Chapter 35: Unraveling
1894 Words
Axel
The King summoned me to fill him in on what I had found about the Dark Witch and there wasn't much I could give him. I entered his home office and gave him the file on what I knew, Erik kept secrets and wanted power for himself. Roman said, "So, what I am gathering, we need certain ingredients and something to anchor my immortality," "Like, what exactly?" I asked, and he said, "I don't know but half of these ingredients are ancient and we won't be able to find them but maybe, we could find a substitute." I was dumbfounded because we would need a witch not loyal to her coven to pull it off as this type of magic is forbidden. Roman looked at me and said, "Maybe, we can ask Addy?" I laughed and said, "She will never help us she is part of Alpha Ares's pack, she mated their Gamma, remember?" Roman lost it and yelled, "Find a witch now! Ares will bow to me or I will kill him."
I have been working on leads for weeks to find a way to get a witch to do our bidding and kill King Dragu, it was the only way Marion would bend to us. Addison was mated to Tennison Valmore so we do not attempt to bring her in again and Allison's mating bonds her magic, Roman was screwed and he knows it. The Dark Witch was a rumor found to be true and I needed to find her, she was our best bet to make Ares and his brothers kneel and accept Roman as their King and Alpha. I, however, was loyal to Roman and he was my best friend, my brother usually let me do all the dirty work since becoming a family man and being married to Amon's daughter. He tried to be a good man in his mate's eyes because her mother never trusted Roman and kept her distance, I couldn't blame her after witnessing the coup many years ago.
I got word that King Dragu would be going to a business conference in Elvira alone, Marion would be staying in Volterra, and knew this was my chance to get close enough to kill him. I packed and got a few men to go on this mission after getting approval from Roman, he was happy about this and said, "I want to see results, Axel, something was not right in Ravena, I could feel it." I knew what he meant, the air in Ravena had changed drastically, and something was brewing, especially after bleeding money in a few businesses that his advisors were trying to stop. My brother, Felix, was helping with that one, he was trying to trace who was leaking our finances and stealing money. I arrived at the conference a few hours later and settled into our hotel, I headed down to the restaurant where I saw most leaders mingling with each other.
I took Roman's place at the conference since he and King Emile came to high words recently about Prince Mendai and he stayed out of Elvira to keep the peace since they had a treaty with the Dragons, Witches, and Vampires. King Elijah already didn't like him and no one sees King Dominic because if you do, it's more than likely barbecue time. His brother, Prince Allan would attend to his affairs if he had to and he was one crazy bastard if you asked me, roast you, and ask questions later if you survived. I saw Beta Drake Valmore and Prince Michael Spark of Faerora, the mute everyone talks about and I smiled. They were deep in talks when Beta Drake looked at me and raised his glass in acknowledgment, he gave me the creeps. After he survived that silver bullet to the head which was also laced with vervain, let us know that it was dark magic and that we needed to get the Valmores on our side sooner, rather than later.
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The Next Day
I saw Dragu, he was not sitting far from where we were sitting and I knew we needed a distraction to have him killed, everyone looked at me since what happened at the last conference in Ironside when a sniper almost killed Prince Rowe's mate, she was an Elf and special to the Royals. For me, she was collateral damage, she was standing next to my target, and I was brought out of my thoughts when the conference began. Dragu was one of the speakers, they were expanding railroads, and tunnels to travel between more territories. Dragu was a natural public speaker with everyone although deemed shy which I got from my research, he was serious except when it came to his wife. Everyone knows that man doesn't play when it comes to his mate, he was smitten and that could work in our favor, I just needed to strike when the time was right. I need to do this for Roman since he and Lily split, he was going crazy and needed results.
