The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 62: Alpha Xander

Chapter 62: Alpha Xander

After ordering each elder to organize their best forces and supplies, Kai couldn’t afford to let the discussion veer off course any longer. Without another word, he strode out of the room, leaving the elders to their murmurs.

Elder Dean, the elder of the Bird Clan, furrowed his brows and drummed his fingers against the table. His eyes flickered with frustration as he exhaled sharply. "This Serpent Clan...and, more importantly, the Mountain Wolf Clan, insist that His Highness must have a shifter wife. May I ask why?" His tone was laced with restrained anger. "He is the son of..."

He stopped, inhaling through his nose as if forcing himself to remain composed. "Why can’t you just accept the princess?"

The elder of the Mountain Wolf Clan leaned in, lowering his voice. "Can’t you see it? That greedy king of Alvonia has his eyes on Thegara. I wanted my granddaughter to bear His Highness’s child, but that foolish girl ruined her own chances after what she did to the princess." He huffed. "Coran is already loyal to the dead and won’t even try to change His Highness’s mind. He’d never take a mistress from the Serpent Clan, either. The only ones left are the other clans. I suggest one of you select a beautiful female, just someone who can rival the princess in appearance, and when he returns, send her to him. The princess’s beauty had lured him."

"Don’t count on me for that." The Eagle Elder of the Bird Clan stood, his expression unreadable as he turned away. He wasn’t alone, Elder Dean rose as well, following him out of the meeting hall.

The Bear Elder hesitated but then exchanged a glance with the Deer Elder before sighing. "We can’t risk this. I say we give the princess a chance to prove herself."

Hearing that, the elders of the Cat clans also left their seats. "She needs a chance. They just got married." They growled as they left.

Only the four Wolf Elders and the two Serpent Elders remained, their discussion continuing in hushed voices.

"They don’t get it. We can’t end a war and start another one. We must convince the princess to accept a mistress, or better yet, have her choose one herself. Our women can handle it. Elaika can’t stay here. I’ll take her back to the mountain castle to find her a proper husband."

"He’s keeping the princess locked inside the castle, surrounded by guards. How in the hell do you expect a wife to change her mind?" one of them grumbled.

The Serpent Elder smirked slyly. "We could send her a letter. She wouldn’t reject an invitation to a lady’s tea gathering."

His grin was too snug, too self-assured. There was no telling what trick he had up his sleeve.

~*~

In a dark cave, Rail approached Kai, his hands steady as he held out the sword. "Please, let me come with you." His voice was thick with determination.

"You know I can’t take you there." Kai took the weapon but didn’t sheath it. "He can smell your scent from an entire nation away. I can’t let him come for you."

Rail grimaced. He knew Kai was right. If he went with them, Luther would detect him instantly. He wouldn’t hesitate to take his property back. His ’Little pet’, as he called him.

"Be safe, then." Rail turned to Axe, his expression serious. "Take care of His Highness."

Axe snorted, rolling his eyes. "With Shadow awakened, those vampires should be the ones worried, not us. This kid, ah..." He shook his head. "If you cry, I’m gonna punch your little face, kiddo," Axe grumbled.

Agara sighed and pushed off the wall where he’d been leaning. "It’s getting late. They’re lurking in the dark, and that gives us a chance to catch one. Feeders are out for food at this hour."

Kai’s gaze settled on Coran, who looked ashamed. "Forget what your grandfather said. I don’t compare you to them. Questioning your loyalty would make me an idiot."

Coran fell to his knees. "I’ll make sure they don’t cause trouble in your absence. Please... come back safe."

"Oh, gods." Kai groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Stand up and don’t be so miserable." He turned to Rail. "Take him out of the cave."

Rail nodded, gripping Coran’s arm as he led him away. Beta Coran looked shattered, undoubtedly humiliated by his grandfather’s behavior.

As they exited, only three figures remained in front of the dark pathway. Kai raised his hand, and the air rippled before a vortex of shadows took shape, a black portal twisting in unnatural movement.

