KEVEN

The grunting of my mates echoed in the gym, with the constant bam of punches, exchanged between each other. The anger and rage that was flowing through their veins was visible in their hard training. Their disability in protecting their home was evident on their face.

They had turned lethal and murderous. Their King had been threatened by the murderer of the former Queen, which was enough to erupt a burning lava into their blood. They were hungry for revenge. We wanted blood. Blood of that fucking traitor, who turned his back on us, who dared to betray his King, who broke the loyalty code.

Draven.

We were a family, we considered him as our brother. Our King considered him a brother, after Ares. But he joined our enemies. Very few get the title Morgan, after working for the King of Kings of Underworld, and that crazy motherfucking idiot lost his.

What made me more mad was Benjamin had conquered Italy. Antonio was no more the leader of Italy. It was currently under Benjamin's rule. We took our enemy for granted, and it resulted in lethal looses.

"Keven!"

I stopped striking the punching bag, huffing and puffing, my jaw clenching in anger. I didn't want to stop, nobody wanted to stop. It was our way of punishing us. Heavy and hard exercise, and deadly training. We would fight and hurt each other until and unless every muscle of our body turned sore, until our muscles tighten and refused to work.

"Keven that's enough!" Ares roared and turned me back, when I tried to continue my kick-boxing training.

"No that's not! We failed Ares! Do you understand!? We. Failed. And I won't stop unless and until I bleed. I need to smell blood. We all want that, we all are hungry for his blood. But we can't get it now, so we will have to quench our thirst for the time being with our one's."

Bam!

A solid punch landed on my jaw and my trance broke. My neck snapped on the other side with the intensity of the punch, and I tasted the coppery flavor of blood coming out of my mouth. Rage sweeped within my veins, and the gym turned deadly silent.

Spitting out the blood, I turned my head back furiously, sweat trickling down my body, and I cracked my bloody knuckles.

Ares face was looking deadly. An angry vein had popped out on his forehead and a muscle on his jaw ticked. His fists curled up in rage, and the knuckles were looking more white. He was breathing heavily, and looked like a time bomb, who was waiting to be blasted. One wrong move, and he would beat me down to shit.

Well, I wasn't the one to back down. Raising my fists I was ready to attack him, when he took a step back, but his demeanour didn't change. He was still looking very much fatal.

"I, am ordering you all, to finish this session. Right. Fucking. Now!" He snarled in his blaring voice.

"You are no one to order us!" I responded, my voice equally ear-splitting.

"Yes I am! In the absence of that fucking traitor Draven, where Antonio is lying on his death bed, Mark had refused to leave his side, and Boss can't attain us, because he is busy with his woman, it's me who is in charge!" He said vehemently, his eyes throwing dagger at all of us, who was present in the gym.

I refused to back down and glared at him, with same intensity. The rest of our men had bowed down their head, but I refused to bow down to him.

When he saw I wasn't backing down he strode towards me, his eyes hungry as that of a lion. Stopping just an inch away from me, he looked at me ferociously. Fire was blazing in his eyes.

"I'm the King's right-fucking-hand. In his absence, it's my duty to keep the army in control. I know what you are going through. But don't let the rage die down with these petty workout sessions. Gather it up and accumulate it within yourself. Let it turn into a raging volcano so when the right time comes you all can burn down Ireland, tear apart limps from limps. We all are hungry for their blood, we all want them to have a gruesome death. Let your anger work for yourself." Ares gritted, his face equally deadly.

The army roared behind us, and broke into a loud applause. I finally tore apart my gaze from him, and bowed down my head. He was the King's brother in every sense. Afterall their fathers were also, brothers. Not by blood, but by destiny.

We all were aware of the former King's story, how Hades and Andrew fought every battle so bravely, and expanded their kingdom. Andrew was the devil, and Hades, his name was enough at those times to freeze blood. Hades, the God of Death and he really was one. He was the controller of death of every man, who was a threat to Andrew Morgan. To this vast empire.

A loyal brother in every sense.

His son, Ares, was equally one.

His eyes were still fixed at me, and he grabbed my shoulders. I raised my head up to look at him. I had never seen him serious and this was the first time he declared the power of his position.

