A new month and a new chapter.

This is dedicated to the loving memory of my pet dog Blackie. To those who don't know, Blackie recently passed away. A pet becomes a member of your family very soon and you will feel their absence for a long time. Blackie was the inspiration for Mumbles in Calming Cortez and I am just glad I wrote something about her, that will always remind me of how naughty and loving she truly was.

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JACKFRUIT:

We have two jackfruit trees in our home and since it's the season, there are like dozens of fruits and all our neighbours have their eyes on it but because it's a large fruit, it's not something that can be stolen easily... lol!

The most consumed parts of jackfruit are it's flesh i.e the fruit pod but jackfruit seeds has also got it's own unique benefits. The fruit is loaded with proteins and it is free of fat and low in calories and this helps build muscles. It contains high amounts of fibre and that helps in improving digestive disorder like constipation.

I prefer jackfruit seeds fried rather than eating a boiled one in a curry. The jackfruit seed is rich in iron which is a component of haemoglobin. The vitamin A in it is good for eyesight and it also prevents healthy hair. But to those with diabetes jackfruit is a big no-no!

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"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations,

If you live near him."
― J.R.R. Tolkien,

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CHAPTER 09 – HOUND

"Brothers, Ajax Hynson and Alex Hynson. Their father Anthony Hynson had been loyal to King Stanislaus and now, his children follow the tradition. The status of Alex Hynson is unknown since Ash's latest attack but Ajax, who had been living in Scevola for the past six years has now returned home" Minerva pointed out and Cyane nodded, staring at their photos.

Grim.

That's the word that came to her mind when she saw their photos.

"Alex might be dead for all we know" Vicky, one of the wolves working for Lysander, said with a shrug.

"We have to wait for the lab results. Unless they confirm that the remains are also of Alex's, we cannot say he is dead" Elliot argued.

"His bones won't be in the remains. Ash had taken him to his lair and given him a special treatment" Minerva said wryly and Cyane inhaled sharply when she heard that.

"How can you be so sure?" Vicky questioned.

"Alex isn't a coward and he wouldn't betray the king. Ash must know that! Besides, remember that the 2011 case of two teenage girls? If the rumours are true, it's Alex and his men who had raped the girls and put the blame on Ash" Minerva shared and while others nodded, Cyane furrowed her brows.

She wasn't as updated as the others in the room but she wanted to know more... she wanted to know everything! However, she also didn't want to interrupt the meeting.

"Next up is Oliver... King's assistant. He is the one who knows where the king has buried all the bodies" Minerva showed her the second photo of a frail man. "He might even know several secrets about the Iron Fort."

Cyane perked up interestedly because she knew she would need this man if Gian wouldn't be able to find sufficient information.

"These were the ones whose families have been loyal to the king. Next, we have the rogues, who aren't part of the king's pack but are still loyal to the king. First up is Xanthos Zeke."

Cyane sucked in an audible breath and leaned back in her seat with so much force that the chair toppled and her head hit the marbled floor.

"Cyane? My God! Are you okay?" Minerva shouted and rushed towards her, while Elliot, who had been sitting beside her, helped her get up from the floor.

"I am good. I am good. But he... he... I have that seen that guy. I have seen him naked" Cyane pointed her finger towards the screen.

"Naked?" Minerva shrieked. "You slept with him?" She was outraged.

"What? No. Why would you think that?" Cyane questioned in mortification. "I... I happened to see him shifting back from his wolf." Cyane gulped as the image of that spectacularly muscled body popped into her head once again.

He had been naked. He had been hot. And he made her hot!

The image had refused to get out of her brain and ever since she had seen him, Cyane often fantasized about him. She had been attracted to him and she knew that because it was the first time she had been attracted to a guy just by his looks. She had had some dirty dreams about him that had given her several sleepless nights but she had sworn she wouldn't share that fact with another soul.

Her cheeks felt warm all of a sudden and roughly brushed them with the back of her hand.

She didn't know his name... well until now, she hadn't known his name, but she hadn't forgotten that icy blue eyes or the way they had been fixed on her or his scent.

Cyane scrambled to her feet when she realized that she had caught that scent again. In the warehouse where she had last seen Gideon.

"What? What happened?" Minerva was watching her curiously.

"He was there. In the warehouse," Cyane whispered as she stared at the icy blue eyes on the screen. He had that stoic look again as he looked at the screen, holding a slate board with his name written on it.

He was a criminal!

