SO IM SORRY. But this is a short chapter and here's why— I'm ACT testing. Again. And I'm not having fun. And alongside that, Softball season is back and I have practice from 2:30 to 6:00 every day and I literally just want to cry.

Anyways, enough for my rants.

Here's the chapter!! Love you guys ❤️

ARLIS
Sophia laid on the ground for a total of ten minutes before sitting up and shaking her head. She looked at her dad and then at her brother before shaking her head and standing up. "Dad?" She asked. "Why are you locked in a cell?" She put her hands on the metal and whispered some Latin. It didn't do anything. Nothing at all. She didn't remember. She took a couple steps back. "My- my... I can't do magic." She looked at her dad. "What happened. She looked down at her dress. "Why am I covered in blood?"

Colin coughed and glared at his father. "Dad can tell you." That was the first sentence Colin had spoken in a while. Arlis understood why. The Kid had just lost someone he thought he'd be with for forever.

Sophia cocked her head in confusion. "Dad?"

Clay closed his eyes. "You're a vampire now, Sophia." He admitted. "And-"

Sophia screamed. "NO!" She yelled. "NO NO NO!" She stomped her foot and looked up at her dad with anger. So much anger for a little girl. stomped both her feet, crying. "Why did you take my magic."

What a brat. Arlis thought to himself. Gracie would never act this way. Ever. When she was with Arlis she was very well behaved. Arlis never yelled at her, was never rough with her, he just simply taught and she listened. Just like when Gracie wanted to teach him something, he sat and listened patiently.

The door to the basement of cells opened and Konrad walked downstairs. Arlis sunk back into the shadows, making sad eye contact with Becker. They were all screwed. It was Clay's fault.

Konrad saw his granddaughter on the floor, covered in blood, crying. He followed the blood to Clay's cell, where blood covered his face. Faster than Arlis's eyes could comprehend, he watched Konrad walk into Clay's cell and grab his throat. "Say good bye, Colin."

"NO!" Colin shouted.

Konrad grabbed a dagger from his side, one that looked very familiar, and stabbed it into Clay's heart.

Clay looked down at the blade and then back at Konrad. Konrad was crying, surprisingly. Arlis didn't know there was a heart deep down in his chest. Konrad dropped Clay onto the ground. Clay pulled the dagger from his own heart and threw it at Konrad. Konrad, who was already walking to Sophia, didn't see Clay throw it.

The blade sank into Konrad's back. Konrad yelled and then ripped it out with a wet kind of sound. Three different types of blood had mixed on the concrete floor. He turn to Clay, who was somehow still breathing. Blood poured from his mouth, and Arlis had a feeling it wasn't anyone else's blood but Clay's.

"You shouldn't of done that, son." Konrad seethed.

"I'm not like you." Clay coughed out, his voice liquidated. "I'd do anything for my kids."

Colin had been yelling the whole time, but Arlis blocked his voice out. He was too focused on the scene folding out in front of him.

Sophia yelled and hit Konrad's back with tiny fists. Konrad turned back handed her. Sophia fell to the ground, unconscious. He continued his slow walk to Clay. "Good bye, Clay." Konrad took the dagger and stabbed it into Clay's head.

Clay fell to the side, dead immediately.

Colin screamed as Konrad laughed, his head leaned back like a classic villain. Becker was pressed against the bars, trying to reach out to Konrad. Of course, magic wouldn't work.

"It's so funny. Everything needed to kill me is in this room. A Hunter's dagger, Constance's to be specific, Arlis's blood, and Becker. And yet here I stand... killing person. By person. By person." Konrad unlocked Arlis's cell and walked in. He was obviously pissed beyond comprehension. "And I'm almost done with everything. All I need is for Arlis to go rogue. I need him to kill Kate."

Arlis shook his head. "Leave her out of this! The only way Kate is dying is if I'm dead first. Even then... you're still going to have a Hell of a time knocking her down. She's stronger than you or I, better."

Konrad laughed like he had never heard anything funnier, like Arlis was a comedian on a stage. "Arlis. I know you."

"Oh do you?" Arlis felt dumb taking the bait Konrad was throwing out.

Konrad smirked. "Yes. Kate has made you stronger. You broke my compulsion for a second, there. Because of her. And I want you to die. And I want it to be painful. In my book, the worst way you can go out... is knowing you're dying because you killed your mate." Konrad kicked the side of Arlis's face.

Arlis fell, not having strength anymore to get up. "You don't have to do this." Arlis cried. He knew he couldn't disobey Konrad in this state. He couldn't even if he tried. He was too tired.