"We are a family Keven. We dont fight with each other. We fight together," he said, his voice lowered down into a whisper. But the intensity of the statement he made, was too high.

We were a family and together we would end every mother-fucking bitch, who would stand against us.

I nodded and he looked back at our men.

"You all are dismissed. I will meet you all in the basement, within 3 hours. For now, return to your quarters and take some rest. Cause when we will rise, they would be 6 feet underneath us." Ares declared.

They all roared and left the gym. I was sitting on the bench press when, Ares strode towards and sat down beside me.

"I understand your situation Keven."

I didn't look at him.

"You had vowed your life to boss, to our King. And he had specially given you the sole responsibility of Sarah's protection," Ares uttered.

"And I failed Ares, not only as a bodyguard but as a friend as well. She not only was my responsibility, but she was also my friend. I failed," I said dejectedly.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault. You tried your best. Now come'on we have a lot of works," saying this he patted my shoulder and stood up.

Giving out a sigh, I stood up too.

"Any news on Diana?" I asked.

"No, the last time I saw her was 3 days ago, when she came out of the security room. No sooner she came to know about Draven's trachery, she locked herself up in her room," he looked at the ground and responded me despondently,

"We need to get her out of the black hole. He isn't worth her tears," I said.

Ares frowned, scrunching up his eyebrows.

"It would be difficult than you think. I have seen Diana from the moment she came here. Draven had been her pillar, her support system, her becon in dark. When she came she was as fragile as a new born kitten, and Draven helped her in turning into a tigress. Before that she was even afraid of boss, who regards Diana his own sister," Ares said.

"Nonetheless, we need to try,"

"We would but before that, I need to go somewhere," Ares said, sauntering out of the gym.

"Where?" I asked.

"Need to give a visit to Antonio. His condition is really critical. Survival chances are almost invisible. 4 broken ribs, with both the ankle broken, his knee caps had been shot, and he had been whipped several fucking times. Melissa had to give several stitches on his chest and thighs, which were sliced opened with a dagger, and the traces of poison was also found on them and in his blood. And don't even ask about his face. He had been punched repeatedly which resulted in dislocation of his jaw, and several cuts on his lips. And.....

"And what Ares....?"

"....he had been branded with the scorpion mark on his nape," he whispered painfully.

"Damn fucking shit!" I snarled out, waves of anger rolling into me.

"That's why Mark had refused to leave him alone. He thinks it's all his fault. He blames himself. He thinks if he hadn't left Antonio all alone in Ireland, this wouldn't had happen. For us Boss can be the King but for Mark, Antonio is. Though boss has a higher rank than Antonio, but for Mark, Antonio is his God. Though he admire and respect boss a lot."

Wow, Antonio must have really done something great to achieve such a loyal soldier. Loyalty is something we crave in Underworld.

Stepping into the hallway, I nervously swallowed down a lump, and called out Ares.

He turned back and gave me a questioning look.

"Any news on Fiona?" I asked, rubbing my sweaty palms. I know this wasn't the right time to ask this, but I wanted too.

Ares face turned furious with my question. An angry vein popped out on his forehead. He just shook his head negatively.

Fiona was Antonio's fiancé. She was 6 months pregnant, and they were going to have a baby together. But now no one knew ,what happened to her. She was still in Italy, the last time we checked. It was 2 days before the attack. But now we had no idea where she was. We don't even know whether she was alive or not.

I joined Ares to his venture to the medical room, but as soon as we reached the place, he suddenly stopped.

"What happened?" I asked, looking back at him.

He clenched his jaw, and grinded his teeth. Fisting his palm, he growled out lowly.

"Hey man, you okey?" I asked. He was behaving weirdly.

"Can you please check whether The Doctor is in there or not?" He asked venomously, emphasizing on doctor.

"Who? Dr. Lexi?" I asked

He nodded, his face still scrunched up in irritation.

Sauntering inside the medical section, I stopped at the reception desk to ask about her. The receptionist informed that Dr. Alexis was not in here.

"Ares, come in! It's clear." I shouted, but as soon as I did it, the receptionist hushed me down. I gave her a sheepish look, and throwed a wink at her. She blushed, and dipped down her head tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears.

