Dark Alpha: A Fated Mates Novel

36: ON YOUR KNEES

~SINCLAIR~

Alpha Sinclair, the world wants you on your knees.

And I'll gladly go for my Queen. For Vannie.

The poison worked fast. But this was not the poison that was meant to kill him, that much was obvious. No, this one was meant to keep him disabled for a while. He gave into it, letting his daemon work at neutralizing the worst of it.

Then he mentally ordered his Keepers to prepare for war.

But when his wife kept looking at him with wide, horrified eyes, he didn't know how to proceed without telling her everything.

"There's a reason the Inlands is the power source in the Realms. Have you ever wondered about that?"

He didn't think she heard him. Because she hadn't been expecting him to drink from the cup, not truly. But he had to. If this was the way to win her heart and her forgiveness once and for all, so be it.

"It's not just because I'm Alpha de Noir. It's not because we're the biggest specie of Lycans. It's because there's a power source buried in our land." He slammed his foot on the ground. "Under the soil. It is from the Inlands that the first Lycan spawned from. Our origin began here, with that surge of enchantment. The other territories in the Realms think that if they can come close, if they can dig into the ground and find that power source, they can make their own lands the greatest."

He spat out blood then, the residue of the poison fucking up his guts, and Vannie began to shake. "Alpha, please."

He shook his head, aching to comfort her. "This will not kill me, don't worry. But that's the reason why they want me gone. They believe we've had power for too long. They want to destabilize the Inlands and get what they want."

"They said... they said you have my brother. That you threatened to kill him. They said I have too much magick to be trapped in the Inlands, that I could have my revenge on you for ruining my family and live on my own terms."

He'd promised himself not to say anything about Enoch, but time was running out now and that seemed to be what she cared about the most.

"On our bound day, you didn't ask about the new Zhodian Alpha. The Alphas from all the Realms were in that room, and you didn't wonder who took over your father's throne?"

She shook her head, the first tear dropping from her eye. It killed him, seeing her tears. It was worse than the poison he swallowed.

"Enoch Alba is the new Zhodian Alpha. He wasn't present at our bound day because we promised each other he would stay away from the Inlands. But he's not the helpless victim you think he is."

Her eyes shuttered immediately. That was not what she was expecting to hear, clearly. His poor Queen. She must be feeling unsure, maybe a bit gullible. She must be feeling played, not knowing what to think anymore.

His eyes stung. "It's all my fault. I should have told you earlier. That's just another of my transgressions I'll ask you to forgive me for, isn't it? But for now, I'm going to get the Inlands through this fight."

Shakily, she stood to her feet. He hated that she smelled of fear and guilt when she had nothing to be afraid or guilty of. "What fight?"

"You didn't think this was the end, did you? They're coming down her to make sure you did the job. Then they're finishing it." He stood up. The poison had not worn out yet, but it could not incapacitate him, either.

"The fastest way to get a territory on its knees is to kill the Alpha before his people. That's why. . . that's why I did what I did to your father in front of his people. The other traitors among them would not continue their job after I killed him because they became nothing without him."

She flinched, and he felt like a soulless bastard for bringing up that sore topic between them. But somehow, he had to make her understand.

"So... this power source, my father wanted it, too? For Zhode."

Sin nodded once. "And I hate to admit this, but he's the one that actually would have succeeded. Your mother's magick was a powerful backing."

She froze, and he knew he needed to get moving, but he'd be as patient as it took for Vannie. She connected the dots easily enough. "If not for Enoch. Enoch was the one who sold our father out."

"Yes."

She didn't stumble or fall, but he knew something in her broke in that moment, and that it was his fault.

"Why?"

He shook his head. He didn't think she was ready to be that heartbroken yet, and he couldn't bear it. Her pain was already making his heart burn.

***

He didn't use the vehicle to get to the gates this time. He shifted into his daemon and allowed it free reign over his body till it took him to the gate. He'd never liked giving control over to the wolf, but he knew when it was time to let go. Times, for instance, that he had a battle to win.

The Head of the gate Keepers, Mattin, was already waiting for him with a pair of trousers in front of a pitched tent. He pulled it on and progressed to the walls.
There, an eighth of his army stood, waiting for his orders. He chose this specific number, three hundred wolves and six, because he knew this battle wouldn't be a long one. The people that were coming to invade the Inlands were hoping the King was already decapitated, so that it would be easier to infiltrate.

They knew a pack without an Alpha was weak.

They clearly didn't understand the extent of his abilities. He knelt in front of his Keepers to touch the ground, to draw power from the source he'd told Vannie about, and it came willingly to him like a babe crawling to his mother. It tingled from the tips of his fingers to the soles of his feet, till lit his body up from within, then dissipated.

When he stood up, he saw written in his Keeper's faces the awe and reverence they didn't quite know how to hide. This was why no one else could rule the Inlands - because the powers that guarded the lands only answered the a true-born, blue-blood Alpha.

This was the moment he smelled the invaders mere measures away from the Inlands walls. Bloodlust made his tongue feel heavy in his mouth. "Kill everyone but the leaders," he commanded, and watched the Keepers shift into their wolf forms. Satisfaction filled him at their ready positions. Swords and guns were for child's play, but when it came to actual battle, his packmates were lethal in their wolf forms.

He was about to give final commands when he heard the voice of his mate as she stepped into this place - the last place he wanted her at. "Sin! Alpha Sin!"

A/N:
Don't know if I should put a CW in the next coupla chapters because there'll be blood and gore, but yeah.

I won't be updating in a while, I left the reason on my wall if you want to check. See you in a bit. Thanks for reading and voting and commenting. Ily.