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“Brings me blankets, water, and find the healer. Tell her what’s going on, and close the door on your way out.” Grady nods at my command and exits with another shifter, Elton, one of the older elite ten. They’re in here now, too, surrounding my aunt and Timoth who share nervous glances. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know what she’s told you.” Aunt Theresa swallows, dusting the front of her dress. “You know this pains me, Xadiel, but my sister is—”
“The truth.”
“Why can’t you see that witch is lying to you?” There are tears in her eyes, but they don’t fall. Her bottom lip trembles, too. “They want us fighting. This is how they defeat you.”
Not us shifters. Just me.
Nothing from the ex-beta, though. He’s gone mute and reeks of fear, shifting from foot to foot.
“Last chance, Theresa. Tell me.”
She never gets a chance to answer because a few seconds later Isabella moves toward the way she eyed earlier. It’s across from the dais, in perfect view from me, and everyone turns to watch her move. Her slim hand skims across the stone wall, touching all crevices, and the closer to the bottom left she gets, Timoth moves.
One foot at first and then another, backing away from Theresa.
Put him on his knees.
Osmund, another elite, lands a swift kick, and the crack of a knee shattering is loud in the room. His cry follows, the curse of a pathetic wolf that I ignore. As his king and alpha, it hurts me to see one of my kind hurt, but his treachery can’t be forgiven or ever forgotten.
So I walk away and stop beside my mate.
She’s breathing hard again; I see the tremble of her hand. Her body sways and lips move, fingers skimming over a particular area and then her head tilts to the side and she taps a piece of stone. Just one light hit and there’s a hollow sound.
It’s low and subtle, but my ears catch it. So do the others.
“Found it.”
Everything goes quiet. No one so much as moves, but my aunt tries one last plea. “Xadiel, please stop this! It’s a trap…that Wiccan whore put it there to end you all.”
“Silence.” My command thunders in the room and all bare their neck; I’m in her face before she has a chance to move with my hand around her neck. Shock flashes across her face, a scream caught in her throat, but I raise my other hand to her mouth and cover it. Bring us nose to nose. “One more word about my mate, and I’ll snap your neck where you stand. I won’t warn you again.”
“Son,” Dad calls out and when I turn my face, there’s an open door where a solid wall stood. The opening isn’t large, the landing even smaller, but my mate steps through without pause. My father follows, the steps leading them Gods know where and I follow, releasing Theresa before pushing her forward.
“No one in or out. Cain, come with me.”
“Yes, Alpha King.”
Cain quickly falls into step before I’m in the doorway, but the howl of relief changes that. We’re flying down the narrow stairway, forcing Theresa down first and she yells the entire time. Begging. Pleading. I ignore it all until we reach the bottom and come face to face with a heartbreaking sight.
My mother, frail and bruised, is in chains attached to wooden beams. It’s silver; the burns on her wrist are red and open with a severe infection. She’s crying, hiccupping breaths of relief while my father rips the bonds off and catches her in his arms.
He’s whispering to her. Crying. And through it all my mate watches them with a wistful expression. Happy yet sad.
She will never forgive me.
“Sister, what have they done to you!” Theresa reacts as one would expect, but you can’t fake the way my mum recoils or the hatred in her eyes. Eyes that shift around the room before finding mine, her hand extended out toward me. “Do you not recognize me?”
“Take another step and I’ll kill you,” my father growls, warning her. Cain yanks my aunt back by the arm and pins her against the wall.
Get her upstairs until we decide what to do.
On it. And Xadiel, this is a blessing from the Goddess.
“My pup,” Mum whispers, and I close the link, her voice hoarse and lips chapped. It’s the sweetest sound and I’m beside her in an instant, placing my forehead on her shoulder while being careful of her injuries. Dad releases another howl, low and happy this time, and I mimic the sound. As do Cain and the others upstairs, billowing their joyful sounds throughout the house and outside gardens.
You can feel the palpable relief. The utter peace this brings our kingdom.
