Chapter 11
THEON
The doors hadn’t even finished closing behind Axel and Kat before Giselle said, “Our bargain still stands, Theon. Bold of you to come here for something more when you haven’t even fulfilled your other obligation.”
“As already discussed, it turns out I didn’t need your bargain anyway,” he replied. If there was any other piece of furniture in this room, he would have sat down, but they kept it sparse on purpose, forcing their visitors to stand before them while they lounged in their wanna-be thrones.
“Yet a bargain Mark remains,” she said, relaxing in her seat and crossing a leg over the other.
“It does,” he agreed, sliding his hands back into his pockets. “And I will honor it. I will continue to look for this missing Shifter and report any of my findings, even though I no longer require the information bargained for to find my brother.”
“I know there is nothing benevolent about a Legacy,” Giselle drawled, tilting her head as she watched him. “So what shall be the cost?”
She wasn’t wrong, and he had come here with a purpose.
“I still require the location of my father’s holdings in your District,” he answered.
Kylian scoffed. “Then the bargain stands.”
“It does not,” he answered. “The bargain was worded specifically that information would be provided to find my brother. The fact that I need the same information does not affect the terms of the bargain in the least.”
“We have the leverage here, Theon. Not you,” the Alpha said with a cold sneer. “You are not in a position to be setting terms.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Theon said, finally letting his power out.
He’d been holding that darkness in, keeping it locked down while his brother did his own bargaining.
“I did not come here on my brother’s behalf.
Your dealings with him are separate from your dealings with me.
Although his wife spoke truth, I will be the Lord you will eventually deal with.
But you were also correct,” he continued, moving a few steps closer.
“The timing of that inevitability is unclear. It could be tomorrow. It could be several decades. Unfortunately, the Seers of the realm seem to be in disagreement about that.”
“I am failing to see how any of that is leverage,” Kylian said, the temple of the shaved side of his head resting on his fist.
“That is not my leverage.”
Kylian’s brow arched in a silent command to continue.
Theon only smiled back— cold, dark, and wicked. “My leverage is being the most powerful in this room.”
Before either of them could move, let alone shift, his power had them wrapped up tight and secured to the chairs they both loved so much.
Giselle gasped when his power squeezed tighter, winding up her throat and pressing on her windpipe.
They may be stuck in their human forms, but his shadow wings were flared wide behind him.
Kylian’s eyes had shifted to feline pupils, and Theon held his stare knowing his own eyes were wholly black.
He ignored Giselle’s outraged whimpers, but they all knew what was happening here.
Theon knew how the Shifters worked. Anyone could challenge the Alpha and Beta for their positions.
The beings were wild and untamed after all, and they followed many of the ways of their animal kin.
The strongest one held the title. Theon was just making sure they remembered who that person truly was in a way they would understand.
Kylian lowered his eyes, then his chin in submission, but Theon still didn’t release him or his mate. Not until he had what he came for.
“Tell me where the house is, Kylian,” Theon said, the calm order promising pain if denied.
“I can’t,” the Alpha answered tightly. “But release Giselle, and I will tell you what I can.”
Theon laughed. “You think I will release her only to find a snake at my throat? I think not. Tell me what you can, or she will find the little bit of air I am allowing her suddenly unavailable.”
“We don’t know where the holdings are,” Kylian spat. “We have an idea, but—”
“If you don’t know where it is, how were you planning on fulfilling your end of the bargain?” Theon interrupted.
“As you just reminded us, our side of that bargain involved us giving you information to find your brother. It did not specify the exact location be disclosed.”
“You fuckers,” he snarled.
“You were so distracted with Blackheart and your absent Source, you let yourself be taken advantage of. That is no fault of ours,” Kylian growled back. “It is the way of Devram, Arius Heir. Even those of us in the Underground know that.”
Theon yanked on his power, pulling Kylian from his seat and forcing him to stand where Axel had just stood.
Then he casually walked around him and climbed the steps to the makeshift dais, sitting in his chair and staring down at the Alpha.
“New plan, Kylian,” he said, resting his temple on his fist and mirroring the male’s earlier pose.
“Tell me some information worthy of saving the Beta’s life, and make it fast. I don’t have time to waste on games and tricks. ”
“Your Source is still here,” the Alpha said tightly, and that was the very last thing he’d expected the male to say.
