Alaric shut his mouth the moment the question slipped out. He clearly saw both of them mark her. Such a dumb question.
Brilliant. Truly. Top of his class at the Royal Academy and he just asked who marked the woman after watching two alphas sink their fangs into her neck.
Having learned from the times Dexmon bit off his head, he asked for the purpose of determining who would carry her.
He should've asked which one of them was claiming her. That was the actual question on everyone's mind.
"Hyran, I need a portal to a private room in the infirmary for her," Alaric called. He stepped back from Serena, deciding to let them sort it out. He'd intervene if they tore her in half.
Hyran opened a portal and everyone watched. Unable to look away. Thinking the exact same thing.
Gavriel took control and scooped her up in his arms. He didn't need to be told or ask.
He stepped through the portal, ignoring the angry glares from the two apex predators behind him, both wanting to rip his arms off.
Wonderful. He'd done a lot of questionable things in his life, but this might top it.
Fin stood immediately and followed, unwilling to let her out of his sight.
Dexmon's eyes shot daggers into his back.
Agnes was still crying, calling Dexmon's name. Her sobs filled the room.
Two guards showed up at that moment.
Agnes spotted them and her cries grew louder. She reached for Dexmon, but Aegon didn't acknowledge her.
"Dex, please," she whined. "Don't let them take me. You know I didn't do anything wrong."
One of the guards stepped forward. "Princess Agnes, you need to come with us."
"I'm not going anywhere." She lifted her chin, tears still streaming. "I am betrothed to the Crown Prince of Drakenfell. You have no authority over me."
The guard didn't flinch. "King Tiberon's orders, Princess."
"This is ridiculous." She stamped her foot, then immediately crumpled, clutching her ankle. "Ow! See? I'm injured. Dex, tell them."
Aegon's gold eyes slid to her. Cold. Unrecognizing.
She recoiled at the look.
The second guard moved in and scooped her up without ceremony.
"You hurt your ankle, Princess," he remarked flatly. "We'll have someone look at it."
The first guard glanced at his partner. His partner stared straight ahead, jaw locked, the unmistakable expression of a man being paid exactly enough to not laugh.
"Put me down! This is assault! I am royalty!"
Her voice bounced off the stone walls as they attempted to carry her, each echo shriller than the last. She fought to get free.
"Dex will have your heads for this! Both of you! I'll have your ranks, your pensions, your—"
Hyran rolled his eyes and opened a portal for the guards. No words were needed. No one spared her a second glance.
As soon as they stepped through, the portal snapped shut.
Gavriel placed Serena on the bed and the assistant prepared an I.V.
Aeron followed Fin into the infirmary. But when his arm brushed against Dexmon's, he stopped cold. "I don't sense any dark magic from him. That concerns me more."
"Separate room then," Hyran replied, then glanced at Dexmon. "Follow me."
Aegon, still controlling Dexmon, didn't want to leave.
The fact he had marked her and couldn't feel any matebond was a glaring red flag.
He had no clear memories of Serena, but her scent pulled him. Something ached in his chest, like he was grieving a loss he couldn't remember.
No. He would not leave her alone with another alpha who marked her.
Hyran's voice cut through the room. "We don't know the nature of it. We can't afford to have you both compromised."
Aegon knew he was right. He still wanted to rip Fin in half.
His jaw ticked for a second and he reluctantly followed.
"Aeron, this is your expertise. While you're here," Hyran called from over his shoulder.
"Of course," Aeron replied, following them out.
King Tiberon turned to Hale, Elara, and Gavriel. "Back to camp. We will mindlink if we need further assistance tonight."
His tone was final. Elara didn't argue, but her eyes stayed on Serena until the last possible second, when Hale finally grabbed her hand to pull her along.
When the door closed behind them, his gaze settled on Fin.
"I would rather you hear it from me than from the sound of dragons. We have intelligence that an invasion is occurring tonight in less than an hour. Hence my absence at the war summit today."
"You made an offer in good faith. I intend to honor it the same way."
"A portal to your camp is available. You are also welcome to remain with her. If you do so, Drakenfell will extend you protection."
Fin drew a slow breath. There was no world in which he would leave her.
"Your honesty is appreciated," he said evenly. "Drakenfell is among our most valued alliances. Shadowclaw does not abandon its allies. I will remain."
"Understood," King Tiberon replied. "My warriors will be notified."
King Tiberon gave Fin a single nod, then turned to leave.
"Send her to me. The High Western Wall," he added to Alaric on his way out.
Bellatrix's eyes were still on Serena. Her usual cold composure was gone. It was clear she was enraged, but aimed at who was the question.
She followed Tiberon without a word.
Alaric put a tonic in the freezing cabinet and grabbed a syringe and needle.
"For her fever," he explained, sticking her.
The burning in Fin's arm ceased.
It'd been going down since the second his venom entered her system. But whatever Alaric injected wiped out the rest completely.
