TWELVE

Kane

THE CHAIN CLINKED AGAINST the dish at my feet. I could smell that whatever it was would caused bad indigestion. The other maspets sat with their heads bowed, eyes at the floor. I wasn’t like that. They might have submitted to the nobles and royals, but I was an Alpha.

Oliver whimpered in the back of my mind, scratching softly. I huffed. Slamming up a mental barrier to block him out, I tugged at the chain. Treating our mate like he was a monster… I understand his fear toward Wolf Slayer, but Oliver wouldn’t even listen to me. He had shoved our mate! The look of terror in Astaroth’s eyes — I could never forget that.

The doors to the hall opened and Astaroth strutted in. His attire had changed to something befitting him. A green blouse with frills and puffy sleeves draped his frame with a black cloak trailing down his shoulders. Layered around his neck was a golden necklace containing a silver wolf head pendant. He spotted me, and with a cheeky grin, he winked.

He sat down right as more guests started to fill in, each introduced with ridiculously long names and titles. Time passed slowly during the dinner, in which I refused to eat. Astaroth kept sneaking me side glances when he took sips of his red wine. There was boredom etched onto his face while he spoke to a Lady sitting next to him.

A male maspet next to me shoveled the food into his mouth without any grace. He swallowed and looked at me.

“Are you going to eat that?” he whispered.

I shook my head, and watched him shovel the slop into his face. As repulsed as I was, I could see his cheekbones jutting out and his collarbones were prominent. This was probably the most food he had seen in days.

A dinner bell rang and the nobles set their silverware down. King Zadicus was the first to stand, raising his chalice.

“Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, a treat has been brought to the capital. Lord Lazarus, if you may,” he said, cheerful gloating laced his tongue.

A slender man with long ice-blond hair tucked neatly into a braid stood up. His hands were behind his back, as he looked toward me, a sneer carved onto his face as if it were made of wood. “Your Majesty.”

“On this fine evening, your gift is being set up in the courtyard. Would you care to lead the way?”

Lazarus’ sneer melted into a malicious grin, so twisted that I swore I could see sharp canines. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

The snobby lords and ladies stood up, whispering amongst one another. Astaroth shot me another look when Zadicus stepped next to him. He leaned in close to my mate’s ear and whispered something. Astaroth tensed, sucking in a sharp breath. As Zadicus pulled away, he touched Astaroth’s shoulder. My mate’s gaze was locked onto the floor while he struggled to maintain his breathing. He closed his eyes and turned toward the doors.

A guard came over, unchaining each maspet from the floor and hauling them to their feet. I was the last to be untethered. By then, Astaroth had left the room. Slowly, I rose to my feet when the guard pressed a dagger into my side. He smirked. I only growled, the sound reverberating in the back of my throat. A little dagger was nothing to fear.

“Hurry up,” another guard called.

Snorting, the guard pulled the dagger away and looked at the door. Servants came over, each taking a chain, and led us toward the side door. I stumbled along. Whatever these snobs had to show wouldn’t compare to the torture they already put me through. I had one silver lining — my mate.

We were led through narrow passages made of stone warped with age, dimly light by glowing amber crystals. As the path widened, the smell of fresh dirt caught my nose. I sniffed the air. For a week now, I hadn’t been outside. I craved having dirt squish between my toes as the wind tugged at my hair.

A wooden door came into view and the guard opened it. Outside, the sky was dark with tiny stars twinkling, half-hidden by trees. Crickets chirped. The night air was crisp and cool, a sign that icehold was coming. The pathway was small and made solely out of dirt with small lanterns strung up on black poles every few feet.

The darkness seemed to stretch on around us, clawing from the shadows like eerie monsters. Through the trees, I spotted faint glowing eyes, like dragons watching their prey. The maspets kept their eyes on the ground.

Finally, the guards stopped, and the servants tugged on the chains to halt us in place. A young girl held my chain, her eyes like lilac petals. Strapped to her belt was a Glock and three magazines. She stared ahead, focusing on the orders that the guards gave. It seemed like forever, having to wait. The girl gave another tug on the chain and led me over to a spike secured by concrete. She crouched down and latched the chain to it.

I waited for her to leave before taking a look at my surroundings. Towering walls stood on all sides of us as a massive Arora tree, complete with growing crystals that faintly glowed, planted in the direct center of the courtyard. Towers jutted out from the corners. Red and black banners of a dragon head were hung up on the towers and the walls.

At the base of the tree was a metal pole. The frame of a female was strapped to it, her arms above her head as silver cuffs were tightened around her wrists. A thick black bag was over her head.

Lord Lazarus marched over to her, pulling out a silver dagger. The woman squirmed, screaming something from through the bag.

The nobles had crowded around with eager anticipation. I spotted King Zadicus near off to the side, a joyful smirk on his face. Dante was next to him, shoulders squared. However, Astaroth was nowhere to be seen. I leaned forward, struggling to spot him. Zadicus had said something to him.

“My fellow nobles, tonight I show you what revenge truly tastes like.” Lazarus took hold of the hood and yanked.

With a terrifying scream, the woman’s head slammed forward, the woman’s dense black hair was chopped short with jagged ends, like it had been hastily cut short. Under the moonlight, dark bruises blended into her obsidian skin while her golden eyes glowed fiercely. She bared her canines at Lazarus.

The sight I saw ran my blood colder than ice. Every instinct in me screamed for me to run forward; to rip the chains from her body.

“Mom,” I whispered.

Lazarus spread his arms toward the crowd, grinning like a madman. He took hold of her choppy hair and jiggled her head. “This dog came to me on a rainy night, soaked to the bone, and failing to see just how stupid she was to leave her pack.”

“What’s the importance of her?” a woman asked, fanning herself.

“She’s a Luna, and not just any Luna. Her pack is the Hollow Claw Pack, and I’m pretty sure the other wolf I captured is one of her children.”

Murmurs rose through the crowd.

I shrank down, staring at Mom with the hope that she would be safe.

Waving the dagger around. “Your Majesty, didn’t you say that Wolf Slayer would be joining us tonight?”

Wolf Slayer… was that why Astaroth wasn’t here?