75__The final blow

Shadow watched the royals descend the staircase before him with great interest.

It was his first time seeing the girl and he had to admit, he hadn’t expected for her to look so formidable. So powerful.

Perhaps it was having the Alpha King at her side, his hand wrapped around hers, which made her seem powerful? Shadow tilted his head. Not exactly. It appeared that they both carried an aura of power that fed into one another. It gave an air of ‘alone, powerful, together, indestructible’.

It was just the two of them but it looked like a wall of steel was approaching him.

A smirk curved his lips. He liked the challenge of breaking a steel wall. Or at least trying.

Raiden was glaring at him, not the slightest bit of pleasantry in his gaze. Shadow chuckled darkly.

“My deepest apologies. Did we interrupt something?”

Ignoring Shadow, Raiden looked behind him at Devil and Evelynn who stood beside him, her hand holding his, her gaze staring directly at them.

“She’s shocked we’re alive,” Natalia muttered as they descended the last step to the glossy hall floor.

“I can hold off these two if your urge to knock her unconscious grows,” Raiden responded.

“I’ll let you know if I begin to tremble with rage,” she whispered back.

They stopped walking as they reached the three before them and Raiden looked at Shadow. “Shadow.”

Natalia’s brows rose. *Shadow.*

“We decided to make a necessary stop before we leave this kingdom,” said Shadow.

Natalia studied him from head to toe as he spoke. He was very obviously Devil’s brother. They weren’t twins, but they looked so much alike. Only Shadow had dark tattoos marking both arms, a few even peeking out of the screw neck of his black t-shirt.

If he and Devil were both fallen alphas, Natalia could tell Shadow was proud of it. Not that she thought there was anything to be ashamed of.

“You’re leaving Zaire?” questioned Raiden. His gaze went to Evelynn and Devil tugged her closer.

“Of course,” said Shadow. “We’re taking our mate and our family and we’re leaving this hell hole.”

“We’re taking Evie with us,” repeated Devil firmly, stiffly. “Thank you for taking care of her all these years. Your mother was not kind to her, but you were.”

Natalia saw Evelynn’s face curve into a scowl before she froze it again.

“Don’t thank them,” Shadow said sternly. “They don’t deserve any gratitude from us.”

“I didn’t ask you for gratitude,” Raiden told him irately. “If you’re leaving, leave. You can take her too, she is of no use to me.”

A scoff left Evelynn and she looked at Natalia only to find those sharp hazel eyes zeroed in on her face. Something bitter filled her gut and she clenched her jaw. “How could I possibly be of use to you?” she muttered. “You replaced me as soon as you could, forgetting the years I sacrificed for this household.”

“I didn’t forget anything,” Raiden said coldly. “I thanked you, I should have killed you instead before you did any more damage.”

Shadow sighed, a tiny muscle ticking in his jaw. “Now why would you threaten our mate right in front of us?” He looked pointedly at Natalia. “When yours is right here, tempting me to ruin both your lives?”

She looked at his evil smile, barely flinching. If he was the one who attacked Amie, Natalia wanted him dead. Nothing less than dead.

“Take your mate and get out,” Raiden said. “We’ve had enough of all this shit.”

“Won’t you ask me why?” Evelynn said with a raised brow, anger clear in her eyes.

It was the first time Raiden had ever seen any emotion at all in those cold blues. “I don’t really care.”

“I’ll tell you anyway!” Letting go off Devil’s hand, she marched forward until she stood next to Shadow and directly in front of Natalia who looked at her with sharp, dangerous warning.

Knowing very well that there could be countless deadly weapons hidden on Natalia’s person, Evelynn paused. Carefully, she walked around to stand on Shadow’s other side, further from Natalia. “I think it’s about time you realized just what it is I had to put up with,” she told Raiden. “You were always oblivious, both of me and of Cyrus, it’s time I tell you.”