Cyane's eyes rounded when she saw the photo with renewed interest and she shook her head in disbelief.

Her grandparents would have a heart attack if they found out she had been fantasizing about a criminal. Of all the men in the world, she had to drool over a criminal?

"Well, of course, he would be there. He is the Hound!" Elliot stated.

At Cyane's questioning look, Elliot rolled his eyes before saying, "He is most popular as Hound in the kingdom. You know like the dog. He is called that because he is King Stanislaus's favourite pet."

"That's not the only reason he is called that" Vicky murmured.

"Yeah, okay... he is fucking dangerous like the hellhound. If he sets his eyes on prey, he has been known to chase and kill them" Elliot added and Cyane shivered because that day, he had his eyes set on her.

"Cyane, when did you see him?" Minerva was watching her carefully.

"Before I came to Yolanda for help. I saw him in the woods... with his friends" Cyane muttered lowering her gaze.

She had seen him first that day, but she had wanted to see him again after that too. As a distraction and in curiosity, she had ventured to that part of the woods several times hoping to see him but failing every single time.

Of course, Mr Black had noticed what she had been doing but since he couldn't talk, he couldn't comment! However, he had made it known to her that he disliked her behaviour and it was only then that Cyane had stopped going to that old banyan tree.

"Did they see you?" Minerva asked.

"Yes."

"So, they know what you are?" Minerva probed.

"No" Cyane shook her head and then proceeded to explain what exactly had happened that day.

"I am glad you escaped from there but if they had seen you, then they must be curious about you. I hope Xanthos hadn't seen you in the warehouse" Minerva said hopefully.

"I don't think so. I didn't see him either. I just caught his scent and it is only now that I realized it was his scent" Cyane said with a shrug.

"That's because you are not like us. Your sense of scent isn't as strong as it is for us" Minerva reasoned quietly. "It's a good thing that Gideon saw you first and told you to leave before he was kidnapped. So, now, it's only Hound and the other survivor, who might have caught your scent. I am hoping the Hound hadn't seen you because if he did, then he would inform the king that you were there and you were the one Saint was after."

"Then... then he would send men to find me" Cyane whispered and Minerva nodded.

If that happened, then it wouldn't be long before her grandparents find out where she was and take her back to the castle. Then all her plans to achieve the star essence would fail before it could even commence.

"No" Cyane shouted and Minerva frowned at her. "There is no way I would let the king come after me" Cyane swore and Minerva smirked.

"Good. Now, let's look at the next guy" Minerva diverted her attention back to the screen and so did Cyane.

For the next thirty minutes, Minerva shared information about Xanthos and his friends. By the end of it, Cyane was very upset with herself because even after knowing that Xanthos was one of the bad guys, she couldn't calm her heart or control her blush when she thought about him.

But she had to do it. Somehow, she had to exorcise him out of her mind.

"Next up is Acheron Zeke aka Ash and his gang. Rich, cruel and cunning, these guys are far more dangerous than the king and his puppets. These guys have the money, they have the brains and they are ruthless. They are always several steps ahead of us in their planning and execution and they are a tight-knit team" Minerva gritted out staring at the screen with venom.

There was no photo of Ash, just a silhouette icon of a man. Cyane then learnt that Ash was a known figure, yet an unknown face in the kingdom whose primary target was King Stanislaus. He became famous for the first time, ten years ago when he had murdered several of king's men and left their ashes in place.

Then, six years ago after he was falsely accused of rape and later acquitted, he had once again sent ashes to the king.

Deadly and dangerous, Cyane realized after Minerva and Vicky shared several things about this ruthless killer who was also a rich businessman. However, Cyane found it hard to believe that Ash might have targeted her. She hadn't known or heard about him and there was no reason why he would have attacked her.

From what Minerva had shared, Cyane realized that so far, Ash had his attention fixed on anyone or anything associated with the king. He hated the king and that much was crystal clear.

If Ash's attention was affixed on the king and his throne, then there was no reason why he would set it on her.

Instead, she chose to believe in another thing that Minerva shared— There have been cases where several petty criminals have used Ash's name.

Someone else... some other creatures?

"We don't know the exact number of members working with Ash, but two of them are very popular. His bodyguard and his lawyer" Vicky shared when Cyane interrupted him.

"I am not interested in Ash at the moment. First things first, tell me more about the kingdom" Cyane urged.

"First things first? Cyane, Ash has Gideon. We must give that our full attention and I think I know where Gideon has been taken" Minerva said quietly.

