Chapter 171 Bad News
Clarence's POV
Morning crept in like an insult. 6 AM and the light bleeding through the high grimy windows of the warehouse compound did nothing but sharpen the knot already sitting in my chest. I hadn't slept. Not a damn minute. I laid there staring at the ceiling, counting breaths, counting exits, counting the ways yesterday could still go wrong.
Two of my man never checked in. They weren't late. Not even fucking delay delayed. They were gone.
I rolled out of the chair in my office and paced back-and-forth. My boots are echoing against the concrete.
Normally the smell of this place. My place. The place I built would calm me, would ground me. This morning it just reminded me that I was boxed in by walls, by shadows instead of territory.
"Son of a bitch." I muttered.
I'd already pinged the others planted in the palace. They were hiding in custodial jobs, runner work, and kitchen rotations. The kind of positions that didn't raise flags. They weren't saying much. They were being too careful, too quiet. Which that was worse than panic.
Allan finally broke the stale mate. My man on the inside, positioned just close enough to hear things without being seen.
"There was movement around the dungeon." he puts through a message. "Kings going in and out in large numbers."
Alright, now that was not normal. That word again. Dungeon.
I stopped pacing and leaned my hands on my desk. My head just hanging loosely for a second. My jaw clenched so hard at ached.
"Fuck!" I breathed. That meant someone slipped or someone was noticed or fucking worse. Someone talked.
There were whispers too. Always damn whispers. Servants, guards, warriors with too much time and not enough fear. They were talking about the heirs. That part made my skin crawl. Most of the alphas were in favor of them. I'd expected hesitation, suspicion, resistance. Instead? Admiration. Awe. A little fear for sure, but it was the good kind. The kind that turns into loyalty if you let it. They said it was exactly what the kingdom needed. It needed strength, protection. A future.
I barked out a humorous laugh. "Yeah, that's what Tyrants always look like in the beginning."
My reflection in the dark glass stared back at me. I was unshaved, my eyes too sharp, my smile too thin. I'd worn arrogance like an armor for years. But this morning, it felt heavier.
Two missing men with dungeon activity. Kings are circling their prey.
And me? Sitting in a warehouse calling myself, the rogue king while the kingdom started believing in something else.
My fear slid in, cold and unwelcomed. It was so damn real. I fucking hated it.
I straightened, smoothing my jacket, forcing my breath, steady. Panic makes you stupid. I'd survived too long to let this happen now.
"They think they are safe." I said to an empty room. "They think they're winning." a slow smile crept back, sharper this time. Sloppier as well. If I was honest, sometimes sloppy meant bold and bold made noise.
"Alright, if they want whispers, then I'll give them screams."
I reached for the comm, already planning my next move. Knowing damn well I was pushing closer to the edge than I liked.
The door slammed open so hard at rattled the frame. I didn't even flinch.
Gregory burst in first, his eyes were wild, hair, half out of place like he'd run the entire way.
Stephan was right behind him, breathing hard, his face pale enough that it wiped the smirk clean off him.
That alone got my attention.
"Well, either the palace is burnt down or one of you forgot how to knock." I drawled without turning from the window.
"Clarence, it's bad." Gregory choked out, his hands braced on his knees.
Stephan shut the door behind him and immediately locked it. He then turned and faced me, his voice was shaken. "It's worse than bad."
That finally did it. I turned and face both my men.
"Speak". I said flatly.
Gregory straightened, he swallowed hard. "Bart just confirmed. This isn't just rumors boss. They're not just maybes. Kyle and Bradley were caught." The room went very quiet. You could actually hear a pin drop.
I felt it. That tight, sinking twist low in my gut. The kind you get when the board flips and you realize the other player moved three turns ahead of you.
"How" I asked calmly.
Stephen let out a sharp, humorous laugh. "The fucking heirs."
My jaw clenched.
"Bart said they reacted, like the kids zeroed in on them without even trying." he shook his head in disbelief. "security didn't move until after. It's like they were already watching."
Gregory was pacing the room now. He was running his mouth faster than his brain worked. "There's talk everywhere. People are saying the boys can feel certain things. That they sense, intent. That their...."
I cut him off. I don't want to hear this shit. I have heard enough.
"ENOUGH!" I snapped.
He stopped dead.
Gregory's voice cracked just a little. "Clarence, if they're already pulling people in. If the kings are already circling." he said very carefully.
"They don't have everyone yet." I cut in. I straightened. I forced my shoulders back. Forcing the fear down where it belonged.
"They want to make moves. They want to play out of turn. They want to act tough. We can show them tough. We will show them. We won't back down." I said as a hysterical laugh slipped out.