Hola,

Chapter 32 is out and it's dedicated to @lita416 :D

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BUTTERMILK:

This is one of the popular summer drink in India. It's made from the liquid leftover from the milk that's churned into butter, aka curd and water. Add in some ginger, chopped chillies and coriander leaves with salt and it's a refreshing drink that quickly cools down your body.

As it contains 90% of the water it prevents dehydration and maintains water content in the body during incredibly hot summer days. It's good for digestion and a natural remedy to fight constipation. Buttermilk is rich in calcium which in turn is good for bones and teeth. Loaded with vitamins and nutrients it reduces cholesterol, blood pressure and boosts immunity.

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"Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed."

– Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym (On the Seventh Day, #3)

___

CHAPTER 32 – FOCUSED

As the wind brushed her face, Cyane closed her eyes and smiled in contentment for the breeze was gentle and calming. She almost felt like she was flying.

Only, she knew she was not.

Running in between the bushes, in his animal form, Xanthos did not once stop. He hurdled through thorns and broken grass blades, crushed the twigs under his powerful paw and kept running towards the mountains with Cyane sitting on his back.

"This is so much fun" she grinned tightening her hold on Xanthos's neck.

As promised last night, today they had decided to spend the day doing what Xanthos loves, which was rock climbing.

When Xanthos slowed down, Cyane looked up and watched with wide, fascinated eyes at the seashell-white Mount Arnmis, one of the smallest mountains in the Sylvan mountain range, made of large rocks.

When Xanthos stopped on the foothills of the mountain, she got off his back and stood beside him. Craning her neck backwards, she stared at the mountain in awe.

Mount Arnmis, was truly one of the smallest in the range as the insidious mist couldn't even touch its crown, but as she stood in front of it, Cyane felt small and powerless, in front of its tall, magnificent glory.

Mountains are givers, her grandmamma would always tell her. They only knew how to give and give. They give us water, food, medicine, renewable energy and even bring us rains.

Her grandmamma loved the mountains and considered them her home. She wasn't ready to give them up, not even for the man she loved, which is why her granddad had to give up his throne.

Cyane then realized that her grandmamma was like these mountains. Tall, proud and unmovable once they find their rightful place. Plus, a giver too. She loved her people and had dedicated her whole life to serving them.

When she closed her eyes, Cyane could still hear the roar and cheer of the crowd for their beloved queen when she had stepped into the battlefield for the Duel of the Daughters.

A nudge on her spine had her stumble forward but Xanthos moved swiftly to prevent her fall. His arctic eyes were questioning as Cyane apologized and stood upright.

He nodded towards the bag on her shoulders and Cyane grimaced, "Right... your clothes."

Unzipping the bag, Cyane dropped his shorts, brown t-shirt and shoes in front of him.

She expected him to pick it up and dress up somewhere else but so comfortable was Xanthos with his nudity that he began to shift back, right in front of her.

Squeaking, Cyane jumped and turned around, refusing to look. With cheeks that were hot enough to fry an egg, she stared at her surroundings.

"Didn't you tell me that you trained with wolves?" Xanthos asked from behind her.

"I did" Cyane muttered. "But Poppy was strict that they do not shift or change back in front of me. You... you were the first one I saw changing back" she added with a guilty blush for she still vividly remembered her first encounter with him a few months ago.

"You weren't curious?" he probed.

"No. I was always the good girl" Cyane smiled. The thought had never occurred to her before either cause her only goal in life had been to keep her grandparents happy.

They had lost their children and they only had her and since they were so loving and protective of her, she had believed that she too must never disappoint them!

"But now you want to be bad?" The words were whispered next to her and his voice made her shiver and caused goosebumps to appear all over her heated skin.

Gulping Cyane shook her head and looked at him over her shoulder to see that he had only worn his shorts.

"I don't want to be bad. There's no appeal to it" she admittedly honestly, "I just want to be free. I want to make my own choices, make mistakes and learn. I can be good and do all that right?"

