Chapter 33

MISTY

I felt so much better knowing that I was prepared for Lloyd. I still hadn’t found anything in the grimoire to suggest what object had been used to bind him. Again, I looked at the reverse of the first page, wondering what had been written there.

Maybe that’s where she specified what was used. Grabbing a pencil and a piece of paper, I did a rubbing but was disappointed with the outcome.

After lunch, we gathered in front of the pack house. The crowd was far bigger than I had anticipated, and I gaped at the sheer number of warriors present.

Their alphas’ powerful auras filled the space. There was a sense of unity that I had never felt before, and the crowd buzzed with anticipation.

I smiled at many of the Monolith Pack members, and although they smiled back, they all moved away from me.

In the back of my mind, I knew why and couldn’t believe werewolves were so closed-minded, which was probably the reason witches were persecuted.

Alpha Martin sidled up and patted my arm. “I owe you an apology,” he said, his voice tinged with regret. “I thought you were just a destructive little she-wolf.”

“That’s okay. Everyone else did too,” I replied with a shrug, trying to brush off the sting of his words.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder; I didn’t need to turn to see who it was. “Perry,” I smiled. “You were pretty rude the last time I saw you,” I rebuked him.

“He was rather single-minded when it came to claiming me.” Melanie grinned happily.

“Sorry about that, Misty,” Perry squeezed my arm. “I was desolate when I arrived here and just felt lost. Melanie was my tether back to life.”

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized, my eyes filling with tears. “Have you heard from Dawn?”

“No, I tried calling her, but she’s not answering,” he said sadly. “Well, the meeting is about to start. Let’s chat later.”

He moved off, and Chelsea’s arm wound protectively around me. “So, I hear you’re ready for Lloyd?” she whispered, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I nodded but didn’t elaborate. I knew the binding circle would work, but I was still nervous.

“There’s something that’s been bugging me. I don’t know whether you can answer my question, but maybe Tanner can.”

“What?” Chelsea’s brow creased.

“Why would the alphas bring their daughters to the palace when they knew what the king was like? I mean, why go at all?”

“Good question. I’ll ask Tanner, but my folks would never have taken me if they’d known.”

I nodded. Chelsea stood out in any crowd, and if Axel had spotted her, she would have been the next she-wolf he decided to keep.

Tanner stepped onto the porch steps, and as soon as he appeared, the crowd fell silent, all eyes turning toward him. His presence commanded respect and attention, and I could feel the collective anticipation and tension.

The stillness was profound, broken only by the rustle of leaves in the breeze. This was more than just a gathering; it was history in the making, and I hoped Chelsea’s Grandpa David was taking notes.

“Welcome, everyone,” Tanner began, his voice steady and commanding as he addressed the crowd. “For those of you I haven’t had the chance to meet, I’m Tanner Sergeant. I once served as King Axel’s beta, but my position was revoked because I disagreed once too often.

“I’m sure the grapevine here is as active as it is in the palace, so many of you likely know that Lloyd Tenebris played a key role in freeing your alphas and betas from the dungeon. And yes, he was born in 1754 and was bound against his will to the monarchy.”

Tanner paused, letting his words sink in. “King Axel and the Sayelle-Moreau monarchy have ruled far too long, doing nothing for the packs in recent years. We must take a stand if we don’t want this neglect to continue; remember that every pack pays a hefty tithe.

“Make no mistake—war is our only option. I know this isn’t easy to hear, and it certainly won’t be as simple as defeating the squad of warriors that came yesterday. Taking the palace will be a far greater challenge, but it’s a challenge we must face if we want a better future. King Axel must be deposed, and I’m counting on all of you to make that happen.”

There were gasps and murmurs as everyone started speaking at once.

“What about the curse?” someone shouted.

Tanner nodded and gestured to me. My dad appeared out of nowhere and gave me a little push. “Misty? You’re up. Explain how you intend to trap him.”

I shot him a look of dismay before reluctantly making my way up the steps, painfully self-conscious. Standing beside Tanner, I took a deep breath and forced myself to meet the sea of expectant faces.

“Lloyd is still bound to the monarchy, and I haven’t yet figured out how to break that allegiance,” I began, my voice steady despite the anxiety gnawing at me. “But I can trap him in a binding circle. For that to work, I need everyone to stay clear and keep your distance from the Monolith.”

“He protects the king—what if you can’t break the curse?” a she-wolf shouted. “What’s to stop him from fighting for the king?”

“He’ll remain in the circle till I have broken the curse,” I replied.

“And if he kills you? I heard he was given an alpha command,” another she-wolf asked.

“Maybe it’s better for you to leave…,” a third voice echoed.

I saw my dad stiffen and hurry toward me. Tanner cleared his throat.

“The fight will be at the palace, not here. We will be halfway there if we can keep Lloyd out of the way.”

An alpha walked up, nodded at Tanner and my dad, and turned to face the crowd. I took the opportunity to sneak off the porch and back to Chelsea.

“My name is Luke Chadlock,” he declared, his voice carrying the weight of authority and conviction. “I am alpha of the Aurus Pack. If not for Lloyd Tenebris, I would still be rotting in the palace dungeon. Tanner knows the palace inside and out and can guide and advise us.

“What was done to Lloyd—what has been done to all of us—is unspeakable. And if it means we have to storm the palace to give Misty a chance to break the curse that binds Lloyd, then I say we have no choice but to act.”

