Chapter 52

His little arm had a bruise, and he cried when I grabbed him, like he thought I was about to hurt him. “Shh, shh. What’s your name?” I ask him, yet he eyes Mrs. Daley, clearly petrified of the woman. He is all skin and bone, his big brown eyes had no light, his cheeks hollow and his eyes sunken in, his curly black hair sat on his shoulders and was matted and knotted.

which I thought was strange, however seeing a rogue child was more bizarre, and I had a feeling it was just for show in case the King stopped by. One thing is apparent – none of these children were cared for properly, and that really grinds my gears.

“Like he can’t, or he doesn’t know how?” I ask her. She shrugs, and her eyes dart to Mrs. Daley. It was clear she was scared of the woman.

“Mrs. Daley is leaving today. She is retiring. You can speak freely, she won’t hurt you,” I tell Kimmy. She bites her lip before scratching the back of her matted blonde hair.

“I heard Mrs. Daley fighting with Katrina. Katrina wanted to take him and his brother but Mrs. Daley wouldn’t let her.”

“He has a brother?”

“Had. We haven’t seen him for two days. He bit Mrs. Daley when she smacked Oliver,” Kimmy says, pointing to the boy in my arms.

“His name is Oliver?” Kimmy nods.

“The brother’s name?”

“Logan, Sir,” she says, and I nod.

“What about Katrina? Does she hurt you?” Kimmy shakes her head, and she looks at Mrs. Daley nervously, who stares ahead, looking out the window above the sink vacantly. She knew she had fucked up.

“Mrs. Daley had the butcher hurt Katrina for sticking up for them. He broke her arm, but she is ok now.”

“Kimmy, can you find some clothes and socks for Oliver?” I tell her, and she nods, holding her arms out for him. He goes to her, and she takes him upstairs while I turn Mrs. Daley’s wheelchair with my foot.

“Where is his brother?”

“The kid is a menace! He bit me like a savage!” she sneers.

“Where is the boy?” I snarl, and Liam glares at her before twisting his knife between his fingers in a warning.

“I would answer him. We don’t like child abusers. But you already know that,” Liam wams her, and she gulps.

“In the laundry room outside,” I growi, storming outside in search of it before finding it behind the shed. I could hear whimpering when I approached the wooden door. Pushing it open, I find another small boy inside a cage underneath the bench next to the washer. Anger courses through me as I bend down and snap the lock. He looks to be about Kimmy’s age, though he is freezing cold, and clearly bruised and battered.

“Did Mrs. Daley do this to you?” The boy shakes his head, moving to the back of the cage. “I won’t hurt you. I am here to help,” I tell him.

“My brother! Help my brother!” he whimpers, cringing away when I break the front door off and open the dog cage.

“Who put you in here? Did Katrina? I won’t hurt you, and I won’t let them hurt you.” I tell him while taking my jacket off. I drape it over his skinny frame, and he shakes his head.

“No, she tried to help me.”

“Who brought you out here, then? Daley couldn’t have. She wouldn’t have got down the back steps.”

“The Butcher did, Sir,” he says as he stares at my outstretched hand.

“Come on, you and your brother are coming home with me. I won’t hurt you, but I need you to come inside where it is warm. Liam is inside. You will like Liam, he is making pancakes,” I tell him. He hesitates before dropping his hand in mine, and I pull him from the small cage.

“How old are you?”

“Eight, Sir,” I nod before seeing his bare feet and scooping him up. I carry him inside before stepping into the kitchen.

I ask, noticing

went to get more flour,” Liam says, winking

the couch around him. I then went and got firewood and filled all the fireplaces, lighting

in just as I got the living room fireplace going. She was

13:35

Chapter 52

brown shoulder-length hair. The kids seem to like her, jumping around and trying to get her attention.

I stood up and stared

you?” she asks, looking at me nervously. She

there.

her head. “Mrs. Daley?” she

her, and she nods before her brows pinch, and she opens her mouth to say something before spotting Logan

am not Daley!” she spits at me, and I let her

rushes over and fusses over them. I sigh before walking to the

promoted to headmistress,” I tell her, and she nods. Walking to

hand?” Liam asks, and I look at him covered in

from the counter and opening the basement

down the stairs, her legs tangled in the wheelchair as she clawed

wanna hear you scream,” I tell her. Reaching down, I grip her hair and yank her head back. “And you will scream!” I

the bitch alive. Oh, how I loved hearing them scream. Although I could

hessian bag I found sitting beside it before looking at the old hag’s pelt hanging up on a hook from the ceiling, admiring my handiwork I head for the stairs with a shrug. The rickety old steps creak under my weight as I

her hands, a tea towel draped over her shoulder. She gives me a wary look and hesitates for a second, then hurries past me toward the small kitchen. I watch as she sets the plates on the bench beside Liam. He grabs

by the basement door. He

I thought you were trying on Mrs. Daley and wearing her skin as a suit with how long you were taking.” Liam laughs. Katrina stares

sending her a wink. I shake my head as he walks towards me when he stops at the door leading out to the

if it meant he would get away from her.

me anyway,” he says, chucking it over his

Katrina asks me when I turn to

air out for a bit,” I tell her, following Liam back through the place. I stop when I pass Oliver and Logan, who are both still sitting in the same spot, huddled underneath a blanket, watching the other children playing with

a few hours to pick you up. I have someone I want you both to

me,

him as he chews his lip while looking at his little brother. He nods, so I turn on my heel before walking

Liam and stepping over

you? This isn’t your pack, and we were called here about a disturbance.”

24.50%

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Chapter 52

on the food chain. So, I suggest you move along before you meet the real big bad wolf!” I snarl. Alpha Brock looks at Liam and me before focusing back on me and looking me up and

of us that you would be showing up. If we had known, we would have prepared for your arrival,” Alpha Dean adds,

have a butcher who needs butchering,” I tell them before smiling

why are you here?” Alpha

broke. Not one brain cell between the two of them,” Liam says,

will be leaving with me when I return. Touch them and you will be hanging alongside Mrs. Daley in the basement.”

shop in town. It just so happened to be in the small town square, and we received a few nervous glances as we climbed out and

back behind the till. Pushing through the hinged door beside the fridge display, I went out the back of the small store

pajama pants, his hair a mess and sticking up

was no way he would have been able to shift

Liam pulls on his lovely floral apron while I

to Liam, who obeys, rubbing his hands

his Adams apple. He gasps, clutching his throat. I take a fistful of his hair and slam his head into the steel

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