All Cyane wanted was to take back control and live her life for herself. She did not envisage a man in that journey of hers but guess, fate had other plans and had thrown Xanthos Zeke on her path.

Now, he became a part of her life. He was her choice because she had chosen to be with him. He was important in her life and Cyane had a feeling that she was falling for him, even when she did not want to fall in love at this stage of her life. Her attraction, infatuation had only grown these past weeks.

He was nice. He was just so nice to her that she couldn't help it, even when she knew that generally, he was a bad guy. The kind her family wanted her to stay away from!

"Yes," Xanthos nodded. "I am glad you weren't tempted to be bad," Xanthos said and Cyane turned to look at him, while he put on his t-shirt, covering those spectacular abs from her view.

"Why?"

"Because your view of the world is bright and fresh" he confessed and then smiled bitterly, which caused Cyane to furrow her brows.

"Whereas yours?"

"Dark and cynical."

"I know you have got trust issues" she mumbled sadly because the way he had been brought up had shaped him into what he was today. "I know you don't completely trust anyone."

"Do you completely trust anyone?" Xanthos pressed and she shook her head.

"I used to. But not anymore" she admitted with a bitter smile of her own but when she looked at his pained expression, she realized belatedly that it was a wrong thing to say.

He wanted her to say that she trusted him.... completely!

"I do trust you" she added hastily. "Like, I am getting to know you every single day and I do trust you."

"No, you are right" Xanthos shook his head. "I shouldn't have asked that," he said uneasily.

Flustered, Cyane rubbed her temple and then looked at him. "On a scale of one to ten, how much do you trust me?" she asked him and as her heartbeat pumped a little faster, Cyane realized that she was scared of his answer.

"How much do you?" he countered.

"I asked first" she grumbled and then looked at arctic blue eyes, before saying, "Seven."

"Seven"

They both paused to reflect that they said the same number at the same time. Cyane chuckled while Xanthos looked away to hide his amusement.

Seven was not bad for three weeks. Cyane had a feeling they would eventually get to ten too.

"Want to raise the number?" he asked her, heading towards the foot of the mountain and nodding, Cyane followed.

Mount Arnmis was a rock mountain making climber easier for enthusiastic rock climbers and it was one of the few mountains that could be climbed.

Cyane smiled when she thought about the mountains of her home, where climbing was very difficult because of the wet weather and the rocks were covered in moss and lichens making it very slippery.

She had never tried rock climbing because she didn't need to, but Xanthos's interest in it fascinated her. She had no fear of dropping but he could hurt himself and that made this sport scary too.

"Have you done this before?"

"I tried a couple of times but never made it to top" Xanthos muttered unzipping the bag.

"What do I do?" Cyane asked when he handed her several nuts, bolt anchors and quickdraws. Somehow, he had managed to collect a lot of stuff required for climbing when he had gone for his early morning run.

"Everything. First, you have to be my route setter and then my belayer" he said and Cyane's heart thudded in her chest. "Fix the nuts. You have to wedge it into tiny fissures on the rock and drill the bolts" he directed her and soon Cyane levitated a few inches from the ground and attached the nut wire to any tiny cracks she could find in the rock. Since the rock was used for climbing, at certain gaps, there were already bolts affixed to the rock and Cyane clipped the quickdraws to it. Drilling was a lot difficult but she managed to do it following Xanthos's thorough instructions.

"Make it challenging" Xanthos growled from below her when she affixed a nut wire closer to the bolt.

Huffing, Cyane pulled out the nut wire and flying higher, attached it to another tiny fissure on the wall.

Once she had reached the top, she then stretched her wings and dived downstairs with a little shout of pleasure.

"What next?" she asked Xanthos when he tightened the harness around his hips.

"Raise your arms" he instructed and then wrapped a harness around her hips before attaching a rope to it. "Be my belayer" he said looking into her eyes and she stared at him, not knowing what it meant but it sounded like an important job in rock climbing.

