Our Other mate

Chapter 6

Alpha Luca Baros POV

"Phillip..." The Duke's voice trembled with an unusual vulnerability. "My guard is gravely ill. He collapsed and has vomited blood."

A pang of sorrow pierced through my heart at the Duke's words. Phillip, my secret obsession, the one I had once dared to dream about. How could this have happened? I forced myself to remain composed, suppressing the tempest of emotions roiling inside me. Steeling my voice, I addressed the Duke. Our pack doctor was inconveniently on leave, leaving us with only a nurse ill-equipped to handle such a critical condition. There was nothing more I could do to save him, and with that, our intricate plan had unraveled spectacularly.

As I explained our predicament to the Duke, the line abruptly went dead. Rage and frustration exploded within me, and I hurled the book from my desk through the window, sending shards of glass scattering like my shattered plans. Iris burst into the room, her eyes wide with alarm, to find me crumpled on the floor, my body convulsing with uncontrollable sobs.

"Luca, what happened?!" she cried out, her voice a mixture of fear and concern.

Struggling to my knees, I met her gaze, the weight of failure heavy in my words. "Our plan has failed. The silver poisoned the guard."

"What?" Iris gasped, her eyes darting around in frantic disbelief. "How do you know?"

"The Duke called," I muttered, my voice thick with anguish, as I slumped into my chair. "He wanted the pack doctor."

Iris's arms wrapped around my shoulders in a feeble attempt at comfort, but her touch was repulsive in that moment, a stark reminder of the depths of my failure. "My love, we can still fix this. I'll go offer my assistance before they find any evidence. It's just one less werewolf guard protecting those monsters. What's one dead werewolf?"

A fury unlike any I had ever known surged through me. I stood abruptly and struck Iris with such force that she fell to the ground. "He was not our target!" I roared, my alpha authority lacing every word with unrestrained power. "He wasn't supposed to die! How dare you!"

Terror consumed her features as she scrambled backward, desperate to escape my wrath. "Luca..."

I didn't let her finish. I seized her by the neck and flung her out of my office with a savage growl. "Stay out!" I commanded, slamming the door behind her.

I had never told Iris about Phillip, never shared the secret that gnawed at my soul. She had entered my life after her mate had perished in the rebellion's first bloody skirmish. She was beautiful, and I had not yet met my destined mate, so I had claimed her as my own. I had thought I loved her, and in some twisted way, I did. She bore my children and served as the luna of my pack, my chosen partner in life. But then Phillip came into my life, and everything changed.

The mate bond had threatened to dismantle everything I had meticulously built, and I couldn't allow that. I buried my feelings, distancing myself from him, but he lingered at the edges of my thoughts, a phantom of desire that haunted my every moment. Whether I was showering, tying my shoes, or making love to Iris, Phillip's image never left me. I would close my eyes and imagine his presence, his touch, his dark eyes piercing through my very being.

Through my contacts, I had learned that Phillip served as the guard to the Duke of Dashpoint. I had watched them during their visits to Rhodes, always from the shadows, never daring to reveal my true feelings. Rejecting Phillip had been agonizing, but my feelings for him never faded.

When the Duke announced his honeymoon stay in Rhodes, I seized the opportunity. The council would undoubtedly expect me to monitor the Duke. I contacted Theo, my superior. "The Duke and Duchess are here. Should I proceed with the assassination?" I inquired.

"Of course," Theo replied coldly. "The Silver Spears are counting on you, Luca. Do not fail us."

Iris and I had been ordered to invite the Duke and Duchess to our residence, intending to eliminate them there. When they declined our invitation, Iris proposed a different plan. She produced a small white case, instantly recognizable as the one given to us by the Grand Chancellor upon joining the Silver Spears.

"Death pills? What are we supposed to do, shove them down their throats?" I snapped, my frustration with Iris boiling over. Seeing Phillip with anyone else, romantic or not, had always ignited a jealous rage within me.

Iris's face fell, sadness tinging her eyes. "I thought we could put them in some wine," she suggested hesitantly. "We could send them a gift basket. Didn't you say the Duke was known to drink?"

Despite my anger, I realized her idea had merit. "I'm sorry, my love," I said, softening my tone. "A lot is riding on this success." I patted her hand reassuringly, though her smile remained tinged with hurt.

We arranged for the wine to be laced with the deadly pills, collaborating with a local shop to ensure it was done discreetly.

Now, as I stared at my phone, my hand trembled. I selected Theo's contact and pressed the call button.

"Tell me you have good news, Luca," Theo demanded when he answered.

"Our plan had to change," I admitted, my voice steady despite my turmoil. "Their guard is dead. I will finish this in the morning, Theo. I promise."

"Do not fail us again, Luca," Theo warned, his voice cold and menacing. "Or we will have other plans for you and your family."

"You can count on me..." But the line had already gone dead. I needed a new plan, and quickly.

I rose from my chair and strode out of my office to the den, my Beta, James, trailing behind me. "Gather the men," I commanded, my voice sharp and authoritative. He obeyed without question.

Once my pack had assembled, I stood before them, the weight of leadership bearing down on me. "Brothers, our plan is not lost. We have a new opportunity to strike in the morning!" My words echoed through the den, met with howls of approval as excitement surged among my pack.

"We know their location, and with their guard dead, we have an opening. We will form two teams to intercept them. Tomorrow, we bring down the arms of tyranny and take a significant step toward the end of the monarchy. Tomorrow, we avenge our brothers and sisters who have perished because of their senseless wars. We fight for our people, who have been left in the dirt and trampled on by the nobles. Tomorrow, we reclaim what is rightfully ours, starting with the death of the Duke and Duchess."