Chapter 64: The rational promise keeper

Elias’s POV

"Drive" I slam the door shut.

"No one is going to address why you’re in your pajamas" Lucas asks from the driver’s seat.

Am I in my pajamas?

I look down at myself and swallow a groan.

I have learned how to control my feelings. I think thrice, count the cost, and make my move.

I never do things irrationally. But here I am in my pajamas. And it’s all because of an omega called Noah Goldsmith.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asks with genuine concern.

"Omega trouble?" Damien asks and I lean back in the seat to calm my head.

How dare he flaunt Roman in my face?

"Eli?" Lucas calls and I nod grimly.

"I’ll wear your clothes" I announce before getting out of the car.

Going back to my hotel room would lead to manslaughter. Strangling Noah is not on my list yet. I head to Lucas’s room for a change of clothes.

The bodyguard is the closest to me in size.

Damien is flashier and bigger. Kai is slightly taller. It’s unfortunate that Lucas wears too many casual clothes.

I put on a white hoodie and a pair of faded black jeans.

Completely dissatisfied and itching to see Noah again. I leave the room and aggressively return to the car.

"Go" I say coldly.

Lucas starts the car and in less than two minutes he and my brother start to talk.

They don’t speak to me directly while they talk about me.

"We have to be careful, Luke. When a cold metal gets mad, it gets crazy hot" Damien says and I fold my arms.

My mother will have to be understanding if I bring Damien’s head home without the rest of his body.

"You’re right. And when metal gets hot it kinda hurts worse than getting directly burnt by fire" Lucas says and Damien snickers.

They want to play? Fine. Let’s play.

"Isn’t having a stubborn prisoner a waste of space?" I ask loudly and Damien looks back.

"You’ll understand the joy of bondage someday, Pocky. Having people at your mercy is fun, especially when you dominate them and..."

"I’m talking about Zane, brother" I say and the smile drops off his face.

"Don’t fuck with me, baby brother" he warns and a smirk curls my lips.

"Test? It’s simple logic. Zane is no longer of use to me; Noah has a new button I can play with" I inform him and he growls.

"I will park this car and beat you to pulp, don’t test me" he snarls at me.

"Stop testing me too" I say flatly.

The temperature in the car surges and I am partially satisfied.

"Er...Brittany Spears, anyone?" Lucas says to break the tension, and I keep wearing my smile while Damien stares at me.

"If you play with my Green, I will cut your Pink to pieces" Damien says and I sigh.

"Save the aggression for our mission" I say to him and he gives me one more glare before taking his murderous eyes off me.

"No killing today?" Lucas asks.

"Depends" I murmur.

I’m thinking of the omega who is hellbent on keeping Roman Stiles alive.

I’ll humor him and myself...sooner or later, Stiles’s blood will paint my hands red.

We arrive at the Stiles mansion and Roman is already waiting outside.

"Let’s get this over with" Damien says.

My older brother gets out of the car first and we follow. He is standing at his full height, still angry from my jab at him.

Damien approaches the Stiles’ heir with a cloud of darkness over his head and Roman tries to match his dark energy.

Roman tries to look into the car for Noah before he finally meets my eyes.

He clears his throat and asks, "Where’s Noah?"

"Sick" I give him a one word answer.

"What did you do to him?" he growls and I don’t respond. My eyes are mapping out the buttons to use.

There’s a cherry blossom tree standing next to a cherub statue. It’s artful. Cute. And Noah coded.

"Where are my father’s slaves" I ask.

"A few of them escaped already" he says smugly and I breathe in sharply.

I won’t kill him. I won’t kill him. No. I won’t kill him.

"And the rest?" my voice remains leveled.

"In a cell. Why are you playing with the lives of men?" Roman asks.

"We all do the same thing, prince charming" Damien says and walks to the car.

"You’re wrong" Roman spits and Damien leans against the car.

It’s his way of battling with his demons. He gives his prey some distance.

"Your father plays with the lives of men too, at least we kill them" my older brother says with a diabolical smile.

"People are not toys," Roman roars at me.

Something snaps and I grab him by the throat, forcing a gasp out of him.

Killing him would be easy. Snap his neck. Gouge his eyes out. Cut off his air supply.

"I think you misunderstand me. Stiles, I tolerate you for Noah’s sake" I say quietly and he dares to kick me while struggling for air.

I lift him off the ground and slam him into the floor.

There’s a sickening crack. Blood paints the ground. And he starts to gurgle his own blood.

"Your body should be rotting by now. Aren’t you grateful to death for his mercy?" I whisper to him.

"I’ll save Noah from you" he says and I lift him off the floor, turn him around and slam his face into his own blood on the floor.

Lucas doesn’t stop me. Damien stays by the car, still angry about his little ’Green’.

"The only way Noah leaves my side is if he’s dead" I say and let go of Roman.

The Stiles dog grunts and turns himself over. His blood covers his face and his forehead is starting to swell.

"And if Noah dies, he dies by my hand" I say and step over Roman’s twitching body.

That cherry blossom tree shouldn’t be in this place.

"What are you doing?" he asks. He grabs my ankle and I step on his fingers.

"Arggh!" Roman screams and I lift my foot off his fingers.

I promised my sick husband that I wouldn’t hurt his first love.

I hate that word. I don’t understand love. I only love my mother and that’s it.

"Lucas? How quickly can you kill that tree?" I point at the gently swaying tree.

"Don’t..." Roman says.

"Noah gave it to you, didn’t he?" I ask and from the way his eyes fill with fear, I receive my answer.

Yes.

"Don’t...don’t!"

Lucas pulls out a chain saw, and I stare at him as he grins. With the pleasure of a mad man, he heads for the tree and cuts it down.

"HA! Bullseye!" Lucas laughs with so much excitement. He hates cherry blossoms.

"You’re sick!" Roman screams and I squat to grab his face.

"I want to kill you" I state.

"You wouldn’t dare" he spits boldly.

These city dogs and their pride irk me.

"No, I wouldn’t. I promised my husband that I wouldn’t kill you" I say and let go of him.

"He’s not your husband! You rapist! You kidnapper! You murderer!" he barks at me and the tree falls.

"Eli" Damien calls and I’m reminded of why we came here.

I came for business, not pleasure.

"Ship them slaves to my city in three days, or else Damien will do what he has been hungry for" I say and my brother waves.

Lucas returns to us with his chainsaw in his hands. There are leaves and petals from the tree on him.

"Done" he announces and I nod at him.

"Three days, Stiles" Damien yells the reminder. We get into the car and leave the fallen Stiles prince on the floor.

Now...Noah and his illness.

What do I do with that man?