After educating her on her new job, he made sure his gear was secure. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he then began climbing up the rock while she watched in fascination.

Xanthos was like a giant spider on the rock and never once did he look down when he began his ascend. He often used chalk powder on his hands to get a better grip and her heart almost leapt into her mouth when he would fail to get hold of a pocket or clip a quickdraw to the bolts.

"I told you it was too far" Cyane shouted, covering her eyes with hands to avoid the harsh rays of the sun when Xanthos once again failed to reach up to the next bolt.

Stretching his arms to the other side, he then got a good grip on the rock and pushed back to take a break and debate on his next move.

After shoving his free hands into the pouch that had the chalk, he then stretched his legs to set a firm footing and only then did he attempt to move his arm. However, he lost a grip and was immediately pulled down.

Cyane gasped in shock when he dropped but with the very same movement, she was pulled upwards. Tightening her grip on the rope, she slammed her foot against the rock, to control the movement just as he had instructed and it worked.

She was his belayer and it was her task to make sure that he did not fall.

"Are you okay?" he asked looking down at her and gulping Cyane nodded.

"Are you okay?" she asked him hoarsely. She could still hear her heartbeat because she had been very afraid of him falling and getting hurt.

However, now she understood that this was a trust-building exercise for them and she swore, she would not let him fall and do everything it takes to get him to the top.

"I will be when I get to the top" Xanthos chuckled.

Once her feet were back on the ground and he got a good grip on the rock, he continued again but failed at the same spot that he had earlier.

"Do you want me to drill somewhere closer?" she asked helpfully, looking at him while he was growling in frustration.

"No" Xanthos snapped. "Don't make it easier for me" he growled and her eyes widened.

Of course, Xanthos did not like easier things. He liked complicated and challenging things because it was more fun! He had an inexhaustible source of energy and he was rarely ever tired.

However, as she watched him continue his ascend, she realized one more thing— that he was also very focused. If he wanted something, he went after it and refused to be swayed.

If he sets his eyes on prey, he has been known to chase and kill them, she recalled Elliot saying and realized how true it was because now she understood why Xanthos was called the "Hound".

But that didn't mean she liked the moniker. She still hated it! He had such a unique name and it was pronounced using KS instead of X, just like the Greek way.

"Ready" Cyane informed him, once she was standing on the ground and then watched as Xanthos continued. Though he managed to climb above that spot, he failed once more a few feet up.

A couple of more attempts later, when he was almost thirty feet above the ground, he lost balance and dropped down.

While he swayed in the air, snarling and taking deep breaths to compose himself and not lose his temper, Cyane smiled. An idea occurred to her just then and after unclipping the rope from the carabiner, she discarded the harness, stretched her wings and soared high in the air with a mischievous smile on her face.

"What are you doing?" Xanthos asked with a frown when she floated on the air beside him.

"Motivating you" she flashed a bright smile at him and then flying above him, she turned upside down and was on face level with him. When she leaned closer, Xanthos did too but before he could kiss her, Cyane laughed and then flew up.

Xanthos's eyes flew open and he watched her with those icy blue eyes that always got her heart racing faster than normal. That shade of blue was found where the sky meets the arctic glaciers.

Compressing his lips, he tightened his grip on the rope before letting it go and pressing himself against the rock. Once he had a good grip, he looked up at her and Cyane inhaled sharply when she saw the desire and determination in his quickly darkening gaze.

The mark in her neck tingled and she felt a knot in her stomach tighten with need. Though she didn't understand what is it that she exactly wanted, she had a feeling that only Xanthos could give it to her!

"Free solo?" he asked amusement in his gaze and Cyane shook her head.

"I will not let you fall" she swore and nodding once, he got rid of the harness.

"Look at me and only me" she instructed him. While being down there on the ground, she always had her heart on her mouth, whenever he would lose balance, but flying high in the air, Cyane knew she could catch him if things went wrong.