Ares walked inside and gave me a are-you-serious look. Giving the reception a final charming smile, I joined Ares.

Antonio was admitted in the private ward. Every doctor had taken serious precautions to bring Antonio back, because he was the underboss. But till now, nothing really worked. His body was recovering but he was still unconscious.

Reaching our destiantion, Ares grabbed the knob to open the door but as soon as he did it, a snarling voice echoed in the room.

"Why don't you fucking do something!?"

The scene infront of me made my blood turn hot in rage, fury gripped me with its iron shackels.

Mark had pinnned Melissa to a wall, and was shaking her by her shoulders. The poor girl seemed visibly shaken by Mark's barbaric behaviour, and tear strains ran down her cheek, fear evident on her face.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" Ares growled out, striding into the room. Stepping into the room, I quickly ran after him. How dare he touched Melissa!?

Grabbing Mark by his collar Ares landed a straight punch on his jaw, which was too strong. Blood spat out of his mouth and he fell down on the ground.

I didn't give him the time to recover, and jabbed my foot in his stomach. He groaned out in pain, and curled into a ball.

"Stand up, you fucktard! How dare you touch her!? I growled out, raising him up by his collar.

"Keven," a gentle broken voice called out.

I instantly turned back to see Mellisa in Ares' embrace. He was trying to calm her down, rubbing the back of her head.

"There there sis, he won't hurt you again. I will shoot him in his palm, and pluck out his eyeballs if he even lay a finger you," Ares cooed her.

I jerked Mark away from me, and stalked towards her. Keeping my hand, softly on her back, I rubbed it to assure her.

She was Ares' little sister and my best friend, and no one, I repeat, no one had the right to behave like that with her.

After a long time, her sniffling stopped, and she raised her head from Ares' chest, fearfully looking back at Mark. Both me and Ares were furious at his maniac behaviour with Melissa.

I turned towards him to give him a piece of mind, when he I saw he was looking at the ground with a guilty face.

"Apologize to her Mark, right-fucking-now," Ares ordered.

"Sorry," he said and turned to look back at Antonio.

Melissa didn't say anything in return and looked up at us. We both have encircled her petite form with our large frame, and she almost resembled a dear, within the protection of two wolves.

"I'm okay now guys," she said, her voice a little hoarse from crying.

"You sure Mels?" I asked.

She gave both of us a reassuring nod, and looked back on bed, where Antonio was lying. Several tubes were attached to his battered body. He almost looked dead.

"Now, can you tell me Mark, why did you behave like a lunatic pig with her?" Ares asked. Though hs voice was calm, but it hold an underlying threat.

"I lost control. She is nurse, why can't she fucking treat him, and make him conscious?" Mark asked, throwing his hands in air and heaving a deep sigh.

"The doctors are trying their best Mark. It's her duty to take care of him. She can't just magically fix him," I replied back.

"I understand. Sorry for snapping at you earlier, Mellisa. I know you are doing whatever you can." Mark proclaimed.

"It's ok," Melissa stated, without tearing her eyes away from Antonio. She stared at him with a longing in her orbs.

"How is he?" Ares asked.

"Same."

"Urghh!" Mark exclaimed out in frustration, rubbing his face with his palms. Taking a deep breath, he sat down beside Antonio, on the bed.

"Wake up, boss. They have snatched away your Kingdom, and Fiona, we don't even know whether she is alive. She was going to give birth to the next Italian leader, and now....."

Mark looked broken.

Ares and me, both were gazing at Mark when the front door opened. Dr. Alexis walked into the room, with a writing pad in her hand, and her gaze fixed on it.

"Melisa, I think you sould....Keven, Ares! When did you two come"? Lexi asked, raising her eyes up, and giving us a lovely smile.

Ares face scrunched up in disgust and strode out of the room, but not before throwing a hateful look at Dr. Alexis.

<<~~~~~~~~~~~~∆~~~~~~~~~~~~>>

Hello Lovelies 😊

Okey, this chapter was to give an outlook about rest of the people who stay at the Mansion, after the attack. 😶

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