Triad Mates: Of Wolves & Dragons

Chapter Seven

-Harley's POV-

After taking a shower, I put my clothes on. A simple t-shirt with jeans and sneakers.

I can't believe that I was in my underwear in front of Noah and I didn't notice. It is something I am used to doing. In the middle of the night, I take my clothes off and don't even remember doing it.

That's why Noah kept looking at me like that. And he didn't say anything either! How embarrassing.

With a sigh, I start to unwrap my bandages. The wound is clean and it is not bleeding anymore. Noah did a good job.

I replace the bandages and then I take a deep breath before opening the door to the hall because I feel like he just might be there waiting for me.

When I open the door, two big men stand in my way. Behind them, leaning on a wall is Noah.

"Come with us." One of them says with a stern voice. "The Alpha wishes to speak with you."

I feel just a bit intimidated. This is not a friendly tone.

I look at Noah and he just stares at me. I can't read his expression but he seems not to have any say here.

I nod. "Okay..." That is all I say because it doesn't feel like I have much of a choice.

One of them leads me through the hall while the other one walks behind me with Noah following him.

I don't feel welcome here at all. It feels like I am being treated as a prisoner.

They lead me down the stairs while people around the house stop to look at me as if I am some sort of odd object.

We stop in front of a door. The man in front of me knocks and from behind the door, the voice of an older man speaks. "Yeah?"

"The girl is awake." The ogre of a man in front of me says.

"Bring her in."

The man in front of me opens the door and strides right in.

I follow along with the other bodyguard behind me and Noah.

A tall man —with back-slicked-black hair with white strands, blue eyes, and a huge claw scar on his neck— stands behind a desk.

His scrutinizing stare makes me shrink. He doesn't look like a friendly person.

He stares me up and down, looking like he is trying to analyze me.

"Give me the lie." Is the first thing he says.

I am confused. "What?"

"Go ahead, feed me your lie." He says.

"What do you mean? I have no reason to lie." I say.

He scoffs. "Really? What is your name?"

"Harley." I lift my head up with pride and a bit of hubris really. "What is your name?" I ask him.

He smiles, amused but I still don't like him. He has something that I just don't trust.

"Alpha Korbyn and you are in the Crimson Cresent pack."

Alpha Korbyn... never heard of him but that's because I never paid attention to any pack business back home.

"Who are you, Harley? Why were you in the woods?" He asks.

"My reason is my own." I say. "I was nowhere near your pack so I have no need, reason, or obligation to give you my own reason. I was brought here and I was barely conscious anyway."

"Yet, you seek my help?" He asks.

"I seek nothing from you. I am grateful for Noah's help but I can just leave if it's an inconvenience to you. Just point me to the way out."

The man smiles and it is alarmingly uncomfortable. "Who said you were free to leave?"

I knew it.

"Why can't I leave?" I ask.

I want to look back at Noah but I feel like that might be construed as seeking help, weakness or me feeling intimidated.

"Because of who you are." He says.

I can't hide my fear now. It is written all over my face.

Oh s**t.

"I... I have no idea what you are talking about."

Now I don't care and look back at Noah. His eyes go to me and he seems calm but his face is still unreadable and I hate it. I had felt like I could trust him at the beginning but now I am not so sure. He made me feel safe before. Now he just seems a bit cold.

"No more bullshit, Harley." Korbyn says, bringing my attention back to him. "From what I know, your family is still alive."

I almost gasp and I know I can't hide my shocked expression.

"What... do you mean?" I ask.

"The blood moon pack was attacked and taken over. Every northern pack for miles knows this." He says.

"Everyone... knows... and no one helped!?" I bark out, frustrated.

"Actually, The Moon Howler pack and a few of your ally packs that are near, launched an attack yesterday to try and help but were unsuccessful."

"My uncle's pack!"

"Alpha Archer's brother—your other uncle, Theo—took control of the pack and launched an attack to try and free your family."

"Are... they okay? Is my uncle okay?"

"Yeah, there weren't many casualties because they had to retreat fast."

"Why?"

"They dangled your brother at them. Gave them a warning to retreat or they would execute him."

The way he says this without an ounce of empathy. I shake at his words. They are using my brother as leverage.

"They said that if another pack was to attack or try to help, they would kill the Alpha family starting with the youngest."

My heart sinks at hearing this and unable to help it, I start to shake though I try to hide it but I know they all can see it.

"Basically, whoever took control of your pack, has everyone by the balls." He says. "They have your family hostage and Alpha Archer. If anyone makes a wrong move, they will kill them." He says.

I feel lost now.

"So... now what?" I ask with a deflated tone.

"We have been allies with your pack for a long time now just like many other packs around the area. But your presence here puts us in grave danger because the enemy is looking for you. Thankfully, Noah was far away from our pack when he found you so the enemy that he fought won't be able to tell what pack he belongs to. But with you here, we are still in danger."

"So... I'll leave." I say.

"I can't allow that." He says.

"Why?"

"You are too valuable." He shamelessly says.

"How so?"

He takes in an aggravated breath. "I know what you are, but don't worry...I don't wish to harm you and I don't want your heart."

"Why not?" I ask wanting to find his reason. "You know the story. If you had my heart, you could have my power."

"That really only appeals to witches and those sorts of people. Not having to utter spells to control the elements as you do. Now... I won't lie, I would love to have your mother's dragon. Now that would be a trump card. But I wouldn't gain that by consuming her heart or yours, would I?"

He is serious about this question. If my answer was yes, I know he would kill me. Thankfully, it isn't possible for someone like him unless he has a very powerful witch helping him.

I shake my head.