"Axe, I know it’s going to suck you up, but this is the fastest way to get there," Kai smirked. Axe was one of his best men, yet he hated traveling through the shadow realm. It demanded strength, draining energy from those who passed through it.

That was precisely why Kai never used it when taking Ren anywhere. Her body was fragile, and with the immense power suppressed inside her, he would never risk it.

"Fuck vampires!" Axe muttered before stepping into the portal.

Agara followed, and then Kai disappeared into the swirling blackness.

They had to walk only a few steps forward, just straight ahead, before an icy wind slashed across their faces.

"Glad I wore wool," Axe growled as the blizzard whipped around them. He placed a hand on his stomach, "Damned shadow portal! I feel sick." He suppressed the disgust. He didn’t want to puke.

Their boots crunched over the frozen terrain as they moved toward a glinting light in the distance, their soldiers’ camp.

"Your Highness! Is that you?"

A voice called from behind, and they spun around. Kai’s lips curled into a smile at the sight of the gray wolf shifting into a bulky man.

"My bravest Alpha," Kai greeted warmly. "It’s good to see you after all these months."

The blue-eyed man strode forward and wrapped him in a firm hug.

As he moved back, Kai pulled off his wool cloak and threw it over the man’s shoulders.

"Axe! You’ve gotten bigger."

Axe snorted. "Don’t you see me carrying this damn sword? I eat like humans now."

They laughed, and the Alpha bowed his head.

"Xander, take us to the pack. I need to hear everything. I received your message." Kai’s jaw tensed at the mention of it.

"Please, follow me."

Alpha Xander led them toward his tent. He was the leader of the River Wolf Pack of Thegara, the son of the River Wolf Clan’s elder. Unlike his father, who lacked courage and often followed the Mountain Wolf Clan’s lead, Xander had guided over a thousand Reapers since the call to war.

They had suffered casualties, but not as many as the human legion stationed near the mountain, about an hour away.

As they neared Xander’s tent, a group of Reapers on watch immediately approached, their eyes lighting up. Their king had returned after nearly three months. But soon they left to patrol the area.

Inside, a map stretched across a wooden table, illuminated by a candle that had nearly melted down to the holder. Xander quickly lit another.

"Apologies," he said, gesturing to the mess. "We had to shut down an attack earlier this evening. I haven’t had time to clean up."

"This is war. I’ll send more vassals to help organize things." Kai dismissed it with a wave of his hand. He pulled a chair closer. "Now, sit and tell me, how did you discover that the Vampire King is Lutherieth?"

Xander’s expression darkened. "We captured a Serpent Vampire Lord. It was a nightmare. The demon killed two Reapers and twenty human soldiers before we finally took him down." He exhaled sharply. "That was when my suspicions started. I sent an informant to investigate further. He found an abandoned castle in the far north."

His jaw clenched. "Luther was there. They caught him."

Kai’s gaze met Agara’s. The same emotion burned in both of their eyes. Anger.

"And they let him go to send us a message," Kai murmured, fury curling through his words.

Xander nodded in confirmation.

Axe scratched his stubble. "Tell us more. How in the hell is that filthy demon turning shifters into vampires?"

Kai already knew the answer. "He bites them, then feeds them his own blood. That turns them into his Lords, allowing them to convert others. The lesser ones, the regular vampires, can’t turn people. They just drain them dry." His lips pressed into a thin line. "That’s the power of a demon’s blood. If our father knew what he’d done, he’d be furious."

"Should we inform him?" Agara asked, though his tone held doubt.

"He’d do nothing for this world. That’s the problem." Kai’s gaze drifted back to the map. "Alpha Xander, we need to capture a vampire."

Xander’s brows furrowed. "What? Why?"

Kai unsheated his sword, "We need to try this!" The valerian blade was dressed with a thin layer of Fae silver. "And no word must leave this tent." He trailed off.

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