The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 168: Onyx Stone

Chapter 168: Onyx Stone

It’s either you’re strong, or you’re gone.

FIONNA

"An allegation?" Fionna repeated as everything felt like it was happening so fast.

She had dreamed about it many times. What freedom tastes like. She had imagined it so profoundly, and sometimes without her permission , it had crept into her nightmares.

But she never let herself dream too much because a woman like herself had been taught countlessly that the easiest things to break are the heart and the hope of a common man.

She dared not hope. All she could do was fight relentlessly in hopes that one day, she would be free of the multiple chains that bound her from the day she first greeted the world as a baby.

Either that Zina was unaware of the swell of emotions that was now taking over her, or perhaps she chose to ignore it, but the woman answered impassively. "Yurt NorthSteed, the daughter of former Alpha King Eldric has been allegedly taken. They say the Red Sisters are involved although we’re on our way to confirm that."

Fionna shifted uncomfortably on her chair, well aware of the implications of Zina’s words. If indeed the Red Sisters had dared to buy the niece of the Alpha King, then there would hardly exist any more collaboration.

Which meant that the Alpha King would no longer be obliged to turn her back to the Red Sisters

"What if it’s not true?" Fionna siad, voicing her doubts and successfully squashing the seed of hope that threatened to take root in her dry heart. "What if you got a wrong message?"

Zina scoffed as if she found something incredibly funny. "The woman we’re dealing with is capable enough to sell her daughter to the devil just to get what she wants. I just never thought it would happen this soon."

Fiona didn’t understand half of what she was rambling on about, but it didn’t matter to her. The force of her distrust was out in the open, and she only stared at Zina suspiciously.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked in a biting tone.

Zina rolled her eyes. "How could I possibly help the girl who filled my food with insects when we were children. You were a horrible person, hope you know that?"

Fionna rolled her eyes in turn, filled with disbelief that Zina was still holding onto the ridiculousness that was their childhood. "If you’re expecting some belated apology, I’ve none to offer." She drawled, crossing dark red leather pants clad legs that were in contrast with Zina that wore a flowing dress.

Zina chuckled. "As if I would expect an apology from the devil herself. Either way, I shall have you know that I’ve forgiven you."

"That is rich coming from you seeing as I was sent to the Red Sisters in replacement of you."

Zina looked positively shocked on hearing that. "You knew that?!" She asked, jaw dropped open.

Fionna shrugged. "I wasn’t aware you also knew." She said. She had always thought of Zina as some airhead that wasn’t aware that her situation in the WolfKnight Pack was even more precarious than hers. But now, it seemed the blind girl was now truly a woman unlike her childish stupid self.

Zina sighed as the carriage jerked even more as they traversed rough terrain. She clutched her cloak tighter against her body while she stared into space. Finally, she broke the silence.

"I take it you’re interested in the tournament."

"If it’s just to fight, I believe I can hold my ground." Fionna growled, meaning the words.

Zina chuckled. "Thousands from different spheres of life will be participating. You’ve worked for Daemon before, do you truly think he intends to make the entirety of the tournament a fighting contest where only the brashest can win even if there are no more than animals?"

The words were biting, but a heavy truth hung to them. Fiona saw it that she was dealing with the woman who probably knew Daemon the best—as best as she could afford—mate bond or not.

"What do you think then?"

Blue eyes rested squarely on brown ones. "If I help you win the tournament, then I shall want a promise of your loyalty not only in the matter of eliminating Igar but also when it calls for it."

"Do you think you could help me win?"

Zina smirked. "You’re going against a master player himself. Obviously, it’s left for you to win. But who said I can’t proffer an insider’s view that might tip the scales of the competition in your favour? Besides, you’ve nothing to lose."

It almost sounded as though Zina was offering to cheat on her behalf, and hell be damned, but Fionna never had a problem with playing dirty. But she was slightly sceptical as to why it seemed Zina was going behind the Alpha King’s back.

"I thought your relationship with the Alpha King was good? Does he not know of Igar?"

The only response Fionna got was Zina asking, "do we have a deal?"

"Of course we do." Fionna responded, leaning into the carriage cushioned seat. Like she had a choice; the girl she once bullied might now be her saviour.

Zina smiled. "As a show of our new found trust, why don’t you tell me about the man who gave you the pendant? I must say, he is a romantic to go for something so....."

Fionna found herself stewing in the silence of Zina’s trailed words. The emptiness at the base of her throat was even more obvious. For ten years, she had never removed that pendant. And now that it was gone, she didn’t know what to do about it.

Minutes had passed before Fionna answered uncomfortably, "I don’t know his face."

Zina seemed surprised. "You don’t know him?"

"Yes. And I will never know him."

Zina looked so confused, but to her credit, she said no more.

How could Fionna explain to the woman that she had been a wandering soul, so lost and out of her mind that she was sure the Red Sisters training would drive her mad when she stumbled on a cloaked man that talked down on her so much, and then proceeded to fight her.

Although, it was an exaggeration to call it a fight as Fionna had been beaten up so badly to a point she felt a different kind of humiliation.

"It’s either you’re strong, or you’re gone. No space for the weak in our world, little one."

Those were the man’s last words before he left her for dead. And as she walked away while Fionna stared through a swollen eye, something fell off his bag... and that became the pendant she now wore.

"The pendant is unprocessed Onyx Stone, it’s not thrash." Fiona defended in the silence that had fallen in the carriage.

Zina simply said an, "oh," and then proceeded to shut her eyes as they journeyed to the BloodMoon Pack.

It didn’t matter to Fionna, she would do anything to get back that necklace no matter the cost.

**MARCUS**

Marcus twirled the pendant, debating between thrashing the thing or burning it. Ever since he had come to learn of its existence, he had wanted so badly to get his hands on them.

The woman even made it into a necklace. Weren’t Red Sisters supposed to be NOT sentimental?

Marcus decided he would just burn it. Seeing it go to flames would only assure him that it no longer existed.

Darius, one of the Warrior Commanders of the DireWolf Pack ran to him where he was strutting at the Pigeon’s Nest as they liked to call it. Basically a place they used to house their messenger pigeons.

"I’ve sealed the letter." He announced, holding up a tiny letter that bore a red seal.

"Send the letter then." Marcus said in annoyance as he twirled the pendant with his fingers. That would be the third letter he was sending to Daemon fucking NorthSteed in the last seven days. He had never sent that much letter even to the woman that warmed his bed for the longest time which summed up to two weeks.

Darius did as instructed, setting one of the pigeons free to carry the letter. The man was about to leave when his eyes went to what Marcus was twirling.

"You still dealing in onyx stones, Beta DireWolf?" He asked, lips curved in a wistful smile as he remembered the old days that Marcus would rather not remember.

"I left that shit ten years ago."

"Of course you did."