59. Deacon

My fist launches, barely missing his jaw as we dance around each other. He bobs, ducking my advances, with a smirk on his face. The crowd noises fade to the background as I focus on the fight in front of me, tuning the world out.

Giovanni: About that…

He sends before striking out his foot.

I narrowly avoid the takedown, trying to stay a step ahead while wondering what he means. My kick goes just wide of his shoulder, launching me nearly behind him as he sends the next part of his message. His eyes lock on mine, a sick smile pasted there.

Giovanni: It"s pathetic, really, the way you've spent your life trying to gain my affection. Haven't you ever wondered why I look at you the way I do?

A fist flies at my chin, grazing my jaw as I lean out of the way just in time.

What the fuck is he talking about?

Deacon: I don't care how you look at me. In a minute, you will look up at me from the floor.

I send back, diving at his middle and using my momentum to knock him to the mat. He lands with a hard thud, my shoulder driving into his abs. I attempt to press my forearm into his neck as he continues.

Giovanni: Your whore of a mother thought she could fool me, but I knew the minute you were born that you weren't mine.

Not his?

That's not possible. There aren't any other…

His elbow connects with my rib, cracking it as I lose focus.

Fuck!

That hurt.

I release my grip, rolling to the side and popping up on my feet, crouched and prepared for his attack, but he pauses, using the time to send another message.

Giovanni: tsk tsk, I taught you better than that. Your father should be ashamed of the pitiful waste you've become. Fighting me because you are sad over a girl.

He knows about Grace…

Recognition flashes in his eyes, and I know my mask has slipped, giving away my shock. His laughter echoes in my mind, raising my anger and causing me to surge forward right into his fist. I barely feel the contact as blood drops from my nose.

Deacon: You're lying. You wouldn't have let her live if she'd been with someone else.

Giovanni: Now boy, think, I couldn't exactly out my Luna. That makes me look weak—an Alpha who can't control his own wife. So I claimed you, punished her, and forced her loyalty through you.

Deacon: But I'm an Alpha, like you.

Giovanni: Yes, that information told me exactly who your father was. There are not many of those hanging around. It's never the ones closest to you from whom you expect betrayal.

He snarls at the end of the mind link, and I duck, avoiding his next attack. I read his eyes as I try to process the information and filter it to see if it could be true.

He's not my father.

The ones closest…

My eyes flip up to the council, locking on Frank's immediately.

No fucking way.

Giovanni: Not as dumb as I thought you were.

Frank is my father.

As I think the words, his face drops, guilt evident as he realizes I know. His eyes flash to my mother just as Giovanni connects with my back, knocking me to my stomach, my chin hitting the floor.

Giovanni: Submit, boy, before I kill you for this charade. Save your pitiful life. You don't want my pack. A father who never claimed you, a mother who lied to you, a girl who betrayed you with your closest friend. Everyone who was supposed to love you chose not to. Chose to walk away and leave you. They chose a life without you.

His foot connects with my jaw on the last word, and I see stars. My head falls back as the truth of his words settles within me.

My wolf pushes against my control, but I won't give him satisfaction. I deserve to lose. He outplayed me, and he's absolutely right about everything except the part where I should save my life.

I don't want it.

There's nothing left for me here.

There's nothing left for me anywhere.

My eyes look over to Luca, sending him a silent apology. I know this will hurt him, but I no longer care. He has a pack to run; he doesn't need me threatening his rule. I see his face register that I've given up, and panic flares as he yells, his cries blending in with the cheering crowd.

Rolling over, I spit out the blood pooling in my mouth and stand. Realizing he's basking in what he assumes is his win. I square my shoulders and smile the same sinister grin he's given me over the years, causing him to pause momentarily, unsure of my intentions.

"Your own brother fucked your Luna behind your back, your wolf wasn't strong enough to defeat the old Alpha without blackmailing him into submission, and now you'll be killed by the bastard son you raised because you are nothing but a pathetic excuse for an Alpha," I shout out loud, causing a gasp through the crowd.

Without hesitation, he shifts, his coffee-colored wolf snarling where he once stood, and I wait for his attack, holding my wolf back with everything I have.

I accept my Fate.

As he launches, my heart betrays me one final time, and my eyes slide to Grace just as she screams the word ‘no,' and Marcus curls her into his chest to prevent her from having to witness my death.

I'm sorry, Tails. I can't live in a world without you.

It's my final thought before I'm knocked to the ground.