Chapter 155
Marian laughed with her sister as her feet took her where she knew she wanted to be. But, she had another wolf’s scent on her. She changed course and headed to Reyland’s home.
She needed to get clean.
Before she got too far, she changed course again, this time, heading to the training grounds, to the inner barracks, for a change of clothes.
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“What news, Byron?”
“I have checked every source I have on hand, my Alpha,” Byron replied, turning to Dax as the Alpha entered his office at the pack hospital.
“Nothing,” he concluded formally.
It was about six p.m. on the thirtieth.
“And no change since?” Dax pressed as he approached the doctor’s desk.
“None.”
“What of Dorien?” Dax continued, speaking flatly as if checking off a list.
“He is quiet. Asleep, only. His wolf has returned,” Byron replied, relief in his voice as he gazed at his pack Alpha.
Dax sank into a chair opposite the doctor.
After a moment, when it seemed the Alpha’s list was finished, Byron spoke up.
“Jackson…?” Byron asked hesitantly.
“Alive. Tired. Injured. But alive,” Dax replied distractedly.
“What next?” Byron enquired gently.
“They say the Bloodrayne brat has asked for him,” Dax rumbled, changing the flow of their conversation, abandoning all lists.
His eyes shot up, holding Byron’s gaze.
“They say a she-wolf went to his cell and almost fucked him in the presence of my guards.”
Byron cleared his throat, glancing away from the pack Alpha for the first time.
“Whatever you may think of the girl, she would not do that,” Byron replied quietly.
“Then where is she?” Dax snapped. “She should be healing him! Instead, she is cavorting with the enemy!”
Byron turned back to Dax.
“There is time yet to test that theory, my Alpha. Now would not be the best time,” Byron replied placatingly.
“We don’t have any ‘best time’,” Dax snapped again, “the King is not happy. My son is unconscious, and my heir is rebelling. I won't have the she-wolf running amok as well!”
“She will not. She knows what is at stake,” Byron stated reassuringly.
“Where is she?” Dax demanded again.
“On her way back. Entering the compound,” Byron replied patiently.
Dax could find her himself, Byron knew this.
That he was asking could only be because the pack Alpha did not want to think about Marian.
The doctor understood this as well.
Dax fell silent, his gaze sliding to the floor.
The two sat in silence for a short moment again.
“Dax,” Byron began slowly, “I know you are not here to chat with me. You could be sitting at your son’s side instead of at mine. To what do I owe your company?” he asked patiently.
“I don’t know where else to go,” Dax replied softly.
“I have failed. My plans, all of them, have failed. From the beginning, from the very start,” he whispered, “I don’t know where to be,” he mumbled.
Byron knew the younger wolf was talking about more than the current battle with Bloodrayne, more than the war of four years ago. The Alpha had gone much further back than such recent times.
The older wolf paused for a moment before he replied.
“Be with your family, with your friends,” Byron stated firmly, his gravelly voice steady, sure.
“I have no such things,” Dax whispered, his eyes weary, his voice croaky.
“Where is your Beta?” Byron asked casually.
Dax glanced up slowly.
“Where are your guards?” he continued in the same tone.
Dax sat back, his sky-blue eyes fixed on the older wolf.
“You have many who would do anything to protect you. Your allies, too, are here. Go to them. Be the Alpha of Lightmoon,” he stated encouragingly.
“Without Corien?” Dax croaked.
“No one will talk. Not today. Maybe he was injured, maybe you don’t want him within the King’s sight, no one will care. Not today,” Byron assured his Alpha.
Dax nodded slowly. After a moment, he stood.
“I will see my son. Then I will see my people,” he said quietly.
“Very good, my Alpha. I will take the she-wolf to our prince and give you the result before the dinner bell at 8 p.m.”
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Marian had taken a long shower at Reyland’s home. Thanks to his size, the bathroom was spacious.
She had taken her time cleaning her body as she let the process massage her mind.
Tangled thoughts had unraveled as she washed her hair, tentative plans had formed as she soaped up her arms and her back.
Decisions had been taken as she rinsed off.
She took her time returning to the pack compound, walking back instead of running.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Dinka asked her human, not for the first time since they had arrived at Reyland’s house and Marian’s thoughts had started to take shape.
“No, D. I’m not sure at all. But…if Byron can’t fix this, I don’t see any other way,” Marian replied to her wolf.
“Alpha Dax, the Alpha King…they won't negotiate with Bloodrayne, and I can’t lose Reyland because of them. I won’t,” Marian stated firmly.
“But the Bloodrayne wolf, he won’t agree to this,” Dinka replied doubtfully.
“He will,” Marian said confidently, steeling her back as she walked with long, steady strides toward the pack compound.
Her long hair was not braided now. The battle was over. It was loose and swayed with every step she took.
She was in her usual fitted garb, ready for any fight or battle.
In her right arm carried clothing for Reyland. His old clothes. They would be large on his new frame, but some omegas would make quick work of that. She would tell them how to resize it. They would not get to see him.
Marian reached the compound in thirty minutes.
She headed to the back of the pack hall. As she approached, Whitehall warriors were everywhere.
Some of them stood off, away from Lightmoon pack members, others were talking with Lightmoon shifters in groups, or walking with them, or carrying bags of produce or wood for fire.
She was purposefully keeping out of the pack link, trying to avoid any kind of attention.
The Alpha King was still around.
She didn’t know what he or his people were doing in Lightmoon. She was not a princess; she was not on Dax’s war panel. Such information was not for her ears; she was fine with that.
What she didn’t want was for anyone to remember her, or think of her, to summon her, or ask her any questions.
She got to the back of the hall and asked for an omega who could sew. She handed over the clothes and gave the instructions, keeping to the shadows.
Once she got the clothes fixed, she went straight to the pack hospital, keeping her head down, not moving too fast or too slow.
Eyes followed her, but those eyes followed everyone.