"You do?" Elliot asked her in surprise.

"Good for you. We must go and rescue him but before that, tell me more about the kingdom" Cyane stated flatly.

"Why are you so interested in the kingdom?" Minerva couldn't hide her irritation.

Because that's where the star essence was hidden. That's where the source of the power of the king came from and Cyane knew that if the essence isn't returned to the true owner, then Minerva might spend another ten years simply planning.

If they wanted to get rid of the king and if they wanted to do it quickly, then the star essence must go back to where it came from!

However, Cyane also knew that if she shared this particular plan of hers with them, then they would not approve. Instead, she said, "I don't think I was attacked by Ash. Ash is a wolf and I know how to take down a wolf. I believe there is something else. Some other creatures."

Minerva, Vicky and Elliot stared at her for a few seconds, before looking at each other and then burst out laughing.

However, their laughter died down when they noticed that Cyane wasn't laughing.

Cyane truly believed there was some other creature because Yolanda had shared that some other creature was guarding the star essence and it was of some witch's magic.

Witches and fairies... their relationship varied. Some witches are known to be a fairies' friend and some witches had been fairies' enemies. Cyane's grandmamma was friends with a witch, while her great-grandmother had fought against a witch.

Whatever was guarding the star essence, it had killed fairies before and so it knows how to recognize one. What she didn't know was if the creature in the Iron Fort and the ones that killed her parents were of the same kind, or completely different from each other?

Whatever the case, she was now aware that there were other creatures out there. She hadn't forgotten what Bardo's men had been talking about...

"How else do you think she was able to escape into the woods from those creatures?"

"They need to be taken care of! They are slowly growing by numbers while ours is diminishing."

"It got something to do with her blood. Heard they even killed her parents for it!"

Something to do with her blood. It had got something to do with her blood and that was why she was being targeted by these creatures. That was why her grandparents had been super protective of her.

Cyane closed her eyes in pain, as she finally realized that her grandparents were protecting her from those creatures. She was grateful for them for everything but now, she knew she was ready to face those unknown creatures.

Ready to face the creatures that had killed her parents and were now, after her blood and who had abilities that could get rid of her memory. Did they suck her blood and then wipe her memories? Surely, there must be some other reason as to why she wakes up with no memory of the immediate past? What were those creatures? She didn't have any injuries in her body when she would wake up like that with no memory. Apart from her grandparents, Bardo must be the only one to know the whole story.

Of course, she didn't know the whole story, but she would... with every single step she takes to get back the star essence, she knew she would discover more and more.

"Cyane, there are no other strange creatures. You were attacked by Ash" Minerva told her gently. "Though none of us has actually seen Ash, we are sure he is a wolf because his associates are and because of the claw marks found in sites of his attacks."

"If Ash had attacked me, he wouldn't have been able to wipe my memory. As I said, I know how to take down a wolf. You guys don't stand a chance against me" Cyane said in a similar gentle voice.

"Really?" Elliot asked cockily.

Cyane crossed her hands in front of her chest and held it as bird shadow, before locking her eyes with his and saying, "Really."

__

Everyone in the room knew what that sign meant because they had been taught about it when they underwent endless months of training as pups.

Minerva watched Elliot visibly gulp and shift uncomfortably in his seat. She couldn't help but notice that he had gone pale after Cyane's threat and it made her realize that she too had underestimated who Cyane was and what she could be capable of.

There was a saying in their world about Lycorians... And now, Minerva knew why her ancestors had said that about the Lycoris fairies.

Minerva supposed her ancestors had also underestimated the Lycorians before. It was the way the fairies looked— dainty, harmless and in need of protection. Maybe all other fairies looked the same, Minerva did not know, but what she did know was that Lycoris fairies were different from the others. The wolves could win a fight against other fairies but if it's the Lycorian one, well, Minerva hadn't heard of any wolf daring enough to go to war with them. Maybe someone somewhere once had and then like Elliot and herself today, they had learned the truth the hard way.

What had been told about Lycorians had been told from experience and the wolves knew better than to challenge a Lycorian. To the wolves, the Lycoris fairies belonged to the category of the devil you didn't know!

Although, calling them devil wouldn't be right because the Lycoris fairies were considered to be the descendants of an angel.

The sound of a phone ringing broke the tense silence in the room and when she noticed the unknown name on the screen which didn't display any number, Minerva knew who was calling her.

"Excuse me" she murmured before closing the door behind her and stepping into the balcony to stare sightlessly at the backyard garden, cared and maintained immaculately by her father.