___

Things did not go wrong. It became very, very intense every time he progressed through hard routes without the rope. It was even more challenging without the rope and Xanthos loved it.

He became more focused and carefully planned and plotted his next step. He slipped a couple of times but held on to support even before she could catch him.

Almost two hours later, he reached the top of Mount Arnmis without any support and the shout of pleasure that he gave at making it to the top, would remain with her forever.

Wrapping his arms around her, he had picked her up and twirled her around. They had kissed and kissed and kissed until they had to pull back to catch some breath.

"I want you" Xanthos had husked near her ears while still locking her in his tight embrace.

The look in his gaze had told her everything and nodding, she had asked him to take her home. Cyane was well aware of their lack of privacy at the barn and hoped it conveyed to Xanthos what she couldn't say in clear words.

While lowering down from the top, she had to once again be his belayer and gently ease the rope through her nervous fingers as Xanthos had carefully lowered himself to the ground.

The walk to his jeep had been spent stealing silent glances at each other and on the ride to the Nest, Cyane had sat beside him with a blush on her face.

Her heart was hammering in her chest and she had to curl her fingers to a fist, to not touch him. When she felt Xanthos's gaze on her again, Cyane looked away to hide a smile.

They had a quiet lunch at one of the roadside stalls. Fries for her and an extra-large burger for him.

She was still smiling shyly when they turned to the road that led to the barn house, Cyane felt her heartbeat slow down and an eerie feeling crept all over her.

"Silver-Sulphide" Xanthos growled and Cyane realized that was why she couldn't catch any scent.

He turned on his phone and it began ringing immediately. He answered the call before she could have a look at the caller ID.

"Hello?" he said and Cyane tuned in, curious to hear. "Hello?" he repeated when there was no answer on the other end. He waited a couple of seconds before ending the call.

It rang again and when Xanthos answered, there was no reply from the other end.

He brought the jeep to a halt right in front of the barn house and dialled the number. Cyane looked at her surroundings and noticed that there was no one in the surrounding except for the dead bodies of some seven to eight wolves. There was no one to lament and no one to claim those bodies either.

"You are here, Oh! Thank-God!" Miki said rushing outside and Xanthos immediately cut the call. Cyane's eyes widened when she saw the blood on his hands. "They attacked Brody. Several of them and one of them just stabbed him with a silver knife. He is bleeding non-stop!"

"Who?" Xanthos growled jumping out of the jeep with a snarl.

"These fuckers. Who else? We killed them all but they injured Brody" Miki growled back. "I just took him inside, but I think we need to take him to the hospital. He is unconscious."

"They wouldn't dare" Xanthos snarled looking at his surroundings with a harsh, furious gaze, while Cyane rushed to stand beside him.

"They did! They were pai— WATCH OUT!" Miki shouted, shoving Xanthos with full force until he fell back against the driver's seat.

Gasping, Cyane covered her mouth with her hands when she heard Miki's cry of pain as the bullet tore through his biceps and blood oozed out, from the wound.

"It's silver" he hissed turning towards the direction of the shooter, only to be shot again in the shoulders.

With a feral growl, Xanthos lunged at Miki to lower him to the ground, while Cyane ducked in time to avoid the next bullet.

"Stay inside" Xanthos roared at Grayson and Carlos when they hurried to help them. Before they could be hit by another bullet, Cyane helped Xanthos in moving Miki, until they were safe behind the jeep.

More bullets rained on the jeep, shattering its windshield, bursting its tyres.

"Are you okay?" Xanthos asked Miki, who was grunting in pain, his face red in anguish.

"I will be fine. Brody needs help" he gritted out as they helped him sit. "Some of the wolves bit him hard. He shifted while fighting" Miki continued as Cyane stared at him in disbelief.

Xanthos nodded, "Stay here" he commanded looking at Cyane, ready to move.

"No" she shouted, holding his forearm to stop him. "I will do it" she whispered and he turned rigid. She knew he did not want people here knowing that she was a fairy but Cyane couldn't simply sit while he and his friends were attacked by some random wolves, obviously awarded by King.

