Chapter 191
Chapter 191
That evening, a message was sent to Alpha Tobias. One of the three clan members of their chief spellcaster was sent to deliver it.
Lightmoon would meet with Bloodrayne at an outpost, thirty minutes from Lightmoon’s border.
The clan member was sent back with a positive response.
At nine p.m., the conclave would be held.
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The outpost was a small round hut with windowless openings in its walls.
It could take seven normal-sized wolves.
Anyone outside could clearly see and hear any movement within or outside the building.
It was a watch post, a simple shelter from snow and rain. It was not hidden or meant to be secretive.
Inside, seated, were Alphas Tobias and Dax.
Behind Alpha Dax was Beta Brock.
Behind Alpha Tobias was Head Protector Eaden.
Beside Tobias was a bleeding Dorien.
His head was bowed as he knelt beside the Bloodrayne Alpha.
Dax had not said a word nor made any comment to Dorien when he had been brought in with his Bloodrayne captors.
Alpha Dax’s eyes, from the moment he had arrived at the location, had been on Alpha Tobias.
The injury to Tobias' face had almost fully healed. It was difficult to believe that he had been deeply hurt just three days earlier.
“Alpha Dax Garrant. It is always a pleasure to see you!” Tobias droned lazily, “except at our last meeting, that was very unpleasant indeed,” he continued slyly, smiling with the side of his lips where his face had been almost ripped off during the fight between their wolves.
As wolves and humans, and vice versa, share injuries, the wound had transferred to Tobias’ human face.
But Tobias and his people had done what they do very well. The Bloodrayne Alpha had been treated – with magic – and his strong body, and his wolf had done the rest.
With his lopsided smile, he stroked Dorien’s hair as if he were petting a cat. “This is yours, I believe,” he droned.
Dorien did not move, did not shake, but a small croak escaped his firmly sealed lips.
Dax did not blink.
“What do you want?” Alpha Dax rumbled.
“I sent a note,” Alpha Tobias remarked fawningly.
“What do you really want?” Dax repeated firmly.
“An apology,” Tobias tossed back, his tone rising at the end, making his words sound like a question.
“What?” Dax growled.
“You see?! Impossible, isn’t it?” Tobias remarked cynically.
Dax stared, hard-faced, at Tobias.
Tobias smiled comfortably.
“I heard you wanted a red wolf,” a deep, rumbly voice called from outside the hut.
Tobias stood. Eaden stepped back, his eyes on the direction of the voice.
Reyland stepped forward, out of the shadows, with eight other wolves: the six warriors who were Dorien’s friends, Marian, and Misha.
Tobias locked eyes with his son.
Misha stared comfortably back at his father.
They spoke briefly in link.
Tobias’ eyes drifted to Alpha Dax.
All five initial attendees remained in the hut. All newcomers were outside. They could see and hear each other clearly.
“You,” Tobias droned, all casualness gone, “and your people have been a thorn in my side for a long time,” he remarked, still on his feet, his blue eyes on Dax.
Tobias dragged Dorien up by the neck, the Noble heir hung by the Alpha’s hand, without moving or struggling, knees off the ground, head still bowed.
“You send this one to set my compound on fire, to cause a distraction while your main party sneaks into my territory!” he snapped, shaking the heir like a rag doll.
He released his hold, and Dorien dropped to the ground, landing heavily on his knees.
A dull grunt escaped his lips.
Tobias was still speaking.
“Then you attack me, with a hodgepodge hoard of spinless hounds who would never dream of hearing our name without pissing themselves, wrecking my house, and almost removing my head for your master?!” the Bloodrayne Alpha bellowed, the roof of the hut vibrating with the force of his voice.
“As you say. Your grievance is with the Alpha King. Not my son,” Dax replied evenly.
“The Alpha King?” Tobias remarked incredulously.
Then, he threw his head back and laughed.
“The Alpha King was not there, was he?” he tossed back laughingly.
“It was this one,” he continued cooly, pulling Dorien upright by the shoulder. A snapping sound was heard. Dorien did not make a sound.
By this time, every Lightmoon eye was on Dorien.
Everyone knew that something was wrong.
He had broken from the pack so, no one, including his father, could link him.
No one, except the only wolf, the only shifter, who did not need blood or a pact to link with any shifter.
“Who was at my gate, and then, ran away, leading my son into your trap!” Tobias spat, completing his statement.
“No one –” Dax replied slowly, his gaze moving from his son to his son’s captor.
“I didn’t come here for confessions! I want your head! Dax Garrant!” Tobias exploded, pointing an accusing finger at Dax.
“That will not happen today!” Dax growled.
“Then why are we here?!” Tobias droned incredulously.
“For a trade, Uncle,” a deep rumble tossed in calmly from outside the hut.
Everyone fell silent.
From the beginning, no one had interrupted the two Alphas.
Now, all eyes shifted to the speaker, to Reyland.
Reyland stepped forward without making a sound on the grass beneath his booted feet.
Tobias’ eyes flashed.
“What trade?” Tobias shot at him, his hand still on the Lightmoon heir’s dislocated shoulder.
“Me, for my little brother,” Reyland replied patiently.
Jaws fell on both sides.
All, except one – Marian. She was watching Reyland extremely carefully.
Tobias shut his mouth.
“What…what game are you playing? You expect me, ME, to take a Lycan to my home?” he replied disbelievingly after a brief moment.
“What then, Uncle –” Reyland continued in the same calm tone.
“I am NOT your uncle,” Tobias growled.
“But you are. You know you are,” Reyland said, without moving his lips.
Tobias’ eyes widened.
“You,” he rasped in the link Reyland had created.
“I think you understand, Uncle, that no one will leave this place intact if my brother, and father, and the rest of my pack, do not walk away from this meeting,” he continued, with only Alpha Tobias in the link.
Tobias blinked at Reyland.
Dax glanced from one to the other.