Chapter 46

We stood in the courtyard among the wolves and my own brothers and listened to Zahir's tale. He described what he had seen at the coven when he had swept through with his company, and the news was indeed devastating.

"It seems he has garnered the aid of the Highland covens, for the battle was as large as it was great." He spoke. "I saw many of our own fall at their hands."

A great silence had fallen over the camp as we all listened to him. His words brought with it a sense of foreboding, and for me; a wave of anguish at what Kandane was doing to my homeland.

Father was right; he did not deserve to lead, for no leader would thoughtlessly massacre his own people.

"Did you see him among them?"

Zahir looked at me. "When I learned that the battle was his doing and enquired as to his whereabouts I was told that he had marched on with an even larger party; an army, they said."

"If that is the case, he should have arrived by now." I responded. "The fact that you were able to pass through these gates before he did raises the all-important question."

"Yes." Zahir nodded. "Where is he and what does this prolonged absence mean?"

I watched as my compeer tilted his head to sniff the air, but there was nothing amiss...not yet. Kandane would arrive the moment he wished to and no later. For now, we could only prepare for the inevitable.

"You look pretty calm for a guy whose brother is plotting to kill him." Grady, the Beta's mate spoke from his place by his lover's side.

"Kandane may be a fool but he would not kill his own brothers. Despite our differences we have always taken care of each other." Jorlon responded to the human, his voice sounding hurt by the very accusation.

The human snorted. "Well at least I can die knowing I've seen a fang-face in denial."

"Grady." The Alpha called out in warning, but the human only shrugged, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

He was right of course. Jorlon was in denial. He had not watched as Kandane struck down our mother. He had not seen the murderous intent in his eyes, nor had he witnessed the satisfaction in his smile as he had done it. He did not know Kandane as I did.

He would slay us all if he had a mind to...but not before he made us suffer. Not before he crushed the things we cared about the most.

What then did it say about my own sanity that I loved him despite his actions, and that I did not wish to see him hurt? Marcan would no doubt think it to be a weakness in me.

"They're bringing their army to tear us down, but an army can't stand against what we have." The Alpha spoke up again and I found myself smiling despite myself.

"We stand as the largest pack in the state." He gestured to his warriors, who stood taller when he said the words. "We have our allies from the Marcana pack who have come to aid us." He gestured to the foreign wolves who had arrived not long ago, lead by a small female with intelligent eyes, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"We have hunters on our side." He then gestured to Noah and his crew. "But more importantly, we have the determination of a group who fight to keep the ones we love safe." His hand moved to rest on the shoulder of the young wolf who stood beside him. "When a man fights for something more than himself he's ten times more deadly." He finished with a growl and the deafening howls that followed could no doubt be heard for miles.

"I wish you all the best" I added to the group then. "The next time we gather it will be in battle. I would suggest that you say your goodbyes to your loved ones now, for some of you will surely meet your end tonight." The silence which followed my words was tinged with an atmosphere I couldn't quite describe.

When my eyes once again met the Alpha's he nodded, before he draped an arm across the shoulders of the young wolf beside him—Laken was his name— and they turned to leave. The rest of the wolves melted away soon after his departure; no doubt going to make their final preparations and to do as I'd urged them.

When next I looked at Zahir he was smiling, and when I raised a brow in question his smile transformed itself into a grin. "I had almost forgotten how direct you tend to be."

"I had imagined you would be away much longer. Your timing seems to be too perfect to be a coincidence." I told him. "And you know how I feel about coincidences."

He nodded as we began to walk slowly across the courtyard. "It is true of course that my arrival is not a coincidence. Your father ordered our return two days prior. I had expected an audience with him as to the reason. However upon our visit to the camp today, it was clear that was not to be."

I nodded. "Father expects your aid in fending off our enemies. He would not be pleased that you are here."

"What your father does not know will not hurt him." He smiled. "I learned that Lord Christophe is here and I decided to lend my aid."

"Ah...I should have known it was the white-haired devil that led you here."

He laughed; a deep, full sound that I had certainly missed while he had been away.

"What has the young Lord done to warrant such a name?"

"The fool very nearly had my mate killed, not once, but twice!" I spat with displeasure. "Had it not been for the promise I made to you, he would today be without a head, and even now I am still tempted."

He laughed again. "I am of course sorry to hear that Tony had ever been put in such a position."

"I'm sure."

He was grinning when he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Truly Rien. I will even go as far as to apologize to you on his behalf... Lord Christophe can be...a handful."

"He must truly be the devil, for only Lucifer himself could bring such torment to someone's soul."

"I can see that he has indeed upset you, but no matter. I am here now to set your soul aright." He said happily. "Now tell me, where is the young Lord? I have not seen sight of him in too long. I find that I miss him dreadfully."

