An Unpredictable Compromise

LONDON:

"Indeed, London. I have your sweet little mate Blaire trapped in my net." Hayes' guttural tone projected through Mathias' mouth, his obsidian orbs glinting maliciously at me.

He laughed at my stunned expression, and I growled in contempt. He was a coward for not facing me head-on; weak or not, I was ready to put an end to everything.

I was tired of this back-and-forth, this cat-and-mouse game with him, and using my mate against me was despicable.

“You will never have the book," I seethed, my muscles bunching up as tension filled me.

His brows furrowed as though a dark thought had crossed his mind, and then his red eyes glowed with fire that could burn a thousand nations.

“I can't sense Fuyu. Now what are you without the White Conqueror?” He taunted, and a sick grin curving his dark lips.

“That won't stop me from tearing you to fucking shreds," I growled, my fists shaking with uncontained rage. The thought of losing so many of my people, especially my gamma Caine, because of him caused my blood to boil and topple over.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you," he smirked as he continued to drag his sharp claws across the walls. Before I could so much as mouth a word, a piercing screech invaded my senses, the pain tearing through the walls of my subconscious. I groaned, clutching my head and gnashing my teeth as I tried to fight off Hayes' intrusion.

“My king!” Miller's voice sounded so far away when he was only by my side, his face scrunched up in obvious worry.

“Give in," Hayes growled, the intensity forcing me to my knees until my senses shifted and I found myself in a filthy, damp cell. The acrid stench of blood and death that hung in the air did nothing to phase me as I believed none of it was real, Hayes was only playing mind games with me, allowing me to see only what he wanted, games that I would never submit to even if it meant I'd die fighting.

"Where are you?" I snarled, turning in circles in search of the damn piece of crap. Goosebumps rose on my skin as the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"Now, let us bargain," came his eerily calm voice. I whipped around just in time to see his cloaked figure dissipating into thin air.

“That is never going to happen, and I hate repeating myself, you sick fuck," I seethed, and his scratchy laughter reverberated from one end of the cell to the other.

"Think again." His voice sounded behind me, and I whipped around again to find Blaire chained up to the wall in the far corner. She was bruised from head to toe, and her swollen belly reminded me of the precious life she carried.

I shook my head to rid it of the haze. This couldn't be real. I kept muttering to myself, but I could smell the blood running down the apex of her thighs, and even the faint heartbeat of my children suggested otherwise.

Did he think I would give up the fate of the entire Four Kingdoms for a mate I never wanted in the first place? Fuck no. I had a duty, and it was to protect every single Lycan and Wolf that had pledged their allegiance to me as their Alpha King. I wasn't going to let them down. I hated to admit it, but I could use Fuyu's input even though he tended to be annoying.

“Time is of the essence, Alpha," he sneered, materialising beside Blair with a dagger that he dragged painfully slowly down her chest, stopping just above the swell of her bump. Her head, which had been bowed the whole time, slowly lifted, her half-lidded gaze clashing against my steel greys. There was no ounce of recognition in them as she pleaded for help.

“You have ten seconds to decide," he gritted through darkened lips, his ghostly pale fingers fisting the dagger raised over her bump.

"One," he started, a fiendish smile curving his lips as he flashed his fangs.

“No!” I growled, lunging at him but failing miserably as my body refused to obey. I didn't care about her; why would he think I'd choose Blaire over the entire world? She was a woman I had rejected the first day I found out she was my mate. I admit I didn't hate her as much as I'd like to believe, but that doesn't mean I cared if she lived or died; I owed her nothing.

"Two," he echoed.

“You think killing her would change anything?” I taunted, but his only reply was a chilling chuckle.

"Three," he continued, tracing the sharp edge of the dagger across her bump. A bump that housed my children, as much as I knew I'd be a shitty father to them just like my father had been to me, I wanted them alive; they were my blood, mine.

“Four”

“Stop this and fight me!” I growled as rage boiled my blood hotter than a larva. How dare the bastard threaten me with my mate's life?

“Five”

He ignored my outburst, choosing to drag the dagger between the valley of her breasts, drawing blood and a pained gasp from Blaire. The pain of watching her suffer and having absolutely no power to put an end to it tore at the seams of my insanity.

"Six," he grinned, slashing the dagger across her shoulder blades. Her painful moans and screams caused a powerful growl to rip through me. I could no longer feel her emotions since I rejected her, as I didn't want to deal with a woman like a fucking coward. Crimson blood soaked through the fabric, the remnant dripping down my mates' arms.