At the moment, Xanthos had to keep his attention on his friends, while she would focus on his enemies.

"I think they were sent by Saint," Miki said looking at her and it was all the pep talk that Cyane needed at that moment. Her eyes darkened with blood lust and so did the clouds above her.

"It's the metallic coloured caravan" Xanthos shared. "It wasn't here before."

"Got it!" Cyane whispered before moving.

Unfolding her wings, she shot up from the ground like a rocket and was away from their view in a flash looking for the metallic coloured caravan. More and more dark clouds appeared in the sky, turning the weather cold and gloomy.

As she flew further up in the sky, the culprits rushed out of their caravan and began shooting randomly towards the sky. What they did not see or notice was Cyane flying right above their caravan.

One of them looked and stared at her in shock, before alerting his friend, who immediately pulled out his gun and began shooting in her direction.

Flapping her wings, Cyane levitated over them, the cloud a dull grey behind her, frequently flashing purple bolts of lightning.

When they realized they couldn't shoot her and were just wasting their bullets, they lowered their guns with wide, curious eyes.

A roar of thunder shook them and sweat coated the corner of their foreheads, as they anxiously waited for Cyane to make her move. Purple coloured flames emerged from her hands as she absorbed the negative energy of her surroundings.

There was fear in their eyes and fury in hers as she gazed at them, letting them know without threats and words that their end was near.

Only when she was certain Miki and Xanthos were inside the house, did Cyane go for the attack.

When another bolt of lightning struck the sky, she hurled it in their direction, showing the true powers of a Sylvan fairy that made them different from others of their species.

Angel of Thunder, Ramiel had not just blessed his daughter with his powers. He had bestowed it on all of Cyrena's children and anyone from her bloodline.

Struck by lightning, that powerful, the men dropped down dead instantly, their skin turning ashen.

There were still more men hiding inside the caravan and Cyane hit the caravan with another bolt setting it ablaze and the men inside it scrambled out.

Before they could prepare themselves, she dived towards them and attacked them, throwing powerful punches with flaming hands. She stayed above them and never set her foot on the ground for it would make her vulnerable to this pack of wolves.

Kicking one of the men in the neck, she watched him shift into his wolf. Flipping upside down in the air, she grabbed the ears of another one setting it aflame. As he screamed in pain, Cyane swung a punch to the back of his head, knocking it out.

As one of the men pulled out a gun, Cyane let the energy around her spurt, scattering it in a wave around her, that sent the men flying meters away from her, tearing their clothes and slitting their skin.

When she was sure no two men were standing next to each other, she set her foot on the ground and attacked one after the other.

As she held one of the men in the chokehold, her wings began to wrap around him on their own accord and that was when a memory hit her.

Slim arms wrapped around hers tightly as she kept sobbing against a chest that was thumping loudly in panic.

A piercing pain on her skin as sharp claws were dug onto her shoulder blade, forcing her to spread her wings.

When her hold on the guy loosened, he slammed the back of his head against hers and startled, Cyane stumbled backwards. As the guy rushed to pick up the gun, Cyane flew up while he blindly shot in her direction.

Not a single bullet managed to hit her but the guy gave it his all until he had emptied the cartridge.

When he realized the gun in his hand was useless, he threw it away, drew out his claws and growled loudly before shifting into his animal form.

A grey wolf lunged at the animal and within seconds killed him mercilessly, while another brown wolf lunged at the other survivor.

Cyane stared at them sightlessly for all she could think about was the flash of memory she just had.

Someone had been hugging her close, protecting her and then there was someone who had been forcing her wings out. Who was it?

As Xanthos paced threateningly in the middle of the mud road, snarling at the dwellers of the Nest, who had slowly creeped out of their homes to watch her, Cyane lowered herself.

She noticed several people holding camera's but there was one guy who was also wearing an earphone. Flying towards him, she snatched the camera off his hand and stared at the screen only to come face to face with Saint Winthrop!