"When and where?" Minerva demanded the moment she answered the call.

"I like the way you get straight to the point" the caller on the other side drawled lazily and Minerva knew Acheron was enjoying this. Enjoying the upper hand, he had over her; but not for long, she swore angrily!

Gideon had indirectly given her his location and within a day or two, she might even get confirmation from her dad's spies. He was kept in some island. She just had to figure out which one.

"That's because I am not full of crap like you" Minerva snapped but smirked when she heard Ash's growl from the other side.

"Careful now. You don't want your last meeting with him to be your last" Ash warned which had Minerva's wolf stand up and snap her jaws in rage. She was angry, yes. But she was also scared because Gideon was with Ash.

"You bastard" she hissed in fury.

"You got that right" he admitted cheerfully and Minerva compressed her lips, hating herself for calling him that because even her parents would have been upset if they heard her using that word. It was just one word that her parents particularly disliked and once when they had heard her hurling it, they had rebuked her and she also knew why.

"Sorry," she said sincerely and was greeted with absolute silence on the other side. "I gave into my temper and used that word. But do not threaten me. Gideon is mine and I am very, very protective of what's mine. If you hurt him or threaten to hurt him ever again, you will see what a wounded she-wolf can do. Now, answer my question."

"Loverboy will share the details." There was a pause and Minerva furrowed her brows, wondering why she didn't get an arrogant reply or another threat.

"Minerva?" All her concerns around Ash vanished when she heard Gideon's voice on the line.

"Yes, it's me" she closed her eyes and clasped the front of her shirt in a tight grip. Her chest ached for the distance hurt her wolf. It always did. However, then, she knew he would come back to her. Now, she willed for him to come back to her.

"How are you?" she asked him because she wanted to know. She wanted to run her hands on his sun-kissed hair, kiss that warm, smiling lips of his and catch the shine that appeared on his hazel eyes when he looked at her.

"I am doing great. About that meeting... Ash has agreed to it" Gideon said carefully.

"How kind of him" Minerva couldn't hide her sarcasm even if she wished to.

"Baby, what I need to say, needs to be said with no one around you" Gideon began slowly and Minerva opened her eyes to look through the glass doors at Elliot, Vicky and Cyane, deep in discussion as they all looked at the image of Prince Saint Winthrop on the screen. Cyane looked ready to tear the screen apart.

She couldn't hear their conversation, the same way they couldn't hear hers. Her father had built a house with soundproof walls for a reason and once again, it proved useful to her.

"No one is around," she said after she took a deep breath and failed to catch any scent close enough to her hearing range.

"Good. I will be in the food court of the Sage Mall this Saturday. We'll order your favourite Finikia" Gideon shared.

"Why a food court?" Minerva's question was directed towards Ash.

"I don't know. He wants it to be in a crowded place" Gideon mumbled and Minerva furrowed her brows in suspicion.

"We have never met in a crowded place before. It would attract attention and eventually the news will reach the king. Is that what you want? For Gideon to be known as a traitor of the kingdom when all he is doing, is for the greater good of the kingdom?" Minerva snapped.

"I will decide what happens tomorrow. But do inform your father, before you step out of your house, where you are going to be and why. It'll automatically convey my message to him." It was Ash who spoke again and Minerva growled lowly when she heard his voice on the line again.

Loud and a bit rough, his voice sounded like that of an always angry man.

"What message?" she demanded because she didn't understand why Ash hated her father.

"He'll know. Now, back to Gideon. He forgot to share an important detail with you" Ash said cheerfully.

"What is it?" Minerva questioned curiously.

"As you said, the king's men will be around, so we have to be careful. Camouflage yourself!" There was a pause before Gideon spoke again, "I don't know if I am going to meet you tomorrow, but I do hope I will."

The line went dead as Minerva tightly closed her eyes and refused to let the tears come out. She couldn't lose herself. Not in a moment like this, when Gideon needed her the most!

"I hope so too" she whispered as she lowered her hand and took a deep breath.

She missed Gideon so much. But this wasn't the time to be weak. This was the time for her to be strong and get her mate back.

The first thing she did when she opened her eyes was google Finikia and it was a Greek cookie. Minerva stiffened and looked through the glass window to stare at the only Greek-speaking person she knew.

Muttering a curse, she turned around and jumped through the railing before marching towards the backyard gate. Pushing it open, she ran through the grass roads in between the wine yards until she reached the stone walls marking the end of the wine yard. Climbing over it, she shaded her eyes from the hot sun rays and looked around the acres of the land for her father, who was somewhere toiling in the field.

