Chapter 246: Rhys
It took little to no time to set up the distraction. We had known that the party was most likely a trap. It was obvious by the way he had demanded we attend at dinner. We had come up with 3 plans, depending on how it all played out, and we had gone over every contingency we could think of in the little time that we had. It was unsettling to me that my mate wasn’t with me, but I didn’t want to draw more attention to her, wherever she was.
My part of the plan was easy. The number of women who kept trying to flirt with me, even right in front of Grace was a little much, but I was going to use it to my advantage. That was the thing about parties like this. It didn’t matter that I was the Alpha King of the Werewolves, it only mattered that I had the word King in my name.
I leaned in close, and whispered something into the girl’s ear, she giggled, and I was glad that Grace wasn’t here to see this. I didn’t like using women for my own gain, but I also wasn’t going to stay here and wait to be slaughtered with my family. Girls at these things were always predictable. Always wanting a taste of power, and one taste was never enough. I was sure that the Vampire Prince had slept with over half the girls here, but that was going to serve me well.
“Can you go get me a drink?” I asked the woman who was practically hanging off me. She was target number one in phase one of our plan. I slipped my hand in her pocket, dropping something in it, but pulling her back toward me so she didn’t notice.
The blush that filled her cheeks made me nauseous, but it had had to be done. And I knew the next one I did would make me feel even worse. She turned back away from me and scurried off to get my drink.
As predicted, another woman immediately took her place. I immediately started to work on her too, flirting it up, and turning on the charm I was trained to have.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maizie wrap her arm around someone in a seemingly friendly nature. For how ‘standoffish’ we had been at the beginning of the party, people would assume the alcohol was doing its job, and I knew that was exactly what Prince Elijah wanted to happen. But none of us had actually had a single drop.
I couldn’t see Sawyer, but I knew he was doing something similar as his mate and I. But I was a little concerned that I couldn’t see Michael. I knew there was no real chance that Maizie had let him out of her sight, but I still worried for the youngest among us surrounded by enemies. “Let’s get out of here,” I whispered to the woman who was now hanging off of me.
She smiled at me, and I let her take my hand, leading me toward the hallway that Grace had disappeared through a little bit ago. I had hoped that this was the direction that we would go, but I hadn’t been sure.
“Coming your way,” I warned Grace.
I felt her bristle at my words, but she didn’t respond.
“Iris?” I heard Michael’s voice before I saw him. “What are you doing? I thought you didn’t want to come...”
“Well, I’m not at the party now, am I?” She retorted.
I couldn’t see Michael’s face, but I knew the hurt he was feeling at her snipe.
“Michael...” I heard Grace beckon him. I don’t know if she knew something or not, but I could hear the worry in her voice.
“Yea, listen to the traitor, Michael.” Iris snapped as she came into view.
“Iris, you don’t understand!” Michael replied desperately.
“Ohhh, sorry,” The woman exclaimed when she finally realized we were walking into a crowd in what was supposed to be an empty hallway. “We will just be passing through.”
“Like hell you will.” Grace snapped. I knew she wasn’t really angry, but her face told a totally different story.
“Ohh, you’re here,” The woman who I didn’t even bother learning her name sneered.
“Yea. I am. And my mate isn’t going anywhere with you.”
“You aren’t married. And he is the Alpha King.” The girl argued heatedly.
“What are you up to?” A different voice demanded.
“Elara?” I responded in surprise. Elara, I knew. She was the smartest in the Vampire family, and I actually respected her opinion usually at the meetings. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“Well, I try and stay out of the way when Elijah is around, but you guys are making that awfully hard.” She answered in her usual dry, unimpressed, tone.
“Go back to the party.” I told the woman I had used to get here. “My mate isn’t going to let us have any fun.”
“Damn straight.” Grace growled, and this time I did feel a wave of jealousy roll off of her.
The girl pouted, gave me a longing look, but did as I said, and as soon as she was out of sight, I made my way over to my mate and wrapped my arms around her.
“Would somebody for the love of the gods please tell me what is going on???” Queen Margaret demanded, I hadn’t even noticed she was there.
Grace shrugged, and turned to face the woman.
“You might want to look into your son’s business a little harder. He is part of experiments on Lycan children in an effort to I believe make a stronger race that combines multiple different genes. I’m not sure what his exact role in everything is, but he set us up to be captured, using this party to do it.” I answered bluntly.
Screams filled the air from the direction of the party, and I knew it would only be a matter of moments before Maizie and Sawyer joined us.
“And why would you think that?” Queen Margaret frowned.
“Because I’ve seen him there, ma’am,” Michael spoke up. “I lived in the program. He was a director.”
My heart clenched for him. For all three of the younger ones with us who had lived and breathed that life. I couldn’t imagine how terrifying it would be to be in the same place as an abuser like that and still be so calm.
“Now, we would love to chat more, but we need to leave, can you show us the tunnels now?” Grace asked as Maizie and Sawyer barreled through the door, reuniting our party.
Margaret looked at each of us as the chaos from the party grew louder before nodding.
“This way.”