The fire in his father's eyes vanished, his wolf’s presence drew back into his mind, disappearing from the surface completely as silence took over the room.
“I did it for us.” His father's shoulders dropped. “For you, for her. For all of us!”
“Including your antics to keep me trapped in the Human Realm till my death? You lied to me that the Elders would summon me home, but a Moon passed, and nothing! Was that for me too, father? Did you do that for me?”
The Alpha shrugged. “You have become a burden. You wreak havoc everywhere you go. Unfortunately, you are here now.” He chuckled, a sound devoid of humour. “It would have been good riddance.”
As much as Ikrus had grown a tough sink to his Father's usual words, these ones seemed to hurt differently. They went past his hardened surface and sank straight into his heart. “I don’t deserve that, I did nothing to you.”
The Alpha sank into his throne. “You were dividing my army!”
Ikrus chuckled, darkly. “I did no such thing but earned their respect as their General. You are just scared that I might seek revenge and come for your head when the hunger strikes. You will be deserving of it after everything you have done.”
“Sh’aryk will be disappointed you turn out like this.”
That went past his hardened skin again and he called his fists by either side.
“Do not speak the name of my mother, you are not worthy of it. You murderer!”
A force yanked him to the floor and he slammed his head against the small stairs that led to the throne his father was seated upon. Blood oozed from the cut, through his hair while the injury healed.
It was a wise thing for the Luna and Oana not to interfere. The horrors that had befallen them when they had tried that in the past kept them in line. Ikrus would hate for his father to throw them into the dungeon once again for his sake.
He rose to his feet, the pain in his face from his claw attack on it still hurting him. The cut would take some time to heal.
The Alpha tossed a silver dagger down the stairs and Ikrus frowned as the blade stopped at his feet.
Here came his punishment.
“In a Moon, the terror that rumbles the North Border will arise again. You will go alone and face it.”
“My love!” The Luna could keep quiet no longer.
The Terror of the North?! No one knew what was disturbing the North border at specific times during every cycle. What was known however was that no one came back alive from the North border.
This was a death sentence!
“Please, do not do this—”
“Shut up, Female!” He silenced her and she trembled, bowing her head. “You will go alone. If you do not come back alive, the female and the little thing shall be executed but if you live and return, then you would have restored your honour and earned a right to live along with your abominations.”
“No—” Oaba rushed forward, and fell on her knees. “Father, please! No one comes back alive from the North Border!”
“Be Quiet now, Darling. Leave this to the men.” He said sweetly and she wept even more.
“No!” She crawled and begged at her father’s feet, weeping. “You are sending him off to die!” She turned to Ikrus. “Say you are sorry, Brother. Beg him! We can return the human and her child safely—” a hiccup, “---and find you a suitable mate, like the Beta’s daughter. Beg for forgiveness—”
Ikrus picked up the blade in a flash and slashed his palm with it. That silenced Oana. She and the Luna watched with shock.
Ikrus kept his gaze on his father.
There was hatred in his father’s eyes and Ikrus could feel it in his bones that he had looked at his mother that way when he had killed her, with nothing but raw hatred.
The thought of that being the last thing his mother must have seen infuriated him. Although Ikrus couldn't really remember his childhood, there was no doubt that his father had hated his mother. If he had loved her at all, he wouldn't have killed her.
If he had loved her for even the slightest moment, he wouldn't be sitting on that throne, passing orders that basically meant death for him.
There was no love in those eyes, only hatred and he felt nothing for his father but rage.
His blood dropped to the floor. “A Moon's time it shall be.” A blue glow appeared around the cut, binding him to his words as it sealed the wound.
Oana fled the room, crying.
She couldn't take it anymore. Her mother followed.
The Alpha wasn't bothered in the least, instead, he snapped his fingers, and prostitutes with golden jugs of wine danced into the room.
Ikrus did not linger to watch, by the Moon he hated this wolf, and one day, he would kill him.
One day.
___
___
Aniya woke slowly. Her body ached like a thousand horses had galloped on her and her eyelids felt too heavy for her to move them. Her outstretched hand searched for her son as she mumbled his name voicelessly.
A hand threaded through her outstretched one.
Rough.
Large.
That was not her son’s!
Her eyes flew wide open and the bloodied face that stared back at her made her scream.
His hand clasped over her mouth immediately, silencing her as he hovered over her.