“Seven”

“Stop!” He seemed to enjoy me breaking apart as those feral orange eyes lit up with cruel intent.

"Eight," he breathed, suddenly stabbing the dagger into her left thigh and ripping it out in one go. Blood splayed out the stab wound as Blair wheezed softly from the pain. Could I allow the mother of my unborn children to suffer for a mistake she knew nothing of? Could I allow her pain to continue? I didn't deserve her.

“Nine”

I rejected her and trampled upon her countless times, invalidated her feelings, and treated her like a mere maid just because she was a woman who happened to be my mate. It wasn't her doing, and there was nothing I could ever do to atone for all of the suffering I had meted out to her for being my mate.

A selfish part of me detested the idea of giving up the Book of the Damned to a creature that could ensure the end of the Lycan race, but whether I'd like to admit it or not, I didn't stand a chance against this ancient creature, not even Fuyu, who was a descendant of Amahan Iduth herself.

I was angry at my fucking self because it took until she breathed her last breath for me to realise I had been the fucking villain to my own mate the whole time. She should hate me for the rest of her life, and after that, I deserved that.

"Ten," he said, raising the dagger, about ready to end the life of my mate.

“Stop! You can have the damn book," I gritted, my brows knitted in worry as he slowly lowered the weapon, his ghostly finger releasing its hold on the dagger and allowing it to clatter on the hard ground.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He chuckled as my subconscious merged back into reality, and I found myself staring down at the tiled floors of the infirmary. Slowly rising to my full height, I was met with the worried faces of Miller and Freya, who were standing on either side of me.

“Are you alright, my king?” Miller inquired, his brow knitted in worry as he stared expectantly at me, but I only looked away to stare at Mathias, who was staring back with curved lips.

“Get the book, Miller," I spoke through gritted teeth without turning to see his reaction. He was silent for a moment before he became a stuttering mess.

"Take a guard with you and bring me the damn book!” I snarled, feeling urgent frustration mount, fearing the worst for Blaire; she could be bleeding out as we spoke.

“Take a guard with you and bring me the fucking book!” I snarled as urgent frustration mounted, fearing the worst for Blaire's; she could be bleeding out as we spoke.

“How do I know she's safe?" I rushed out, pinning him with a scorching glare.

“She will be, as long as you keep your end of the bargain," he rasped, his obsidian orbs never once blinking.

“Cut the bullshit; I want her here!” I seethed, my hands trembling with the churning rage spreading rampant through my veins. I could almost feel Fuyu, but that would be impossible considering the amount of damage he endured during our last encounter with Hayes.

He cackled, throwing his head back in feigned amusement. I could only imagine the many ways I could end his pathetic life as I glared spitefully.

“As you wish," he slithered, and at that same moment, Miller appeared with an entourage of five guards with the ancient Book of the Damned tucked in one arm.

The sound of Mathias' knees twisting had my eyes snapping back to him, my eyes widening in horror as his body twisted in an unnatural angle, his obsidian orbs reflecting nothing. The sickening crack of his neck had his mouth flying open, and almost immediately, an endless stream of thick black smoke flew in rapid succession out of his open mouth until his twisted knees gave out, his body collapsed, and his lifeless white eyes stared back at me in petrified fear.

Hayes materialised in the mist of the tornado of black smoke, his putrid stench of decay polluting the air as he held out his ghostly pale claws.

“Hand it over," he rasped.

“My mate first," I gritted, and he cocked his half-hooded head to the side.

“My king!” Reece's voice came through the mind link. I had never been so thankful for the mind-link, which I had previously hated, until I heard his next words.

“We found her.”

My head snapped to Heyes' cloaked figure, and the thought of ripping out his heart at that moment overwhelmed me.

"No," Fuyu whispered from the depths of my mind.

“Fuyu!” I breathed.

“How are you awake?” I rushed out desperately to know.

“Hand him the book, London," Fuyu rasped, his red orbs blinking slowly from a corner in my mind.

“Do not question me; there is no time; you have to do this," he added in a rushed tone. I gritted my teeth in anger. If Fuyu believed this was the best course of action to take, then I would do it.

“This better be good," I muttered to Fuyu as I dropped the book in Hayes, awaiting hands. His dark lips stretched in a crooked smile as he raised his hooded head to stare at me with orange eyes that seemed almost lifeless.

“Θα καείς στην κόλαση, Φούϕου”

'You will burn in hell, Fuyu.'