5. Rip
Chapter 5
Rip
I don’t look back when I leave Hettie in Tallie’s capable hands. The meeting could not have gone worse. I thought I had been prepared for the arrival of my human mate, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Her warm, sweet scent filled my senses and awoke a deep, primal part of me.
The elders of Lycan Forest warned me that the draw to a human mate is more powerful than that of an alpha to an omega. It was all-consuming, and the need to mate would be nearly impossible to ignore. Ender had promised he’d find the right human for me, but I didn’t believe him until now.
I’d been so close to losing myself, so close to reaching out and touching her…but then she flinched. She fucking flinched away from me. It took everything in my power to keep my wolf at bay. He raged inside me, ready to defend the human from whatever demons still plagued her thoughts.
One little human who hasn’t even been here a day is unraveling me piece by piece. I fear what will happen when there’s nothing left to unweave.
Thorne walks by my side, dark eyes glancing over at me occasionally, but he keeps his mouth shut. If he senses the unease in my wolf, he wisely keeps it to himself. For now. I know it wasn’t his fault that Hettie threatened to go to his room, but I saw nothing but red in that moment. Never—until that moment—have I ever considered hurting my best friend, even when he mated my damn cousin.
For now, I push those thoughts to the side. I need my mind clear for the arrival of one of the other kings of Mescos. The only other person who knows what I’m going through and may provide insight on how to save my people. The visit is unexpected and terrible timing, but not one I’m willing to miss.
The alpha outside the meeting room bows at my arrival. “King Alpha Rip, King Malix and Queen Rose are awaiting you. Do you require anything?”
“Tell the kitchen staff to bring out food and mead.”
The alpha nods once, opening the door. I sense the Dragon King even before I see him. His presence is strong, and my wolf is on alert. Malix isn’t my enemy, but I’m also not keen on having a dragon in Lycan Forest. Especially this dragon. Another king in my territory makes me uneasy.
Malix sits at the opposite head of the table with his new wife to his left. This is the first time I’ve seen Rose. She’s a pretty human, petite with deep red, almost brown hair, a stark contrast to her pale complexion. The two of them rise as one, hands clasped tightly together.
If I thought the Dragon King was powerful before, it’s nothing compared to the power radiating from him now. Is this what Ender meant when he said Hettie would strengthen me ?
“King Alpha,” Malix’s deep voice thunders in the otherwise silent room, “I would like to introduce you to my wife, Rose Briar.”
Rose breaks apart from Malix, coming over to me. Malix tenses, torn between letting Rose go and pulling her back. I don’t know the woman, but I doubt she will take kindly to having someone else dictate her moves. Much like Hettie.
“It’s nice to meet you, King Alpha.” She offers her hand. I take it, only because I’m in the mood to piss off Malix—just a bit. I swear I hear him growl when our hands touch, and the room temperature rises a few degrees.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rose. Should I give my condolences for ending up with such a hot-tempered mate?”
“Careful, wolf,” Malix warns.
Rose ignores her husband and laughs. “He’s not so bad.” She smiles, a wistful expression on her face. This human actually loves the dragon. Stranger yet, Malix seems completely enamored with her.
“Where is your mate? I thought Malix mentioned Ender was bringing someone over from Grym Hollow.”
Innocent enough question, but still I bristle. I’m not ready to share her with outsiders yet. “She’s tired. My cousin, Tallie, is helping her settle in.” Not a complete lie. Tallie is helping Hettie settle, but that’s because I’m not prepared to be around her yet, and our first meeting was less than spectacular. Until she’s officially pack, she won’t sit in on these meetings.
“Shame. I’ve never met Hettie, but I heard her name around town when I lived in Grym Hollow. Maybe next time,” Rose says before heading back over to Malix. The two take a seat, and Thorne and I follow. Behind us, the door opens, and two betas walk in carrying trays of buttery biscuits and garlic chicken. My stomach growls, reminding me I haven’t eaten today.
We don’t speak of Nephilim or curses during dinner. Rose takes over the conversation, filling us in about her life at Grym Hollow. I think of Hettie and what life she might have lived there. Couldn’t have been a good one if she made a deal with Ender. Rose left a cheating boyfriend and a sister who betrayed her. What did Hettie leave? More importantly, would we ever get to a place where she would want to tell me? Willingly?
