Mated to the Mad Lord-Chapter 52: Back to bed

Lord Javi had just settled back in his favorite chair, a glass of thick crimson liquid in hand, a self-satisfied grin spreading across his face. Reaching for his phone, he dialed a number, the anticipation visible in his expression.

But before the line could connect, a deafening boom echoed through the air. The ground beneath him shook violently, throwing him to the floor as if the entire structure teetered on the brink of collapse.

Despite the chaos, there was no trace of fear on Javi’s face. Dusting himself off, he climbed to his feet, his grin never faltering. Straightening his clothes with a casual air, he made his way toward the door, his steps unhurried.

Guards were already assembled outside, their postures rigid with tension. Javi waved them away, signaling for only the head of his guard to follow.

"It’s a bomb! There’s nothing natural about this!" Horis, his head guard, exclaimed, his voice tight with urgency.

Javi shot him an annoyed glare, the sharpness of it enough to silence the man instantly. Lowering his head, Horis fell into step behind Javi, knowing better than to push his luck.

When the elevator reached the topmost floor, leading from the underground bunker to what remained of the mansion, Javi’s smile widened. He stepped out, his boots crunching against the debris as he surveyed the devastation with unrestrained delight.

The once-grand mansion was nothing more than rubble, completely obliterated. Smoke and ash filled the air, mingling with the faint stench of charred flesh. Dead servants—both human and Red—littered the area, their lives snuffed out in the attack.

"This is definitely Cain’s work! He sent it as payback!" Horis growled, his frustration evident.

"We can get him for this!" he added quickly. "There’s no proof that we sent the one in his district, but—"

"We’ll do no such thing," Javi interrupted, waving him off with a dismissive hand. "It’s better to let him think he’s won, to give him a false sense of security. Stirring the Council of Werewolves into action would only complicate things."

His gaze turned calculating as he took another sip from the glass he had brought with him, his smirk deepening. "And why would I want to mess up relations with the Council of Reds? I have an image to uphold, Horis."

Raising the glass to his lips once more, Javi grimaced at the taste. With an irritated grunt, he tossed the glass aside, letting the thick red liquid splash onto the ground. Turning to Horis, he issued a sharp command.

"Get ready for the main attack. Cain will let his guard down after this—it’s the perfect time to strike."

Horis hesitated, clearly troubled by the ruthlessness of the order, but he nodded and retreated to carry it out.

Javi didn’t spare a second glance at the carnage or the servants who had died. Instead, he returned to his bunker, back to the same room he had been in before. Calmly, he picked up his phone, redialing the number. This time, his expression was sharp, his voice tinged with arrogance as the call connected.

"I thought you said you had a short leash on that big dog of yours!" Javi spat into the receiver, disapproval clear in his tone.

The person on the other end of the line remained silent for a long moment, letting Javi’s words hang in the air, as he continued to speak, "Then why is it that my mansion and everyone in it have been completely destroyed? I had some pretty precious things, you know."

"You attacked him. What were you expecting?" came the biting response. "If you’re going to make a big deal out of it, you should already have a bigger plan in place."

"Still, shouldn’t you—"

"We’re not allies, Javi. Merely partners of convenience for a very short period of time. Unless you want me to escalate this to the Council of Werewolves, there’s no reason for this conversation to continue."

Javi’s grin faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "No! I want this added to Cain’s sins. After I defeat him, I want him removed as District Lord. You can put whomever you want in his place, but he’s a loose cannon. Honestly, I’d prefer it if he were dead."

"He’s my nephew. I need him alive."

"To control him? You’ve had years to do that," Javi countered smoothly. "And you’ve failed."

"If you kill him, our partnership is over, and you’ll wish you were dead," the voice on the other side warned, the words sharp and deliberate.

Javi chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "We both know you can’t touch me. Not if you—"

The line went dead mid-sentence.

"He really is too temperamental," Javi muttered, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. Reaching for a fresh glass, he poured himself another drink, his thoughts swirling.

’I refuse to let you control him if I can’t,’ he thought darkly, knowing that tipping the balance of power in Eldric’s favor would be a grave mistake.

Cain had to wait an hour before he could stand and another before the most serious of his wounds were bandaged. His body still ached, but he moved with the controlled demeanor of a man who refused to show weakness.

The guards bowed as he walked into the mansion, his gait steady and purposeful. To any observer, he appeared completely fine, his injuries almost unnoticeable.

But the moment he entered his quarters and closed the door behind him, his legs trembled. His newly healed bones protested, and he clung to the doorframe to steady himself.

The effort it took to maintain his composure was immense, but Cain didn’t falter. His gaze shifted to the bed, where the man he expected waited silently. Heat burned through Cain’s veins as his beast stirred restlessly, clawing for control.

It didn’t matter that he had only shifted a few hours ago. The curse was relentless. As fast as he could, Cain moved toward the bathroom, his steps heavy with exhaustion. He needed to wash off the blood and grime clinging to him before diving into bed where he needed to be.