Chapter 188

Chapter 188
Marian’s gaze settled on the young warriors. “You six have come for your brother in arms. You are honorable. Let your Alpha and his council decide. They will summon us when the time is right,” she continued firmly.

“As for the request to deliver our Alpha for our Heir, Bloodrayne will have their reply, soon,” she remarked evenly as she stood in front of Misha.

Marian handed the note to Gravan.

“I await your command,” she said solemnly, her eyes going to Alpha Dax. “My duty has not changed. Before nightfall, I will be ready,” she stated confidently.

Her eyes moved to Reyland.

“My prince,” she said hoarsely.

Reyland bowed lightly to her.

They held each other’s gaze for a moment, then Marian bowed to everyone, turned, leaning heavily on Misha, and took him back with her, toward the hospital.

Everyone watched the extremely odd couple drift away.

Misha placed an arm around Marian’s shoulders and turned his face to the side.

He did not look back, but his posture, his stride, his clear side profile, spoke volumes.

“If I break that arm, would anyone mind?” Reyland said softly, in their heads.

A low laughter spread in the shared link as all the wolves chuckled quietly, the tension among them dropping slightly.

“We will wait till tonight,” Dax said quietly, “When our people are ready, we will meet Bloodrayne.”

“To talk, only, Father,” Reyland stated evenly, repeating what he had said to his father in private the day before.

Dax stared at Reyland, then turned to head back to the Mansion.

Over his shoulder, he remarked slowly, “Find your guardian, walk around the pack. Let our people see you.”

Reyland looked up at the bright sky. He squinted at the light.

He sighed.

“Only if you walk with us, Father.”

Dax turned his head back slowly.

“What?” he rumbled.

Reyland’s head came down. He straightened.

“Walk with me, Father. Side by side. Let our people see us,” he replied respectfully.

“Or better still,” Brock rumbled, Alpha Dax’s head snapped to his Beta, Brock smiled lightly, a feat for the usually stoic shifter, “we, all of us, go for a walk.”

“The rest of you, go back to the barracks, prepare for possible engagement. You six will be part of the escort guards for the meeting.”

“If…that sits well with you, Alpha,” Brock finished with a respectful bow to Alpha Dax.

Dax stared at his Beta.

Then he looked at Corien.

The former pack Alpha nodded lightly.

Dax looked up at his son, Reyland.

The Alpha’s tight expression relaxed.

“Very well,” he rumbled, “You six, go back, Brock will summon you when it is time.”

The six warriors who had entered Dax’s office earlier knelt to their Alpha.

“Yes, Alpha,” they responded in unison, one knee on the ground, heads bowed deeply.

They rose as one and left the current and former leaders, and the Lycan.

“Where should we start?” Reyland asked, glancing around the open space, his hands going back in his pockets.

“Dax, Brock, Corien, and Gravan,” all gazed at him.

He stopped moving and faced them all.

“My Father, my elders, I have no intention of taking what belongs to another. Whatever we say or do on this walk, I am not the heir to Lightmoon. I have never been, and I will never be.”

“I am Reyland Garrant, son of Dax Garrant, brother of Dorien Aldon, the Noble heir. That is who I am,” he said steadily. A quiet declaration, quelling all and any wayward thoughts.

The older shifters nodded, and the group proceeded to visit every major section of Lightmoon.

Gamma Jackson joined them along the way.

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The Lightmoon leadership group moved from the training grounds, to the dungeons, to the visitor halls, and finally, lastly, to the very packed pack hall.

Packed because of the news that had spread about their hardly seen Alpha’s son. The one whom the fallen princess had ‘attacked’ during the mistletoe drop ceremony at Christmas.

He was with the Alpha, the former Alpha, and with both Betas. Something which had never been seen before, twice over.

The pack was buzzing.

Something was dramatically different about their Alpha’s firstborn. The news had spread, and the pack members had come out in droves to see it clearly.

In the pack hall, Alpha Dax and his family, with Corien and Gravan included, Brock and Gravan standing at the back, stood on the dais, the same one used during the Christmas celebration, stood facing the gathered crowd.

Pack members were mixed with allies who had both stayed in Lightmoon since the Christmas event and after the Bloodrayne attack, including those who had remained after escorting the survivors along the roads, back to Lightmoon.

“Greetings to all. Family, friends, allies, and guests.”

“As you all know by now, many things have happened in the past few days, and before the New Year Moon, it is wise for us to clear the air for the sake of our peace and our people’s safety.”

“Lightmoon is one of the largest and most complex packs this side of the border. We have embraced many smaller packs and have allowed guests and visitors within and around our territory. Some have even settled down with us, feeling at home on our grounds.”

“We have welcomed, and will continue to welcome those who come to us in peace.”

The Lightmoon Alpha paused.

Then, he resumed in the same formal tone.

“Our Lightmoon is also bound to our Alpha King’s Whitehall.”

“This has responsibilities for us that extend our own lands.”

“As part of these responsibilities, we made a move on the number one scourge on this side of the border. You know them. We don’t need to make any special introductions.”

“An attack was launched to remove them. Eradicate them. And as many of you have seen, that attack was incomplete.”

Murmurs flitted through the crowd as shifters, both those sitting and standing, shuffled their feet.”

“Now, we are presented with a different battle,” Dax continued, raising his voice slightly, speaking about the soft noise that had filled the room.

“Outside our gates, too close to our own lands, Bloodrayne remnants are abroad, roaming about within the forest. They are aware of who attacked their stronghold and why. And they are angry and bitter about the invasion and the damage done to their people.”

The noise grew. Dax raised a hand. Silence fell.