After dinner, dessert is placed in front of us, an iced lemon cake that I take little interest in. I’m eager to get the discussion started. The longer we put this off, the sicker wolves grow with the curse.
Thorne catches my eye from his spot next to me, and I know my second is thinking the same thing. Enough of the pleasantries. I need answers.
“Shall we discuss the reason you’re here, then? What updates can you tell me about the Nephilim and Gadreel? Last we met was to warn the leaders of their escape from the mountain.” It wasn’t all that long ago when Malix summoned all six leaders of Mescos to Kraken’s Lagoon. Since then, all of our conversations have been in writing. None of the letters have held any important updates out of fear they could be intercepted.
Malix lets out a deep sigh. For the first time, I see the weight of his kingdom on his shoulder. Like me, we are both young kings, responsible for every life in our kingdom. These are unprecedented times, but it’s hard to not feel like I’m failing my people.
“Gadreel and his people attacked Dragon’s Keep. They got through our barrier when we were at our weakest. My people fought hard, but it was Rose who saved us.” The look he gives his wife makes me feel like I’m intruding on an intimate moment between the couple.
I’m surprised Malix is willing to admit to his weaknesses. Dragons are prideful beings and secretive.
“What do you mean, Rose saved you?” This makes little sense. A mere human against ancient, powerful creatures known as the Nephilim? Giant, human-like creatures with shredded wings, designed to wreak havoc upon the world. Their leader, Gadreel, is more powerful than any of us truly know.
“I restored the barriers,” Rose explains.
“Not only that, but she broke the sleeping curse,” Malix adds.
“But how?” This time it’s Thorne who asks, seemingly just as confused.
“That’s the part we can’t explain.” As soon as Rose says it, both Thorne’s and my shoulders slump. “Not in any logical way, at least. Ender told me there is magic in Mescos. Magic that humans once possessed. It’s there—I feel it, but I didn’t really start feeling it until I fell in love with Malix.”
Love. How cliché. And utterly useless.
I’m no closer to learning how to save my people than I was at the start of dinner.
“Pardon my bluntness, but love doesn’t feel like enough to keep my pack safe. There has to be more to it. We don’t have the magical barriers Dragon’s Keep has. My people are completely exposed to the Nephilim and rogues?—”
“Lycan Forest has rogues? Since when?” Malix tilts his head, mulling over my words.
I bite back my anger, giving him a curt nod. “Since the magic keeping the Nephilim imprisoned started fading.”
Malix nods. “That’s when we started experiencing changes too. What about the curse? What kind of curse is plaguing your lands? It’s going to hit each kingdom differently, but the effect is all the same. Death to our kind.”
It’s a sensible question from King Malix, one I expected him to ask. Still, I hesitate. Admitting weakness to outsiders sets my people up for attack. I don’t believe Malix or his dragons will turn on us, but the thought still lingers. It’s not natural for us to seek assistance outside the pack, but with the alarming number of wolves falling each day, I’m backed into a damn corner with no way out.
I catch Thorne’s eyes, and he nods once, assuring me he agrees that the only right choice here is to be as transparent as possible.
I still don’t fucking like it.
But I tell him anyway.
“My people are losing their connection to their wolves. It starts out as a headache, maybe some night shivers. And then their bodies shut down. I’m watching wolves wither away. Without the connection to their wolves, their bodies cannot sustain them any longer. There have only been a few casualties, but my healers say it will get worse.”
Walking through my infirmary feels a lot like walking through a graveyard. Death clings to every corner. Mourners cry and pray over their loved ones for a cure that seems more impossible by the day.
Neither Malix nor Rose says anything when I finish telling them about the curse. Rose shakes her head, her face a mixture of disbelief and pity. Malix scowls and pulls Rose closer. He visibly relaxes when their shoulders touch. Seeing the change in the Dragon King is shocking. Jealousy rears its ugly head, but I tamp it down. I have no reason to be jealous of another king and their mate.
