Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 243: Wintertooth Reborn

Chapter 243: Wintertooth Reborn

It had taken a long time to rebuild the pack, to find some semblance of stability. The pack—or what was left of it—had been bouncing from one place to the next, trying to make themselves at home.

But, as luck would have it, something always went wrong. Not enough game to feed everyone, dirty water, logistics that could’ve been planned by a blindfolded squirrel... you get the idea.

Then, two years ago, they found this beach. Finally, a place that didn’t immediately try to kill them. This was their new Wintertooth, their safe haven.

Thorin had sworn a vow to protect his pack, to ensure that they would never face such struggles again. But despite the new resolve burning in his heart, there were moments when he couldn’t help but think of Riona.

What was she doing now? Had she returned to the royal palace? Had she been reunited with the brother she had so dearly loved?

He hated to admit it, but he missed her. Even so, he knew he didn’t deserve any relief to that feeling. That’s why he had never tried to find her or chase her.

The true culprit wasn’t Riona—it was him. He had been the Alpha of the pack. It was his duty to protect them, to lead them. And he had failed.

He had failed to shield the pack from the Zachs, letting Riona take on a responsibility she had no business bearing. She had been a guest, an outsider, yet she’d borne the brunt of it all.

And then, he had failed to protect the pack from Riona’s wrath.

He had been the one who made the decision to bring her in knowing how risky that was for the pack and Riona, and he had no one to blame but himself.

No matter how much he longed to see her again, Thorin forced himself to stop. "I’m done with vampires," he reminded himself, as though repeating it would somehow make it true.

But then, of course, his mind started to spiral. What if Riona needed shelter? What if the vampire king decided to pull another ’I’m going to be a terrible uncle’ routine and hurt her again? She’d be out on the streets, totally alone, with no one to save her from the big, bad world.

Not that Riona needed anyone to protect her. And, honestly, that whole thought was a bit of a stretch.

Riona was a proud vampire—proud, stubborn, and probably too proud to ask for help from anyone. Especially from him. What made Thorin think she’d come crawling to him, of all people?

But... maybe, just maybe, if she was backed into a corner with absolutely no other options—then she might come crawling to him.

He could argue with himself all he wanted, but the truth was, he couldn’t shake the image of Riona’s face.

The last time he saw her, her eyes had been filled with tears, her expression a mix of regret and sadness for the destruction she’d caused to the werewolves and their homes. That kind of weight couldn’t be shaken off easily.

Would it fade in time? Or would it gnaw at her for years, until the guilt and pride finally broke her down, forcing her to return to him, seeking solace?

No. Do not think about her, he scolded himself, shoving the thought into a dark corner of his mind where it could fester quietly.

But, of course, after all the energy he’d expended trying to not think about his ex, the universe clearly had other plans. In the middle of what was supposed to be a deeply solemn speech honoring their fallen comrades, one werewolf decided it was the perfect time to burst in and ruin everything.

"Thorin, someone’s here to see you! And she’s... a vampire," he announced.

Thorin’s throat tightened, and his stomach churned. His brain, in a desperate attempt to maintain some modicum of dignity, tried to stop him from spiraling.

"No, no, don’t get your hopes up," it whispered. But of course, he wasn’t listening. The word ’vampire’ sent his mind straight to her.

Is it her?

Before common sense could catch up with him, before he could even finish his totally necessary speech about honoring the dead, he bolted. He didn’t even think twice—he just ran from the sea, leaving the candlelit leaf he was supposed to send afloat.

It was supposed to be the final act of the ritual, the last gesture of closure, one that he had designed, no less. But nope. The moment someone mentioned a vampire, Thorin abandoned his sacred duty faster than a werewolf at a garlic festival.

"Where is she?" Thorin demanded, not even breaking his stride. The werewolf who’d given him the message hadn’t specified who the guest was, but Thorin had already made the leap to a female vampire.

And as he rounded the corner, that suspicion proved true—though not in the way he expected.

He came to a screeching halt, eyes wide with a mix of shock and pure, unfiltered disappointment. "Lady... Maris?"

He glanced around as though she might be trailing someone else, though he knew full well that expecting Riona to show up with Lady Maris was like hoping to find a unicorn at the local tavern. Still, it was hard not to hope.

"Alpha Thorin," she greeted him, her voice all sweetness and politeness, paired with a deep bow that clearly belonged to some royal court, not the lands of the werewolves. It was like watching a cat try to fit into a dog kennel.

Thorin exhaled sharply, still catching his breath. "No need for courtly bows, Lady Maris. This isn’t the Kingdom of Eira, you know."

His gaze flickered around once more, hoping—no, praying—for a familiar face to emerge. But it seemed she was alone.

"I came alone," she said, confirming his worst fear. "Didn’t even inform His Majesty of my departure. I feared he’d want to send a retinue of knights or follow me himself—too much attention for something so urgent and... private."

Right. The king’s beloved mistress. The one who had the privilege of being the only person Thorin had seen His Majesty speak to so kindly—a level of sweetness reserved for the rarest of cupcakes.

"I see." Thorin forced himself to focus. "What brings you to these lands?"

"I need your help to find Riona," she said.

Wait, what? Find Riona? As in locate Riona? The same Riona who was supposed to be lounging in the royal palace right now, snuggled up in that ridiculously oversized bed with her brother, probably dreaming about expensive artificial blood or whatever royals dream about?

Seriously, what was happening here? Did she take up sleepwalking as a new hobby or what?

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