Hank, seemingly eager to contribute, interrupts with a triumphant smirk. ‘Actually, I happened to follow them through a portal to Pandora’s Box and was able to figure out the location. It’s a few hours run in wolf form from here.’
Kadva raises an eyebrow, acknowledging Hank's resourcefulness.
Alpha Bennet clasps his fingers together. ‘We are not going to visit the vampire king and just ask him if he would do it. We will make him do it. You, Kadva, will take Nina’s wand and kidnap her. Magnus will notice her missing. You will leave this note telling him that, to have Nina safely returned, he needs to free the Vampire King, and the Vampire King needs to eradicate the human race.’
Kadva's expression remains unreadable as he absorbs the plan. ‘So, I’m to remove Nina’s wand, stripping her of magic, kidnap her, leave this note, and have Nina hidden and locked up somewhere until there are no humans left alive?’
‘Correct,’ Alpha Bennet confirms, the gravity of the plan settling in the room. ‘Except we won’t be handing Nina over. I want the witches and that vampire dead as well. Hank will burn Pandora’s Box down. We will kill the witches, and together, we will kill the Vampire King.’
Kadva contemplates the ramifications of Alpha Bennet's grand plan. ‘Are you sure you want all the blood of those humans and witches on your hand? It doesn’t feel right to just wipe them out. What if we can’t kill the vampire king?’ he questions, his voice laden with a hint of moral ambiguity.
Alpha Bennet, unfazed by the ethical concerns, grins knowingly. ‘We will seal him in a dungeon for eternity using Nina’s magic and then kill her. If you refuse to cooperate, Kadva, tell me now because I’m sure the humans would love to hear all about this mage that can manipulate elements. They would lock you up in one of those laboratories and experiment on you every day,’ he warns, the threat hanging heavily in the air.
Kadva stiffens at the stark choice presented before him. ‘So, when do I leave for Shadow Crest?’ he finally asks, his tone resigned.
‘Tonight,’ Alpha Bennet declares with a satisfied smile.
Whispers about the vampire king being my other fated mate spread like wildfire throughout Shadow Crest. The buzz reaches its crescendo as Astrid, Ryker, and Nina's parents arrive for a dinner meant to discuss the new revelation.
I guide everyone into the dining room with a nervous yet warm smile. 'Please take a seat; it won't be long until dinner is served,' I usher them inside.
Everyone sits, and the kitchen staff presents a feast along the table. The aroma of dishes fills the room.
'So, dear, tell me all about the vampire king? Does he treat you well? Is he handsome?' My mother's eyes sparkle with playful curiosity.
A low growl rumbles from Magnus, a protective instinct triggered by the seemingly nonchalant inquiry. 'Amelia!' he interjects, a clear warning in his tone.
A quick, unapologetic smile crosses Amelia's face, responding to Magnus's growl. 'What? I think we're all a little curious,' she defends herself, her expression suggesting a mix of innocence and mischief.
'You asked Nina about her other fated mate in such a casual manner, as if it were entirely common to have two mates,' Magnus chides, his gaze firm on his mother-in-law.
'Well, it's quite natural,' Amelia counters, a glint of defiance in her eyes. She leans back slightly, crossing her arms, unfazed by the assertiveness in Magnus's voice. 'In my childhood, my grandmother had two mates, and another pack member had two female mates as well,' she reminisces, her voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. 'I remember my grandmother giggling her way from one bedroom to the other in the middle of the night,' Amelia recalls fondly.
Magnus, in a state of utter disbelief and caught off guard by the unexpected turn of the conversation, shifts his gaze between his parents, seeking understanding or perhaps some guidance.
Unfazed by the tension, Ryker takes a casual bite of roast beef, relishing the succulent flavours as he casually contributes to the discussion. 'Actually, son,' he begins, 'Amelia is absolutely correct. My grandmother had two mates, as did her cousin, who also had two mates. In fact, most packs had at least one or two members who were blessed with two soulmates,' Ryker adds with a smile.
Magnus blinks a few times in disbelief. His mouth parts from shock. 'And they were completely okay with that? Sharing their mate?' he asks, completely taken aback by the normality of it all.
'Well, yeah,' Ryker replies with a smirk, savouring the roast beef.
'What’s the Vampire King's name anyway?' Ryker asks.
'Alec,' Magnus grizzles, his grip on the fork tightening as if attempting to control his anger over the situation. 'And just so you all know, I have no intention of sharing Nina with him. I'm only allowing Nina to visit him once a day to keep her alive until we can figure out how to break the bond between them.'
The sound of cutlery dropping and clattering against plates draws the attention of everyone present. Magnus's declaration has caught them by surprise.
'Fated mates are sacred relationships. They should never be broken,' Ryker asserts firmly, his words echoing his beliefs.
'Nina is mine!' Magnus growls, a possessive edge to his tone.
'She is Alec’s as well, Magnus,' Leon, Nina's father, interjects, injecting a dose of reality into the conversation. Leon poses a rhetorical question, 'Would you like him to keep Nina away from you every day and try to sever your mate bond with her?'
Magnus, grappling with the situation, clenches his teeth in visible frustration. The concept of sharing me with Alec, my other mate, goes against every instinct of possessiveness ingrained in his alpha nature. 'No,' he asserts tersely, the word carrying the strain of internal conflict.
Leon, maintaining composure, urges Magnus to consider the broader consequences of his actions. 'Take a moment to consider what you are doing to Alec. He is Nina's other fated mate. Whatever you do to him will cause Nina sorrow, and anything Alec does to hurt you will also cause Nina suffering,' Leon implores with a paternal concern for his daughter's well-being.
A humourless laugh escapes Magnus as he contemplates the idea of mutual understanding with Alec. 'What are you saying? I should be mutual with Alec and share Nina with him?' Magnus scoffs, the notion seemingly absurd to him.
'Well, if you want what is best for Nina, then yes,' Leon responds, remaining calm.
Magnus, however, remains steadfast in his resistance. 'Has it not sunk in at this point that Nina's other fated mate isn't even a werewolf? He is a vampire and the king of the vampires!' Magnus argues, emphasizing the stark differences in their supernatural statuses.
Amelia interjects with a light-hearted comment, attempting to infuse a moment of levity into the intense conversation. 'Nina's extremely lucky, an alpha and a king,' she says with a warm smile.
The remark elicits me to blush.
Frustration escalating, Magnus abruptly stands. 'I'm out of here,' he asserts, marches toward the packhouse door, and leaves.