I’ve never been interested in taking a mate. I was fine with women warming my bed for a night, maybe two, but I never let it go longer than that. The interest in them left as soon as my needs were filled. As the King Alpha, I know I will have to eventually take a mate, but it wouldn’t be for love. It would be for necessity. Kings need heirs.
Images of Hettie’s large brown eyes and straight black hair fill my mind. Heat rushes through my body. This damn human has already taken up residency in my head.
I don’t like it.
“You should know I received a report from my men that the Nephilim are no longer traveling in a single pack,” Malix says, pushing all my thoughts of Hettie to the side. “We lost track of Gadreel and his band of warriors around Demon’s Clan, presumably heading toward Pixie Cove.”
If Gadreel makes it to Pixie Cove, and they break their way into King Taivan’s kingdom, we stand no chance of eliminating them. Pixie Cove harbors most of the magic in Mescos. Access to that type of power for a Nephilim is as good as a death sentence for the rest of our kingdoms.
“But we have identified a horde consisting of ten Nephilim in your area,” Malix continues. “They were last seen talking to a group of wolves. Since you mentioned rogues, that makes more sense now.”
We have suspected the rogues are working with an outside force, but hearing it confirms our biggest fears. The rogues have proven themselves a deadly opponent, led by a wolf who wants nothing more than to bathe in my blood and take my crown. But with the Nephilim in his corner, I fear for the safety and lives of every wolf in my pack.
“The reason I want to meet with you, Rip, is not just to bring harrowing news, but to let you know you have the support of my kingdom. Whatever you need,” Malix says, shocking the hell out of me and Thorne .
“King Malix, your offer is very generous, but what is it you seek in return?” Thorne asks, echoing my question. From my experience, people rarely do shit out of the goodness of their hearts. There’s always a price or a demand, and I expect Malix to list his.
But he doesn’t.
“I want Mescos free of Nephilim. It doesn’t matter that Dragon’s Keep is free of Nephilim for now. We won’t truly be safe until the Nephilim are killed.”
Killed. Not imprisoned like they were so long ago. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our ancestors, it’s that these creatures don’t deserve redemption. Death is the only way out of this.
“You have a lot to think through, and my mate and I have taken up much of your time.” Malix stands, helping his wife out of her chair.
Both Thorne and I stand. The meeting provides more insight than I expect, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. Instead, I feel a heavy burden settle upon my shoulders, knowing my pack will need to prepare for battle.
Malix shakes hands with Thorne before coming over to me. “For what it’s worth, Rip, I don’t believe there’s a better wolf to lead your pack through this than you. You have my full support. If you need us, all you need to do is call upon us.”
We shake hands, something akin to mutual respect passing between us. We understand the burdens and trials that come with the title of kings. That, and the fact we were both young when we had power thrust upon us, expected to navigate it with little guidance.
Malix steps away, but Rose hangs back. She bites her lip, looking between me and her husband. There’s indecision on her face, like she isn’t sure she should do what she’s thinking. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she approaches me.
My body stiffens, not sure what the human woman plans to say.
“I know it’s not my place to speak on your new mate,” she starts, “but from someone who was in her place recently, I know what she’s going through right now. Changing from our world to Mescos is scary and overwhelming. We left behind so much, so just be patient and kind to her. If you’re anything like my husband, I know she’s going to love your pack.”
The thought of Hettie claiming my pack as her own is equal parts terrifying and dangerously appealing. Her words strike a chord in me, but I’m uncertain I’m ready to explore my relationship with Hettie at the moment. I can’t have distractions when I’m trying to keep my people alive. And if I allow myself, Hettie will be a big distraction.
“Little Dragon, we need to go,” Malix calls his wife, and she offers him a soft smile. Love and adoration are written plainly on her face, and for just a moment, I allow myself to wonder what that feels like.
“Remember, she’s key to your pack’s salvation. Don’t treat her like an outsider.” With that, Rose strolls over to her husband and takes his hand. The power between them is palpable, eclipsing the entire room.
Ender brought them together. Just like he brought Hettie to me. Perhaps I need to put my trust in The Guardian if I want to save my pack.