Hayder left the moment he spotted me and Asher approaching. I knew he was blaming me for the fight he had with Asher this morning, after breakfast, but I did my best to convince Asher to let this pass. But I forgot that I'm dealing with proud and possessive Lycans who don't like when other people pick on their mates. Which is why I knew that he'll do anything to convince his dad to contest the sentence and have my immunity back. I don't know if he knew trouble was coming my way, but I prayed he didn't. Or my mission to get home will get even harder than it is.
"Do I want to know what went down between you two, again?" The King asks as soon as his son gets before him and they both watch Hayder disappearing in the crowd.
"Hayder just being himself," explains Asher. "I'd like you to meet Aline, my mate."
The King's eyes fall immediately on me, giving me a slight nod before saying, "Thalia's daughter, right?" My smile fades at the mention of my mother's name, but he continues, "I didn't mean it in a wrong way. On the contrary, your mother has been a fierce ally to the shifter community over the years. We all know that it's your mother's merit for the healthy relationship the hunters' community built with my kingdom and Faedom. Regarding the recent events," there's a slight pause there, and at that moment I realised the King knows. I have no idea how, and why did the hunters tell him about the mission, but he knows exactly why the trial happened, why his son lost his Heir title and it is precisely why he won't do anything about it. "I'm not entirely happy about how the trial turned out, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."
I stop the breath of relief I wanted to exhale because I see Asher tensing beside me, clearly furious that his father won't help him this time. "Thalia orchestrated it all to make Aline vulnerable. Without my Heir immunity, she's fair game for anyone looking to attack the Lycans and getting away with it."
"Both you and I know that is far from true, Asher. You are the Prince of the Lycans until the new king is chosen and even afterwards, you know that no one dared in centuries to harm a Lycan's mate for fear that the whole shifter community and our allies will hunt them to the other realm and back." The King spoke so casually like it's his favourite sport to chase down his enemies and raise hell on them. And by the unfading smirk on his face, it may as well be true. I have to remind myself that Lycans are predators, even if I haven't yet seen the ugly face of it, not even in the fights I've witnessed Thalia, Asher and the others engage on. Because the true power of a hunter doesn't lay in their brute force, but on their capability to break their opponent's mind, before their bones. And if my experience has taught me anything, the calm and quiet ones are those capable to get their hands the bloodiest. I was raised by one these silent, cold-blooded murderers and I can sniff one out a mile away. Which leaves me to wonder whether the admiration the King has for my mother is so deeply rooted not only because of the benefits she supposedly brought to his people but because they are mirror-images of the same bloody killers.
"Aline?" Asks Asher and I realise I must've been staring at his father's hands, imaginary blood still flowing down them when I turned and I put on a smile. "I need to go and prepare. Will you be okay?"
"I'm not a child, Asher. Go and get ready, I'll be cheering you from the stands," I say with a smile and he kisses my cheek softly, before heading to the armoury behind the packhouse. When Asher was long gone, I turn back to the King, the blood gone but the weird feeling remaining present in my soul just enough to keep me on my guard as his eyes turn colder and his posture stiffens.
"I'll be blunt, Adeline. I'm relieved about your...departure for reasons you perhaps know," he says in a low voice, so the passing by shifters won't stop to witness that perfect mask falling off their leader's face. "I've raised my son to become the next Lycan King, and he will win this competition one way or another."
"I hope with all my heart that Asher-my mate, will be crowned king," I feel the need to say the words not to prove my feelings, but because it is the truth. And I've lied enough today that my heart is drowning in the filth of the untruthful words I've told Asher and our friends.
"I'd have thought otherwise, given the fact that since he's met you, Asher missed half his training, stopped coming to Puerto Iguazú for extra practice and dismissed all his duties as Heir, excepting for those you deigned to attend. In the span of a few months, his credibility as the next king fell so dramatically that the people started favouring that halfbreed girl over him."
"I wouldn't consider it much of an insult, considering that I've heard that Thalia's and Hayder's fight was nearly a draw," I mention as casually as possible, even if blood started boiling in my veins. "And I doubt I was the sole cause for Asher's sudden lack of interest in the competition. But I get why you're friends with my mother, considering you both suck at prioritising your child's wishes above the selfish ideals you enforce in our lives and expect that we mindlessly obey."
