Chapter 13 #2
Mom nodded toward the men, and we walked toward them.
They made space for us in the circle as soon as we arrived.
I was about to open my mouth to speak when Torin appeared and pushed his way into the circle as well.
He planted his large body right next to Alpha Mark, who gave Torin a sneer and took a step to the side.
The men wished me a happy birthday, and some gave me a small bow and shook my hand. My smile was so wide I couldn’t help it. Then they quieted down and watched me.
I glanced at Dad, who was still smiling. Yesterday Dad seemed on board with me divulging the secret about the tunnels around the kingdom with everyone else.
“At the dungeon, there are some secret passages that lead to a large hall where the kingdom’s people could be evacuated.” I sent another glance at Dad.
He remained smiling, infusing more courage into my veins.
“The safe rooms around the kingdom won’t be so safe if the fire-breathing creatures return.
It’s better if we direct everyone to the dungeon.
We’ll need several warriors placed inside the secret hallway to guard small children and the elderly so no one wanders farther inside, which wouldn’t be safe.
There are holes in the ground and hanging stones. ”
I traveled my gaze over every man, searching their faces for their approval. Technically, this could be an issue to vote on, but we didn’t have the time. The Alphas had to give their verbal approval now.
Alpha Henry frowned. “I’ve only heard of such secret passages in the kingdom, but why weren’t we aware of them before?”
He glanced at the King, but my dad remained cool.
“Because the tunnels were used only for the royals as an escape route. What the Princess is proposing is reasonable. The royals shouldn’t be the only ones to use the passages.”
Alpha Henry nodded, but Mark’s scowl hadn’t disappeared off his face.
“How do we know if they’re safe enough for the people to stay there?” he asked. “And where do the passages lead to?”
“It’s not important where they lead to as long as we can hide the people. It’s all brick and stone. It’ll be temporary only. It can’t be flooded or put on fire. It’s our best bet.”
“You sound like you’ve gone through the tunnels yourself, Princess,” Mark said, smirking.
I sighed. “I only stumbled upon them by accident.”
It was a half truth.
“But Princess—”
Mark attempted to argue further when Torin interrupted him.
“It’s our best bet for now,” he said without looking at me.
Mark’s eyebrows furrowed, and his gaze darted between me and Torin, but he remained quiet.
The other Alphas agreed with my idea, and Mom left to gather the kingdom's people and warriors and hide them in the secret hall in the dungeon.
I let out a heavy sigh and finally looked at the Alphas.
They were all prepared for a war, from their clothes to their weapons.
Alpha Henry held a crossbow, Leo had a short, shielded sword, and Alpha Michael wore his usual cowboy outfit but had a silver dagger hanging in his waist holster.
No one wore a protective vest or other gear in case they needed to shift.
I smiled at Dad’s outfit. His black leather pants and light long-sleeved shirt made him appear younger than his age.
His waist holster displayed sharp throwing knives.
He would alternate his arms when throwing them.
Over the years, Dad had taught himself how to use his left arm just as well as the right.
Alpha Leo cleared his throat. “Princess Breanna, please don’t take my question in the wrong way.” He paused, and I frowned. “Will you stay with us in the hall or help your mom evacuate the people to the secret passage?”
“I’m staying to fight.”
“But as a royal heir, your life is too valuable. It’s advisable not to take the risk to stay here.”
“I’m staying, Alpha Leo.”
“And I’ll be right next to the Princess’s side,” Hayden said, and I snapped my gaze to his. “It’s my duty to protect her.”
As my bodyguard and as my mate.
Everyone remained quiet. Torin’s eyes bore into my neck, and he pressed his lips into a thin line, probably holding on to his human side and suppressing his vampire.
“Last thing. The extra security measures,” Alpha Mark said. “Most of our warriors should be sent to guard the border so we can stop Cordelia and her army at the borders, away from property and people.”
My frown only deepened. “Our territory is too vast to be protected from all sides. We can allocate several warriors who will shift into their wolf form and patrol the borders as they can. But not to stop the dark witch. As soon as the wolves spot her, they’ll run to us to give everyone a heads-up.
Most warriors should be around this hall to contain the fight.
After all, I’ll be here, and she’ll come to me. ”
Torin’s eyes flashed crimson, but it was so quick that no one else seemed to notice.
The King gave orders, and each Alpha walked away to talk to the warriors they had brought from their packs. But Torin and Hayden stayed.
Torin stepped into my personal space, and I held my breath. What was he going to do in front of everyone in the hall? Hayden stood beside him, ready to protect me from my other mate.
Torin knelt in front of me and wrapped a holster around my thigh. His master fingers worked the clasp swiftly, leaving a spark on my skin even under the material of my jeans.