I waved at nothing in particular as we came to a stop by the corridor which housed the pathway to Tony's room. "Perhaps he is on a frolic around the camp with Noah. It seems they have grown close."

His brows furrowed and his mouth turned down in a frown. "A frolic?" he said carefully, before he turned to look around the courtyard, searching for the absent Lord.

"Noah seems to be in deep conversation with Lord Marcan. Lord Christophe is nowhere in sight." He announced with obvious relief and I smiled despite myself.

"Lord Christophe is no good for you. When he breaks your heart you will see that."

"I thought the same of your human and look at you now." He grinned. Ever positive, ever pleasant. It was as though he had never left.

"Come." I turned to face the corridor once more. "I wish my mate to meet the person who has watched over him for many a year."

Zahir's gaze traveled over the yard once more, before he did as I requested and we walked silently along the tiles of the corridor. When we came upon the door to Tony's bed chamber, Zahir's eyes met mine and a smile as bright as I had ever seen it rose in his face, for we could hear voices from within, one of which belonged to the wretched young Lord.

Once I opened the door he stepped in, working diligently to control his expression in the face of his beloved. The conversation within did not cease however, not until I also entered the room, and Lord Christophe looked at me with wide eyes, before quickly rising from his perch by my mate's bedside.

"My Lord..." he trailed off, eyes moving from me, to Zahir and back. His discomfort was obvious, as was my rage.

"I had thought that after your last foolish act against my mate, that you would know not to come within an inch of his frame Lord Christophe." The words fell coolly from my tongue, and my eyes remained trained on his...which soon he lowered; in respect, in fear, I did not care.

"I only wished to apologize to him my Lord. I meant you no disrespect."

"Your very presence in my sight is disrespect enough—"

"No need to be an ass Riener—"

"Rien stop being an ass—"

Zahir and Tony interrupted in unison and I turned my attention to the blood-drinker standing by my side. "Have you taken leave of your senses in the two years you have been away Zahir? Or have you simply forgotten who I am?"

Zahir all but rolled his eyes. "Of course I have not forgotten. You are he who stands to inherit his father's throne. You are the merciless prince, the masterclass blooddrinker; he whose name is revered in the farland covens" he mocked "and you are also an ass."

Tony chuckled "I think I like this one Rien."

"Allow the young Lord to offer his apologies. None of which he owes to you, after all it was not your life he had almost ended." Christophe flinched. "And then you may properly introduce me to the human." He looked around the room. "Both of them." He continued with a frown, his gaze resting on Malik, who sat in the other chair by Tony's side.

I ignored his words and fixed my gaze once more on Lord Christophe. "The war is upon us. Kandane has already taken our coven and our people now fight for their lives. It is only a matter of time before he arrives here with an even greater army. Therefore I wish you to go and prepare yourself for what is to come. "I told him in no uncertain terms. "Nothing in this room will help you to prepare for what my brother has planned, do you understand?"

He bowed slightly. "Yes my Lord." And I shifted to allow him to pass me.

"And Lord Christophe." I called when he had reached the door. He turned to look at me, his brows knotted in uncertainty. "During battle you will fight alongside Zahir. I expect that you will protect each other and yourselves. I do not wish to lose another soul from my coven."

I could feel Zahir's surprise as well as I could see it on the young Lord's face, before he once again bowed low. "Of course my Lord." And then he was gone and the door drifted shut behind him.

Beside me, Zahir could not have been more pleased with the news, and across from us, sitting up in his bed, Tony's displeasure was obvious."

"You didn't need to send him away." He spoke and I nodded.

"No matter. I wish to introduce you to my compeer; Zahir."

"Compeer?" Tony questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes."

"Am I supposed to know what that is?"

"Best friends, brothers—though not in the true sense—close companions, call it what you will." Zahir supplied, and Tony looked between us, his brows raised in suspicion.

"He's never mentioned you before."

"And why would he." My compeer said simply.

"Zahir has been away for twenty four months on an assignment tasked to him by my father. Before that, he spent a number of years watching over you while you were in the army." I explained.

My words surprised him. "What do you mean, watching over me?"

"I have been your protector. I watched you from afar and aided you when you found yourself in situations only you could find yourself in."

"You say that like you think you know me." Tony said. Ever suspicious, never trusting.

"I would like to believe that I do. After all. I have spent years observing you."

A moment of silence passed where neither of them spoke, and I watched as something finally dawned on Tony.

"That time with the grenade...that was you?" he questioned in surprise and Zahir nodded.

I frowned, looking between them. "What grenade?"

A smile slowly rose to Tony's lips and he stretched out a hand. I watched as Zahir closed the distance between them and greeted him. "Nice to finally meet you then." Tony offered.

