Flames of Fury

Chapter 16

... boom. Triple update.

— — — — —

Xander

~ 5 months ago ~

"Ro, Varian, if it's alright with you, Xander had something he needed to talk to you about."

I alert to the sound of my name, Queen Ianthe looks at me expectantly but I don't want everyone to know that my mind has been wandering during most of this meeting.

"Ma'am?" I ask, hoping that I don't look completely guilty for needing her to throw me a bone.

Ianthe pins me with a look that could strip the bark off of trees. Her eyes shift by a fraction towards Accalia and it all begins to make sense.

"Right, yes, thank you for reminding me. Alphas, please. It won't take but a minute."

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but it seems things have been spiraling out of control here. The Alphas are slowly going feral, being driven insane by the loss of their mate. Supposedly they've killed three pack members in the last week just for mentioning her name. It can't go on like this.

The Alphas sit down as Accalia, Raine, and Runidar head out. Incandis uses this opportunity to pull me to the side.

"Do you — do you think you could talk to Kat too?" I've heard wind blow louder than the voice Incandis uses to ask me this favor. I know it's hard for him to ask this of me, but he's my best friend and I will support him no matter what.

I search his eyes for hesitation, or for a change in his mind, because some choices can't be unmade. His resolution doesn't waiver though, so with a tight smile and a single nod of my head I agree.

I'm left in the office with the two Alphas. They're looking at me like I'm personally responsible for Mags' disappearance, like I could have known she was using me, lying to me.

My Queen, my best friend, lied  to me. They don't get to be the only ones who are angry and hurt.

When will they figure out that we all want the same thing — for Mags to be safe and happy? I've been at this a lot longer than them, my friendship with Mags predates theirs by well over a century and twice that long with her brother.

I could absolutely pull rank — but I won't, because that would upset Mags to see the people she loves and cares about arguing over bullshit. They're her sparks, that's a bond I respect. But I'm not going to change who I am and how I treat her just because they're territorial.

"What could you possibly have to say to us that we'd be even remotely interested in hearing?" Ro spits at me in disgust and anger, but I won't knock him for it because it is misplaced.

And because what I'm about to say to him will do way more damage to him than anything he could say to me would.

This is sure to backfire in all of our faces, without question. It's the worst betrayal. Worse than Mags running off, worse than her lying. But if Runidar's reports are to be believed, the Alphas won't survive much longer suffering from the separation.

If things continue down this path, there won't be any mates for Mags to come back to.

It's this last part of the equation that I cling to, the idea that this is ultimately for the greater good. This is the only way we can protect them. I'm just hoping that Mags and the Alphas will see it that way too.

"Are you willing to hear me out?" I ask.

"Just get on with it." Varian's fraying patience comes through in his tone.