Chapter 197
Alpha Tobias and Eaden, shifted back to human form.
“If it is a parlay you want, then let us have it,” Misha announced calmly, stepping back from Marian.
Marian heard the emptiness in his voice.
Her hand dropped and she inhaled quietly through clenched teeth.
Misha stopped his retreat, his eyes on her face.
She blinked and raised her chin slightly.
It was not that Marian did not want Misha to leave. It was that he was Misha. He was like nothing and no one she had ever met.
Misha backed further away, and suddenly Reyland was behind him.
“What, cousin? Could we run from you if we tried?” Misha droned, his eyes on Marian, his head slightly inclined backward toward Reyland.
Marian eyed the two. It was an interesting view.
Misha was about six-four. Reyland was six-eight.
Misha was as sleek and trim as ever. Reyland was thicker and wider than him.
Misha was sultry and sensual down to the last hair on his head. Reyland was steady, peaceful, a calm force.
Two wolves…two shifters should not be so different, Marian mused.
So different and yet…
She stopped her mind from straying.
Forced it back on course, on the matter at hand.
Nakshar rumbled in Reyland’s chest, and Misha shivered. Visibly.
Many eyes turned away.
Marian’s mind experienced a quick meltdown.
Misha spun away from Reyland and edged toward his father, black eyes locked with Reyland’s white ones as their wolf and Lycan, respectively, pushed forward.
He slid behind his father, placing a hand surreptitiously against his father’s back.
After a moment, he moved to the Head Protector’s side, and Alpha Tobias resumed the talks with Lightmoon.
“Tomorrow, at the river. You will have my answer,” Tobias droned.
“Misha –” Marian retorted.
“Leaves with us, red wolf,” Tobias cut in coldly.
“Then all deals are off concerning our share pact,” Marian said evenly, her voice tight.
“Is that what you want? Give me your –” Marian pressed, taking an involuntary step forward.
“I will never give my son or leave my son with the likes of you and your Whitehall masters,” Tobias remarked flatly.
“Are you that afraid of the Alpha King?” Marian commented sharply.
“I left that name behind before your father knew your mother’s name! Do not speak to me about the King!” Tobias snapped.
“But,” she pressed, her eyes on Misha whose gaze was on her, but whose face was distant.
“You can’t eat your cake and have it, red wolf. My son is Bloodrayne. He has made you a generous offer. You have refused it,” Tobias remarked neutrally, “you have made your offer, he has refused you.”
“Now, all that remains is you leaving us, my pack, alone,” Tobias continued smoothly, moving the negotiations to a new topic without so much as a pause in the conversation.
“Leave Bloodrayne alone? How is that possible?” Dax snapped, picking up the thread, stepping forward, drawing Tobias’ gaze to himself, letting Marian off the hook.
The red wolf’s breathing had changed, and her hands had balled into fists as she had tangled with the Bloodrayne Alpha.
He stepped in before anything got derailed.
“We will withdraw, we will live away from you and yours, and you will leave us be.” Tobias shot back, his eyes on Dax.
“We cannot allow your continued ravaging of lesser clans!” Dax growled.
“We will ravage whomever and however –” Tobias retorted.
“Then we will come again, and we will not leave a single one of you alive. Consider our words well!” Dax shot back, his voice steady, cold.
“I have considered your words. We will live free, as we always have. You are welcome to come again. We will not refuse your visit,” Tobias replied evenly.
Dax stared at Tobias.
It was a stalemate.
Lightmoon could kill all those gathered, Misha included, but there were other Bloodrayne shifters, far away, hidden. A generational war could start. Shifters had such all the time.
But, if it could be avoided, or delayed, that option was always preferable.
Such were the Lightmoon Alpha’s thoughts as he stared at the enemy of many.
Dax looked away from Tobias, his face hardening.
The Lightmoon Alpha had the option of letting Bloodrayne become another region’s problem, or facing a war on his land for years on end – starting now, or starting later.
Binding Bloodrayne to Lightmoon was safer, for everyone, those they knew, and those they would never meet, but he had never even considered it.
Marian or Reyland, or both, had clearly come up with some ruse, and he and the others were being made to play along.
His gaze drifted to Tobias, who had never stopped watching him.
Dax picked up that thread as well, the one dropped by Marian.
“If you submit to Lightmoon, you can stay on your land. You will not need to move. Your people will stay where is familiar,” Dax stated confidently, as if presenting something to Tobias that the shifter may not have considered.
“If I submit to Lightmoon, I will kill you in your sleep,” Tobias rumbled, his eyes not leaving Dax’s.
“If you stay, your son and –” Dax continued, watering the seeds his son and Marian had planted.
“I will never sell my son. I am not your fucking Alpha! I am not a coward! I can risk the lives of every member of my clan to get what I want –” Tobias shot back caustically.
“And if you get it and end up alone? By yourself? With everyone you hold dear dead and buried?” Dax cut in inquiringly.
“We don’t bury our dead,” Tobias retorted flatly.
“What do you want?! Death and destruction everywhere you go?” Dax responded irritably.
“I want freedom, little one! Freedom! Do you even know what that means?!” Tobias replied condescendingly.
“You protect everyone and everything, how well do you sleep at night?” he droned.
“I sleep very well, Tobias,” Dax replied neutrally.
“Liar,” Tobias rumbled.
Both Alphas stared at each other.
Dax turned his head to the side. He spoke to his Beta, his eyes remaining on the Bloodrayne Alpha.
“Send his men to the river on schedule,” Dax commanded.
“Yes, Alpha,” Brock rumbled.
“Take your suicide squad back with you. Leave our territory. Step one foot within or break into any pack under our protection, the next time we meet, you will not walk away.” Dax declared, facing Tobias squarely.
His eyes went up to Misha who had been standing, sulkily, behind his father, and beside the Head Protector.
The young wolf’s blue eyes shifted to Dax’s.
“What you have done for my people, for Whitehall, will not be forgotten. If you, Misha Drakin, wish to enter our domain, you, Misha Drakin, have my blessing. However, if you, Misha Drakin, enter for raiding, killing, or anything in between, you will answer for it,” Dax continued.
The Lightmoon Alpha’s gaze went back to Tobias.
“May we never meet again,” he rumbled at Tobias.
Tobias’ eyes narrowed.
“You best pray for that, little one,” Tobias droned.