The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 285: The ‘Better’ Position

Chapter 285: The ‘Better’ Position

ZINA

Zina’s nervous habit reared its ugly head, and she started twisting her fingers as fragments and fragments of her discussion with the masked man came to her.

One thing had become pretty evident to her which was the fact that the man didn’t intend to hurt her. It sounded twisted, especially in view of everything said man did, but her heart and her mind simply weren’t in agreement when it came to painting the man as a terrible, psychopathic person.

"I was just wondering if you’ve caught him," she answered, avoiding the real reason why she was inquiring about him in the first place.

"No I haven’t," Daemon answered carefully, "but I shall have his name on my desk by afternoon."

When Zina said nothing else, he said, "if that is all then I shall take my leave."

"That is not all!" Zina objected panickedly, "I mean, I’ve more things to inquire about."

His eyes swept over her casually. "What is the problem? I might be mistaken, but it almost seems to me that you hold no hate or animosity for him."

"Daemon, don’t you find it strange that he saved me during the fight yesterday?"

"No I don’t find it strange in the least," he answered sharply, "if I were stalking a woman and saw her being attacked, I would jump in to rescue her. Especially if said woman is a rare beauty."

"Daemon I do not believe his purpose is an emotional one."

"Isn’t that unfortunate seeing as that is just how I see it—another man laying claim on my woman."

Zina guffawed at him. "I might sound unreasonable now, but believe me, when I spoke with him yesterday, it seemed like he had a different purpose. One that might be harmless."

"There’s nothing harmless about a full blooded man going after a full blooded woman."

"He might know about my past." Zina protested, her words coming out more like a plea than she had intended.

He scoffed. "I highly doubt that, but if that is the situation, all the more reason why I must execute him on sight. No one who knows your true pack should be allowed to live."

Zina blew out air, the argument already tiring her out. "I do not mean it like that. I only ask that if you do find him, at least grant me the courtesy to interrogate him personally."

"You will have your turn when I am done. However do not get your hopes up, it might just be a dead body that you might have to interrogate."

Zina rolled her eyes against his retreating back. She had underestimated just how much the mystery man had gotten under Daemon’s skin. But what had she expected? Not only had the man caused strife against Daemon and his siblings, but he had asked for her as well. Daemon’s anger and stubbornness were justified; she only hoped that everything would go well.

Apart from the mystery man’s deadly skills, something else about him slightly unnerved Zina. She shouldn’t be so unnerved especially considering that Daemon was no small shifter himself, but Zina was sure that there was more that meets the eyes to the man.

Not dwelling anymore on a matter she knew she couldn’t help, she went about her morning business and Seraph came in shortly, announcing that North was finally back from visiting the Iron Coasts.

Zina was relieved, but she set up their meeting to happen that night and not in the day. She was truly eager to hear about the man’s findings on the Screamers Pack, but her curiosity could wait since the second stage of the tournament was slated to start that evening.

The air was even more charged, and the castle bustled in anticipation of what was to come. Everyone knew that while it was tagged the second tournament, it was this stage that predetermined the people that would make it to the third stage.

Daemon, true to his shrewd nature had given in to popular demands that the second stage be centered on combat. However the twist had come in the form of the classic he had borrowed from the Legend Of the Great Beast Wolf. A classic that told about how the first werewolf had to defeat the three obstacles to reach nirvana; the mirror, the labyrinth, and the room of whispers.

To be able to stand in the Combat Arena proper, all participants were expected to pass through the mirror, the labyrinth and the room of whispers. Simply put, it meant that one could be as strong as iron but might never make it to the combat arena if they fail to pass any of the three tests.

So ultimately, the true spirit of the second stage of the tournament wasn’t in the combat itself, but in the ability to pass the three tests and be able to to stand on the tournament grounds.

One look at the people that were supervising that stage of the tournament and Zina could already tell just how exciting and dreadful the tournament would turn out to be.

Using the three of the Five Great Evils from the North, South, and Central only meant that a bag of trickery would be in play, and mental fortitude, intelligence, as well as patience would all be tested.

So just like the first stage of the tournament that demanded team work, Daemon was still weeding out werewolves that possessed the best abilities that would make them fitting to be his own people.

Of course, many eyes were still on the post of the Beta Position due to the Arctic Wolf that Daemon had promised not knowing that it was a well devised trap that Daemon had set to note down traitors. A trap that a whole lot of noble houses were biting on unknowingly.

To them, owning the Beta Position was gaining a supreme wolf, and gaining a supreme wolf meant they might stand the chance to overturn Daemon’s reign. With their greed so well defined and palpable, Zina knew that the noble houses now had one target in mind, and that was anyone who exhibited to be powerful or resilient enough to win the Beta Position.

Unfortunately, that meant that Yaren NorthSteed was the first name on the suspicion list, and already, Zina knew that moves were being made against him.

Moves to take his life.