He glared at her with malicious green eyes.

"Tha pethánete" Cyane swore before smashing the phone to the ground.

Turning her head, she glowered at the guy, who trembled violently and stared at her in fear.

"I am sorry.... Sorry. He forced me to do it!" the guy muttered leaning against the caravan with hands raised in surrender.

Xanthos, who was in his wolf form, stepped beside her and bared his fangs at the guy before attacking him.

When Cyane turned to look at the other wolves, she noticed that no one was holding the phone anymore. There was fear in their gazes and she revelled in it!

"Now you know, who I am," Cyane said loud and clear, making eye contacts with each one of them. "I can be friendly and cooperative as long as I get the same treatment from the one standing in front of me. Do not mistake my silence for fear. Never again" Cyane spelt out to the wolves, who were shooting her a scared look.

Then she stared at another group, who had been holding the camera, "Make sure your king gets my message" she hissed and startled, they stepped back.

As she flew back to the barn house, Xanthos and Grayson, who were still in their wolf form, followed her.

"How are they?" Cyane rushed towards Brody, who was lying unconscious on the couch, while Miki was withering on the floor, with a knife in his hand.

"Theos! What are you doing?" she demanded rushing towards him and snatching the knife from his hand, but noticed that he had somehow managed to get a bullet out of his arm.

"Give me back my knife. It fucking hurts" Miki snarled at her.

Xanthos, who shifted back and changed into his earlier pair of shorts and t-shirt, held her arm and pulled her behind him.

"Brody needs help," Carlos said from behind them. "Before it's too late."

"Let's take them to the nearest doctor now" Xanthos nodded. "Go, help Miki," he told Jayson. While the brothers helped Miki stand up, Xanthos and Carlos picked up Brody.

"They destroyed your jeep" Grayson muttered while Cyane threw the door open.

Cyane was ready to steal someone else's vehicle if it meant she could help them. As she hurried outside, looking for the nearest vehicle, she saw a middle-aged man, approaching towards the barn house, with a rolled-up pouch in his hand.

"I can help him" he blurted raising his hands in surrender before Cyane could attack him. "I am a doctor. I treat most of the wolves here. I can help him!"

Cyane looked at Xanthos, who was standing on the doorstep. He nodded and she turned to face the doctor again.

"Them. There's two of them!" Cyane corrected before guiding him inside the house.

•••

When the screen went blank after Cyane smashed the phone, King Saint Winthrop sat back on the couch and kept staring at it, still in shock to discover that the girl was a fairy.

He had sent twenty men to take down the group and kill her, but now, all twenty wolves were dead.

Snatching his phone off the table, he marched towards his father's office, well aware that only he could get rid of this particular problem.

"Father, I have to show you something" Saint muttered barging inside the room, without knocking on the door.

Stanislaus, who had been in a deep discussion with Ajax and Oliver, paused and looked at him, questioningly.

He played the video for their benefit and noticed the way his father's eyes darkened in fury, watching Cyane flapping her wide, purple wings.

"She is a Lycorian" Stanislaus hissed staring at Cyane.

"What? How do you know that?" Saint demanded.

"Her wings... they are very distinctive" Stanislaus spat out, unable to take his eyes off the screen. "I knew she was a fairy, but a Lycorian?" Stanislaus shook his head.

"How did you know she is a fairy?"

"Xanthos called. Apologized for what happened at your crowning ceremony" Stanislaus scoffed.

"I suppose you told him where he can shove his apology" Saint hissed, as colour marred his cheeks when he remembered his humiliation in his crowning ceremony.

"I did no such thing" Stanislaus growled.

"What did he want?"

"He promised to give me the Nest" Stanislaus chuckled, "Filthy bastard doesn't know that I own the Nest. All the wolves there are my people. I had forced them to surrender to me years ago and now they are just my puppets."

"Do you think he'll gain control of the Nest?" Saint asked, a worried frown on his face.