"And I get now how a nineteen-year-old could be so reckless and irreverent to trash her family's name in the most infamous case the magical community have had since the Selinunte Trial."
"I'd hardly name the assassination of an entire royal house a trial, King Thiago." I shrug my shoulders when his eyes turn murderous and I abstain from smiling at that ire. So the Werecats are still a sore subject to him. Very good. "Now if you excuse me, I'll go watch my mate sweep the arena with Chase and prove you just how 'negatively' I've impacted Asher's training."
I mockingly bow before him, before spinning on my heels and heading to the front row of seats, reserved for the top members of the shifter community that came to witness the Semi-finals. Normally, I would've found a spot in the back to watch the fight, but I may as well prove the King just how irreverent Adeline Thrussell can be when she feels like it. And damn it if I hadn't ached for stirring some spirits since the trial.
The wolf-guards didn't dare say a word when I walked past them and seated in the Heirs' booth, Bee already there chatting with Phoebe and Shay. Not even the Alpha was allowed here, and I could've sworn there was pride shining in Kale's eyes when I spotted him in the seat next to Taylor in the third row. Tiara was there too, and she even gave me a thumbs-up as I dropped my bag on an empty spot, a few seats away from the girls. I caught Hayder looking at me from the spot at the end of the row of chairs, but if he disagreed with my presence there, he didn't care enough to do anything about it. But I did let my gaze wander around the arena, looking for anyone that may dare to come and call me out on my disrespectful actions. But not a single wolf looked at me in a wrong way, not even Sabine and I tried to remain unfazed. My eyes drift to the fighting grounds, and I can almost see Asher's figure behind the curtained entrance, feel the avalanche of thoughts and emotions wrecking my mate's soul in these agonizing moments before the battle that will decide his future. That could've decided our future if mine wasn't a doomed path straight to hell.
Lost in my thoughts, I don't hear footsteps approaching until Thalia's golden hair catches the corner of my eye. But I don't turn to face her, my eyes still locked on the bloody curtains, wishing they would open yet.
"You seem pissy," she says after a few moments, her voice a little hoarse than I remember. "I assume the trial didn't have the outcome you hoped for?"
"Neither did your battle, for what I've heard." I coated the words in more bitterness than should've been necessary, but Thalia still giggled in return. Not a sad laugh, but a genuine amused sound. I finally turn to face her and I spot a few scratches and bruises on her face and arms, but nothing too serious. Except for the patched-up wound on her temple, some dried blood still visible in her brow. I couldn't help from glancing at Hayder, and the Lycan Finalist appeared as unharmed as the girl next to me. "Or did it?" I dare asking and Thalia just gives me a big smile in return, her still visible fangs displayed in their whole glory.
"Aren't you going to ask me why I did it?" She says when I turn my eyes from her again, still surprised but not enough to keep the conversation going. But Thalia seemed in the mood for talking anyway. "You already know, don't you?"
"Know what?" I rasp back. My nerves are on a tight leash already and this Lycan is playing rubber band jumping with them. But she continues to smile at me, before turning her eyes to the arena and to the same curtain I was staring at.
"I told you that I've trained in Surrey Hills, in Kale's brother's pack," she says and I don't bother to nod. I had no idea that Sebastian Hale is Kale's brother, only that his pack was chosen as Supreme of Bohemia after the former Supreme, Sevenoaks, didn't deign to help the hunters the day we were attacked by Darachs on their territory. "His girlfriend is a close friend of mine. She is part of a coven in London and one day I got to meet one of her witch-sisters or whatever they call each other. This girl, Anastasia, is a very powerful Seer. And, of course, I asked her to peek into my future and see how I'm going to fare in the competition. But, as I said, Ana is pretty damn powerful and didn't only look into my future, but into every variation of what will happen if the competing Heirs will win. So what I've been doing is to make sure I'll get paired with the Lycans that were most dangerous for our community and eliminate them. I told Hayder about it too and he was more than happy to help. Especially considering that..."
I see Thalia glancing back to the curtain after her eyes have wandered on to the people around us, trying to detect an eavesdropper. I tense in a heartbeat, all rationality escaping my mind as I urge her to continue, "Go on."