Luke’s voice grew stronger, his passion igniting a spark in those around him. He placed his hand over his heart, eyes sweeping the crowd. “I pledge this,” he continued, his voice resonating with unshakable resolve, “The Aurus Pack will stand at the forefront of the war against King Axel.”

For a moment, the crowd remained silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a challenge.

Then, slowly, I noticed several warriors standing taller, their shoulders squared and their eyes alight with newfound determination. Luke’s words had struck a chord, inspiring them and rekindling a smoldering fire.

My dad shook hands firmly with Luke, then turned to face the crowd, his presence commanding attention. “For those who don’t know me, I’m Harris Ross, alpha of the Knox Pack,” he began, his voice strong and clear. “My daughter is a she-wolf, first and foremost.

“She’s a part of this pack, as well as the Knox Pack, and I want to make one thing perfectly clear: don’t you dare treat her differently because she possesses the powers of a witch. She didn’t ask for this—it was thrust upon her. She’s fighting her own battles, and believe me, they’re nothing short of hell.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the crowd. “Now, listen carefully. If you see a massive gray wolf or a man who stands a full head taller than anyone here, get out of the way and steer clear of the Monolith. Do I make myself clear?”

His gaze swept over the gathered wolves, ensuring his message was understood before landing on me. Tears pricked my eyes again, and I hastily blinked them away.

Before there were any more questions, Tanner spoke again: “Let me give you some background information on King Axel. He hasn’t met his mate, and he is worried he never will, so he claims any she-wolf he fancies for procreation.

“He needs an heir. When they don’t fall pregnant, he has them killed. He ignores the wolf code and any letters requesting help from Packs in trouble. This is not how the monarchy is supposed to function.”

“My mate is amazing,” Chelsea said, watching Tanner with rapt attention. Again, I envied how easy it had been for her.

“So there was a squad of warriors?” I asked.

“Yes, but there are almost seven hundred wolves here, of which approximately three hundred are warriors. The palace guards didn’t stand a chance. Tanner gave them a choice, especially the ones he knew, and some decided to stay and fight against the king.”

That was good news, and suddenly, I felt lighter. Tanner was answering questions, but almost everyone seemed on board. If we could take the palace without Lloyd, I would have enough time to find the object that bound him.

“So, do you think Tanner will be the future king’s beta?” I asked.

“Don’t act so coy, but once you break the curse, Lloyd will be king, and you his luna, and we’ll be together forever!” Chelsea did a little dance.

“I don’t know…,” I said skeptically.

“You’ll see,” she said confidently.

The meeting lasted for hours, but Tanner was tireless. He was inspirational, and I felt every male here would follow him in a heartbeat.

He would be in charge when we attacked the palace, and Chelsea was right in thinking her mate was terrific. She couldn’t have been paired with a more suitable male.

The meeting started breaking up, and I watched my dad converse with Tanner and Luke, his expression serious. We walked up to them, and I heard the tail end of the conversation.

“… that’s a lot of guards,” my dad said.

Tanner pulled Chelsea to his side before responding. “It is, but I know precisely where to attack and how.”

It sounded like we were still outnumbered.

“Dad? Can we talk?”

“Of course, Misty.”

I linked my arm with his and pulled him off the steps. “What happened in the throne room and afterward?”

He shrugged, but I saw a glimpse of pain cross his features.

“After Lloyd grabbed you, King Axel knew you were my daughter. He wanted to know who we were. Alpha Martin stepped up and told him I was the Monolith beta because Karl wasn’t present, so I went along with that ruse, and it probably saved my life. He wanted to know if Lloyd was your mate, and I told him I didn’t know.”

“And then? I heard that Olivia and Aunt Faye were killed, as well as five alphas.”

“Yes, the alphas, who had suffered a similar fate to Zack, started fighting with the guards, and more guards streamed in through the door that Olivia came through. It was pointless and caused unnecessary deaths.”

“So, he locked everyone in the dungeon even though some had nothing to do with the fighting?”

“Yes,” he confirmed.

“Dad, you’re not telling me something…”

He sighed and turned to me. “I will tell you once, and then we will never discuss it again. Okay? And your mother doesn’t know because I’d recovered by then.”

Tears pricked my eyes, and I knew what was coming. “Okay,” I sniffed.

“We checked in, remember? King Axel had a list and soon knew I was Knox’s beta and Zack’s brother. He asked questions about you, but I didn’t know Lloyd was your mate. Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t know, but he had me whipped regardless—thankfully, only once. I would have died if I’d gone through what Lloyd did.”

“What?” I asked, my chin wobbling at the thought of my dad being whipped. It was so archaic and bestial.

“Shit. That slipped out.”

“You can’t not tell me now, Dad…,” I insisted, but dread pooled in my stomach even though I knew Lloyd was invulnerable.

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “Lloyd was whipped every hour through the night. I don’t know if he felt pain, but he didn’t bleed much and recovered quickly. I couldn’t believe my ears when he told the entire dungeon who he was. I still can’t believe it.”

I swallowed but couldn’t stop the sob from escaping. My dad hugged me immediately. “It’s okay, Misty. None of this is your fault. I would take a beating every day if it meant keeping you alive.”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I hiccupped.

“Dry your tears, sweetheart. I don’t want your mother to see you’ve been crying.”

I nodded and froze when Lloyd linked me.