Chapter 65: This is the beginning of the end
Keion Pov
This is not going to be good. This is not going to be good at all.
"Torin, why are you here? If you haven’t noticed, I’m not in the mood to talk or see you right now," Oril growls, his voice sharp, his eyes flashing with fury. He still hasn’t forgiven Torin for going public about Lorali, and I don’t think he ever will. None of us can forgive Torin after the stunt he pulled.
"Oh, well you better make yourself be in the mood to talk to me if you don’t want a broken jaw this time, to go with those dead vocals," Torin spits, his words venomous.
I nearly gasp at the insult. It’s a cruel jab that is aimed at Oril’s greatest wound. Torin must be truly enraged. But why now? What could have prompted this? The two haven’t spoken since the fight, and yet Torin’s anger burns hotter than ever.
Just as I’m caught in my thoughts, I freeze. A familiar scent of Vanilla drifts into the room from behind Torin. My chest tightens. Lorali. She’s here. Why?
"Torin, for everyone’s sake, stop with the threats and tell me what you’ve done now without consulting the rest of us, who you clearly don’t respect as your pack," Oril scoffs, his tone dripping with disdain. Walter tugs at his sleeve, probably trying to calm him down before this explodes into another fight. I pray it doesn’t. Oracle and Augi aren’t here to help break it up, and if it comes down to me and Walter, we’ll be useless against two raging Alphas. If Torin doesn’t stop, Oril could die tonight.
"Oh, okay. Mind telling me why you told my mother to whip Lorali!" Torin shouts, his voice echoing through the room like thunder.
Walter and I share shocked glances, his eyes wide, silently asking if I know what Torin is talking about. I shake my head firmly, refusing.
"Bullshit! I never did that. Who even told you that?" Oril shouts back, tugging his arm away from Walter, his face twisted in disbelief.
"Oh please, stop the lies. Lorali already told me all your crimes," Torin sneers, crossing his arms as he steps closer to Oril. His movement exposes Lorali’s small figure behind him. She looks nervous and fragile, her eyes darting like a trapped animal.
What a way to see her again after her disappearance. I expected to find a traumatized little omega, broken and radiating fear. But that’s not what I see. She looks freer than before, her hair longer and fuller, her skin fairer, her presence more radiant despite the bandages and cast. She looks like what an omega should look like.
"I’m sorry, Master Oril. I didn’t mean to tell him... it... it... I’m sorry."
Master. The word rings in my ears, heavy and feeling wrong. Tears stream down Lorali’s face, her gaze locked to the ground. My heart pounds as I look from Oril to Lorali and back again. Did Oracle really tell Yurena to beat her?
"I did not tell Yurena to beat her. I didn’t!" Oril shouts, his hands flying up in desperation, his voice cracking as he tries to defend himself. Torin laughs, the sound sharp and chilling, sending a shiver down all our spines. "So now, instead of manning up to your bullshit, you’re trying to excuse Lorali of lying?"
His words hang heavy. I wonder if Lorali is lying? It doesn’t make sense. Why would she?
"Because she is lying, Torin! She is lying. I never told your mother to do anything!" Oril exhales, his voice rapid, his chest heaving, his fists clenched at his sides.
Walter steps forward, his voice trembling. "I think we all need to calm—"
"Stay out of this, Walter. No one is talking to you," Torin snaps, his gaze cutting toward Walter like a blade. Walter cowers under the weight of his Alpha’s dominance, his shoulders curling inward, his breath catching. Shit. Torin is exerting his Alpha dominance on Walter, pressing him down with sheer force of presence.
"You can’t talk to Walter like that. Fix your tongue before I make you lose it," Oril threatens, stepping forward, placing himself between Walter and Torin. His stance is protective, his voice trembling with fury.
"There’s the beast," Torin sneers, his tone dripping with contempt. "The beast that caused Lorali’s back to be riddled with whip lashes. Your judgment when it comes to Walter is pathetic. I’m not surprised you’d stoop to something like this."
"I could say the same thing about you. Your judgment is clouded the moment your fated mate is involved!" Oril fires back. Fated? My mind reels. WHAT? "Torin is fated to Lorali!?" I shout, my voice cracking with disbelief.
Oril nods, his jaw tight. "Yeah, he is. But he didn’t want any of you to know for some reason."
I see Walter stumble back, his face pale, his body trembling. He collapses into the ornamental chair, mumbling under his breath, words too broken to catch. I rush to him, kneeling before pulling him into my arms. "It’s okay, baby. I’m right here," I murmur, holding him close, trying to steady his shaking frame.
"Did saying that make you feel less guilty for your crimes? Are you satisfied now?" Torin’s voice cuts through the room unbothered that he was just exposed.
"I told you. I did not do it!" Oril growls, his fists balling, his teeth clenched so tightly I can hear the grind.
"Pathetic." That’s the last word Torin spits before Oril finally snaps. His fist slams into Torin’s cheek, the sound echoing like a crack of thunder. He grabs Torin by the collar, shaking him violently. "I did not do it!" he roars, his voice breaking.
Oddly, Torin doesn’t fight back. He just looks down at Oril, his gaze filled with scorn, his eyes cold and distant as if he has given up on Oril. He doesn’t raise a hand, doesn’t fight back at all. I don’t know if it’s because Lorali is clutching one of his arms, her small fingers digging into his sleeve, or if he truly doesn’t want to fight back.
"When I came here, the only thing I wanted was to make you feel the same pain Lorali did," Torin says, his voice low and steady which is terrifying. "But now I see there is no greater punishment than for you to continue living, knowing you are the cause of her wounds. You had a hand in an omega’s suffering. To know you are a monster. You are disgusting. And I will not have an Alpha like you as my second."
Torin shoves Oril’s hands away with his free arm. "You are done. You are not needed as my second anymore. Do whatever you want with your life. Die in that music studio for all I care."
With that, Torin turns leaving the room and Lorali trails behind him, her hand clasped in his, she takes one look back and mouths a sorry before disappearing into the hallway.
Oril collapses to the ground, his knees hitting the floor with a dull thud. "I didn’t do it," he murmurs, again and again, tears spilling down his face, his voice breaking into pathetic sobs.
I don’t know if he is truly responsible for what Lorali and Torin accused him of. Why would Lorali lie? Why? And yet, I can’t believe Oril is capable of something so vile. But what I think doesn’t matter anymore.
My pack is in shambles. Worse than before Lorali returned. Our ex second, Oril, is crying on the floor, accused of the unspeakable. Walter is still in shock, his mind shattered by the revelation that Lorali is Torin’s fated.
This is the beginning of the end for Spade. I feel it in my bones. And I don’t even know how we got here.