Chapter 115: Rhys
I looked at Grace hard. Our whispered conversation in the bathroom seemed to be one we needed to have before I had ever asked Sandra to come. But it hadn’t and Sandra was here and ready to help. I didn’t get why Grace was being difficult about this. This was for her safety. Sandra knew better than to double cross me. Everyone in our world knew not to cross me, including the humans. Just because we were at war, didn’t mean anything had really changed in that regard. I was still the most feared in the world, even if I hadn’t been on a killing spree in a while.
But then Michael’s words came back to me from our meeting the other day. The are trying to create hybrids. Witches are a part of that program… Was Sandra one of the ones still helping them? She claimed she had refused to continue binding Grace as a child, so she had morals then… At least kind of. Would she be involved in the children’s program. And Grace was an adult now… Would that change how Sandra would treat her?
To me, the benefit outweighed the risk. Grace needed to be freed.
“So, what do you suggest?” I asked reluctantly.
This was already costing me an arm and a leg, but if it made Grace feel better, then it made it worth something to me. She needed her Lycan. It wasn’t safe for her to be so unprotected. I had a strong army. But it took multiple of my wolves to take on one creature and they were growing their army even if we couldn’t see it. She needed to be able to fight for herself, and I would do anything for that.
“I don’t know.” She answered, her insecurities arising again. I could feel her fear and it was the only thing that kept me from forcing her to do the ritual.
“Grace… Help me help you…” I tried, lifting her chin so she’d look at me again.
“Do we have anything of value to witches? Something that she couldn’t get or at least not have easy access to?”
I sighed. I had an idea, but I honestly didn’t like it or want to say it. If she knew we had it, she would demand it, but if she didn’t, I didn’t want her to know.
“Let’s ask her her price,” I suggested. “She had already agreed to what we set, but if you think we need to add to it, then we will.”
She looked at me thoughtfully for a moment before nodding, and I breathed a sigh of relief. She was giving me control back, but a part of me felt off about it. Like maybe I didn’t want to be in control of everything anymore.
I took her hand in mine, and we started to make our way out, but Grace stopped us as I reached to open the door.
“What?” I asked, surprised because I thought we had settled this.
Her voice was so low that I almost didn’t hear her, but her words sent a chill down my spine.
“Rhys… We don’t just need to be sure she won’t double cross us, we need her absolutely loyalty.”
I looked at her curiously but just simply nodded before heading out to where Sandra was sitting on the arm of the couch staring at us curiously and Leon stood at the door with a scowl on his face..
I knew that Leon had probably heard everything we had just talked about due to his werewolf hearing, but I wasn’t sure if witches had enhanced hearing or spells for that sort of thing. But whether Sandra heard everything or not, she didn’t give anything away.
“So, are we doing this or not?” Sandra asked, her arms crossed, and power radiating from her in a way I had never noticed before.
“What’s your price?” I questioned.
“My price? Alpha King Rhys, I believe the money has already been transferred to my account, so I don’t see the reason for the hold up.”
“It has.” I agreed. “But this is my mate we are talking about, and she is concerned about being double crossed. So, we just want to make sure you are compensated for your efforts appropriately.”
Sandra pointed her finger at Grace, and a smile widened on her young-looking face.
“Smart girl.” Sandra nodded in approval. ”I don’t need any more money though. I am set for the next century.”
“No one said it had to be money,” Grace said quietly, looking at Sandra with an intensity that I had rarely seen from her.
Sandra smirked.
“I want access to your wild lands.” Sandra said not missing a beat.
“Done.”
“Why?”
Grace and I said at the same time. I couldn’t believe she had just agreed to something without knowing the reason.
Sandra smirked, and I didn’t like where this was going.
“It has herbs that are very rare and that don’t grow as well elsewhere. They are stronger when they are kept on the land that feeds them. Even if I were to take them home, they would not do as well or become as strong as they do in the wild.”
“What would you do with these herbs?” Grace asked a little hesitantly, and I wondered why she would care. They were just herbs.
“That’s for me to know.” Sandra snapped at her. “I’m a witch. It would make my life easier. That’s all you need to know.”
I sighed. “Is this something that you would say is invaluable to you?”
Sandra narrowed her eyes at me, but I didn’t waver. I needed her to unbind Grace. How it happened, I didn’t really care anymore, and this was taking far longer than I anticipated.
“If I can live there, then yes.” Sandra said after a moment.
“Done.” I agreed. “But I am not providing lodging. That is up to you.”
“Do you trust her?” Leon mindlinked me.
“I don’t know. She hasn’t led us astray yet.” I told him honestly. “But Grace is worried, so I’m trying to be a good mate. Do you trust her?”
Leon’s eyes met mine, telling me he understood, but his answer was the one word I really didn’t want to hear.
“No.”