40

Everything was meticulously planned. While it differed from my original plan, Elisane's attack on Tara changed everything.

If she had just stayed calm, I would have made her queen. Not mine, which was now a good kilometer away from me.

I had gone through everything with Cyril several times. He first informed my friend Callum, who summoned the Supreme Council, at least those I could trust. My supporters were still the majority.

I needed witnesses to what I was about to do and while the next generation of alphas and betas were here and could witness anything, it was still good to have a few council members around.

Her curiosity about Tara was hard to curb and persuading her to be neutral on the plane was more than difficult. In the end, one glance at Tara's ring finger, around which the royal insignia had curled, was enough and the last doubt as to whether she was my Erasthai dried up.

They accepted their new queen with a look and nodded that they would protect her with their lives. When I picked up the ring it had only been a necessity. It had never happened before that he would start his own business before the official ceremony.

When my oracle contacted me two years ago that I needed to secure my kingdom, I didn't know how far it would go. That's the problem with oracles, they can never tell you everything, but they are not wrong.

I felt like I was on the wrong track for a while. How could I secure my kingdom without my Erasthai and yet letting her go was the right thing to do.

I could save her here and now from Elisane and everyone else and not worry about Grayson. For a moment, I could show her how much she meant to me. However, Cyril was right. What would come after that?

Even if she were with me every minute, what kind of life would that be for her? Her heart belonged to someone else now. She had given it to him without affecting Luna, as I had once before. How could I compete with that knowing how good it felt.

"Are you looking forward to the next three days?" Elisane smiled at me. Tara's fellow students had gathered around us. Those who wanted to hunt, like those who didn't want to miss the spectacle. Well he'll only be three minutes.

I've had to pull myself together so hard over the last few days not to wring her neck right away. Her family would take cruel revenge anyway and I didn't know if I would be able to stop her henchmen in time. It was Cyril who didn't see any problem with that and finally convinced me.

Whatever was going on in his head. I've known him long enough that he wouldn't reveal it until the time came.

"Three days?" I asked her. I played my part as Cyril told me to and looked at her confused. She was so excited that she didn't even notice my aggression towards her. Well, it was something I could never quite hide from her and didn't bother her.

"You said three hours?" I kept up my act.

"That's how long it usually takes for the fox to be caught. The hunt itself is scheduled for three days." I listened to her, but nothing she said had more meaning. Just my acting in front of her that Tara didn't mean anything to me.

It was quickly explained that Cyril took his tasks seriously. She's known him long enough and I didn't even have to apologize for him.

"Ready?" she smiled and yes, I was more than ready. I nodded to her in agreement and made sure everyone was in their places. Two members of the Council were near Tara. Cyril had written ten minutes ago that Grayson was on his way.

Elisane unsuspectingly raised her arm to give the start signal. As soon as her hand fell, the first avalanche rolled onto the lake. I still looked at her calmly, but my fingers twitched.

Did she really think I hadn't seen what she was up to? I didn't know about the booby traps that would bring down the whole lake Tara was standing on?

"What happens if my Erasthai is caught?" I said loudly and clearly. I pronounced the word First Shark extra loud so my Lycan Council members could hear it with their fine hearing on the mountains surrounding the lake.

Everyone around us stopped for a moment and only the thunder of the avalanche rang in our ears. The wolves around me were getting restless, just as I intended. They should all know that Elisane put them in danger.

I might have chosen Tara to be the fox, but Elisane was a lycan like me. Her father part of the high council and she put my Erasthai in danger in plain sight.

"What did you do?" she asked confused and the seconds it took her to realize what was happening around her were too few.

"What was needed, Elisane" and I picked her up by the throat for everyone to see. Everyone knew now that she had put my Erasthai in danger, no one would question my decision.

Her eyes clouded and now I was sure that she sensed what happened to traitors like her brother, or what was in store for her.

Before she could catch her breath, I saw Grayson's golden wolf run past us to Tara. Just in time as the next detonations echoed through the valley. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him running across the breaking ice floes.

I'd be with her in a few seconds, but Tara's bigger problem hung in my hands.

"He won't get to her in time," she croaked.

"You'd be surprised what love is capable of. But unfortunately you'll never know, Elisane!" My grip on her throat tightened, but I wasn't about to end her miserable life here.

"She's not worth it," Cyril snorted from beside me, realizing for the first time that we had used her own schemes against her.

"Your brother won't let it stop you killing me," she croaked.

"I won't, my dear," I answer truthfully. All around us was pure chaos. Watching Grayson jump across the ice floes, keeping an eye on my lycans in case he didn't make it, didn't make them nervous.

It was the other wolves that ran nervously along the lake, concerned for their queen. Something she would never have taken into account. The wolves hoping for Luna's blessing. Compared to us, they had only a short life. A life they dedicated to Luna, that she would give them strength through a soul mate.

"You are too short-sighted Elisane. Take away from your subjects what they desire most and you lose them. A soulmate may mean nothing to you, but to those who give you power, it does."

"You haven't realized how unimportant that is," she etched. It was enough that I didn't want to hear from her anymore. I squeezed her air until she passed out at my feet.

"He did it," Cyril informed me, even though I already knew.

"Now he's the hero," he murmured.

"It should never be otherwise," I reply.

"The time--" Cyril began.

"She'll show. I know. She's in no hurry, my friend." I patted his shoulder gratefully. Ordinarily he would have shaken her off, but now he held her tight.

"I will be there, my king, when the time is right."