"I instructed all my men to never give them a peaceful night's sleep. He can try all he wants but he will never be able to control the Nest. But since he is already there, I asked Xanthos to keep an eye on Ash and his men and in exchange, I gave one more week for Cyane."

"Why would you do that?" Saint asked in outrage, his voice turning animalistic.

Stanislaus glared at his son warningly and lowering his head, Saint apologized. A king in name only for he could never truly hold any power, as long as his father was alive.

Only after he was satisfied with the apology, did Stanislaus answer, "Just because I promised to give Xanthos one more week, doesn't mean I gave him that. He will fail to gain control of the Nest by the end of this week and in exchange, he will promise to give me something else and I know what I will ask from him then."

A sinister smile appeared on Stanislaus's face as his eyes gleamed with malicious intent, which least bothered the people around him.

"I like your plan," Ajax said with a satisfied smile, for he already knew what price Stanislaus will demand from Xanthos. "But that girl should go."

"And she will" Stanislaus promised.

"What will you ask from the Hound?" Saint asked with a frown.

"You'll find out when he brings it to me" Stanislaus grinned, which only made Saint frown harder.

"Xanthos is completely trapped but Ash isn't" Ajax hissed drumming his fingers over the table.

"No. But Xanthos is keeping an eye on Ash's mansion" Stanislaus shared smugly.

"And?" Saint asked moving closer to his father, curious to know about Acheron Zeke.

"His men are all there in that house, but Ash isn't!"

"And you believed the Hound?"

"I have had people keep an eye on Ash's mansion. They were all killed. Right now, Xanthos and a couple of wolves from the Nest are only willing to keep a watch on that house. Xanthos, as always, is eager to please me. Do not worry my son, I have got full control of my puppet" Stanislaus stated smugly and Saint sighed.

"Before you kill the Hound, make sure you kill the girl. I want him to watch her die" Saint hissed and Stanislaus raised an amused brow.

"I thought you wanted to make her your queen?" Stanislaus mocked.

"She is a bitch" Saint spat in fury. "I will never forget her smug look that day. I will wipe it off her face and then strangle her to death."

"She is a Lycorian" Ajax pointed out. "They are not easy to kill."

"That's how she survived the kidnapping," Oliver said in realization and Saint nodded.

"How many did she kill?" Stanislaus asked looking at his son.

"Ten. But my men managed to injure Brody and Miki" Saint grinned in achievement.

"Your men?" Ajax turned his chair, to look at Saint with an amused expression.

"He is your king and all the pack wolves are his men" Stanislaus rebuked sharply, frowning at Ajax, who simply rolled his eyes.

"Injury isn't enough! You have to kill her" Oliver added quietly and Saint nodded.

"Do you think she is working for Ash?" Ajax questioned curiously.

"Maybe they are connected. All of them!" Stanislaus said leaning forward in his seat and placing his prosthetic hands on the tabletop.

"All?" Saint prompted.

"Cyane had been with Yolanda for months. Working with her and then she moved into their house. That day when Gideon, Alex and the Hound went to rescue you, only Hound survived" Stanislaus confessed.

"Maybe it was their plan... Ash and Gideon's... to keep the Hound alive so that the girl can seduce and distract him!" Oliver shared what he suspected. "The fact that they are mates, just made it easier for Ash!"

"But there was another survivor... Karl!" Saint pointed out.

"Useless" Ajax spat.

"She is trying to turn Xanthos against me and I can't have it. Not now" Stanislaus hissed, tapping Saint's phone. "He is my puppet but her being his mate changes things."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Ajax prompted.

"Make a call to the Sylvan queen. Try all means to communicate with her and let her know that one of her people is kidnapped and held captive by some of the wolves in my kingdom. The Lycorian's will take care of the rest" Stanislaus ordered Oliver, who nodded impressively.

"Threaten them if you have to" Ajax added.

"I want to kill her" Saint complained, disliking his father's plan for Cyane.

