Chapter 426: Justice in His Hands

Orion froze, the words still echoing in his head.

His eyes widened sharply. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow down to that single statement. He turned to Ronan, urgency sharp in his gaze. "Wait. Darius... he was here?"

Ronan nodded, his expression steady but his jaw tight, as if the weight of his actions were still settling in. "He was."

Orion’s gaze sharpened, voice dropping to a low, incredulous tone. "The Darius you killed... is that the same Darius who killed Ryker... your brother... and your mother?"

Ronan swallowed, the memory of blood and screams flickering across his features. His hands clenched slightly at his sides, but he held Orion’s gaze. "Yes," he said quietly. "The same."

Orion’s chest tightened. The anger, the years of grief, the relentless vengeance that Darius had sown in Ronan’s life—it all pressed down, heavy and almost unbearable. He placed a firm hand on Ronan’s shoulder, squeezing gently. "It’s been due for a long time, Ronan. He deserved everything that came to him."

Ronan exhaled slowly, but there was no relief in his eyes—only the weight of truth and the lingering emptiness that even revenge couldn’t erase. "I... I don’t feel happy, Orion," he admitted, voice low and rough. "Not really. Even after killing him."

Orion shook his head, though a small, approving smile curved at his lips. "You don’t have to feel happiness, Ronan. Satisfaction... maybe that’s enough. You’ve balanced the scales. That man—he was responsible for so much suffering, for the deaths of innocents and family alike. The pain he caused... it doesn’t erase the past, but at least it helps to know he can’t do it to someone else."

Ronan’s eyes flicked downward, considering the words. Then he gave a small, almost humorless chuckle. "I’ll admit... there’s a slight sense of relief. A part of me feels... satisfied. But it’s hollow."

Orion nodded. "I understand. I feel satisfied too. Not because death is sweet, not because revenge heals, but because the man who was part of those who led the enclave to destroy our pack, who caused all the destruction and death... is finally gone. That weight is lifted from your shoulders, and from everyone else’s. It doesn’t undo the past, but it closes a Chapter. That’s enough for now."

Gregory, who had been standing nearby with his arms crossed, tilted his head and finally spoke. "I’m glad it was you, who killed him, Ronan. Especially after what Darius did to your family. No one else would have deserved it more."

Ronan gave a brief, dry laugh. "You’ve never liked him either, have you?"

Gregory’s lips twitched into a smirk. "With good reason," he said simply, then laughed lightly, shaking his head. "From the moment he got his wolf, I knew he was trouble. You didn’t need to tell me to be wary."

Orion chuckled quietly, the tension easing just slightly. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Gregory turned to Orion, his expression shifting into curiosity. "But... how is it that the trainees helped? How did you all even know we needed the help? And what are you guys doing around..."

Ronan cut him off with a sharp hand gesture. "This is not the time for questions like that, Gregory. You’ll have answers soon enough. For now, let’s focus on the aftermath. Everyone’s alive, mostly. That’s enough for the moment."

Gregory nodded reluctantly, though his eyes still held a spark of intrigue. He glanced briefly toward Orion. "I’ll go check on the trainees. Most of them just put up a brave front. I can tell they were scared, and... well, someone needs to make sure they’re actually okay. I’ll join Ethan and handle that."

Orion inclined his head, a silent acknowledgment. "Good. Keep them safe. Report back any issues immediately."

"Of course," Gregory replied.

"Where’s the captive?" Orion asked him.

"He’s with Sam. She’s watching over him in case he tries anything," Gregory replied.

Ronan’s voice cut in, steady but low. "There are some other people here too. Strange people. A little girl is with them. They were just roped into the attack. While you talk with the captive, I’ll speak to them, figure out who they are, what their connection is, and why they were in Nirvana of all places." He told Orion.

Orion nodded, his expression unreadable, then motioned with a hand. "Good. Then we all have our tasks. Let’s move."

Gregory immediately began heading toward Ethan, who was with Dren and Joren—both still on the ground, breathing heavily, arms shaking from the intensity of the fight. Every movement they made was tentative, as if the energy and adrenaline that had driven them earlier had finally left them, leaving exhaustion in its wake.

Ronan moved toward the young man and the small group accompanying him, the girl clutching the young man’s sleeves.

Orion, meanwhile, approached Sam and the bound enclave member. The frown on Sam’s face deepened as they drew closer. The captive was quiet, unyielding, the weight of the situation pressing down visibly on him. Orion’s presence was deliberate, composed, each step measured. His eyes never left the captive, assessing, calculating, silently establishing control of the situation without a single word.

The captive just stared with wide eyes as Orion approached. It was only then that Orion realized that the captive was the same person he and Sophia had passed by when they were running into the cave.

The man looked young.

Orion crouched down and stared at the captive.

"You work with Victoria, don’t you?" Orion asked him.

The man nodded.

"What’s your name?"

"K... Kairen," he stammered.

Orion nodded. "Kairen, I just need you to answer my questions."

Kairen nodded nervously. He was the only one in his group who remained. Everyone else was dead. One Skylur and Trihydra had eaten Kyle, sharing him between themselves. Kairen could still hear Kyle’s screams in his ears.

He was so frozen in shock that he had no idea he was even screaming until someone else from the pack had taken the Kylur down—the huge man with the axe.

Kairen didn’t even know that people fought with axes; in their pack, there were only two weapons used: a sword or a bow and arrow. Kairen knew, even without being told, that the person who was speaking to him right now was the alpha of the pack. He suspected it was the pack in the North that Victoria and everyone in his pack hated.

"Why are you here?" Orion asked Kairen.