[THIRD PARTY POV]
'Mate,' Grant thought to himself as he saw the beautiful man who had just walked in.
If ever perfection was materialized, then the man who had just walked in would definitely be it. He was everything a man like Grant ever wanted, and now that he had gotten him, he would thank the goddess later when this was done.
"The high priestess of Greroth, Criselda with her protege, Gideon," someone in the room announced but it all came off as a blank call to Grant. All his focus was on Gideon. The man from Greroth that all the rumors knew of.
Gideon seemed to know his place among the royals.
He had been well-trained, like a warrior who would only attack if their master was attacked. The warning was clear in his eyes and everyone who loved their lives, wouldn't dare try anything with Criselda. The woman who was like a mother to him.
"My fellow leaders of the midlands, we are aware of the threat looming above us. The magnitude of loss that we risk if we don't act now.
"We have all heard about the beast of the midlands for a while now, he is more dangerous than even the son of thieves, and that's because the beast walks among us," the king began, but Grant wasn't even paying attention no more.
Instead, he had set his eyes on the magnificent man before him.
Gideon.
Gideon was notorious for doing everything and anything that he set his mind to, and he had the support of Criselda, which made him somewhat invincible. He also commanded more power in the room than all of the leaders there combined.
The man in question looked grimmer by the second, especially when he looked at the lycan king. His aura was dark and his energy so foreign, something that intrigued Grant even more. He wanted to know the protege, so instead of focusing on the meeting, he focused on Gideon.
"If the beast is a man, then we need to set up a trap for him," Grant heard Zelina say irritatedly. It was a good idea though, because no one had ever seen the beast and managed to make it out alive.
Everyone who had seen him always ended up dead. This time, they were just lucky and were going to use that to their advantage. besides, what could go wrong at the moment, right?
"It could work."
"The consequences are a little too much."
"Even if we set a trap, how sure are we that he will walk right in?"
"Agitating the beats just because there's many of us isn't a good idea."
"He could ruin us with one swipe of his claws."
Suggestions filled the once lonely throne room, giving it life, however chaotic it was. They all had a purpose and homes to keep safe and even though it was a wild guess for them, they had to try and make it work.
"I agree, but what do we use as a trap?" King Edison asked like he was new to the whole dynamics of the beats and his obsession with the midlands.
"Are you serious right now?" Ulrike asked, just at the same time, that the warlock protege let out a harsh scoff at the lycan king's question, and that got the attention of everyone in the room.
However, that didn't seem to faze Gideon. Instead, he just stared at the king, as if he was challenging the man, while Criselda smirked.
King Edison was clearly not pleased with the response from Gideon, but he was even more shocked when the young warlock walked towards him, with a bored face like he wanted to go back home to Greroth instead of listening to the king.
"Why, your highness?" Gideon asked, his eyes full of anger, almost like he and this kind shared a past. However, just as the anger had shown in Gideon's eyes, so did it disappear, something that got Grant even more invested in his mate.
Whatever had been said of Gideon in the rumor mills wasn't enough because now that he looked at his mate. Grant was sure the goddess sure took her sweet time to create Gideon and make him as fearless and ruthless as the legends spoke of.
He was a great man everywhere and Grant wanted to jump his bones right now, however inappropriate that sounded. The mate pull was messing with the both of them. At least that much was obvious.
"I saw a lizard on your robe, or is it a pet of yours?" Gideon asked, and Grant could see that there was no lizard there, but he noticed Criselda's hands moving and suddenly there was a lizard on the lycan king's robe.
'Who is he?' Grant asked himself as he watched amusedly, as the leaders continued their talk about the beast and how to work the issue out. The beast was notorious, but to Grant, nothing could be more notorious to him than being mated to Gideon of Greroth.
It was more of an honor than a lifetime achievement.
Later that evening, it was decided that Ulrike would be used as the bait for the beast of the midlands, and Gideon seemed worried, which was unlike him.
They were currently outside the gates of Acrod, and hiding behind the woods, waiting to see if the beast would make a show.
It was risky, not just because of who they were against, but because they were using children to lure the beast, not to mention the fact that Ulrike, who was the bait, was known to be scared shitless of children.
The whole situation just didn't make any sense, but they had to be patient and see it through. Maybe at the end of the stake-out, they would have answers, but what if, right?
"Do you think he will be okay?" Gideon asked Grant, who just looked at him like he was someone else. Barely five minutes ago, Gideon and Ulrike had been bartering like it hadn't been a significant mission and now he was worried about the hound of the southern forest.
'Damn, his rainforest scent is addicting as hell,' Grant thought to himself as he stared at his mate who was beside him. It took every ounce of self-control for him not to jump the protege, because who knew what the man would do?
"If you're so worried about him, why don't you go after him?" Grant said dismissively and the werewolf king growled out in warning. He didn't want them fighting when they had more pressing issues at the moment.
"Okay, I'll go with him," Gideon suddenly said and Grant felt like he had been punched in the gut. He could see the smirk on Gideon's face, and he instantly knew that the protege knew they were mated.
Was this torture for the both of them, or was Gideon doing this out of spite?
Grant could have sworn it was because the man wanted to torture him.
However, before Grant could stop Gideon, Criselda spoke up, thankfully, making Grant release a sigh of relief; but then it all went away when they all heard Gideon's response.
Oh, but this man would be the death of Grant.
"No son. I refuse. I don't have the strength to mourn a child. Don't do this to me. How do we even know you will come back? You don't have to go there. Let the warriors go, Gideon," Criselda pleaded with her son as everyone watched helplessly.
They knew there was nothing they could say to Gideon to make him stay put, and they also knew he wouldn't listen to them.
Even Zelina was quiet.
The fierce warrior who didn't think with her emotions was quiet and that couldn't have been more surprising.
They all could see she didn't want Gideon to go, but then there was an adamance in Gideon's eyes that told them that he had made up his mind.
Nothing Criselda would do was going to make him stay. However, they didn't want to tell that to the high priestess, because she was hurting.
"I'll be back, mother, I promise. I will be back. I'm your son, remember?" Gideon said as he kissed Criselda on the cheeks. He knew this was probably him being cruel, but he needed to do this. It was almost like he wanted to confirm something.
No one knew what was going on in his mind.
"You know I never lie, I will come back mother," Gideon said as he walked out of their hideout even before Criselda could say another word.
In silence, they watched as Gideon went away, and also watched as Ulrike and the beast fought, with the beast winning by far.
It was something that they had somewhat expected, but what had shocked them, even more, was the fact that the lycan king had fainted when he saw who the beast was.
A lycan.
"Well that was unexpected," Grant said as the lycan king fell to the ground in complete and utter shock, and the leaders watched him in wonder.