Into The Wild ~ Book 3 ~ The Royal Blood Collection

Chapter 18

Alaric was not a happy boy when he woke. To add to his anger, his guards were tied up but Silas wasn't. He was seated at the desk being made to write down the terms of the new agreement. The little secret that he'd discovered, it was remaining a secret for now. I didn't want to use the child as a bartering tool with Alaric, I wanted him to do this because he could see that I was not a threat.

Which he didn't see because he was tied to a chair, feeling the after-effects of the tranquilizer. Much to Silas's disgust and his continual protest, I put a tracker in Alaric. I am a determined girl and if it meant that I had to make him suffer by whatever means possible then that was what I would do.

"I am not going to sign it," Alaric said simply.

"I find it strange that you are the product of two kind and generous vampires. Perhaps it was your guardian that gave you this questionable upbringing."

Silas lifted his head to glare at me, I fluttered my eyes with a coy smile and pretended that everything was fine and dandy. Like I wasn't dying inside.

"Tell me something, Alaric. Did Oliver tell you what the Nighthawk was really like?"

"No." He snapped.

"Pity. Though I suppose that he missed out on a few of my better years. Where on this godforsaken rock was the freak hiding?"

"In the army," Silas grumbled, not lifting his head.

I laughed, finding that incredibly funny.

"You're kidding, right?"

"He was hiding from Caplan."

"Oh yes, the gangster he was working for. Not the sharpest tool in the shed but he certainly knew how to control a city. Rather surprised that you've got a gangster's gunman working for you. No, what's more surprising is that he's hooked up with your sister. Your parents must be rolling in their graves."

"You know nothing!" Alaric snapped.

"I know more than you, that much is certain."

Turning his head, Alaric did his best to ignore me but it was pointless. I was such enjoyable company that he couldn't resist favoring me with his lovely scowls.

Leaning against the cabinet, I rested my hands on the ledge, unseen because of the ridiculous dress I was wearing.

Asa undid the ties and stepped back, Alaric stood with a heavy frown.

"You will pay for this."

"I don't doubt that for a second. See, when I make an enemy, I like to ensure that they are a good one."

Silas stood from the desk and walked closer. In his pocket, I could see my phone poking out.

"I think that you'd better dial it down." He muttered.

"And I think that you need to learn that I am not the kind of girl that repeats herself. Watch and learn."

Alaric stepped forward, I pressed the button that was hidden behind my back. One little controller that sent all three to the ground. Silas turned with disbelief.

"What did you do?"

He pulled my phone out and tried to stop it. Unfortunately for him, his tracker was still activated and it sent him to the ground too. Leaning down, I picked up my phone and turned off the tracker.

"I told you that I don't repeat myself. You need to take them and go. Otherwise, I'll keep turning on the controller."

Pressing the button, I turned it off and the three of them groaned.

"Dahlia, please," Silas implored. "There has to be another way."

"Of course there is. Alaric signs the document and walks out of my province, never coming back, leaving it in my family's name."

"Never."

I pressed the button again and he groaned, the pain pulses rocketing through his body.

"I am not averse to torturing him. My father suffered a long and horrible death and someone will pay for it. Either it is someone in this room or it's someone else. Who will it be, Silas?"

"Turn it off and let me speak to him."

"Don't mention the secret."

"Why not?"

"Because it's none of his business. Not until he's family and that ain't happening until he signs the damned peace treaty."

Silas nodded and I turned the controller off. He walked over to Alaric and helped him off the floor.

"I think that the both of you need to act like adults and go through the treaty. Let the issues go and do this properly."

"This is not what we discussed."

"Yes, but that was before we knew of the peace treaty between your father and Farris. I read the document and I'm sure you found the passage that says that the treaty is binding beyond their lives and does not end in their death. If you proceed with the coup then you are breaking the treaty that your father agreed upon and under those terms, Dahlia has the right to many things that you do not want to hand over. She has done nothing wrong here, everything that she has done to protect her family and her province was well within the terms of the agreement. This new treaty ensures that it is a continuation of what they wanted for the two provinces. There is only one way that we can walk out of here with everything remaining intact. Please, just sign the treaty."

Did he really understand what Silas was telling him? I had my doubts.

"Let me lay it out for you in simple terms, your highness. If you go against the treaty that our father's signed then it is considered an act of war and a violation of the agreement. Any violations are punishable by loss of income and property. I don't know about you but I wouldn't mind having a nice long ridge to use for holidays. You can keep the money but that ridge, damn she's gorgeous."

He stalked over, picked up the pen and scrawled his name on the dotted line. Silas rolled his eyes and witnessed his signature. I smiled sweetly as I took the pen and signed the document, Asa following suit.

"Have you heard that old saying, you can pick your friends?"

Alaric turned back, his frown heavy as he looked at me.

"Yeah, what about it?"

I smiled at him as I rolled up the document and handed it to Asa.

"Perhaps you'd like to think about it for a while and see what conclusions you can draw from it."

He glanced at Silas.

"What's she talking about?"

I could see the dread on his face.

"She's pregnant."

Alaric was confused, the man glanced between my amused grin and Silas's pained look.

"What's that got to do with anything going on here?"

"The child is mine."

"Unbelievable." He muttered, stalking out of the room.

"It was great doing business with you," I called out. "I'll see you at the family reunion."

"Must you?" Silas grumbled.

I nodded with a mighty grin. It was too perfect for words.