Claiming Emerald: Four Alphas At Her Feet
Chapter 94: Octavian...

Chapter 94: Octavian...

Emerald stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she took in the bloodied form chained to the ground.

His head lolled to one side, mouth twitching with mumbled pleas. One eye was completely swollen shut, and his lips were cracked and bleeding.

She knew that face. "Wait a second..." she muttered. "That’s Octavian."

Nessa gave a curt nod. "One of the lower council members. He mostly handles distribution between border sectors."

"He’s not even a high Lord," Emerald murmured. "What the hell is he doing here? What happened?"

Nessa crossed her arms tightly. "One of the medics was doing routine rounds when he heard some noise in the morgue. According to him, it sounded like metal clattering, like a tray being dropped.

"He went in to check, and that’s when he found our guy here, trying to pull Quince’s body out of storage."

"Was he armed?" Emerald asked.

"No. He just had gloves and tools with him, everything you’d expect for whatever he was trying to do. Looked like he was trying not to leave marks."

Emerald’s brow furrowed as she looked back at the trembling man on the floor. "That doesn’t make any sense. Why? What the hell could he possibly want with Quince’s corpse... especially now?"

Nessa looked just as baffled. ""We thought the same thing," she muttered. "He had no authority. No reason. Nothing to gain... except..."

They both turned to Octavian as he groaned and shifted, his manacled wrists jerking weakly against the silver chains. Blood was dripping from his nose and the corner of his mouth. His lips moved, mumbling incoherent pleas.

"I’m sorry..." he whimpered. "Please... I didn’t want to... I have children..."

Emerald knelt down beside him, keeping her expression neutral. "Octavian."

He flinched like her voice burned him.

She leaned in slightly. "Explain. Now."

Nothing... he was still murmuring, like hr was speaking to himself alone.

Emerald’s voice came out sharp. "Speak clearly. What do you mean you didn’t want to?"

Octavian coughed. "He made me. Quince... he... he said he’d hurt my family if I didn’t do what he said."

"He’s dead," Nessa snapped. "You’re not making sense."

"I know," Octavian choked out. "But before... he threatened me. Told me there was something I had to get if anything ever happened to him. I didn’t know she’d be involved..."

Emerald’s eyes narrowed. "She?"

"I thought it would be over after Quince... I thought..." Octavian shook his head, clearly delirious. "But she came too. She gave me instructions. She said... she said if I didn’t do it, she’d finish what Quince started. Please, Alpha... I have a wife. Kids. I didn’t... I didn’t want to..."

Emerald felt a sinking feeling in her chest as she noticed Viola starting to react, her wolf instincts beginning to surface.

Still, she kept her voice calm. "Who?" she asked coldly. "Say her name."

Octavian whimpered again, but before he could respond, the door opened, and Darius stepped inside, a blanket thrown over his shoulders; his face was still pale, but his posture was strong.

Nessa was on him instantly. "Dad! You shouldn’t be out of bed!"

"I’ve been in bed long enough," Darius said calmly. "What the hell is going on?"

Emerald stepped toward him and explained all tyhat had happened in the past few days... the message when she returned, then Quince, and also the poison. "They caught him trying to steal Quince’s body."

Darius blinked. "What?"

Nessa nodded. "The bastard is Octavian."

Darius turned to the crumpled man on the floor. His expression dimmed with disappointment. "Damn it," he muttered. "Of all people..."

Emerald crossed her arms. "You know him well?"

"We trained together once," Darius said. "He wasn’t ambitious, just quiet and supposedly loyal."

"Loyal enough to betray a dead Elder?" Nessa spat.

Darius’s jaw clenched. He looked at the man on the floor. "Octavian."

The name landed like a slap, and Octavian whimpered.

After a tense pause, he spoke again. "I want to talk to him. Alone."

Emerald raised an eyebrow. "You sure that’s a good idea?"

"He won’t talk with you watching him like that."

Nessa shook her head. "Dad, no. You’re not strong enough yet."

"I’m strong enough," he snapped. "Please. Just give me a few minutes."

Emerald exchanged glances with Nessa, who looked reluctant but finally nodded. "Fine," she said. "But if you so much as wobble, I’m dragging your ass back to bed."

"Five minutes. We’ll be just outside."

They stepped out of the room, the door closing behind them with a heavy thud. In the hallway, the tension didn’t fade.

Ares leaned against the far wall, arms crossed. "So. What do you think?"

Emerald folded her arms. "I think the internal strife might finally be over. Octavian’s terrified. He’s ready to break."

"Good," Ares said. "But don’t celebrate yet."

She glanced at him. "Why?"

"Because the real war begins after the rats are flushed out. Power always shifts violently."

Emerald leaned her back against the wall, closing her eyes for a beat. Her thoughts drifted without warning, back to the car. His hand on her waist, his voice in her ear.

She opened her eyes and looked at him sideways. "Why didn’t you do anything?"

Ares raised an eyebrow. "In the car?"

She simply nodded.

He quirked a brow. "Should I have?"

"No. I just... You could have pushed," she said. "Violated that moment."

"Yeah, I could have," he agreed readily. "But I won’t."

Emerald tilted her head. "Why not?"

Ares leaned closer, his voice dropping low and sounding almost too calm. "You may think me wild... but I’d rather have my woman scream in bed than scream for me to stop."

Emerald’s breath caught.

He smirked. "I don’t take until it’s offered. And I know it will be. Soon."

Emerald stared at him, speechless, heat crawling up her neck. His words lingered in the air, like the sensation of wine... slow, warm, and a bit overwhelming.

She turned her head away quickly, trying to collect herself. Her heart thudded louder than she liked, and Viola hummed in her head

But thankfully, before she could respond, or worse, react, the door behind them creaked open.

Darius stepped out; his expression was grim but clear. "Come in. He’s ready to talk."

Emerald nodded, following him back into the room with Ares and Nessa close behind.

"He wants amnesty," Darius said. "Full protection for his family. He’ll give us everything. Names, locations, plans."

Emerald stood tall, her voice cool and steady. "So you’re ready to cooperate?"

"Yes," Octavian said quickly. "I’ll tell you everyone who was involved. I’ll give you names. I just want protection. Amnesty."

"We’ll discuss that later," Emerald replied. "But first, we need to understand your intentions." She stepped forward. "Tell me the truth. Why were you trying to steal the body?"

Octavian shook his head. "I wasn’t," he croaked. "You have it wrong. I wasn’t trying to steal the body..."

"Then what were you doing?" Nessa asked sharply.

"I was looking for something," he replied.

Emerald’s eyes narrowed. "Something?"

Octavian nodded, trembling. "A stone. Quince kept on him always."

Emerald’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of stone?"

He finally met her gaze, his face pale and his voice barely above a whisper. "One that goes far back... into the old wolf legacy."