Alaric muttered under his breath. "That was fast."
Fin caught it but pretended not to notice. At this point, it was laughably obvious they all felt the same thing.
"Why was she chained in silver?" he asked.
Alaric inhaled, hesitating. It wasn't his story to tell, and Fin was an Alpha from another pack.
"I am friends with Darkhowler's declared heir. He survived Frostborne with her and Elara," Fin added, tearing his gaze away from Serena. "Viremont is my assumption."
Alaric was surprised by all of that statement.
"Yes, you are correct. She tried to escape twice, and the punishment for a second attempt is silver. The punishment if she is sent back is death."
"That will never happen," Fin replied darkly. "Her secret stays safe with me."
Alaric nodded. "We said the same thing. Did King Viremont recognize her?"
Fin exhaled. "No, but he did accuse her of replacing his daughter. He made comments about her scent. Deliberately. To unnerve her." His jaw ticked. "Within a minute of her walking into the council tent, every blade was drawn. Pointed at her, Viremont, and Nightspire."
"That man is no king," he added jaw tight.
Viremont was lucky Nightspire stepped in when he did. Fin would have killed him without hesitation. Alaric didn't need that image.
Alaric stared at Fin a moment too long, then shook his head.
"I'll be back in thirty minutes to wake her," he said after a moment. He turned and left the room. Out of the two, she was stable. Dexmon was the real concern.
As soon as he left, Fin grabbed a wet cloth, dabbing her face and neck. Her complexion was better, but not back to normal. His instincts were still screaming something was off.
He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head once, unzipping the back of her suit.
To his horror, she had a rash down her back.
"What the hell…" he breathed, peeling her combat suit past her shoulders.
He leaned down, smelling it. A faint trace of chemical lingered with Serena's scent.
He pulled the rest of her suit off immediately. It left behind a purple residue on her skin.
He wiped as much of it off as he could with a wet rag and stepped out into the corridor, looking for a healer.
The corridor was empty.
He didn't want to leave her and waited in the doorway for a minute.
Damn.
No one.
This place was truly on lockdown.
He mindlinked Aeron.
Fin:Serena's combat suit is laced with something. Her entire body has a rash. No one is in the halls and I will not leave her. Is anyone nearby who could mindlink for a different one?
Aeron responded after a minute.
Aeron:She only has a few combat suits and they're at the War Summit. Hyran made a portal back to camp to get another.
Fin:Are they not concerned about what was laced in it?
A minute went by. Fin's mind was racing. If she only had a few, why was she leading an army?
Aeron:Gods… the Viremont Princess poisoned her recently by drink. While she was unconscious and recovering, Beta Ironholt found more poison stitched into a dress. A dress that Serena had repaired after that princess sliced it with a blade down her back.
Fin stiffened. It took a second for all of that to sink in.
Poisoned by drink.
Attempted poisoning by dress.
And now, poisoned by combat suit.
That was so ridiculous it sounded unbelievable.
Three different methods. Three different delivery systems. If nothing else, the Viremont princess was committed to her craft.
And if she did all of that, what was done about it? Because from where he stood, the answer appeared to be nothing. She was waltzing around with their prince and army commander on the day of an invasion. She wasn't crowned or a pack member. That alone was a security risk.
He shook his head. Nothing made sense here.
The amount of red flags he'd heard since finding Serena collapsed in the forest was startling.
He wanted to take her back to Shadowclaw immediately.
He kissed her forehead, absentmindedly. That in and of itself would've shocked him under normal circumstances. He didn't know her that well yet, but the gesture came automatically, instinctively.
But that part didn't faze him.
The second his lips brushed her skin, he jolted.
"What the…"
The electricity was much stronger than he expected. Stronger than anything he'd ever felt. Stronger than his first fated mate. Overwhelming.
Since she passed away, everything felt dimmer. He swallowed a lump in his throat, unwanted emotions bubbling.
He never heard of a second chance mate having a stronger pull. Second chance mates were very rare, but even then, the pull wouldn't be as strong as the first.
That didn't make any sense.
His wolf answered his thoughts.
Xeon:If Dexmon wasn't born, she would have been your fated mate. The first one. The fact she broke the matebond meant you were the next strongest. That's how fated matebonds work.
Fin:So her bond with Dexmon was deeper. And he still did gods know what with that princess.
Xeon:My thoughts exactly.
Fin:Bond or not, I would have chosen her. I feel a pull.
Xeon:Oh, I am aware. The pull we feel is to her soul.
Fin:I will need your eyes and ears tonight.
Xeon:I am not going anywhere. The arrogance of Aegon. King Tiberon gave his blessing and your fangs were in her. Your venom is in her.
Fin:What the hell is wrong with him? And this pack?
Xeon: Aegon's arrogance, Dexmon's idiocy, or Agnes's entire existence?