The look he gave her was far colder than Evelynn had ever seen from him. “What? Mother stole you from the fallen alphas and forced you to grow up as a future queen? What exactly do you want me to say? Do want an apology?” She wouldn’t get it even if she begged. None of it had anything to do with Raiden, they could go retrieve his mother’s ashes and have it out with her.

“An apology from you won’t change anything,” Evelynn said. “I know your mother told you that I was being saved from Shadow and Dev because they were insane wolves. She told you I was endangered, not that she’d stolen me like that cruel witch she was!”

“Cruel witch is putting it kindly,” murmured Shadow.

“You were also oblivious to the long nights of studying and repetitions I had to do, weren’t you?” continued Evelynn. “Having to practice something as insignificant as posture until I felt like my back would snap. Getting punished for the smallest mistakes but not being permitted to cry. Having to smile even when I was in the most pain. For years, posture, speech, reading, laughter, dressing, walking, talking, even my facial expression was turned into plastic! You didn’t know and you didn’t care, Raiden. I had no choice in it, I was practically a slave. For a long time… I wanted your throne as revenge. I would’ve done anything to get it too.”

It sounded like she was begging for understanding, trying to justify herself. Raiden frowned, studying her face and all the emotions he didn’t know she was capable of expressing. Taking one step forward, he made sure she clearly saw the look in his eyes. “Evelynn. I swear to you. More than anything in this world… I truly don’t give a fuck. We were even when you tried to murder Natalia and I. I don’t owe you shit and you won’t get shit from me.”

She blinked her blue eyes and smiled. “I wasn’t expecting anything either. You’re exactly like Shadow said you’d be.”

Raiden looked at Shadow. “How’s that?”

“Uncaring,” Shadow said. “As you’ve always been. Your brother was abused for about a year and a half, are you aware? You did nothing to stop that, you didn’t care.”

Raiden’s entire body went tense and anger began to bubble up within even as he forced it down. Natalia’s hand tightened around his, giving him the little control he needed to keep it together.

“You knew about your mother taking Evie,” Shadow continued in his dark, gravelly voice. “She said she was saving her from us two, but you knew that was bullshit, you knew Dev and I too well, didn’t you? We wouldn’t hurt our mate.”

“I didn’t know you at all, Shadow. You must think we were friends or something.”

“Well, we were the only three fallen alphas in the kingdom. That had to count for something.”

There was a shift in Raiden’s facial expression and Shadow felt a burst of satisfaction. With a false gasp and a chuckle, he looked at Natalia. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did your mate not know this?”

Devil stepped forward. “Shadow.”

The warning in his brother’s tone was clear. Shadow clenched his jaw. It was very rare for either of them to do something without the other’s approval.

Shadow didn’t want to go against his brother either, but this was just too tempting to pass up. Raiden’s mother had put them through far too much bullshit for him to just ignore this opportunity to mess up his happily ever after.

Raiden sighed heavily as he reigned more control on his rage. He couldn’t lose control twice in one day. That would do far too much damage to his wolf. “You know, I’m getting pretty sick of that threat,” he murmured darkly. With a curse, he looked at Natalia. “Natalia. I used to be a fallen alpha.”

She nodded casually. “Got it.”

Shadow tilted his head at them in both wonder and amusement. “Wow! That’s it? No shock? No surprise? Our Natalia is a different breed, isn’t she?”

“Literally,” Natalia responded dryly. “I’m a Vampire Viking. We don’t truly give a damn about the alpha, beta, fallen alpha categories. Sounds like apples and pears to me.”

Shadow threw his head back with laughter. His eyes were sparkling with mirth when he returned his gaze to her unsmiling face. “Interesting. Very interesting.”

Devil grew uncomfortable “Shadow. Let’s leave. Evie, come here.”

Done with the whole mess and ready to leave Zaire behind, Evelynn turned and marched to Devil, taking the hand he offered. He was like the personification of gentleness and comfort. Shadow frustrated her and she wanted to toss him off a cliff, whereas she wanted to curl up against Devil forever.

