Chapter 186

Chapter 186
As Misha’s eyes opened, Marian was gazing down at him, sweating, but not a bit out of breath.

“Did I sleep too long?” he murmured sultrily.

“No,” she whispered, stroking his cheek with her forefinger.

His brow furrowed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked slowly.

“I had a nightmare,” she whispered.

“Oh?” Misha droned, placing his hand against her naked breast. The scar from the operation was still there. It was healed, but the mark remained, though it appeared to be fading.

The lights in the room were on. That had not been the case before Misha had fallen asleep.

How, or when she had turned on the lights and then returned under the covers, Misha did not know.

But what he did know, though he kept it to himself, was that the she-wolf was lying.

He gazed at her red face and knew what she needed.

It’s okay, my princess.

He mused as he stared up at her, a mischievous smile on his lips.

Lie to me.

Lie to me about anything you want.

I am here for you.

I am yours.

And you are mine.

A heat scent filled the room as Marian’s eyes flashed on his.

Misha’s dutiful weapon rose to meet his mistress’ command.

\==========

The next morning, a letter arrived at Lightmoon. Written in blood.

The moment the item was handed over to Dax, he knew whose blood it was.

Alpha Dax was in his office, in the Alpha Mansion.

Beta Brock was with him.

Dax opened the letter slowly.

He read the content twice.

He handed the letter to his Beta.

Brock read it. Twice.

Dax stared at the top of his desk.

Brock stared at the carpet beneath the desk.

The door opened, without a single knock, and six Lightmoon warriors knelt, on one knee, before their Alpha.

“Send us, Alpha,” the one in the front of the kneeling shifters declared loudly.

Brock’s eyes drifted to them. Dax’s gaze remained on the table.

“We will go, Alpha,” a second one joined in as the aura of all six filled Dax’s office space.

Send you where? Go where? What do you know of this message?” Brock growled.

“Nothing,” the first one replied, “but we know the blood. We know he is alive. If a message is sent in such a way, not a hand or a head, then this is a threat, a warning, or someone punctuating a message!”

“He abandoned us…why should we answer this?” Dax murmured, but all ears heard his words. His gaze remained fixed on the table.

“Because he is the first son of Lightmoon,” a voice like water rushing over rocks stated from the doorway.

Dax closed his eyes.

He had not heard that voice for a full day and had not expected to hear it anytime soon.

“First son…”

“He was adopted by this entire clan, Alpha. He is all of us son,” a voice like a mellow stream chimed in.

Dax swiveled his chair away from the intruders.

He did not speak.

No one spoke.

“It appears the time for the conclave has been set,” a rugged, yet warm, voice stated from everywhere in the room.

Dax swiveled back and stood.

The owner of the voice was not in the room.

Dax stared wide-eyed at the nine wolves: the kneeling six, Corien, Gravan, Brock.

Then, he spun, stepping to his window.

He gazed outside, down to the grass beneath his office.

A low gasp escaped his lips.

Brock drew up beside him and gawked.

Below the window, a giant of a wolf gazed up calmly. Dark hair, grey eyes, built like a sleek machine, hands in pockets.

Brock’s head snapped to Alpha Dax.

“He is moving? He is…” Brock’s voice trailed off as he glanced at, then sensed the power coming off the pack Alpha as his chin jutted out and his back straightened.

His gaze went back to the young wolf – the young Lycan.

“Shall we meet them, Father?” Reyland continued, his voice filling the minds of all in the room. The six on their knees rushed forward to their Alpha’s window.

Corien and Gravan did not bother to move to the window.

They were already downstairs, staring at the Lycan whose gaze was locked with his father's.

\==========

The rest of the room came downstairs and to the side of the Alpha Mansion, where Reyland stood beneath his father’s office window.

As usual, he towered over them all.

Unusually, he was not the width and breadth most of them remembered.

In fact, everything about him had changed.

His hair, his skin, his body, his voice, and most of all, for those who knew him best, his face.

The hardness Marian had noticed, stood out even more in daylight.

The usual Reyland was shy, smiley, fidgety, hesitant.

This one was…very different.

His face was relaxed, but he was not smiling in any way, and was definitely not shy.

He stood tall. To his full height. Some had never actually seen his true length. They gaped at it now.

His back and shoulders were straight, and his eyes, grey eyes…with yellow lines…were clear.

As they approached, he turned his body toward them, pulling his hands from his pockets.

Reyland bowed lightly to his father. His eyes brushed over the others, then rested on Corien.

“Alpha Corien,” Reyland rumbled, out loud, his bow-shaped lips moving; he gave a separate, lower, and longer bow to the father of the wolf who had saved his life.

“You are well?” Reyland asked politely, raising his head.

Corien stepped forward.

He placed a hand on Reyland’s shoulder, gazing up in the young wolf’s eyes.

“Young one,” he rumbled, “are you?”

“Yes, Father,” he whispered, giving a small smile to Corien.

Corien shook his head lightly, smiling back. He patted Reyland's shoulder and stepped backward.

He turned his gaze to Dax.

“May I?” Corien asked evenly.

Brock, without waiting for Dax’s response, handed the note to Corien. As he read it, Gravan did as well, standing behind his Alpha.

His face did not change.

“This Tobias is a bigger fool than his son,” Corien muttered.

“We need to talk with him,” Reyland stated flatly, his gaze on his father, who had remained silent.

“We can’t invite him in here.”

“No, we will go out to him. We will choose a safe place, far enough from here.

“In the meantime, we need to evacuate –”

“If he wants my head, let him have it.”

The group fell silent.

“Alpha,” Brock growled.

“What does it matter?” Dax asked, gazing around at his gathered men.

All the wolves, without exception, began to growl.

“Hear me,” Dax said firmly, “I have caused harm to Lightmoon and our allies by moving the fight to an earlier day. On top of that, I moved it earlier still from the new timeline.”

“Mistakes were made, lives have been lost. If one more head will quell the storm, so be it.”

“You cannot be serious!” a quiet voice called out.