Mated to the Beast of the Wasteland (Gillian and Merrick) novel Chapter 278

Chapter 278 I’m Actually Planning to Die

Chapter 278 I’m Actually Planning to Die

“Merrick will run the operation,” Gillian said.

She wasn’t giving Tristan any room to spin fantasies.

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She dipped her head and shot a message to Lucian. “I heard the Lawson and Sterling families had an arranged bond going way back, with a chain as proof. Tristan’s got it. Freya’s the only one in the Sterling family still unattached. So what do you think?”

She knew the signal was spotty and the message might lag before it reached him, but she’d always had a feeling Lucian carried something for Freya. If he did, he could deal with Tristan himself.

After she hit send, she felt ten pounds lighter. She even looked at Tristan curled up in Elara’s lap and didn’t find him irritating anymore. Someone else was about to make his life difficult.

Merrick caught her little move and guessed exactly what she’d done. The corner of his mouth tugged up. He wasn’t going to waste energy on that little fox. If Lucian didn’t handle it, he’d ship the brat somewhere far away soon enough.

He stood and started laying out the plan he and Gillian had built. “This time, none of them walk away,” he said.

By the night of the 30th, the Chelone Warship had torn across the sky at full burn and finally hit the base.

Dominic hauled a metal coffin through the door and set it down in front of Elara. “Captain Sterling, your mate’s here,” he said.

Elara looked down. Maddox was locked rigid, like a statue, only his eyes moving. They were fixed on her with a stare that could’ve stripped the flesh right off your bones. A cold wave rolled through her.

Merrick has got to be kidding. He actually dragged this thing here.

“Commander, what exactly are you planning to do with him? Use him to find me?” She let the disdain drip from her voice. “If I’d been waiting for him to save me, those crimson hides would’ve turned me into sludge by now.”

Merrick gave her a flat look and waved everyone else out. “Leave us,” he said.

Dominic headed for the door, and Elara, her face cool, turned and followed.

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Chapter 278 I’m Actually Planning to Die

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Gillian moved to go with her, but Merrick caught her arm. “Gillian, you stay.” His voice was low and didn’t leave room for argument.

“Alright.” She remembered the last time she’d tried to hear the story of him and Maddox. She’d passed out. This time, she was staying awake.

The room emptied until only the three of them were left.

The metal case holding Maddox had an auto-feeder and self-cleaning, so after thirteen days locked up, he was still clean.

Merrick opened the case and, ignoring the murder in Maddox’s stare, pressed the paralysis antidote into his neck.

“Maddox, I’ve got a job for you. You going to do it?” he asked.

Thirteen days without speaking. The first thing that crawled up Maddox’s throat was a burning desire to curse Merrick and his entire bloodline straight to hell.

“Why don’t you just drop dead?” he spat.

“You read my mind. I’m actually planning to die.” Merrick’s voice was flat.

Maddox went silent.

What the hell is he playing at?

“If you’re gonna die, do it fast, and let me out first.”

Merrick lifted his hand. A warding token lay in his palm; up close, a faint glow traced the letters “Mad” along its edge.

“This was my mother’s. You’ve worn it around your neck for years. Late at night, in the dark, does it ever feel like she’s squeezing the life out of you?” Merrick asked.

The second that token appeared, Maddox went completely still.

“Right. Forgot who I was talking to. A soulless thing like you wouldn’t care about a warding token.” Merrick closed his fingers around it.

“What do you want?” Maddox’s voice cracked with something that almost sounded like surrender.

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