"Likewise." And they separated once more, where Zahir turned to Malik.

"What about this one?" he questioned, and Malik sat up straighter in his chair.

"I'm his brother." He said defensively, and Zahir turned to me with a smile.

"I see a lot has happened in my absence."

..........................................

An hour later and still Kandane had not descended on the camp. The wolves were strategizing in their courtyard once more, as were Noah and his hunters. The atmosphere was tense at best.

Zahir and I still sat in Tony's quarters, though since our arrival, others has also joined us. In one corner stood Marcan, his expression unusually pleasant. Beside him stood Peitre who was far more interested in what was taking place outside the window than with any discussion within the room.

Jorlon had of course made himself at home at the very end of Tony's bed, and though Malik had not uttered a single word to his brother since our arrival, he still sat my his side, with Kaio of course standing close by.

There were two other additions to our number as well; Grady and Laken, the Beta's and Alpha's mates, who had joined us of their own accord, though I had no idea why.

"You sure you're a wolf?" Tony was questioning the Alpha's mate, who bristled when he said the words.

"Of course I am, what else would I be?" he asked, arms folded defensively over his chest. Beside him, Grady chuckled.

"Then why aren't you out there strategizing with all the other wolves? Aren't you going to fight with them?"

The young wolf raised his chin, but refused to answer.

"Laken doesn't participate in raids...or any kind of battles really." Grady supplied.

"Why not?"

"Have you seen the size of him? He looks like a rabbit when he shifts." Grady said seriously, though Laken was clearly insulted.

"That's no excuse." Tony was saying, trying to bait the wolf, though I had not an inkling why.

"I'm not giving excuses. I can fight as well as anyone of the others."

"Then why don't you?"

Laken looked away and of course it was Grady who supplied the answer. The human never shut up. "Carson doesn't allow him to fight. I think he'd be too distracted if he knew Laken was out there with him, and distraction during any battle means—"

"Death, yeah I know." Tony agreed. "It must be hard not being able to fight alongside your mate." he continued, though this time his eyes drifted to mine, and I could see that he empathized with the young wolf.

"What the Alpha says...goes." Laken said simply, and finally Tony nodded, as if he understood.

"Kandane's continued absence only serves to fuel my unease." Jorlon spoke into the brief silence that had fallen over the room.

"We have fought in many a battle. This will be no different." Marcan replied, but Jorlon shook his head.

"We have never fought against our brother. I do not wish to see him hurt. I do not wish to see harm come to any of my brothers."

To that, Marcan had no reply, and neither did I.

"I have served master Riener long enough to observe Lord Kandane and I know as well as any of you that he cannot be reasoned with."Kaio spoke for the first time. "You will have to strike him down or watch each other fall."

I looked at the certainty in my servant's face and I could come to no other conclusion. I had a sickening feeling that I would be the one to deliver the dreadful blow, and the fact that my brothers all looked at me now, told me that they too knew this would come to pass.

"My mom's an addict." Grady began and we all turned our attention to him. "Drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it. It got so bad that I had to send her to rehab a few years ago. I haven't seen her since, because she doesn't want to see me anymore." He offered. "She hates me, but that doesn't stop me from missing her and loving her.

" Sometimes I feel like the worst person on earth for doing that to her, because now she thinks I abandoned her, but you know what?" he said. "I'd do it again, because sometimes you have to make tough decisions for the greater good." The human finished wisely and for the first time since he entered the room, Pietre looked at Grady with interest.

"I wish we could simply be cowards. I wish we could run away from our troubles, then I would not have to watch the tragedy that will soon befall us." Jorlon said sadly.

"But we are not cowards are we Jorlon?" Marcan asked him and he shook his head.

"We are not."

"What are we?" Marcan continued, pushing off the wall to stand in the center of the room.

"We are warriors." Jorlon supplied, looking up to meet his brother's eyes.

"And what do warriors do?"

Jorlon's mouth was now set in a hard line. "We fight."

Marcan nodded. "And we defend what is ours."

Jorlon nodded.

"What else are we?" this coming from Peitre, who also left the wall to stand by Marcan's side.

"We are brothers." I answered this time and Peitre smiled and nodded.

"And what do brothers do?" Jorlon asked me.

"We take care of each other." I told him and this time when Jorlon nodded, I could see the moisture in his eyes.

"So that's what we'll do then." He said. "We'll take care of each other."

A hand fell to my shoulder and squeezed, and I turned to see Zahir standing beside me. His eyes were glinting and his jaw was set. "To the very end."

                                                                   AUTHOR'S NOTES

THANKS FOR READING!

-Double.A

-unedited.