Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 77: Battle of Wills

Chapter 77: Battle of Wills

Thorin was still in a daze. A part of him wondered if it had all been just a dream. What made her agree to marry him so suddenly?

"Are you still hung up on that? Isn’t this what you wanted? I thought you’d be happier," Puck commented, lounging on the sofa.

"I thought so too. This is what I came here for." Thorin slid down and lay completely on the sofa, using the armrest as his pillow.

"What’s her reasoning? Does she have a strange plan in mind? What if she just made me think we were getting married, but in reality, she has another plan?"

Thorin creased his eyebrows, confused. He had pondered this all night but couldn’t seem to find the answer.

"Is it that hard to discern? Her beloved brother got hurt while they were in the palace. That’s enough reason for her to want a quick escape," Puck offered a logical explanation.

"You think?" Thorin raised an eyebrow, still not convinced. "But for her to let go of her pride like that..."

"Anyway, Thorin, is that really what bothered you the most?" Puck’s expression slowly turned to one of rage. "Isn’t there something more important for you to consider?"

Thorin had a realization. He glanced at Florian, who was sitting in bed, reading. Approaching the young vampire, he said, "Hey, kiddo, I’ll be your brother-in-law soon. How’s that for you?"

Florian dropped his book and stared at Thorin. His jaw dropped and his eyes began to sparkle like never before. He leaped at Thorin, hugging him tightly.

"Are you this happy?" Thorin chuckled, patting Florian’s back. Turning to Puck, he said, "It’s all done. I got the permission from the most important person in this matter."

Puck buried his face in his palm, unable to take Thorin’s joke any longer. "You know that’s not what I meant!"

"Oh! I know what you meant. King Valentin hasn’t given us the green light yet, right? I must convince him!" Thorin exclaimed, springing up and exiting the room.

Puck growled. "That’s also not it..." He saw the confusion in Florian’s eyes. "I’m just worried for your sister, that’s all."

The Howl’s worries were justifiable. Thorin was the Alpha of the Wintertooth pack. He was capable and authorized to make decisions for himself and his pack as the leader.

However, he was also part of the Zacharia clan, his mother’s family.

The Zacharias were known for their pride and contentious nature. They despised vampires as much as vampires despised werewolves. They were also fiercely protective of their bloodlines, even those who had strayed from the pack.

That’s why, despite being an Alpha, Thorin was pretty much constrained by his mother’s family.

Thorin’s acceptance of the invitation extended by King Valentin was supposed to remain a secret.

The Alpha and the Howl had devised a meticulous plan to deceive and distract the Zacharias. However, their efforts ultimately failed.

Thorin’s notorious aunt, Nina, had caught wind of his recent decisions and openly expressed her dissatisfaction.

Even if Thorin managed to bring Riona home, who could guarantee that Nina Zacharia wouldn’t ransack the Wintertooth pack to rid them of the vampire?

Puck couldn’t proceed without a solid plan, especially given the clear looming threat. This wasn’t his usual approach. After all, he was the pack’s tracker. He needed to strategize Thorin’s next move carefully, weighing all the pros and cons.

***

"Your Majesty, Alpha Thorin requests an audience," announced a servant from the doorway of the study.

The king sighed heavily. He was not in the mood to be interrupted. He was swamped with work, and there was also the issue with Florian’s incident.

King Valentin had assigned someone to investigate thoroughly, yet he had received no updates.

He was convinced it was no mere accident; the perpetrator must be among the nobles or even the council members who opposed his decision to integrate Riona into the Royal Guard organization.

Even so, he needed to tread carefully to avoid causing chaos, and he couldn’t afford to accuse the wrong person.

For now, let’s listen to what the Alpha had to say. "Bring him in," the king instructed.

Thorin entered the king’s study with a wide grin, appearing as if he had just won the lottery. King Valentin couldn’t help but feel suspicious of his intentions.

The king remained silent, studying the Alpha, waiting for him to speak first.

It quickly turned into a battle of wills. King Valentin gritted his teeth; he harbored a deep dislike for this Alpha, but he knew he needed Thorin here to achieve what he invited him for.

On the outside, his sole purpose was to form an alliance with Wintertooth to fight off the Asvaldur’s influence. Of course, that was part of the agenda, but it wasn’t the primary reason, which had nothing to do with the greedy vampire Emperor at all.

It was something only a werewolf could provide him.

"Your Majesty, forgive my interruption, and thank you for sparing your valuable time to hear me out," Thorin began.

His greeting was unusually elaborate and embellished. This only intensified King Valentin’s anxiety. As long as the Alpha did not bring up the topic of marriage with his niece, everything should be fine.

King Valentin made a concerted effort to maintain his stoic expression, preparing himself for whatever outlandish statements Thorin might make next.

"I believe we still have unresolved matters to address, do we not?" Thorin continued.

His words only added to the king’s sense of foreboding.

"And what might those be?" King Valentin asked, striving to keep his composure.

"Given the historical animosity between the furred and the fanged, I took great pains to keep our meetings discreet," Thorin stated with confidence.

With each sentence, he took a deliberate step forward, emphasizing his point. "Unfortunately, word got out, and now my fellow werewolves are pressuring me to abandon the idea of forming an alliance with vampires."

King Valentin involuntarily clenched his fists, quickly withdrawing them from the desk to shield his emotions from Thorin’s scrutiny.

While losing the Alpha’s support was a setback, King Valentin remained confident in the strength of his army. When it came to power and expanding territory, the Nightwarden might offer assistance.

The king was resolute: Thorin would never marry his niece.

If the Alpha chose to wed his daughter instead, King Valentin could delay Thorin’s departure from the Kingdom of Eira until the wedding.

A royal wedding demanded grand preparations that could span months, even years—precisely the delay he needed. But if Thorin married Riona, he could simply whisk her away from the palace without impediment.

No, that cannot happen.