"I like this. You begging. Too bad it won't save you. Or Kate." Konrad pulled Arlis's head back by his hair. Arlis tried to fight but his body was useless. He could barely stand at this point. "Audite me. Zoaz."

Arlis tried to hold it back, but it made everything worse. He felt a dark side come out from under his skin, felt his free will crumble underneath. His body was shifting and it was painful. He tried to crawl away but couldn't. The simple movement of breathing made him feel like he was going to die. God, he wanted to die. But he couldn't. If it were just him he would. But he had Kate. And Gracie. And Lilly. And Jake. He had family and friends.

His chains snapped, not even being held down could stop a man from going Rogue. And Arlis had a feeling, this time around... him going Rogue was endgame.

KONRAD
He didn't feel bad. Konrad had killed his only son and he felt was more powerful. Sacrifices had to be made, Konrad understood that. He thought he was the only one who understood that, but the now dead Everly Dawn also understood that.

He twisted a dagger between his newly healed and placed hand. A bitch had torn it off after he killed her mutt son.

He liked feeling powerful. And there were ways to be even more powerful than he already was.

Konrad realized he had been using Becker the wrong way. Instead of having Becker work for him, be able to know everything, why didn't he just... take Becker's powers.

Konrad smiled as he opened the door the dungeon. His whole plan was falling into place. Arlis was rogue, out to kill his mate and eventually die from it. Everly Dawn was dead. Sure he had lost a great power source such as his granddaughter but she was dying anyways.

If he felt any remorse for anyone throughout his path to ruling, it was for the little girl. She was sweet and innocent, a baby in the scheme of things. She didn't do anything. Konrad felt a little companionship with her. Sure he was still going to run her until she died, but it wasn't like he didn't feel bad for it.

Sacrifices had to be made for the better good. They had to be made.

He walked into the basement and stopped in front of Becker's cell. Konrad stared at the Hunter's dagger and then at Becker. Becker was sitting on the floor, barely able to hold his eyes open. Becker was so weak.

"What do you—" he stopped to cough. "want?" Konrad was proud. He had really messed Becker up in that little duel they had.

Konrad had a lot of answers to that question. He wanted his wife back, power, rulership. A better son than the one he used to have. He unlocked the cage and watched as Becker failed to stand up.

He was glad Becker ended up not being his son. Konrad would've been disgusted if he had raised a son who turned out like Becker. At least Clay was strong, a disgrace, but strong and smart nonetheless. Not strong or smart enough to save himself.

Konrad took the dagger and showed it to Becker. "Arlis's mutt Beta is dead." He announced. "Figured I'd let you know. Arlis is probably killing Kate soon. Eventually he'll die. Constance is... surely mourning the death of her cousin. Your cousin."

Becker tried to move forward but chains held him back. "You're not going to win." Becker's eyes were watering. Konrad was disgusted with him, with how Becker could have achieve great things but instead he cried over things like family.

"I already have! The sooner you learn that, the quicker this can finish." Konrad smiled. Nobody understood where he was coming from.

He wanted power so he could protect his family and his wife didn't understand that. He wanted to have a happy family and his wife cheated on him. He could get over the cheating. He had gotten over it. He wanted her back. He wanted to rule and save the planet from all the disgusting filth that wandered the lands. Humans, Hunteds, most Hunters. Werewolves. They were all a disgrace to the moon. Konrad didn't want to come out as evil, he just wanted a better world.

Konrad walked to Becker. "Do you remember what I did to your mother?" Sacrifices had to be made. Sometimes sacrifices were necessary.

Becker panicked as he looked from the dagger to Konrad. It only made Konrad feel more empowered.

Konrad didn't say anything more as he took the dagger and stabbed into Becker's chest. "Accipio potentiam tuam."

Konrad knew that at this moment, Becker was feeling his body tighten and constrict. Konrad set a hand on Becker's shoulder and felt as Becker's power ran dry. Becker's aura stopped humming, stopped giving off a sense of relaxation.

Konrad pulled the dagger out and laughed. "You're nothing, Beckerann. I'll send you to Sovereign right now. Tell everyone that I HAVE YOUR POWER! How you FAILED THEM! You can go there and mourn with the rest of the inferior fucks of the world, the helpless and weak! Tell them, I'm coming." Konrad snapped his fingers and Becker was gone. Not a single bit of power was left in Becker's system.

Konrad had all of it. He was the most powerful man in the world, and God it felt good.