Chapter 4 - Tasting Drakness

Chapter 4

Darius Wraith POV

I stared out the window overlooking the castle grounds. This place was older than dirt and passed down through the generations, though we had renovated the castle to our taste. My father was old-fashioned, and I would not miss the gaudy drapes and the ugly furnishings he had throughout this place. We had made it more functional for our needs and that of the army we were building here.

Tobias would handle Aleera until I could get over my shock and anger at her calling on us after all this time. All this fucking time, and then she suddenly wants us to save her. Not a fucking call, not a letter, nothing.

Nothing for six bloody years. To say I was angry was an understatement. I wanted to hurt the girl, strangle the life out of her. She needed to feel the agony she caused us. She would regret running from me from us.

Kalen and Lycus didn’t say a word, yet I could feel their eyes on me, watching me and waiting for the explosion that would come, yet despite hating her, every goddamn thing about her, I have never felt so relieved at the same time. She would pay for betraying us, for nearly destroying us. Hearing the door open, I look over at it to see Tobias walk in. His anger was as hot as mine.

He hated her just as much and, with good reason, what she took from him, what it had cost him, pained me still. She took so much from us, more than she could ever or would ever realize, but she would pay; Aleera would pay for what she had done.

We would have loved her, we already did, we would have looked after her, but she threw it in our faces.

“Well?” I ask him as he drops into the armchair next to the fireplace, his shirt all creased, and he looked unkempt for the first time in ages.

mutters, glaring at the flames licking at the wood as he tosses more kindling in. I hated that look on his face, the look he had when he re-lived that night. That night

him; his blue eyes instantly drop to the floor as if embarrassed he asked, no he is embarrassed because he still cared for her, and he should be after the damage she caused. Lycus watched him with a worried expression, and I

obsession with her almost killed him last time when she never answered our call, and by the time we got to her school, she was gone. We

a hand down his face like he was tired, and he was. The anniversary is coming up, and this time of the year, he never slept much, and I would have to exhaust him or put him under when he went too long without sleep. Tobias would become unstable and driven by his instincts. We had lost a few

face shuts down, instantly recognizing his mistake. He was our weakness, and we couldn’t drop our guard around her. I nod to Lycus, and he pats Kalen on the shoulder and nods toward the door. Kalen reluctantly gets up and follows him. I will have to pull him in line later. We won’t lose him to her again. She has taken enough from us, and

before bringing it to his lips, swallowing down the amber liquid. My hands fall on his shoulders, and Tobias flinches, only relaxing when I squeeze gently. He knows I would never hurt him.

she has done,” I tell him, and he drops his head back to look up at me

and I want her to bleed like we have all done for

her,” I

slips back in place. The same icy

we grant it to her.” He chuckles softly, shaking his head before tipping the bottle to his lips, and I take it from him, making him growl at me. His drinking had become worse, making me worry he was developing a drinking problem. My jaw clenches at the angry look on

but do it sober,”

mood plummeting further. Sometimes I hated the mate bond, hated it with

of us; Aleera nearly killed Kalen. We almost lost him because

we kill her. We

“Are you sure that is a wise decision? We need her. I fucking hate her and wish nothing but death on her, but she is our power keeper. She would strengthen us, complete us.”

“We have survived this long without her, and I don’t want her touching my magic. She doesn’t deserve to after what she has done,” He nods in agreement bending forward and leaning his elbows on his knees. The tension in his body was evident as his back muscles tensed under his shirt, his arms flexing and straining against the fabric.

“She has no magic. I couldn’t feel it. Could you?” Tobias asks me while looking over his shoulder at me.

“She must have burned herself out. I couldn’t sense it either, but she has manifested; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to call on us,”

“What was she doing there in the first place? That was bloody stupid of her. Not even we would take on a Lycan City on a full moon.”

“Well, maybe you wouldn’t,” I tell him, and his lips tug at the corners.

“Yeah, but you are crazy enough to,” he says, and he was right. I feared nothing, and I didn’t have to. Nobody in the world feared anything more than my name.

“Would be an enjoyable challenge,” I tell him, and he looks over at me and smirks.

“I think Lycus should deal with her for a few days. I don’t want Kalen near her. Not until he has control of his emotions. Probably best I steer clear of her, too. I may just kill her,” Kalen says, snatching the bottle back, and I have to agree. These would be testing times, with her under our roof and tested she would be.