The Almighty Dominance

Chapter 425

The shot tore through Alfred's shoulder. He folded, a raw sound ripping from his chest.

Jessica's scream tore through the air, raw and panicked, her eyes locked on her husband as crimson spread across his shirt like wildfire.

"How dare you shoot him? He's Jasmine Kingston's father-Governor of Los Angeles."

The guard's lip curled. He fired again into Alfred's other shoulder without hesitation. "Tell me I don't have the nerve," he said.

"Say it, and I'll keep firing until he's dead. The only reason I haven't killed you both is because you're a governor's family," he added coldly. "Otherwise you'd already be dead."

Jessica's face went white with fury and shame.

"How dare you!" she spat, lunging at the guard with flailing arms.

The guard didn't hesitate. He fired into Jessica's arms and both thighs. She collapsed, limbs useless, a scream tearing from her throat.

"I told you don't move."

"You shot a woman?" Alfred gasped through the intake of pain.

"What? Not agree? Then I'll shoot a man," the guard said, and emptied his pistol into Alfred's arms and both knees.

"I heard you order your general to move the troops and shoot innocent people - you should feel that pain too."

Alfred moaned, pain ripping through him as he crumpled to the floor.

"You'll die for this!" he roared, voice raw and broken. "I'm the governor-Los Angeles, Vancouver-who the hell do you think you are? You'll answer for this. Mark my words: your whole family will die!"

The guard stepped close, calm as a judge. He intoned, almost chanting, "Only to the True Source do I bow. I fear neither gods nor demons."

He slapped Alfred hard across the face.

The crack of the blow snapped something awake inside Alfred—an oath remembered from his first Kingswell initiation.

"You-" Alfred stammered, raw panic blooming. "You're with the Kingswell."

The guard drove a fist into Alfred's nose. Bone splintered; blood poured down his

lip.

"The king sends a message," the guard hissed.

"How dare you strike Jasmine until her throat nearly broke. If you kill her, the Kingston line-three generations up and down-will be erased."

"You and your family only live because Jasmine lives," he said, hammering Alfred's face again.

"Who do you think you are, acting like this? If the king wants you gone, you and Logan can be killed at any moment. You're not mighty. You're nothing."

The guard's slap cracked like a board. Alfred's front teeth shattered and rained down across his bleeding lip.

"Next time, you ungrateful bastard," the guard spat, pressing his boot into Alfred's face.

"Learn gratitude. Keep that arrogant face hidden. And if anything happens to Jessica again, you won't live to regret it—you'll be dead."

Alfred was a wreck of pain and disbelief.

the blows. Ambition and defiance-every plan to defy the king-drowned under the roar of agony and

forgotten, for a breath, the reach of the

courts alike. He could erase Alfred and Logan

outmaneuver a throne. Now he felt exposed, small as a mouse beneath a boot. Mercy, he realized, had been a trap dressed

close, voice low and hard as stone. "Remember to be humble if you want to survive, Alfred Kingston. You are nowhere near as big as you think

the dirt with a force that could have

felt the world narrow-breath shallow, pain flaring—and knew if he didn't act now,

I'm sorry," Alfred croaked at

kick, then stepped back. "Doctor — take them to the hospital. The king has warned; let this be their final lesson. If they don't learn, there'll be no place left for

off,

no longer held a place for them either. He had watched his father fall—watched power collapse in the span of

comes, it comes

had to disappear before the search for the

Keaton Knight dropped to one knee before Alex, his face

said. "I apologize for my daughter's actions. My line has served the Majestic

"Kelly is like a sister to me. She's free to act, and I won't hold

master," Keaton answered, relief

digging for answers. I need someone I trust to hold this country steady-use it as a base to reach others. Can you

my command," Keaton said,

ordered. "Raise it. Keep the peace. I'll move to the level

Keaton bowed low.

squared, and

Angeles, cutting through the darkness toward Vancouver,

belongs to s

away outside the

gravel.

mind was racing. If he truly meant to leave the country, to step into the wider world, then someone had

to watch over

men like Samuel and Keaton the strongest in the land after

belongs to s

think of children-an heir to carry the line

was gone.

mother and father, he wanted to face them with pride, knowing their bloodline would not end

all the women he'd known, only one came to mind.

radiant even in the darkest hours. She had been his light

of his being she'd make a good wife, a kind mother, a woman born

she was the best choice-her kindness had no

acquired. He held it in his palm, eyes steady With this, propose to Josephine-make her my wife, the

believed happiness could be waiting just beyond the

reached the clinic

the chair out

face lit up

is bright as

I've been waiting for you

sparkling.

a soft smile, reaching out to take her

their hands touched, he felt it—something stronger than

threading itself between

something to tell you," they both blurted at the same

surprised, staring at