she’s a rebellious spitfire and

thought she would suit my Beta well.

“Thank you, Gianna,” I say and she gives me a small smile.

I walk towards Maxim and place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not sure if this would be considered your

lucky day, but Xiomara was supposed to be yours,” I say with a smirk.

He’s about to smile when he sees my smirk and scoffs instead. “Why do I feel like I’m about to regret

this?”

I pat his back. “Because you’re about to go bride-hunting, my good friend. She escaped one town over,

question the drivers, and bring her back so she can take her fucking place,” I say, and notice how his

jaw clenches.

He nods, then disappears. Now, it’s time to move over to the Gammas.

They’re lined up and looking intimidating as fuck and I roll my eyes. These boys just can’t relax, for

shit’s sake.

“Divan, Romano, Levi, Liam, and Isaac, meet your prospective brides,” I say and walk towards them,

gesturing to each as I introduce them. “Gianna, Eden, Noelle, Demi, and Alessia.”

The women seem terrified, but they smile anyway. Not much can be said about the Gammas who look

like they would rather be burnt alive than be here. Sighing, I cross my arms and tell them over the mind

link to look at me.

“Choose the one which catches your eye and we’ll make arrangements for the wedding to take place

within the next two months,” I say, then I take a step back and watch as they choose the ones who will

help secure alliances.

Divan takes the initiative and walks towards them, immediately choosing Gianna. I think this is odd,

seeing as out of all five, Gianna is the most timid out of all of them. Ghost is ruthless and cold, so why

would he choose her?

Interesting.

Romano, known as Descry, picks Eden. Isaac, also Harken, picks Alessa, while Liam and Levi - Panzer

and Armata, choose Noelle and Demi.

After the selection is made, I instruct the Gammas to take their intended and get to know them better. I

swear, it’s like watching an awkward middle school dance with all the anxiety and stress I can pick up.

I pinch the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb - this is going to be harder than I

expected.