She found him training some workers in the pineapple field and sighed before connecting with him through the link. 'Papa, I need your help.'

Lysander stiffened and looked around, until he caught her scent, 'Wait for me in the shade.'

Sighing, Minerva walked towards the single oak tree, at the other end of the narrow lane running in between the fields. Leaning against its powerful trunk, she tried to calm her wolf who was pacing restlessly.

Lysander joined her in five minutes and when he watched her tensed expression, he stiffened.

"I got a call from Ash. He wants me to meet Gideon in the food court" Minerva got straight to the point.

"In public?" Lysander was outraged. "There's no way I will let you go there."

"I don't think Gideon will be there. Gideon is important and Ash knows it. So, there's no way he is going to let Gideon out of his prison" Minerva stated flatly.

"Then why ask you to come there?"

"Not me. He wants Cyane." At this Lysander stiffened and growled furiously.

"No. No way I am going to let him get her. He killed her friends and she is the only survivor. He wants to finish the job now and that's why he is asking for her. No way I will let her go with you" Lysander argued shaking his head in rage. "Your mom wouldn't approve either!"

"I know Papa. I understand why you and Mama feel responsible for Cyane. I truly do. But I have got a plan" Minerva began and Lysander nodded, asking for her to continue, "Gideon used the word camouflage in his conversation and Cyane can do it. She has already pranked me twice by appearing as Mama. I want her to pretend to be me when she goes to the mall."

"But even if Cyane pretends to be you and goes there, she will attract attention from the king's men. If Gideon does end up turning there, then the king is going to find out and he is going to publicly sully your relationship. Everything we ever built will be ruined and the king will target you both. I cannot let that happen."

Minerva compressed her lips as she grasped what Ash's message to her father was. He wanted to blackmail her father, by threatening to expose her relationship with Gideon to the whole kingdom.

There was a string of curse words on the brim of her lips but she held them back with supreme strength.

"That's supposed Gideon will be there, which I can assure you will not happen. Ash is too cunning to let things happen so easily. The whole kingdom is looking for Gideon and Alex. If Gideon comes out in open, then everyone is going to hound him for weeks. No, Ash has no intention of getting Gideon out, he only wanted to blackmail you to keep you off his tracks. What he does want is Cyane. Gideon is not going to be there in the food court and I am sure of it, but Ash will be there."

"That's not very likely to happen" Lysander protested.

"Even if there is a tiny chance that Ash is going to be there in the food court, then I am going to take it" Minerva swore. "I cannot let this chance go."

"What if Ash's target is not Cyane? What if his target is you?" Lysander questioned and Minerva blinked, not having thought through that aspect. "If Ash wants to blackmail me, what better way to do it then use my daughter? Wolves have unsuccessfully tried to do that several times in the past."

"I can take care of myself, papa. You made sure of that." There was a confident tone in her voice as she said that and it made Lysander's chest swell with pride for his daughter.

"Of course, you can. But Cyane?" Lysander hesitated.

"I just stopped underestimating her papa and I think you should too," Minerva said with a small smile.

"I never underestimated her. I have lived in Lycoris for a while and I know how powerful the fairies from those mountains are. But Cyane... there is more to her than just being a Lycorian" Lysander mused but shook his head and stopped talking abruptly.

"What more could be there?" Minerva demanded for she was perplexed.

"Nothing. I am probably assuming things. I am not sure and I refuse to talk about it until I am sure" Lysander proclaimed and Minerva nodded in understanding. "But we cannot put Cyane's life at risk, Min. She might have been staying away from her family but that doesn't mean they have stopped caring for her. They will come for her. She has a family, who are worried about her too. We cannot lie to her and lead her like this. We cannot risk her life."

"I am not going to put her life at risk. I just need her to buy some much needed time for me. Gideon has clued me in on Ash's location and you are tracking it already. If everything goes as planned then I might be able to go to Ash's actual home, while Cyane can distract him on the other side" Minerva stated.

"That's your plan but no plans have worked when it comes to Ash. He is unpredictable" Lysander said with a frown because Ash had always confounded him.

It was obvious Ash loathed King Stanislaus but he also hated everyone else who stood against King Stanislaus, that included Lysander himself.

It was almost as if he was possessive of his prey.

