THE RECKONING AT THE GATES

Elaris’s POV

Averic’s huge hand made the silver coin purse seem almost trivial, but once he held it, everything changed.

The rain droplets fell off his dark hair to his forehead as he looked upon the Caedmon symbol printed on the money.

His face became unreadable.

There was no surprise in it.

There was no fear.

Only betrayal.

“They’ve come prepared to cover up everything they did,” I whispered.

He picked up a coin under the moonlight.

“They’re going to fail.”

His thumb traced the symbol on the coin.

Then his eyes moved to the lights of the palace far away.

“It means that if this was the order of Caedmon, he’s stopped fighting me in the councils and started to fight me here.”

A chill traveled through my body.

“And what if he didn’t?”

The eyes of Averic narrowed.

“That means someone wants me to think he did.”

“He has crossed the line,” Averic growled.

His Alpha energy surged so strong through the forest that pine needles detached from the trees.

The mercenaries left were brought down by the pressure.

One of them tried to crawl away.

But Averic didn’t look at him at all.

“Capture them alive.”

Shadow Guards instantly surrounded the men.

I looked at Averic.

"Please don't kill them."

His gaze came back to me.

"They burned your home."

"I know."

"They hunted you down through the forest."

"I know."

His nostrils flared.

"And they threatened our child."

Those words froze me up.

Our child.

He used that word without any hesitation.

Not child of Virelle.

Not heir of our future.

Our.

It seems Averic understood what he had said and didn't take it back.

Instead, he walked towards me.

He embraced me and picked me up in his arms.

I involuntarily held onto him.

His heat spread through my wet clothes, while rain kept falling on us.

"You are freezing."

"I can walk."

"I didn't ask you if you can."

His voice was strict, but there wasn't any malice in it.

It was fear under the guise of command.

I rested my cheek on his shoulder.

Smell of pine, rain and wolf surrounded me.

For several heartbeats, I let myself stop struggling.

But then his hand caressed my back in a gentle way.

"Does anything hurt?"

"My stomach cramps."

His whole body tensed.

"When?"

"While I was running."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because three people tried to murder me."

Air whooshed out of him.

"A fair point."

In spite of everything, a small laugh almost made its way past my lips.

Averic whispered.

"From this point forward, you do not move anywhere alone."

I buried my face against the curve of his throat, listening to the fierce thumping of his heart.

In that one delicate moment, the entire forest seemed to vanish.

It was just him.

His warmth.

His strength beneath my hands.

And the realization that I had come this close to never having the chance to feel safe in his embrace again.

“Averic.”

"Yes?”

"If you pursue Caedmon tonight, you may just walk straight into another trap."

His hold on me tightened.

"I am well aware."

"You are enraged."

"I am far beyond being enraged."

I lifted my head.

"Do not let them make you their puppet."

He looked at me.

"They burned the very place you slept."

"Which is precisely the reason why you need to stop and think before you act."

He regarded me for several seconds.

Then his expression shifted.

"You ask me to be patient after they have tried to murder me."

"I'm asking you to live just long enough to punish the right person."

There was something in his eyes.

Respect.

And something else beyond that.

Averic looked towards the shadow guards.

"Take her to the sanctuary wing."

One of the guards stepped forward.

"Alpha, the eastern path has been compromised."

"Then go through the other entrance from under the western garden."

"The council might see—"

"Avoid my damn council."

His voice had an absolute tone.

"No one will be entering the sanctuary without my direct order."

The guard bowed down.

"Yes, Alpha."

I grabbed Averic’s jacket before they dragged me off.

"Don't rush into anything."

His eyes moved back to meet mine.

"Virelle and Caedmon probably expected you to do just that."

His expression hardened.

"Do you think all of this was supposed to provoke me?"

"I think someone wanted you angry enough not to ask any questions."

He pondered this.

Then, he leaned down.

"Maybe."

His fingers touched my cheek.

"But whoever planned this messed up."

"What?"

"They hurt one of my people."

I gripped his lapels.

"Don't go in blindly, Averic. This is what they want. They want you to get revengeful."

His jaw clenched.

"You keep mentioning Virelle's name."

"Because I saw her working with Caedmon."

"They worked together?"

"I heard them."

"Talking about what?"

I paused.

My mind raced back to that hallway.

Virelle's voice.

Caedmon's plans.

The throne.

Me not being there anymore.

"I heard them talking about what will happen once I'm gone," I whispered.

Averic's look grew cautious.

"And you think that they plan to seize my throne?"

"I think that they have planned to make you destroy yourself."

He looked at me.

Then he nodded slowly.

"That is way scarier than an attack."

But before I could reply, one of the captivated mercenaries yelled behind our backs.

"Are you still not understanding anything, Alpha!"

Averic turned.

The man sneered through bloodied teeth.

"The throne isn't what they are after."

Averic bent low and kissed my forehead.

The action was rough, protective and maybe even possessive.

"They burned your house," he growled. "They tried to kidnap my mate and child."

My breath caught in my throat.

He leaned back just enough to look down at me.

“There is no more waiting.”

I swallowed.

“Then do not seek out revenge.”

“What shall I seek out?”

I placed my hand on his chest.

“The truth.”

We didn’t move for a long while.

His wolf pushed against mine through the thin membrane separating us.

An odd warmth flowed through my body.

The silver light beneath my skin flickered.

Averic sensed it.

His eyes fell to my stomach.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know.”

