Dark Alpha: A Fated Mates Novel

41: I CAN HATE YOU

~VANNIE~

"At least, the salves I've been making aren't completely useless," Vannie said to Maeve. 

Turned out that not all the King's Keepers had escaped injury during the fight. They could probably heal by themselves without Vannie's salves, but that would take a lot of time that Vannie didn't have.

As it was, they had to be ready for the real war at any minute. 

"We have at least 200 Keepers we have to get into top shape by evening. Get some more volunteers to help Alaric apply the salves."

Maeve waved off her concern, looking like her pride was wounded at the suggestion. "I'm sure the Keepers are already tending to their wounds themselves. We don't need to bring in other people to help them clean their wounds."

Vannie nodded, chastened.

"Your Majesty. I don't know how else to say this."

Vannie, instantly worried, jumped to her feet. The Goddess knew they didn't need any more bad news now. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything."

"I think we're all ignoring an important part of this situation we're in. And that is, it is you the Crinites and Abenites want, remember? It's you."

Vannie frowned. "I don't know what—"

"That Sorcerer aimed his arrow at you!" She spat passionately, making Vannie stop to truly consider what she was saying.

"Well I initially thought it was for me, actually. But on closer inspection, I realized maybe they were just trying to use me to trap the King. If that arrow hadn't been aimed at me, we both know Alpha Sin wouldn't be ill right now."

Maeve nodded. "I understand. But I'm certain it was you they wanted."

For some reason, Vannie's heart was racing. "That — that makes no sense at all. If they really wanted just me, they had every opportunity to do it. All the times that. . .Crom had come to visit me at the apothecary. Or that time I even followed him into a portal he created! Willingly! They could have taken me then." She felt guilty even speaking about her betrayal, but it needed to be said.

It was Maeve's turn to pace, though now, it looked more like she was trying to put together pieces of a puzzle. "Once again, Your Majesty, I beg you to think about this. The King knew that Crom the Sorcerer had been visiting you all along, and Crom knew that so many eyes were on him. He couldn't have done anything to you then. Not when Alpha Sin, fuelled with rage, would have turned the Realms upside down looking for him."

Vannie had gone rock-solid at the first sentence. "What? What do you mean Alpha Sin knew Crom was visiting me at the apothecary?"

"Well of course he knew! He is the King of the Realms! He knows everything."

He knew everything. He did know everything. "Then why did he act so surprised when he found out that the boundary's hexes were compromised? If he knew then, and you all f*cking knew, then what was the point of making me feel stupid and—and. . .you know what? That doesn't matter. Why would the Crinites want me?"

"Because you have the Flora."

Vannie didn't think to doubt that verdict. This wouldn't be the first time the magick of her blood was coveted, and it wouldn't be the last. "So they made sure to get Alpha Sin out of the picture, and now they're coming to get me?"

Maeve lowered her eyes. "I'm not sure. I just wanted you to consider the possiblity."

"No, no. You just gave me something to think about. Thank you."

The first thing she'd do after all of this was over was try to replicate the magick of the Flora spell. She didn't want her blood to become something hunted. If she could decentralize it and make the spell known to as many people possible, maybe she could finally live with some peace. 

"Does this mean you will stay away from the battlefield? Leave it to me, Luna. I can assure you that if you stay hidden, we will continue to remain invulnerable. But if something happens to you. . ." Her eyes fell shut, as if she couldn't stand the very thought of it.

Vannie held the Beth's hands in hers. "Don't worry, Maeve. Everything will be fine. I'll stay away from danger as much as possible."

"Promise me you'll stay away from the fight. If anything happens to you on my watch, the King will kill me." That didn't seem like idle talk. 

"I have no intention of letting anything happen to me."

"Your Majesty!"

"Yes! Okay. I'll stay away from the walls. Are you satisfied? I'll stay right here and watch the fight from a tower or something."

"You will do no such thing," Zara called suddenly, bursting into her chambers without warning. "Maeve, would you excuse us?"

The two females had a second of staring each other down. Hard. Then Maeve left, with a promise that she'd come back immediately Zara left.

Zara didn't waste a second to start talking immediately the doors were shut behind Maeve. "The Inlanders may be incapable of hating you, but I can. I have no biological tie to you. So I'll say this. It was a s*it move what you did to the Inlanders and King Sinclair. It wasn't your fault that you had the life you did, but believe it or not, it wasn't their fault, either. It wasn't his fault."

"I'm—"

"I cannot tell you what the future holds for the Inlands, because you're not my master. King Sinclair de Noir is." Vannie couldn't even bring herself to be offended at that, just deeply, deeply hurt. 

"But I can tell you this. Don't think you will be able to just sit down and be complicit while your people fight for their lives. You're going to battle because you're their Queen, whether you like it or not, and your Lycae instincts as Luna need you to protect your pack. It's high time you embraced your destiny and stopped living in the past."

She didn't stop to see if there would be any reaction to her words, and just left the room. Vannie collapsed back into her bed, wishing that this was a nightmare, and wondering which path she was supposed to take now.

She stayed like that, trying to regain control of her composure after Zara left the room. Alpha Sin wouldn't doubt himself here. No. In fact, he would have been glad for this opportunity to kill more traitor wolves. He would have knelt and borrowed powers from the soil like she saw him do at his last fight.

She sat up straight and deftly dressed herself in a new gown, dressing herself for the first time since she'd been identified as Sin's mate. She briskly pushed all thoughts to the back of her mind. She needed to be near the men.

Any minute now, the walls of the Inlands would fall. And she would protect the enemy.