"Whatever the case. Cyane can act as a distraction. I just want to be out of their sight and make my move" Minerva was fixed on her plan and Lysander sighed because he knew he knew his daughter very well and she was as stubborn as him. She knew how to get her way!

"Fine. Cyane must be informed first hand and if and only if she gives her agreement then we will move forward with your plan" Lysander sighed and Minerva smiled.

She knew what she had to do and once she figures out who Ash is, then, she is going to make him regret every sin he has ever committed.

•••

The underground arena, a dark gritty place was glowing with bright lights and filled with commotion as people gathered to witness the fight of their favourite popular fighter— The Hound— alongside two prisoners of the kingdom.

Trapped in the cage with the hound, the prisoners were looking for an escape route while the crowd madly cheered for the Hound, who was in an absolute rampage mode. He wrapped an arm around a prisoner's neck and pulled him away from the cage.

Blood spattered everywhere as Xanthos repeatedly punched the prisoner in the face breaking several bones!

As the prisoner on the floor went limp, Xanthos stood up to stare at the other one, who was rattling the cage, asking for help.

"Only one of you can get out of this cage alive" Miki, Xan's friend said to the prisoner with a careless shrug.

"If you so badly wanted to live, you shouldn't have killed your mother" Grayson pointed out flatly for he was the one who had picked the prisoner, hoping Xan would kill him as brutally as possible.

For Grayson family was very important and he loathed anyone who betrayed their own family.

The surviving prisoner, knowing there was no other escape route for him, lunged at Xanthos, who successfully dodged the attack. As the prisoner stumbled, Xanthos jumped high in the hair and slammed his elbow against the prisoner's shoulders.

Groaning, the guy fell on his knees as the crowd roared.

"Hound! Hound! Hound!" They cheered and their cheers fuelled the rage in Xanthos as he clutched the prisoner's hair and smashed his head against the floor repeatedly.

"Xan"

Someone called his name as he stood up and kicked the prisoner's lifeless body.

"Xan"

Kick. Kick. Kick.

"Xan. He is dead."

But Xanthos didn't pay them any attention until he was dragged away by his friends. He fought against their hold and pried himself free. As his wolf snarled in rage, he raised his fist to attack his friends until he noticed their panic-stricken faces.

"Fuck!" Xanthos hissed as he lowered his hand. Stepping out of the cage, he passed through the crowd and walked into the shower cubicle in the changing room. After stripping off his blood-soaked shorts, he stood under the needle-sharp sprays of the cold shower. Bracing his hand against the cold tiles, he watched as the water washed away the blood from his skin.

The kill made him feel better but the fury within him wasn't subsided. He didn't know what would kill it either...

Once he was cleaned, he turned off the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out of the cubicle to find his friend Grayson sitting on the bench, with his elbows resting on his knees

"And now, do you feel better?" Grayson demanded, watching Xanthos with hawk-like eyes.

"Great" Xanthos lied as he changed into baggy sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"I could have told you that earlier but I wanted you to kill the bastard" Grayson stated flatly.

"And I just did. I won" Xan said simply in a tone that implied he wasn't happy even after winning.

Grayson sighed before saying, "Look, your job was to just rescue Saint which you did. No one is mad at you at for leaving from there. It's obvious you were outnumbered and much as I respect the king, when it comes between his family and my family, I would choose mine."

"When we were rescued from prison, the king didn't choose himself. He chose us. He chose to save us all" Xan pointed out in irritation.

"For which I am truly grateful" Grayson placed a hand on his chest. "And I am loyal to the king but not to the extent of sacrificing my own life."

"How can you say that?" Brody, another friend of theirs who had also been rescued by the king, demanded walking into the room with Miki.

"Unlike you lot, I have had to take the responsibility of my brother from a young age. For me, he comes first. Always will" Grayson growled. "I had sworn to my parents that I will take care of him and I intend to keep that promise."

"Lucky you, to remember your parents. I was found in a dustbin which also had a Mickey mouse gift wrapper in it. I don't even know who gave birth to me and why" Miki shrugged in indifference but everyone in the group knew it was a sensitive topic to him.

"It doesn't matter. The king saved your life and aren't you loyal to the king for that?" Brody asked Miki.

"Of course, I am loyal to the king... until someone pays me more" Miki smirked as he handed over the cash to Xan, who accepted it without counting it.

"You better count it" Grayson muttered, "Last time, he took a couple of hundred bucks."

"I did it one-time and I still don't hear the end of it" Miki frowned.

"Are you telling me that you have given the full amount to Xan?" Grayson queried cocking a dark brow.