I exhaled and tried to ignore his mate touch.
Torin moved to my other thigh and placed another holster there.
Two short silver daggers hung on each side of my legs now.
He stood and handed me a light crossbow.
He picked up the quiver with arrows from the ground and wrapped it around my chest with the arrows on the back.
As he tightened the leather straps, he brushed his fingers under my breasts, only grazing over the flesh there but igniting fire behind my chest.
A cracking of joints sounded, and I looked at Hayden.
He adjusted his neck and head. His nostrils flared as he scented the air, probably thick with the aroma of my arousal.
But his blue eyes never changed color or flashed his wolf eyes.
Hayden’s eyebrows pulled closed and downward, creating a forehead crease.
It was awkward, but Dad and Hayden didn't object to Torin arming me with weapons.
When Torin fiddled with the leather strap crossing over my chest, he leaned in. “You can do this, Anna. But try to use the bracelet, okay?”
I nodded, and my insides warmed at Torin’s actions. He saw my strength, and it meant the world to me.
“Princess Breanna,” a sweet voice said behind me, interrupting the moment, and my body stiffened.
Hayden and Torin stared at the person standing behind me. I didn’t want to turn to face Layla. Why was she here? Why didn’t she go on vacation? She liked to disappear when the going got tough in the past.
I whirled around and sighed. I wasn’t going to take her tantrums. Not when there was so much on the line right now.
I was on high alert, making sure no one got hurt again because of me.
I stared at her, making it clear that she shouldn’t be here.
She wasn’t armed, and she was unprepared. So what did she want?
“Layla, go help Mom gather everyone in the hideout place.”
If she wasn’t in the hall upon Cordelia’s arrival, then no one would have to guard Layla. We needed all warriors at this point.
Layla blinked as if she was taken aback.
“Is this an order, Princess?” she said in a mocking tone that made my skin prick with goose bumps.
Layla moved to Torin’s side, and my stomach knotted. Hayden was immediately next to me, his body tense.
“It’s an order. Now go, Layla,” I said in my most authoritative voice.
I was no longer going to let her run me over. I had returned to the kingdom, and to stay here, I needed Layla to stay away from me.
“I can’t do that,” she said and smirked. “If the first princess is here, the second princess has the same right. And you’re a human,” she said, emphasizing the last word with extra disgust behind her tone.
Layla threatened to throw a tantrum as usual—just like she had when she joined us at the annual winter hunt when we were eighteen. After she blamed me for the death of the warrior with the arrow in his chest, I left the kingdom.
But I wasn’t going to let her guilt trip me again today.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep, calming breath.
Was Layla here, risking her life, just so she could blame me, undermine my royal power as a leader, and show everyone how unworthy I was? She could do that at any other time.
The tightness in my stomach twisted painfully. Layla was trying to achieve something much worse than she’d done before. I had a bad feeling about her staying in the marble hall with us.
I dropped my hands to the sides, grateful that Dad, Hayden, and Torin had let me deal with my cousin. I stepped next to her and leaned in.
“You can stay here, but if you put the life of my people in danger, I’ll kill you myself,” I whispered and stepped back.
I wasn’t planning to go that far, but I hoped the threat could sober her up.
Layla gaped at me, her eyes moved side to side, and her chest rose and fell fast.
“I’ll count on it, murderer,” she said with a clenched jaw.
I loved Uncle Derek, and no matter what I said, I wouldn’t change Layla’s mind. No matter how much I apologized and tried to rekindle our relationship, Layla resisted. And I’d had enough.
“I’ll be watching you, Layla, so behave,” I said.
Commotion at the windows drew my attention. A shirtless warrior wearing only shorts ran inside the marble hall.
“Demonic creatures are on their way,” he shouted.
Then, once he spotted Dad, he sprinted to him.
“My King, an entire army of strange creatures…I can’t even describe them…are on their way here.”
“And the witch?”
The warrior took a deep breath. “Not in sight, my King.”
Dad nodded and dismissed the man. “Take your positions. It’s begun—”
A sharp, shrill sound of splintering glass echoed through the hall as a monstrous creature hurled itself through the window. The shattered glass rained down in glittering shards onto the polished marble floor below. Some pieces stuck out of the dog-looking beast’s gray skin.
It landed on top of a warrior, pinning him beneath its large, muscular claws. The man’s face contorted in a grimace—his features distorted in anguish--and became pale.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I watched from a short distance. My trembling hand flew to the dagger on my thigh.
I tightened my hand around the hilt of the knife as I gritted my teeth against the surge of adrenaline pumping through me.
We were in for a battle like no other. This wasn’t just about survival. This was personal.