Before he could ask me anything else, the shadow guard arrived.

“Alpha, we have to move her.”

Averic nodded but still watched me.

“We will talk about the glow once you are safe.”

He transferred me carefully to the elite guard’s care.

The instant I moved away from him, an emptiness formed inside my chest.

I hated how fast I had become addicted to his presence.

The guard took me to a secret entrance located under the western gardens.

The stone door grated open.

Beyond it lay a tunnel lit up with blue lanterns.

I glanced over my shoulder.

Averic stood under the rain.

“Come back alive,” I whispered.

His eyes were fixed on me.

"That's an order I intend to follow."

The door made of stones was beginning to close.

Right before it closed completely, I could feel him turning around to address the captured mercenaries.

His face was different.

He wasn't just the Alpha that had come to save me.

He was the leader ready to find out who had defied his supremacy.

Eventually, the underground passage led to the lower sanctuary.

I came out to the sound of movements above.

Metal clashed with metal.

Swords were drawn out.

The palace was awakening.

Servants were running across the halls.

Guards were shouting out orders.

Somewhere outside the castle, the wolves howled.

Neryss ran to me.

"Elaris!"

She took hold of my shoulders.

"Aren't you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"My cottage…"

"Gone."

Her face crumbled.

I held her hand.

"I'm alive."

She lowered her gaze to my stomach.

"And the baby?"

I nodded.

"He's safe."

Her face was flooded with relief.

Then she whispered.

"There's something that you have to know."

"What?"

"The council was called in before Averic arrived."

My stomach churned.

"Who was it?"

Neryss looked up to the ceiling.

"It was Virelle."

I hastened toward the large arched balcony overlooking the main plaza.

Sanctuary guards attempted to restrain me.

"Royal Caretaker, the Alpha had ordered you to remain below."

"I have to see what is going on."

"It is dangerous."

"So is ignorance."

I parted the velvet curtains.

The plaza below swarmed with people.

Senior elders gathered around the large stone altar.

Pack warriors filled the courtyard.

At the opposite entrance stood Caedmon.

Beside him stood Virelle.

She was dressed in pale ceremonial robes.

Not mourning clothes.

Not the dress of an anxious woman.

But of someone participating in a ceremony.

My stomach dropped.

"She had planned this," I said aloud.

Neryss appeared next to me.

Virelle lifted her hand.

Elders immediately became silent.

Then the palace gates opened.

Averic stepped into the plaza.

Behind him followed twenty elite guards.

He carried the burnt silver coin pouch in one hand.

It was quiet in the whole courtyard.

Averic walked straight toward Caedmon and Virelle.

"Caedmon."

His voice echoed across the courtyard.

Caedmon did not move back.

"You've come to accuse me."

"You've come with evidence."

Virelle touched Caedmon's arm.

Averic noticed it.

His face darkened.

“You’re standing beside the man who attacked my territory.”

Virelle looked at him with a wounded expression.

“I came because I was afraid of what you would do when you were angry.”

“Don’t bother.”

Averic stood at the altar.

He placed the coin pouch on the stone.

Coins fell on it.

The crest of the Caedmon shone in the torchlight.

Some elders made some remarks.

Caedmon was looking at the evidence.

“That pouch doesn’t belong to me.”

Averic spoke in a low voice.

“Then tell me why there’s your crest on it.”

Caedmon smiled slightly.

“Maybe you should ask yourself who ordered you to think it belongs to me.”

The same answer the captured mercenary had given.

The eyes of Averic narrowed.

Virelle moved towards the center of the courtyard.

And I could see from the sudden stillness of her posture that she had been waiting for this particular moment.

Virelle opened her robes.

She drew out a roll of parchment sealed with dark red wax.

“I believe that the council will want to see the document left by your mother.”

Averic was staring at it.

“What document?”

Virelle put the document before the oldest councilor.

"Luna Maevra's final decree."

The elder broke the seal.

Almost instantly, his expression altered.

Slowly, he started reading the initial lines.

Then, he raised his eyes towards Averic.

"By the authority of the Luna…"

A murmur went across the yard.

Averic moved to meet them.

"What does it say?"

Trembling slightly, the elder answered:

"It says that the Alpha displayed recklessness, put the whole pack in danger and has become unfit to rule."

The courtyard exploded.

"No!"

I tightened my hold on the balcony railings.

Virelle turned towards Averic.

Her smile was small.

But triumphant.

The elder held the parchment aloft.

"With Luna Maevra’s seal, Averic Thorne is temporarily stripped of his Alpha power pending a succession council hearing."

Staring blankly at the decree, Averic glanced at the seal.

His expression altered.

"That's not my mother's seal."

For a second, Virelle’s smile disappeared.

Averic pointed to the parchment.

"My mother has never used such wax."

Examining the parchment once more, the elder was interrupted by one of the captured mercenaries entering the yard.

Seeing the decree, he paled considerably.

"That seal…"

Swiftly turning around, Averic asked:

"What about it?"

Swallowing, the prisoner answered:

“This is the sign they gave us before payment.”

Dead silence enveloped the square.

Averic glanced from the forged royal decree to Virelle,

then to Caedmon,

and finally to the balcony where I was standing.

Somebody must have plotted not only the assassination attempt but also the forged proof and the challenge to his kingship at one time.

Somebody who knew about the private seal of Queen Luna Maevra.

Somebody within the palace walls.