Miki flushed guiltily, "I might have taken a few bucks... But only as a loan. I'll pay you back I promise" he told Xan and Grayson rolled his eyes heavenwards because everyone knew Miki was careless with money, while the others saved every penny.

"It's okay. You might need it more than I do" Xan said quietly.

"Seriously? You do this every time. He needs to earn his own damn money" Grayson frowned at Xan.

"Hey, I do earn my money," Miki protested with a frown of his own.

"By gambling and you lose it all by gambling some more" Grayson snapped.

"What's it to you? It's not your money" Miki growled.

"If I do give you any money, you'll gamble it too. You cannot be trusted with money" Grayson said pointedly.

"Exactly" Brody supplied, "And to me, it also seems like you'll risk anyone's life for money."

"I might risk the king's life but not of my friends" Miki swore.

"The king saved our life. You were there and you know what happened" Brody reminded, taking them back to a past that had shaped their present.

They were all pups and it had been only months since they had shifted for the first time. The other thing they all had in common was that they were homeless kids. Easy to trap because no one wanted them and no one came asking for them.

It was in the prison cell of Crescere that they had met for the first time. A prison that was then owned by crime lord Edmond Zeke, whose list of crimes included him being a paedophile, organ and sex trafficker. A pitiless wolf hunter, Edmond had loved inflicting cruelties and spreading pain among his kind.

Edmond had his men lure or kidnap young wolves into his prison cell, where they loved breaking the spirits of the pups, torture and maim them, all for some sort of sick pleasure they found in watching others suffer. Those who had fought back were tortured further and sexually abused, while those who obeyed were eventually killed or broken so badly that there was no life left in them.

While Xanthos, Brody and Miki had been kidnapped, Grayson and his younger brother Jayson had been lured into the prison in the promise of food. It was there the boys had met and formed a friendship.

For a year, they had lived in the prison cell, beaten, starved and tortured all for fun, until one fine day, the king and his soldiers, killed Edmond and rescued all his prisoners.

While few chose to get back to their own feet, the other helpless one vowed to be loyal to the Imperium throne and protect King Stanislaus. The Alpha's of the kingdom had refused to accept the pups into their pack and so the king had made a deal. They wouldn't be part of the King's large pack, but they would be allowed to stay in the kingdom as it's citizens as long as they kept their promise.

The citizens of the kingdom considered them to be rogues and they were indeed rogues. But unlike other rogues such as Johnny and Gunner, they were loyal to the king. However, that didn't stop others from treating them like the dirt beneath their feet. The only reason they were able to walk with their head held high was because the people feared them and never had the guts to say anything bad outright for fear of offending King Stanislaus.

"Yes. I won't forget that prison. Ever" Grayson said gravely for the walls of that prison still haunted him. To protect his younger brother from Edmond, he had offered himself and had been sexually abused repeatedly, over the year.

"Enough talk about the past" Xanthos snapped for he didn't like remembering the darkest days of his life.

"Okay. But Xan, tell me are you loyal to the king?" Brody pressed.

"He has given me a new life and purpose and I am loyal to that" Xan replied quietly.

"You are right about that. There were times when I wished for death, but escaping from that prison gave a new lease of life to me and Jayson too" Grayson supplied.

"A life of struggle" Brody pointed out with a faraway look in his face. "We fight for survival every single day."

"But we have each other" Miki wrapped an arm around Brody's tensed shoulders. "We don't like that time of our life but we cannot deny that it was in that prison that we became friends. Now, years later, we are still a team."

"Not all" Brody murmured and everyone stiffened as they remembered the one friend that they had lost. "One decided to go solo."

"Honestly, I still find it hard to believe that Acheron made it so big. He was the weakest amongst us" Miki wondered as he remembered the blonde-haired and blue-eyed boy, who had also been dragged into the prison with the same batch as his. Edmond had called Acheron a pretty boy and had taken a special liking to the orphaned teenage boy.

"Not weak. I had seen what had happened to him. Edmond had raped me but to Ash... Edmond had raped and brutalized him" Grayson explained tightly. "I understand why he wanted to run away from everything... from us. Believe me, there was a time when I too wanted to run away but I had responsibilities and Ash didn't."

"Well, whatever he did after he escaped from the prison had made him rich enough to challenge the king for the title" Brody breathed out.

"I had known him even before you lot and I can assure you that back then, he hadn't had a single brave bone in his body" Miki announced.

