Present time

Rubbing my forehead with my thumb I wait for the call to go through.

Fourth beep.... fifth...

"Hello?"

I sigh out, feeling the muscles in my back relax from hearing her voice, it's been too long. "Lisla it's me, I'm just checking in."

I hear my little girls giggle. "Dad theirs no need." 

"How are you holding up?" She asks seriously.

Leaning back in my chair I stare at the vial in front of me, the swirling blue liquid a reminder of how much I've lost control, no one must know, especially not my mate.

"I'm good, I just wanted to hear my little girl's voice, how are the kids?" 

She laughs out. "I'm over 100 years old daddy." She points out and I grunt out, not giving a fuck how old she is.

"You're still my little girl."

Much like her mother, my mate, she laughs out again and begins to tell me all about her life in The Glade, if I had my way like usual she would be under this roof where I could keep an eye on all my family, but being Queen of The Glade, I know she's protected- not only from the people but I trust her mate to protect her with his life.

It still does not ease the frustration of not being able to do it, my protectiveness knows no bounds.

She tells me about her life, what her children, my grandchildren are up to, and tells me how much she misses the palace garden in The Vale. We spoke of me and Sora visiting once Theodin has been taken care of.

When I'm satisfied that she's happy and safe, we both say our goodbyes and hang up, just as Caelan enters my office with a piece of paper in his hands, I watch as he closes the door behind him as I put the phone down and take the vial from my desk and hide it in a draw under my table.

"She's agreed to meet, on one condition." He begins to say, handing the paper to me, with a meet time and location on it.

I look at him hard and he sighs out. "She will give us the location of Theodin but.. she wants safe passage out of The Vale, for her and her family, she swears that her family had nothing to do with Theodin's chaos, she's scared." He says, sitting down in front of me. "I trust her word."

"If the information is correct, I will see to it myself." Anything to get rid of that fucking family, once and for all.

Caelan was about to say something but the doors slam wide open and I see a familiar face looking back at us both with a grin on her face. "Dad." She says with a frown looking at him, then her eyes shift to mine and she smiles widely.

"Gramps! I have news." Hayden says happily.

Caelan stands up, and I can sense how furious he is as he glares at his daughter. "Where have you been? Your mother and I have been worried sick, do you know the havoc you have caused? We've had everyone out searching for you!" He snaps out at her, breathing heavily.

She winces and her face softens, making Caelan relax slightly. That brat has my son wrapped around her little finger. "Dad, I can't just play princess and sit quietly.. I'm sorry for not listening to you but I have information, yelling at me is going to have to wait." 

It's like watching a younger version of myself at work. "What do you have for me?" I ask her, making Caelan groan out, sitting back down and rubbing his forehead roughly.

"I know where Theodin is." 

Caelan growls. "For fuck sa-"

I interrupt him. "Hayden, how did you get that information?" I ask, staring down at her hard.

She shifts under my gaze and smiles weakly. "I may or may not have been down the Valley and overheard a certain someone mention something about a meeting between 'Alpha Black' so I may or may not have followed them..."

"I saw him, Theodin, he's in The Vale of all places, not twenty minutes from the palace." 

Both Caelan and I are thinking the same thing, but for now, her punishment for being so reckless will have to wait, I mindlink a guard to come and take Hayden to her room. I want to say so much but I am too on edge with struggling to control my beast to even argue with either of them. "You can both go." 

I don't miss the way Caelan looks at me, one of concern as he notices my hand beginning to twitch. I block him from mindlinking me and I tear my eyes from his as the double doors open, two guards stand to escort Hayden to her room, when she's gone and out of ears length, Caelan sighs.

"Have you told mom?"

I raise my eyes to his and stand up, sighing out heavily. "Not yet." 

"You look like shit, it's obvious you're not sleeping anymore, you can't hide it forever, your hand twitching is a sign I know it all too well, you're losing control- you of all people." 

I snap my eyes to his and snarl out annoyed. "I'm handling it."

He snorts out loudly.

I ignore his stares as I get up and grab the vial from the draw, along with something else I didn't think I would ever use in my lifetime. It's been modified to my liking and carefully put together by people I trust, its existence in my presence is only known by those that I had to construct it.

I slip the ring onto my finger and listen to the soft buzzing coming from the jewel that sits inside of the ring, the faint noise can only be heard this close to the divine power. I never thought I would ever have to use it, but I can't risk my life with so much on the line.