"Hayder and I weren't supposed to battle in the Semifinals. We both called in every favour owned and went as far as to bargain with people we didn't even think we'll have to in order to eliminate every threat but... we didn't consider a variable: you."
"How did I ruin your master scheme?"
"I was supposed to battle Asher and Hayder was paired with Chase, but your mother's trial messed up royally our plans and I suggested we switch the battles, so Asher and I are on the afternoon fight. Only I forgot that among the deals I've struck was one about the dhampir tents expanding to Taylor's lands. I promised the Alpha that I'll get a team and raid them a little, force them to move out of werewolves' territory."
"And what did Taylor do in return?" I ask, boredom printed on my words to mask the growing curiosity. I wouldn't have pinned Thalia for the rebellious type, but I do know appearances tend to be misleading.
"She rigged the pairing for the fights, of course. It's customary for the Alpha of the hosting pack to draw the names from the ball two nights after the Quarters when all the competing Heirs arrived in the pack. And Taylor made sure to choose the pairs the way I wanted them to be." She makes a pause, her gaze on Hayder for a blink of an eye before she returned to me. I knew the Lycan was watching me ever since I got here and listened through my conversation with Thalia. But since they're allies, I doubt she minds it. "Chase and Asher weren't supposed to end up fighting each other. It was always the plan for either me or Hayder to take out my cousin before the Final. But the King insisted to have the electing again, with only Hayder and Chase's names in the bowl, since Asher and I are unable to compete at the same time. It was a fifty-percent chance for our plan to keep working but the odds weren't in our favour. So it's all up to Asher now."
"How is Chase a threat to the community, if he ends up King?" I dare to ask, moving so I can glance at Hayder for a second, the Lycan still carefully watching me and Thalia speaking. As he was ready to interfere the moment the Heiress will say more than she's supposed to let me know.
"Ana didn't tell me. She didn't say how any of them are dangerous if they win the Throne, but she made a list and handed it to me. My name was there too. All of us were, except for your mate and the overcontrolling bastard eavesdropping now," she says and Hayder smirks before finally diverting his eyes from us, lounging in his chair a little better and streching his legs like a cat. "So, for the sake of our whole kingdom, and perhaps the world, I hope Asher will win this."
"Why? Hayder doesn't believe he'll be able to win a fight against Chase?" I laugh in a mocking way and I could faintly hear a scowl coming from my left.
"Even if he does win, Chase has the upper-hand if he and Hayder will battle for the Throne," comes Thalia's explanation and I stiff just as my friend's laugh sounds a few chairs away from us.
"There can't be a Lycanthrope King, and Hayder doesn't have a mate," I say very quietly and remember the Ancestor's Night. I turn fully to the Lycan and I can almost hear the words on his lips once again:
I don't care if I won't meet her before the competition...
Hayder will not find his mate in time for the Finals and if Asher loses, Chase will automatically be crowned King. I doubt the Lycan won't mate in time to be the only one capable of claiming the Throne, which, for whatever reasons, will be a disaster. But if Asher does win and neither him or Hayder will be mated, won't this situation also bring chaos to their community?
Hayder seems pretty adamant on waiting for his Moon-given, but after I'm gone will Asher move on and...
My heart aches with unjustified jealousy. I'll be dead anyway so I shouldn't care. Won't think further about it, even if it's tempting to track down this witch once I'm in London and ask her a few questions about Asher's future. But I won't. I won't.
"You shouldn't have wasted so much energy on a witch's words. They're not to be trusted." I cross my arms across my chest and look at Thalia with an amused grin on my lips. "Didn't you learn that much from your trainings, partner?"
Thalia's eyes grow big and her head snaps heretically around her, because my words were loud enough for anyone in our proximity to hear. Even those without enhanced senses. But I don't look at anyone but at Hayder, the frown on his face satisfactory enough. Good to know that his little ally isn't as trustful as she appears.
"I swear Aline, sometimes I think I know you and what your intentions are. But then," she pauses again, until I deign to look at her. "It seems like you're trying very hard to make everyone hate you. And I don't think it was anything to do with you-know-what and it is heart-breaking. What are you actually afraid of? What can make you push everyone away?"
I don't say anything afterwards, but the look I give Thalia is enough to keep her from asking other questions. I turn to the arena and remain waiting for the curtains to drop and the fight to start.