Archion can't be obtained that easily. Powerful magic has to be involved for that and I am sure he does not have that at his disposal. Which makes me remember what mom said. That the enemy that attacked us wanted Archion. So that must mean that they have someone powerful with them. Someone that would be able to take him. And I have a feeling that it was that woman we encountered. She seemed powerful. And her amulet is engraved in my head. It nags at me because I feel like it was important. It looked old.

"Then no, I don't want your heart." He says bringing me back from my thoughts.

That doesn't make me feel any better. Especially the way he says it because I can feel he still wants something and I am sure he would have cut my heart out if it meant he could have Archion.

"So then... I'm a prisoner." I say.

"No...you are my ward." He says. "I will secretly protect you but you can't stay here."

"Uh... ward?"

"Yes... think of yourself as a princess under the care of another king."

"But why? Why protect me when I can be a potential danger to your pack and not just because of the enemy but also because of my own powers."

He smiles. "My reasons are my own." He looks down, thinking. "But what to do with you?" He mumbles.

Ward... is that a good thing?

("Fancy word but it still means you are a prisoner.") Archion says.

I agree completely with Archion on this.

("Yet... this might be a good thing.") He says.

("How so?") I ask him. It is hard to talk to him in my head while I concentrate on what is happening around me. I am not used to it.

How did mom do it?

("For the meantime, play along. You would still be hiding from the enemy that attacked our pack. Let's see how this plays out.") He says.

"Plays out? But we need to save our family." I say... out loud.

My head goes up realizing I just spoke out loud.

Everyone is looking at me.

Korbyn stares at me as if he realizes something. "So... it is true then...you can speak to him." Korbyn mumbles. "... and YOU have it."

("Great job.") Archion says.

"He already knew about you!" I say out loud again.

I quickly cover my mouth. I look at Korbyn and point at him, thinking of how can I fix this.

"I...it is not what you think."

"No? Then explain it to me."

"... It's a demon! A demon is inside of me!" I shout.

("Go to hell!") Archion yells at me.

I gasp. I didn't think Archion would say something like that.

"Noah... take her to her room. Make sure she is... comfortable." Korbyn says.

"Of course." Noah says and then lightly grabs me by the arm.

"But, no!" I try to turn back. "I have more questions."

"Which can be answered later." Korbyn says.

He seems like he is done with the conversation and I don't want to push him. He doesn't seem like he is a kind man. So I let Noah lead me out. Even though I have questions, I really have no desire to keep talking to Korbyn but also the moment Noah touched me, I felt butterflies.

"So... now you are just going to lock me up? If that's the case then maybe you shouldn't have saved me back in the forest!" I say.

I look at him and find him laughing though he is trying to hold it in.

"A demon?" He finally says.

"Uh!..." I roll my eyes.

"So you aren't crazy. You are just possessed?" He asks.

("Do you see what you have done?") Archion complaints. (I am no degrading demon and I have fought a few I'll have you know! One of them was with your mother!)

("I've heard all about that. Didn't seem like a great feat to me")

("That's because your mother never told it right!) He continues on a rant about the events that transpired a long time ago with my mother.

Ignoring Arhion, I look back at Noah. "So, you knew who I was? Didn't you?"

"I realized who you were when we got back here and I learned of what had happened to the Blood Moon pack." He says now leading me up the stairs.

"Who are you anyway besides just Noah?" I ask him.

He looks back at me and smiles.

I want to be angry at him because I am just upset by all this but I can't.

"I'm exactly that, just Noah." He says.

"You are an Alpha, not just Noah." I say.

"Okay, sure... I'm an Alpha." He says.

I squint my eyes because that did not sound right. It sounds more like he is hiding something. I scratch my head. I am really confused here.

"Is Alpha Korbyn your dad?"

"Yeah." He says.

"But..." I stop myself because I don't want to be rude.

He and Korbyn look nothing alike. Not a single similar feature.

"He's mated to my mother. He is my... stepfather, I guess." He explains.

"Oh."

That makes sense now.

Suddenly a tall woman stands in front of Noah, blocking him.

She is almost as tall as Noah but just a bit shorter and definitely much taller than me. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. She also has an aura about her. The kind that demands eyes on her when she enters a room.

She looks at me, her face unreadable just like Noah's back at the office, and then she looks back at him.

"When you are done... you and I need to have a conversation." She says lowly. I can still hear it but I can tell she is trying to keep it between them.

"No, we don't." Noah says.

"Yes... we do." She says.

Noah gets closer and almost whispers. "I have nothing to say. I did what I did and I would have kept going if..." He stops talking and his jaw clenches. "Let's just drop it... mother."

That's his mom?

"I am not asking." She says. "When you are done, we are talking."

She walks past him and as she walks past me, she gives me a courteous nod which I return.

Noah continues to walk and now we are both in silence.

I have a feeling that that little conversation had to do with Noah being so far out in the middle of the woods. But it is not my place to ask... yet.

Noah suddenly stops in front of a door. Not the room I woke in.

He opens it and motions for me to go in.

This Korbyn guy is really intending to treat me like a princess. This room seems like it's fit for royalty.

"I'm sure you'll be comfortable here, little fairy." Noah says.

I look back expecting him to close the door and leave me there but he walks in and then closes the door behind him.

"This is the extra fancy guest room." He says and chuckles.

"I can see that." I say and after sliding my eyes across the room, I look at him. "But what..." I realize that he is very close and walking slowly towards me with his eyes just a bit hazed. "... now?" I finish.

He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my head so that my eyes meet his.

"I can think of a few things." He whispers.

I feel like I need a hand fan to fan my face at how hot it feels.

"A... I..." I am a mess and can't seem to get a word out.

His eyes go all over my face, studying it and he looks confused.

"What..." He whispers.

"What?..." I whisper back,

"What... am I feeling?" He asks.