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Dragu
I knew what was going to happen when I got the vision, Axel was going to try and assassinate me but I was ready for him, I told no one but Marion and our secret circle that's why she stayed back. He was going to die but not by my hand but I was surely going to rattle him, since Lily left Roman yesterday after he snapped at her, we were finally seeing our plans grow into fruition. He needed to give Roman a win but he wasn't going to get it, not today, we going to send Roman crazier than he already was. Aidan had his family to deal with after Prince Kyan learned the truth last night about him being his real father. I got up and gave my speech, Emile linked me and said, "Don't hurt him too much but make it look good," Dominic snicked saying, "I wish I could be there," Drax said, "I going show you when it's time, stay quiet, let the Seer do his thing."
After the long morning, we broke for lunch, I was on alert because this is when it happens, I had secretly put a magical barrier around the other innocents in the room when Axel walked up to me. There was a blinding light and an explosion with smoke around, there were screams and covering for safety when he said, "Roman sent his regards and stabbed me in my stomach twisting the knife until it broke and he tried to walk away but couldn't move. The panic in his eyes set in when my eyes changed to solid white, I was bleeding but Drax was taking the pain away unknown to him. My magic started to choke him after allowing him to stab me to make him think he had me where he wanted me and I said, "You will die soon, I will not kill you today because you are not my kill but now everyone in this room made their mind up and will join Ares in his crusade to end Roman, now leave before I change my mind and kill you and your men."
He backed away slowly, scared catching his breath because I was not even flinching from the pain I was supposed to be experiencing, my magic would protect me always and as he turned to walk out, I said, "Toffe will end you." He turned to me confused and looked like he saw a ghost hearing that name, he was angry before running out, and Drax walked over to me taking the blade out of my stomach. My wound healed on its own quickly and I was surprised when he said, "Aidan tied you and Marion to our immortality, friend," I smiled in acknowledgment. He told me the basics, "It only takes a long time to heal depending on the severity of the damage done but the i***t missed every organ when he stabbed you." Mendai had Axel and his men escorted out of their territory never to return and Aidan was pleased with the result, I eventually headed home to tell my wife about how it all went down.
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Weeks Later
Roman
Their deaths haunt me again, killing your best friends begins to take a toll on me, I woke up to another dream but this one was different, it reminded me of the days we spent at the lake when we were small children. I felt like I was there, like I was a child again with my friends and family but in reality, those days are long gone, and being King was worth it. I turn to see Esmerelda in bed after the f**k we had last night, I woke her and she kissed me before I asked her to leave, I barely slept, Aidan and the rest seem to be haunting me every time I close my eyes to sleep. I showered and decided to see Michelle and tell her about her husband and my Lily, Axel made the appointment for me as she refused anyone including me without an appointment. These wolves are so disrespectful to their King, "Maybe, I should bend her over the desk and film it, so I can send it to Ares showing him how good his wife will enjoy my c**k," I thought.
I was going mad and trying to keep it together since Lily left, I f****d up and didn't know how to fix this with her, I love her and she needed to be back home soon. Axel failed to kill King Dragu in hopes of forcing Marion's hand but he was not an easy target like Axel predicted. I was losing favor among my subjects and allies, he told me what Dragu said in calling Toffe's name and I knew he probably is the one who had Toffe in Volterra so I sent my spies to find out, I wanted my prize and son back, he will be powerful once his powers unbind and would help me force Ares's loyalty. I looked at a picture of my wife and I cried because I wanted her back, even my kids were not helping me deliver her but when I visited Michell later, Lily would be home soon. The meeting was not going as I expected when I tried to intimidate her, she was not heeding my Alpha command as her King.
I growl with anger as my wolf came forward and squeeze her neck and was about to hit her when I heard Beta Drake say, “Don’t write yourself a check your ass can’t cash, Rosie,” pointing his gun at my head, I froze as no one calls me that, only my childhood friends and they are all dead. I turned to him seeing his face and I backed away in fear tripping over Michelle’s plant pot as his guards had all guns pointed at me. My guards had guns at their heads, but I wasn’t focused on them, just on his face, I said, “No! It cannot be, you’re dead,” it was Drax’s face, I closed my eyes catching a panic attack before I saw that it was Beta Drake’s face, not Drax's, but he smiled, and I felt uneasy.
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