Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 80: Home Sweet Prison

Chapter 80: Home Sweet Prison

That was a sweet offer, and Riona was almost tempted to accept it without a second thought. Her eyes sparkled momentarily before dulling again. She remembered where her impulses had led her before.

Riona let out a sigh, disappointed that she had to weigh the pros and cons of her options before choosing.

"That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one trapped in this spellbound room," she commented bitterly, slamming her back against the sofa’s backrest.

The Alpha looked hurt by her words. "That’s unfair, Riona. We’re leaving the palace together. I’m in this with you. If you’re locked up, so am I," he said, jabbing a finger into his chest to emphasize the point.

"Fine. It’s OUR problem then. So, what’s the plan? I don’t see any way out. I couldn’t even destroy the shield with my power, and you know how strong I am."

"Well, maybe if you stopped holding back, we’d have a chance," he shot back.

Riona’s eyes narrowed. "You know why I can’t do that. Florian is in the palace, not far from here. If I lose control, he could get hurt."

One of the reasons why Riona’s power had not worked was because she held back. Florian was inside the palace, and his room wasn’t that far from her location.

If she accidentally blew up this room, the explosion might reach him. She didn’t want to have a fried bat for a brother.

"His Majesty the King has forbidden me from leaving. And knowing how well he knows me, I’m sure he’ll add more security measures to prevent me from escaping," she said.

She folded her arms as a thought crossed her mind. "But why is he so adamant about keeping me here? I understand Lisbeth—she’s obsessed with winning against me. And Lady Maris, well, she’s just being a good mommy bat. But His Majesty?"

King Valentin wasn’t the affectionate type to go to such lengths for his daughter, unlike Lady Maris.

Unless you count setting impossible expectations and then punishing your child for not achieving the impossible as affection. Oh, wait, a lot of parents do think that’s affection! Must be in the Parenting 101 handbook.

"Do you seriously not know?" Thorin asked, eyeing her with suspicion. He thought she was joking.

Riona raised an eyebrow. "Enlighten me, Alpha. What’s the big secret?"

He sighed, exasperated. "You’re the rightful heir to the throne."

Thorin’s theory was that King Valentin had been keeping her close to control her. The king was living true to the phrase: keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

"He’s terrified you’ll come back and reclaim the throne," Thorin continued. "Imagine if a pack of werewolves was under your command and you decided you wanted the crown!"

"That’s the most ridiculous nonsense I’ve ever heard," she snapped.

Rolling her eyes, she added, "King Valentin fears me? Are you serious, Alpha? He nearly killed me just a few moments ago. If he was that scared of me snatching his seat, he could have just finished the job."

"Or..." Thorin hesitated. It was clear that he had an idea but reluctance was evident in his expression. He pursed his lips, staring at Riona with pity.

"Or what?" Riona pressed impatiently.

"It might have something to do with your parents’ death. Maybe he’s hiding something, and somehow—though I don’t know how but somehow—it would get him in trouble if you left the palace."

He paused, clearly aware of the sensitivity of the topic. Riona appreciated his consideration, even though it had been a long time since her parents’ death.

Riona pondered for a moment. The possibility wasn’t zero. According to the werewolf’s diary, her mother’s death might not have been an accident. Still, she couldn’t see how that was connected to her being kept in the palace.

"Interesting theory, but I don’t see the connection. Why would keeping me here protect him?"

"Maybe there’s something about your parents’ death he doesn’t want you to find out," Thorin suggested. "And if you’re out there, you might start digging."

"Well, that’s a new twist. Still doesn’t solve our problem, though," she said, not dismissing his opinion.

"No," Thorin agreed, looking defeated. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "We need another way. There has to be something we’re missing."

"Maybe there is," Riona conceded. "But until we find it, we’re stuck. And I don’t like being stuck."

"Neither do I," he said. "We’ll figure this out. Together."

***

The three of them had been sitting in silence for a while. Thorin intertwined his fingers anxiously, resting his elbows on his thighs. Puck stood nearby, leaning against the sofa, near Zane, who was the only one sitting comfortably on the sofa.

"I heard everything from Puck," the elder finally broke the silence with a long, tired sigh.

With his biological father’s absence, Zane had become a father figure to Thorin, looking after him since he was a pup.

"Don’t be too hard on him," Zane said, defending Puck from Thorin’s glare. "He has his reasons. And besides, we’ve all noticed how infatuated you are with that vampire."

"Infa—what? Infatuated? She is the Blood Moon child! This is strictly business!" Thorin protested, his eyes widening.

Thorin’s protests only made it clearer to everyone watching. But Puck hadn’t shared the information with Zane just to tease the Alpha. They had a more important matter to discuss.

"It doesn’t matter. You’ll bring her to Wintertooth, won’t you?" Zane’s eyes were somber. "Do you think your family will stay quiet and accept her into the pack?"

The Alpha clenched his fists. He knew that sooner or later, the Zacharia clan would hear about Riona’s presence in Wintertooth, and they wouldn’t stay idle.

"What’s your plan, Thorin? You must have one. You can’t just take her with you and expect everything to be fine without a proper plan," Zane urged.

"Ugh." Thorin grabbed his hair in frustration. Things had just become even more complicated. "I don’t know. I don’t even know if I can take her with me. The vampire king forbade her from leaving."

Puck sighed. "Can’t you just convince her to give you the power right here and now? Why go to such lengths to marry her? And why must you bring her to Wintertooth?"

The Alpha bit his lower lip, creasing his eyebrows. He knew his decisions were met with opposition. Puck and Zane had never supported the idea of marrying the Blood Moon child.

And Puck was right—Thorin could have used the time here to push Riona to give him the power. But how could she do that? She wasn’t even aware she was the Blood Moon child, let alone how to use the power.

Marrying her had initially been a strategy to control her and her power. But as he got closer to her, marriage became a way to protect her too. She had endured so much just to leave the palace.

"I can’t leave her behind. Not after discovering that she’s one of us," Thorin said.