My son noticed the jewel instantly, he says nothing and turns his head to the window, looking out to the red sky as it begins to grow darker.

This magic had been passed down in my family for generations, it was the last of its kind, the power from the jewel is loyal, and only serves members of the Black family. 

Whoever holds the jewel is protected, even from death. It kills any who will seek out to harm you, even the strongest creature can not predict the outcome, the power is old magic, unbreakable, its purpose is to protect, at any cost, death is unavoidable.

Making it the strongest weapon in all six realms.

Using this is my last option, I came close to death the last time I met Theodin, if not for Lucas I would have died from the venom he had laced on the dagger he cut me with, whatever it was I know for sure Theodin will use it again, after all, he had been so close in the past.

I open the double doors, without looking back at my son's expression, I leave my office and begin to make my way towards the entrance of the palace. 

Theodin blames me for the death of his mate, I can't forget that he will try and get his revenge, if not for killing me then I don't doubt that he will try and go after Sora.

Not in my fucking life will anyone touch her, while I'm still breathing.

I take the vial from out my pocket and flick the cap off and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. When I open my eyes, I swallow every last drop that was in the vial, instantly I feel my body begin to burn and tingle, letting me know the effects are working as they should.

This should keep me sane for a few hours, then I will need more, for now, I need to go see the Grinmorte girl, keeping in mind what Hayden told me. If I find out the girl is lying about his location, the same location Hayden gave me- no one will stop me from wiping the name Grinmote from the history books.

I'm done with playing fucking games.

*****

I arrive at the location, it's an old abandoned store in the corner of town that's still under construction, I know this area well from the siege of castle black when I had come to The Vale to stop Braum.

This place used to be one of many of Larson's hideouts, now it's just in ruins, like the buildings around it.

"You actually showed up." A  feminine voice calls out, making me turn around.

Arabella Grinmorte. I didn't miss the way her pale skin pales, even more, when I take a step forward towards her. She looks exactly the same as the first time I had laid eyes on her, her long pale blond hair longer than last time.

I look behind her and sniff the air, when I'm satisfied and don't smell anyone, I stare at her. "Where's Theodin?"

She swallows hard, keeping her distance from me I see her go into her pocket and throw something on the floor in front of me, I bend down and pick it up.

A globe? "He's there, with the girl." 

The orb swirls with an image of a building I recognize, it's not far at all, I could be there in minutes, it's the exact same location Hayden had shown me. So she's telling me the truth.

I snap my eyes to hers hard. "Emma? Is she there?" 

She nods her head, keeping her eyes full of fear from my hard ones. "W-We have a deal? You will let m-my family go?" 

I laugh out and crush the globe in my hand, letting the pieces drop to the floor. "Tell me something Arabella." I say slowly, walking closer to her, my eyes never leaving her face. "Why is he showing himself now?"

She begins to shake nervously as I circle her slowly. "I-I don't know, I swear, he o-only just woke up, h-he left a m-month ago, that's all I know, I-I swear it!" 

I freeze in my step.

"What do you mean he had just woken up?"

Her eyes go wide and she begins to fidget with her hands. "H-He was in a deep sleep, he had been for as long as I was b-born, he only just woke up. M-My father kept him alive i-in hope he could turn him in and redeem our name, T-Theodin didn't like that o-one bit."

"H-He killed my mother e-escaping, please, l-let us leave, h-he's a -m-m-monster." She sobs out into her hands uncontrollably, each sob louder than the last.

So that's why she wants safe passage out of The Vale, it's beginning to make sense. 

I can sense the girl is more terrified of her uncle Theodin than me, that much I can see in her eyes, she fears for her life. "Are you packed?" I ask the sobbing girl.

She nods her head, her long white hair sticking to the tears on her face. "Y-Yes."

"Take me to your father."

*****

"A-Alpha King." 

I glare at the pale man and shut the door behind me and look around. This place is exactly the same as how I remember it, the last time I stepped foot in their manor I was only a young boy but I remember the day vividly, I came along with my old man, it was my first time in The Vale so I was excited, it was also the first time I met Theodin Grinmorte.

It seems like it was yesterday that I laid eyes on that small boy with dark eyes, in this very room.

"Tell me everything from the moment you found Theodin to the moment he woke up." I command. "Spare me no details, and I will personally see you safely to the portal." 

His eyes go wide as he nods his head abruptly as I come to sit in front of him as he opens his mouth to tell me everything, from the very first moment he laid eyes on Theodin Grinmorte. 

"It was 130 years ago... "