The Alphas & The Heiress

Varian

“There’s no use in waiting around here, they’ll move her to her room to recover, so we might as well head over there now. Kat and I can fill you in on what happened while we wait for her to be transferred.” Incandis holds his hand out to us but I’m not sure what he expects me to do with his outstretched hand.

“Grab on, I’ll teleport us up to the palace.”

Did he just say palace? Kat links Ro and me.

I can’t focus on anything right now beyond making sure my mate is alive and well. We grab on to Incandis’ arm and we’re again sucked into an endless, black void before landing in an enormous, bright, and spacious living area. There are fireplaces, couches, and bookshelves littered throughout the room. Actual living trees growing through the floor, some rising as tall as the ceiling. Pillars of twisting branches line the walls. The room is accented and decorated with impossible shades of blue and purple, colors that don’t exist outside of this place.

Incandis leads us down a short hallway and into an office twice the size of ours. Immediately I recognize this as her office, her scent is everywhere, permanently ingrained into the very fabric of the room itself. I miss her instantly, my wolf crying out for his mate.

Stepping further into the room I notice that the back wall of the office isn’t a wall at all. There are three archways next to one another that are completely open to a balcony outside.

A beautiful, white wooden desk sits on one end of her office, several crooked and curved bookshelves throughout, and a seating area consisting of six oversized armchairs in the shape of a U on the other end. Everything about this space reminds me of her — her personality, her warmth.

Incandis gestures to the armchairs and takes a seat across from where we stand. Kat, Ro, Runidar, and I all take a seat as well.

“I don’t even know where to start. How the fuck did we end up here? And I don’t mean just physically in this place I mean with my ma— with Syble nearly killed. Where the fuck were you?” I’m seething at Incandis. “And you Kat, you should have mindlinked us sooner!”

“We never should have split up in the first place, if she wasn’t so fucking stubborn and just listened to us…” Ro says, running his hands through his hair.

We’re both livid. Livid over our reckless, stubborn mate, mad at ourselves for not following after her anyway, not being there to protect her. I wish I could have taken that dagger for her. Now she fights for her life before we’ve had the chance to start one with her.

“If you expect anything less from her then you’ll be continually disappointed. It’s useless to debate what could or should have been, what’s done is done.” Incandis says to us.

“Start from the beginning, when we separated,” Ro says slowly, trying to keep the temper out of his tone.

Incandis and Kat recount every moment between them taking off and us rejoining them. They found our guards and Kat helped them get to the exit while Syble and Incandis held off the attackers.

“It was weird, initially they weren’t trying to hurt her, it was like they were trying to get to her, maybe get her separated from Kat and me so they could kidnap her too.” Incandis recalls.

“They were outnumbered 5 to 1. After they killed the first group, a second group of 5 took their place. Incandis was holding off four of the guys on his own. Syble was about to help him when the fifth guy appeared in front of her out of nowhere, like stepping out of a shadow.” Kat tells us.

“He’s the one that stabbed her. He stuck his blade straight through her chest and then disappeared again into the darkness.” She shudders at some unspoken recollection.

Surprisingly, Runidar is next to speak up. “Then what happened? Because when we arrived she was unconscious and there wasn’t a single attacker to be seen, dead or otherwise.”

“She ripped out the dagger, burned them to a crisp, and passed out.” Incandis says coolly.

A few minutes pass between us in silence. Suddenly there’s a frantic knock at the door and Incandis leaps up to answer it.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Incandis steps into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Luckily for me that doesn’t prevent Ro and me from hearing their entire conversation.

“D, what the hell happened to Mags? Rumors are flying around the entire grove.” A male voice says to Incandis.

“I’ll fill you in later but we were attacked while tracking dad and Dex. She was injured during the attack. I didn’t know what else to do so I just teleported everyone here.” Incandis says.

“What? Is she okay?”

“I can’t get into it here. Once I know she’s stable we’re going to need to call a meeting with the guards.”

“I’ll take care of it. Do you want me to notify the Queen?”

Incandis groans. “Xan, I can’t wrap my mind around all this right now. First I need to talk to Mags once she’s cleared by the doctors and then I need to meet with the guards. Let’s start there. Get Malin or someone to occupy my mother.”

Kat’s voice through mindlink interrupts my eavesdropping.

Guys I’m telling you something isn’t right. She didn’t just burn those men, flames were spewing from her eyes, gr-” she whisper-shouts through the link before stopping abruptly at the sound of the door opening again.

Kat’s right, something is very off. I’m not sure if anyone else picked up on when Incandis said if she dies the grove dies with her. She’s obviously more than a combat specialist. Which only proves that she’s been lying to us from the beginning.

I’ve known they’ve been hiding something since the first time Incandis stuttered out her name. It’s never really suited her, it feels more like the mask she wears over her eyes — another secret.

I’ve been as patient as I could be, I’ve tried letting her open up on her terms, but her secrets are going to get her killed.

Ro looks at me with a raised brow. I know he senses my wolf’s rage through our bond. Incandis comes back into the room before I get the chance to explain any further to Ro.

“Sorry about that, I just needed to check in with one of the guards.” Incandis says to our group.

“It’s been a hectic morning to say the least. Please allow me to show you to your guest rooms, lunch is being prepped now.”

“I’ll eat when I know she’s healed. Put Varian and me in whichever room is closest to hers.” Ro growls out at Incandis.

There’s a pregnant pause before Incandis replies.

“Okay, I can’t do this anymore.” Incandis snaps back at Ro. “What exactly is going on between you and my — Syble?”

Immediately our wolves press us for control, but we fight them back for now.

“I could ask you the same fucking question. Who are you to her? Who is she?” I ask while standing up and closing the distance between him and me.

“She’s more important to me than you could ever possibly hope to understand.” Incandis grits out between a clenched jaw.

“Right, that’s why you let her take a dagger to the chest. I would’ve died before she took a scratch!” I spit in his face.

He ignites his hands and shoves me backwards.

Ro and I lose the fragile control we had over our wolves. Our canines drop, claws extend, and balls of fire grow in our hands.

A protective growl sounds through the room. In the blink of an eye Kat has put herself between us and Incandis, attempting to block him from us.

“Don’t you fucking touch him.” She growls at us.

I run my hands through my hair, beyond the point of exasperation, and start pacing the room. Everything is so fucking fucked.

“Incandis, could you please show us to our rooms? I’m covered in blood and I’m sure my hot headed brothers could do with a cold shower.”

She runs her hands over his chest and cups his cheek. His breathing levels out. She calmed him with just a touch. Our wolves cry out for our mate, desperate for her calming touch.

Incandis sighs and nods his head. Kat holds onto his hand as he leads us towards our rooms.

I don’t care if he’s your mate, the next time you get in between us and the person responsible for harming our mate, your Luna, you will be punished. Ro hisses at Kat through mindlink.

With all due respect, Ro, she’s not my Luna yet. She’s not even your mate, not until you tell her the fucking truth.

I hate that Kat has a point. We’ve put this off for far too long, waiting for the right moment. As soon as she’s awake, we have to tell her, once and for all.