Chapter 34

Duncan and Jack were on the outskirts of the royal gardens. With the help of the royal guards, they had captured 18 rogues. Some of the guards were still out searching, continuing until they were all satisfied that they had caught them all.

Duncan mind-linked Adira to check on her, but he was alarmed when he felt nothing. Even if she were in a really deep sleep, he should feel something. This was nothingness. Alarmed, he mind-linked Jack as he shifted and took off running.

Jack shifted and took off after Duncan. Something wasn’t right. The plan was working, but not feeling Adira was making Duncan frantic. Jack hoped it wasn’t anything serious. If Duncan were to go into a killing frenzy, it would take a lot more than just one werebear to subdue him.

They ran to the King's chambers, where Duncan last knew Adira to be. When they arrived, there were guards everywhere, the King's personal guards. The chambers were empty. The guards were searching throughout the whole castle and grounds.

Well, that part of the plan did work, just not how they had planned it. The informant was indeed flushed out, but no one expected it to be Alfred.

Duncan was getting really worked up when Apollo stopped him from going all out. “Remember, Dun, we still have the four-way connection. I need you to calm down so I can merge into Artemis." Duncan took a deep breath and sat down on the floor.

Duncan waited for what felt like an eternity. “I’ve got them. They are on the top of the King's tower.” Duncan mind-linked Jack, and the wolf and the bear were running to the King's tower, along with 12 of the King's guards all in wolf form.

It was quite the sight: one large grizzly werebear and golden wolf with a dozen wolves running behind them as if going to war.

Alpha Michael just stood there in silence as the figure moved closer. He could also hear in the distance what sounded like a whole pack of wolves howling.

For the first time in his life, Alpha Michael was feeling fear. This figure was almost eight feet tall and all muscle; it terrified him in ways he didn’t think he could feel anymore. Once the figure came into the full light, Alpha Michael almost pissed himself.

It was the King himself in his lycan form, and he didn’t look like he came to play. Alpha Michael grabbed the female and held her closer to him like a shield. As the King kept coming, Alpha Michael took out a silver dagger and held it to the female's throat.

That was when Alpha Michael’s plans all went south. The female in his arms started to fight him. He wasn’t strong enough to hold her anymore, so he tossed her away from him. Adira hit a wall and was knocked out once again. In truth, that wasn’t Adira at all; it was Apollo.

Alpha Michael then took out a vial from his pocket and downed it in one gulp. He disappeared into thin air, laughing as he went. Alpha Michael knew that the King couldn’t see or smell him. He still had to be careful because he could still hear him. Good thing he had shoes made with soles that gave off little to no sound.

If he was careful and quick, he could kill himself a King tonight. After all, it is a better prize than that stupid female. Who knows, with that last throw, maybe he got lucky enough to have killed her anyway. He approached the King from behind. When he was almost ready to strike, the King turned and backhanded him. He landed roughly against one of the arches. Five inches more and he would have been out the door and to his death.

He stood again, this time not moving too much to give away his position. He was almost close enough to plunge in the dagger; he raised it high and in a downward swing.

Duncan and Jack were racing up the stairs to the tower as they heard a god-awful roar. It shook the very stones in the walls. The King was in his Lycan form; he must be really pissed off.

As they raced to the top, Duncan was frantic to find Adira. Finally, he spotted her over by the far wall. He was there by her side in an instant. She was clearly still sleeping under the influence of whatever that old ass gave her. She had a bruise on her wrist and another on her cheek. He picked her up so she was safe in his arms.

He mind-linked Jack, telling him that he was getting Adira to the pack doctor. As Duncan passed one of the guards coming up the stairs, he tossed Duncan a pair of pants.

He passed Adira into the arms of another guard just long enough so he could quickly put on the pants, then taking Adira back and running to the pack hospital. That's it, Duncan thought to himself, she wasn’t supposed to be a part of this. He was taking her home and they are going to stay there.

Enough….

Just before Alpha Michael’s dagger could make contact, a small female wolf came out of the shadows and knocked him to the ground.

She wasted no time in her attack. She was on him in a flash of claws and teeth. She bit down on his crotch with all her might and ripped his privates clean off, pants and all. Alpha Michael let out a scream of rage. He knew who this wolf was. He was so pissed he didn’t register the pain.

“You should have stayed working on your hands and knees, you bitch. It was, after all, what you're best at.”

The she-wolf came at Alpha Michael again, this time taking a chunk out of his thigh. It was bleeding heavily, but he didn’t care; they were all going to die tonight.

The King watched for a little bit, then ran back into the fight.

“Oh, mighty King," Alpha Michael sneered. "If only you knew what your very son, Prince Adam, has been up to. Perhaps you wouldn’t be so cocky.”

The King let out a deafening roar and, in his Lycan voice, said, “I know exactly what my son was up to, and I know what he is doing right now. He is dead. I know this because I was the one who took his head.”

For the second time in his life, Alpha Michael knew what absolute fear felt like. Then, just as the angry rush dissipated, he felt his pain and gave out a roar, rushing the King head-on. He never made it, though.

Again, out of the shadows came the she-wolf. She ran straight at him, pushing him back, then she pushed him again and again, each time taking a bite out of him, until he was a bloody mess.

She was making terrible growls. Her ears were back, and her tail was straight as she gave one more push, and Alpha Michael fell through the arches, taking Lily and Zinnia with him.

Jack and the King were the only ones left up on the King’s tower. Jack broke the silence.

“I did not see things ending like this, not close. Who would have known that she-wolf had it in her.”

“Is Lady Adira alright? Their pup wasn’t hurt? Is Duncan going to be mad for a long time?”

“Well, your highness, I think both Lady Adira and pup are going to be just fine. As for how long Duncan is going to stay pissed, well, if it were you, how long do you think you would be?”

The King let out a sigh. “Yeah, I see your point.”

They both stared out into the distance, enjoying the silence, when they both heard a small whimpering noise. They looked at each other and ran to the ledge where Alpha Michael and Lily went over.

To their amazement, there was a very naked Lily hanging on to rocks on the side of the tower.

The King and Jack started laughing, not at Lily per se, just at the situation she found herself in. The King decided that he was going to have to do something about her sentence. After all that, he couldn’t make her a lifetime servant. He was going to have to find something else for her to be doing.

She looked up at them. “I know I’m in a lot of trouble and I did escape, but before you punish me, do you think you can get me off the side of this tower? I really do hate heights, and it is getting a bit chilly in places I have not been chilly before.”

The King mind-linked anyone who would listen with a list of things that were needed and to have a dozen guards to help out.