Miki had met him in the shelter home, where Ash had been brought days after his parents had been killed in an accident. However, it was only later they had found out that the couple had been his adopted parents and not biological ones.

While Miki had parents, who had been uncaring enough to throw a baby into the dustbin, Ash had once told him about his parents who used to hate each other and who had often vented their frustration at him. That had helped Miki realize that families were no good and it was better to not have one.

"But vengeance can turn a person" Grayson mumbled as he closed his eyes in pain and immediately opened them when he remembered Ash's screams and the look in his eyes as he had pleaded Grayson to help him.

"So drastically? I find that hard to believe" Miki scoffed. "Why don't you tell them Xan? You also knew Acheron better than these two. You had escaped with him from the prison until he chose to betray you."

Clenching his fists tightly, Xanthos glared at Miki, who shifted in his feet. "I said. Enough. Talk. About. The. Past" he hissed through gritted teeth.

Miki raised his hands in surrender and unclenching his fists, Xanthos looked away.

When the king had raided the prison to rescue the boys, Xanthos and Acheron had used the opportunity to escape from the prison along with several others. In the fight between the king's soldiers and Edmond's men, bullets had been flying and bodies had been dropping dead everywhere.

While the boys had been huddled to a group so that they could be not harmed, Acheron had shown a momentary sign of braveness and had lunged to attack the king himself. When the king's men had tried to ward him off, Xanthos had stepped in to help his friend and together, the both of them had run away from the chaos of the prison and the bullets coming their way.

One such bullet had pierced Xanthos's leg, making running impossible for him. When Xan had asked for Ash's help, Ash had left him for the dead and had himself escaped. That had been the last time anyone had seen or heard from Ash until years ago, he chose to bid for a piece of land that King Stanislaus had also wanted for himself.

"That should tell you enough about his capability, Miki. He left a dying friend. In independence, he went on to become rich, strong and cruel" Grayson asserted sitting back in his seat.

"You don't hate him at all, do you? You sound like you admire him" Brody said in a miffed tone.

"I don't hate or admire him. I only happen to understand why he is angry" Grayson shrugged.

"Yeah. But the king has killed the wolves who have kidnapped us. Why would he be angry at the king?" Brody questioned as Xanthos and Miki, watched Grayson curiously.

"I don't know. Maybe he wants to be in a position where he is never vulnerable or passive ever again. Who knows?" Grayson sighed.

"Whatever" Miki rolled his eyes heavenward. "None of us have ever seen him in actual action. That fleeting show of braveness doesn't count and until I see him, actually killing someone... I will not believe the spineless kid I once knew is now, the ruthless Acheron Zeke. Maybe Ash is just a computer genius and all the muscle power might come from Lachlan. Now that guy, that guy is a cold-blooded bastard and I will believe it. I will also believe that Lachlan is the one doing the actual killing. Lachlan and the lawyer lady."

"Skyla Vallone" Grayson supplied.

"There is one more" Xanthos declared painfully. While his friends watched him curiously, he raised his lashes to look them in the eye. "Gideon Croft."

"Gideon?" Brody said in disbelief.

"Blue-blooded playboy Gideon?" Miki asked for confirmation and Xanthos nodded hesitantly.

"He is with Ash" Xan murmured.

"You are sure of it?" Grayson questioned.

"Why do you think I was lying under the debris of the wall when Ash attacked?" Xan demanded. "Someone had struck the back of my head. As I had dropped to the ground, I remember seeing his shoes. I remember seeing them step over me. I was passed out until a piece of debris fell over me."

"Why didn't you share this with the king?" Brody demanded.

"I am not a hundred per cent sure. Besides, the king won't believe me until I give him complete proof" Xanthos fielded with a frown.

"So, this is why you are so angry?" Grayson mused while Xanthos nodded slowly. "You had found out Gideon was the traitor."

"I can find the proof" Miki volunteered.

"Until then, this stays between us" Xanthos declared and his friends nodded in agreement.

****

Well, to those who wanted it to be Ash... Sorry! Xanthos is my male lead. He is unusual from all my previous male leads because he is kind of a puppet. I thought it would be fun... two people from two opposing teams :D

To those who are disappointed it's not Ash... well, this is part one of the series :D Oops! Did I reveal much?

What do you think? Please share your views!

Next chapter will be out on June 13th.

Picture of my very hot Xanthos—

For nearly five years I have been drooling over Christian Hogue and those eyes...

Yeah! You people stay home and stay safe while I continue drooling!