Kylian must have mistaken his shocked silence as misunderstanding though, because he added, “One of my guards reported hearing you and Axel discuss the female leaving the realm on your way here. You believe she is gone; she is not.”
“I told you not to lie to me,” Theon said, Giselle’s high-pitched whimper the only indication of his growing irritation.
“I’m not lying to you,” Kylian insisted, trying to lurch forward, but Theon’s power held him tight in its grasp.
“There have been inquiries from the kingdoms. You know they all have their own spies here. She was seen at the destruction of the Pantheon by the rulers themselves. A handsome bounty is being offered for her whereabouts.”
Theon sat quietly, letting that information simmer and trying to decide if he believed it or not. The gods help him if it was true, and Luka hadn’t taken her from this realm.
But also, the gods help them if Tessa had truly brought the Pantheon to ruin.
“And my father’s holdings?” Theon asked, deciding to debate the merits of the prior information when he wasn’t in the middle of negotiations.
“I cannot tell you where they are,” the Alpha said again. “We are paid coin, but it’s never directly from him. And we have our suspicions about the area, but nothing we’ve ever been able to substantiate. We suspect wards.”
“And the suspected area?”
“The northwest part of the District. Near the border.”
Of course it would be near the border of the Charter District. His father would never stray too far from his own safe territories.
Pushing to his feet, Theon released both the Alpha and the Beta.
Kylian lunged for Giselle as she leapt for Theon, rage emanating off the female in a palpable wave.
But Kylian pulled her back into his chest, murmuring low in her ear while Theon paid them no mind, only buttoning his suit jacket before straightening his shirt cuffs.
“This did nothing to help your brother,” Giselle spat.
“Our dealings have nothing to do with my brother,” Theon said. “He has asked me to stay out of his…confrontations in the Underground.”
“Then why are you here with him?”
“I thought he made that clear. I had my own purposes for meeting with you,” Theon answered, striding for the door.
But he stopped beside them, looking them each in the eye as he added, “But should he summon me for aid, I will answer. Consider whose side you wish to be on should that happen when you deliver your decision of allegiance to him.”
His footfalls echoed in the room as he continued making his way to the exit.
“We will remember this encounter, St. Orcas,” Kylian called after him.
“Please do,” he answered, not even bothering to turn back to them. “It will serve you well in the future.”
“Tell me again how attacking the godsdamn Shifter leaders isn’t going to affect their decision,” Axel said, descending the stairs back into the living room.
Theon was waiting for him, holding out the glass of whiskey he’d poured while taking a sip of his own.
“We already discussed this extensively over dinner,” he answered, Axel snatching the glass from his hand and downing half of it in one gulp. “Where’s Kat?”
“Asleep,” Axel answered, dropping unceremoniously onto a sofa. “She’ll never admit it, but this was a lot for her today.”
He’d changed while he’d been upstairs, now in sweatpants and a Chaosphere tee, while Theon was still in his suit pants and shirt. Granted, he’d lost the tie, and his shirt was unbuttoned.
Theon took a seat on the other end of the sofa, crossing an ankle over his knee and resting his drink on the sofa arm. “How has she been feeling?”
His brother swiped a hand down his face. “She’s…strong. Her moods can be unpredictable, but she’s fucking strong, Theon. She did the first half of this alone, and I don’t have experience, but even I know that Fae and Legacy pregnancies are brutal.”
“It’ll get worse,” Theon added. “As the babe and his power grow. She needs to rest.”
“Yeah, well, tell her that,” Axel grumbled, glancing over at him. “What?”
He’d caught Theon with a small smile on his lips, watching him.
“It’s odd to think about, isn’t it? You, the younger heir, married with a child on the way.
More than that, you’re married to someone you love and truly care for.
Not a Match forced upon you for the sake of continuing our bloodline and maximizing power.
But something pure and… I’m happy for you, Axel. ”
“This isn’t exactly what I pictured though, you know?” Axel said, his gaze fixed on his drink as he toyed with the glass. “No powers. A vampyre. Hiding in the Underground, trying to keep my wife and unborn son from a power-hungry centuries old Night Child.”
“Same game, different location and different players,” Theon said grimly.