“Let’s not leave just yet,” said Shadow. That was it. There was no turning back. His wolf was mad with excitement at the destruction he was about to wreak and he refused to disappoint. “Do you know what a fallen alpha is, Queen of Zaire?”

Natalia looked at him with unhidden loathing. “I know enough! When are you leaving? You planning to stay for dinner?”

Shadow’s eyes twitched above the smile frozen on his face. “You have a temper.”

“Indeed. It’s the nastiest thing I own.”

“Exciting,” he said. “I’ll be gone as soon as I make sure you understand.”

“No, we’re leaving now,” said Devil. “Evelynn. Quickly, apologize for attempting to kill Natalia.”

“Do not apologize, Evie,” growled Shadow. “She has nothing to be sorry for.”

Devil frowned darkly. “Brother.”

“We’ll be out in a moment, Dev. Be patient.” Shadow looked at Natalia. “Insanity. Demonic possession. Cruelty. Evil. These are all things that you can compare to the state of being a fallen alpha. Are you aware?”

Natalia ground her teeth together. “Not only am I aware. I’ve witnessed it. You’re not getting anywhere.”

“I’m getting somewhere,” Shadow muttered. “For centuries, Zaire never produced any fallen alphas. Those who failed to control the bestial urges of their wolves, turning into mindless monsters at the slightest triggers. Suddenly, there were three. Me, my brother and the king’s only Alpha son.”

Raiden’s glare darkened. “You’re wasting your fucking time.”

Natalia inwardly agreed. She had a very strong feeling that nothing they said to her today would make her stop loving Raiden. None of them knew him as well as she did and she’d seen every side of him there was to see. Mindless monster? She had seen no such in Raiden and she would only believe it when she saw it! If this Shadow was lying to her on top of being the wolf she was after, she would skin him with her sharpest sword.

“Now, sadly,” continued Shadow. “There’s only two. The Devil and his Shadow.” He looked pointedly at Raiden. “The third fallen alpha… was cured.”

Natalia glanced up at Raiden, inwardly elated at that bit of good news. He was healed?

“How did he get healed, you ask?”

“My mother acquired a rare healing stone created by a well-known witch,” Raiden completed disinterestedly. “She used it to cure me.”

Only good thing the woman did, thought Natalia.

“Yes, but where did the healing stone come from?” Shadow asked, the glee in his eyes too bright to hide.

“Shadow,” Devil said. “Stop this. Please.”

“Long ago!” shouted Shadow, ignoring his brother. “We had a sister! There was Shadow, Devil and Elena!”

Natalia blinked. Where the hell was this going?

“Our sister,” continued Shadow. “Was very, very ill. A weakling, really. Not insane, like us, just sick, pale, dying, the usual.”

“Shadow!” Devil shouted.

Shadow paused. It only lasted a moment. “I won’t stop,” he muttered. “Not now.”

“Go on then,” Natalia said. If they got out quickly, she and Raiden could go back to taking a nap.

Raiden watched him with a speculative frown, wondering where the story was going.

“Right,” said Shadow with a dark chuckle. “One day, Devil and I heard of a way to save out sister. Apparently, in a distant kingdom… there was a healing stone… that could save her. We just had to get our hands on it.”

Natalia felt her skin go cold, but her mind didn’t make any connection. She listened silently.

Shadow smiled. “One night, a thundery, rainy night. One of us went for the healing stone.”

“Get to the point,” she muttered coldly.

“You have a dying sister at home. I heard you’ve been sneaking about seeking revenge on those who made her ill.”

Her heart was pounding. Keeping her face impassive, Natalia stared at him silently.

Shadow smiled. “Well… you’ve found them. Or should I say, him?” He nodded in Devil’s direction. “Only one of us did the attack. And it wasn’t me.