Amdis placed his hand over the open wound, muttering words in a foreign language that echoed in the in the room. His palm grew unbearably hot, and the scent of burning flesh filled the air. Ethan clenched his jaw, suppressing a scream as the searing heat closed the wound. His muscles trembled as he shifted, slowly shedding the fierce, hulking form of his Lycan side. The pain was excruciating, but he fought through it, the beast within him retreating into the recesses of his mind.
"Fetch me clothes for the Alpha King," Amdis commanded. His servants, who had been hiding in the shadows, sprang into action, eager to obey now that the immediate danger had passed. They disappeared through a side door, their footsteps barely audible against the stone floor.
Amdis stepped back, his eyes never leaving Ethan. The Alpha King's chest heaved as his breathing gradually steadied. The wildness that had clouded his gaze moments before was replaced by a flicker of clarity and, perhaps, shame.
Standing a few feet away, Garrett uncomfortably shifted his gaze to the blackened piece of flesh on the ground, the remnants of whatever dark magic he had just undone. The decay crept through it, turning into dark sludge on the ground.
"What…what happened?" Ethan rasped, his voice hoarse and raw. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the scene with a mix of disbelief and weariness.
"Dark magic," Amdis replied, his face twisted with disgust. He seemed almost repulsed by the mere thought of it. "More complicated than the glamour that she-wolf bitch used on you. Someone must truly hate you, Lycan."
Ethan's gaze sharpened as he processed Amdis' words. Anger flickered in his eyes, mingling with the confusion. "What did you do to me?" he demanded, his tone edging toward hostility. Amdis ran his hand over the scarred flesh on his neck and felt a sense of relief that the mate mark was gone.
"I saved your life; however, this is only a temporary fix," Amdis responded flatly, as though the answer should have been obvious. He showed no emotion, no indication that he expected gratitude or thanks.
Ethan hesitated, the words sticking in his throat. He was the Alpha King, a leader who was unaccustomed to owing anyone, least of all someone like Amdis. But he knew that without Amdis' intervention, he might not be standing now. Begrudgingly, he said, "Thank you."
"Know this," Amdis continued, his voice becoming colder. "I didn't do it for you." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "I did it for Kasia and Deva."
"Deva?" Ethan repeated, confusion etched into his features. "How do you know the name of Kasia's wolf?"
"Devanna is my mate," Amdis explained. "I don't know how our mates became intertwined with Kasia, but we're at an impasse as I refuse to give her up to you. She will be better protected here."
Ethan's eyes narrowed, anger bubbling up once more. "Then why the hell didn't you say that from the beginning?" His voice rose in volume as he demanded.
Amdis met Ethan's glare with one of his own, unyielding and resolute. "I wanted to see if you had grown weak after allowing that she-wolf to trick you," he said bluntly.
"What are you talking about?" Ethan asked.
"I know Amanda used glamour on you. It was a basic form, but enough to fool you enough to fuck her like some back alley mongrel. What I don't understand is how it was possible."
The accusation hit Ethan like a punch to the gut. He gritted his teeth, the sting of defeat and shame still fresh in his mind. As the servants returned with clothes, Ethan snatched them from their hands and quickly dressed, eager to cover the vulnerability he felt.
Amdis scoffed, crossing his arms as he watched Ethan. "If you're feeling raw about our fight, you can challenge me again later, but I need to understand how it is possible for the Alpha King to have a curse on him."
Garrett, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "Amanda clawed his protection ward off his back, leaving him vulnerable."
Amdis' eyes flickered with understanding as the pieces fell into place. "That explains it."
"You keep saying I'm cursed. I'm cursed?" The words felt foreign on his tongue, as if he couldn't quite believe them himself.
"That mate mark on your neck is the seal," Amdis explained, his tone matter-of-fact but laced with urgency. "Until you get the curse removed or mate with that wolf bitch, you will lose your sanity and become a mindless beast."
Ethan's hand instinctively went to the side of his neck, his fingers brushing over the skin where the mark had once been. "But you just ripped it off me," he argued, a flicker of hope sparking in his chest.
"And it will return," Amdis said, dashing that hope with cold reality. If it were a simple mate mark, that would be it, but it is not."
"How did you know about all of this?" he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You weren't there. Did you have someone following me?"
Amdis's expression turned grave, his voice lowering as if the walls themselves might eavesdrop on their conversation. "True, I wasn't there, but my eyes and ears are everywhere, just like yours are," he admitted. "However, I found out about this treachery through my father, which is why I am now Vampire Lord. He'll have the answers we both seek. Follow me."
When Amdis' father was mentioned, a shiver of unease ran down Ethan's spine. He had heard about the power shift, which shouldn't have happened until a few thousand years from now. Ethan didn't bother to investigate further because it wasn't really a concern for him at the moment.
"Where are we going?" he asked, the trepidation clear in his voice.
Amdis didn't pause as he strode toward the door. "To speak with my father in the dungeon," he replied.