Lloyd wondered when it all began. He couldn't quite remember. Over the years, she had grown on him; her wistful gaze as she observed the Alpha from the shadows, her infectious laughter, and the unexpected grace in her every movement. Her efforts to conceal her inner darkness behind a facade of naivety had intrigued him.
Lloyd couldn't pinpoint when he had fallen in love with her. Maybe it was because she was different, or perhaps because she embodied everything he was not. He, the simpering coward without a mind of his own, had naturally admired Jessamine, and that admiration had evolved into something more.
Something Renae didn't appreciate.
Lloyd's gaze shifted to his best friend, Kier, who was struggling to mask his worry, avoiding looking in the direction Jessamine had fled. It wasn't Kier's fault that the woman loved him, but that didn't stop Lloyd from hating Kier.
There was no one like Kier. He had been the perfect, golden prince when they had been children, but now, he was the king loved by all. The King loved by the only woman Lloyd ever wanted.
This infuriated Lloyd, intensifying his anger each day, and each time he visited Kier’s mother at night, he would vent out his frustration with her, in her. Not that she complained. The Luna liked it rough, and it was to Lloyd’s room Renae had gone when she was done grieving her husband.
"I'd be careful if I were you," Randale said, coming up behind Lloyd. "You might find yourself ensnared by the witch's spell. She's dangerous, that one."
Lloyd scoffed, flipping a coin in his hand. Heads. Tails. Heads. Tails. He used this method when making decisions. He let the coin decide for him, and if he didn't like the outcome, he knew what he truly desired.
"I'm not the one who needs advice, Dale," he said, tilting his head toward the troubled King, who paced the length of the gathering, back and forth, like a man whose mate were in labor. He had reason to be worried. The air smelled like dead animals and blood, and the stillness in the trees felt wrong. Already three bodies had been cleared and Lloyd was sure there would be more than triple of that size before sun down.
He knew Renae had something planned when he’d slipped behind her in the bath tub last night and she’d said, *“It’s tomorrow.”*
*“What is?”* Lloyd had asked her as he brushed the cloth over her supple skin.
She had turned slightly and he’d glimpsed the evil glint in her eyes when she smiled. *“Retribution.”*
He’d tried to extract more information from her, but she hadn't revealed anything else. Sending Jessamine into the hills was the best he could do to ensure her safety. Lloyd flipped the coin again, trying to decide if alarming Kier was worth exposing his secret with Luna Renae, and Randale snatched it from the air before it could land in his palm.
"Tails," Randale said, handing Lloyd back his coin. Sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, casting shadows that made Randale’s eyes seem darker. "You've been spending a lot of time in the Luna's room lately. What gives?"
Lloyd shrugged. "Her son confined her to her room with the leverage of no visitors. I'm known for my impressive ballads and tales. I'm the best company she could possibly hope for."
Randale made a face, his fingers thrumming the pommel of his sword. Leaves rustled in the distance and Lloyd looked back, noting the sentries collecting wood for a fire. Kier conversed with Elder Bran, but his gaze was fixed on the towering trees ahead, searching for something, someone. "Be careful there. There have been rumors of her dalliances with younger men. Kier will kill you if—"
Lloyd waved dismissively. “You worry about everything, Dale. It’s why everyone thinks you’re boring. Tell me, when last did you visit the brothel? Or have a maiden under you? Or feel tits in your mouth? In never?”
Randale’s skin flushed. “There’s nothing wrong with saving myself for my mate.”
Lloyd laughed, glad that he had distracted Randale from his questions. “That, my friend, is a whole load of bullshit. Women do not like innocent men, virgins, or whatever they call people like you—”
Randale pushed Lloyd so suddenly, he lost his footing, and he soon understood why when an axe came flying where his head had been a second ago.
A gut-wrenching roar pierced the forest, its echo reverberating through the dense woods. The pounding of horses' hooves against the ground sent shivers down Lloyd's spine as he looked up, dread settling in his chest. A horde of rogues, cloaked in shadows, descended upon them. They cut down the sentries as if they were little more than livestock. Arrows whizzed past, and Randale pulled Lloyd off the ground, gripping his arm as they ran for the Alpha.
Alpha Kier was already in a battle with one of the rogues, protecting the Elder. The fight ended abruptly as Kier struck with brutal precision, severing the rogue's head. "Take cover!" he yelled, his hazel eyes frantic as he dispatched yet another attacker who swung wildly at him. More rogues poured from every corner of the forest, surrounding them, as if they had lain in wait, and Lloyd could only hope this had nothing to do with Renae.
"How did they breach the stationed guards? They never move in numbers like this!" Randale shouted over the chaos. Lloyd unsheathed his sword, wielding it with a trembling hand.
They were outnumbered, and failing now would mean the death of them all, not to mention the lives of the contenders, especially Jessamine, being in peril.
Lloyd heard Kier's voice through their mind link a heartbeat later, filled with urgency. "Retreat! Lloyd, recall the guards stationed by the forest. We need reinforcements. I will deal with these intruders. When the reinforcements arrive, Randale, secure the contenders to the north and west. Lloyd, take the south and east. The selection is postponed until we regain control. The safety of the contenders is our top priority for now."
"The hills. She's—" Lloyd began.
"I know," Alpha Kier snapped and cut the connection between them. Lloyd stared at Kier, bewildered. Did he truly not care if Jessamine survived?
Kier moved with unyielding determination. Where he raised his sword, crimson flowed and rogues fell. As he had promised, he carved a path for them to escape through, and when the numbers dwindled enough for the sentries alone to handle, he turned on his heels and raced for hills.
"Where's he going? It isn’t safe there!" Randale barked.
Lloyd said nothing, but he knew.