"If we fail to do that by this weekend, then this is the next best solution" Stanislaus dictated flatly and Saint nodded reluctantly. "Like Ajax, I too want the girl out of Xanthos's life. He has no plan of sending her away, so we should."

"Remember, you once told Lysander had gone near the Sylvan mountains" Ajax looked at Oliver, who nodded quickly. "Well, what if he went there to contact her family?"

"Her people are crazy" Oliver shuddered.

"There's no doubt on that" Stanislaus shrugged, "But at the moment, do not worry about Cyane. I have a perfect backup plan for an attack from Lycorians" Stanislaus smirked, thinking about Victoria and the creatures in her cave.

"Well, she is taken care of, Xanthos is taken care of. Gideon's pack is also trapped. How do we trap Lysander?" Oliver looked at Stanislaus.

"Simple. Go after his daughter" Ajax said with a malicious grin. "He loves her the most and my sources have said that at the moment, after distance from her mate, the she-wolf is going weak."

"That's it!" Stanislaus shouted in glee and then chuckled. "This is the best way to show the people that Gideon is working with Ash."

"I... I don't understand" Saint said in a puzzled tone.

"We attack Minerva," Stanislaus said calmly.

"What if Gideon is dead? What if he is not working with Ash? You already said her wolf is getting weak..." Oliver said with interest.

"Gideon is not dead" Ajax spelt out coldly. "The she-wolf would have been devastated if he had been. She wouldn't have been able to carry on so long, pretending everything is normal."

"Minerva will be taken care of easily and that's what we wanted in the first place" Stanislaus supplied with a grin.

"Her death might become big news" Oliver opined thoughtfully because he suspected there would be strong reactions to it.

"It will" Stanislaus agreed. "Minerva is their queen," he said to his assistant. "Once the queen falls, the game's over. None of my enemies will last. They will all crumble. Quickly and easily and by tomorrow evening, everyone will be dead."

"Minerva's death will kill Yolanda. She won't survive the loss again" Ajax specified and Stanislaus nodded in agreement.

"If Gideon comes to her rescue then we can prove to the people that Gideon and his pack wolves are traitors. It'll be easy to get rid of them all. "Our main goal here is to prove to people that they are all traitors. Gideon, Ash and Lysander" Stanislaus clarified.

"If we get the people's support then executing Alpha Joshua and his pack members will be easier" Oliver muttered as the picture became clear to him.

"The recording has been leaked and it is enough but there will be a certain section of people who will always doubt the recording. I do not want that. I want people to cheer their deaths" Stanislaus said through gritted teeth.

"Ash will still be there. How do we take care of him?" Saint demanded.

"I and my pack wolves will guard every corner of the building. Dealing with Ash and his men will be my responsibility" Ajax assured them serenely. "However, I don't think Ash will come out just yet. Still, I will be prepared."

"So, it's set then! We will attack Minerva today afternoon... the moment she is out of her last class. She is our bait to draw Gideon or Ash out. It won't be our final attack."

"Understood father" Saint smirked and nodding once, Stanislaus leaned back in his seat. He felt buoyant as if the victory was just in his hands.

But no, his ultimate victory would be when he would see the end of the Zeke bloodline.

As for Cyane... Stanislaus knew her people would be enough to take care of her!

•••

"Why are you helping us?" Xanthos demanded coldly from the doctor who was stitching up Brody's wounds.

"I help everyone who is hurt in the Nest. That's my job here" the doctor replied calmly.

"Why are you in the Nest?" Jayson asked curiously.

The doctor was silent for a while before replying, "Because I had nowhere else to go after losing my wife and my job."

"What happened?" Cyane asked from her seat on the stairs, right beside Jayson.

The doctor got up from his seat and went to sit beside Miki, to stitch up his wounds. It was only after he began the procedure that he began talking. "I started drinking after I found out my mate had cancer" he admitted, his eyes never leaving Miki's shoulder. "After she passed away, I began drinking excessively... even while on duty. One of my patients would have died because of my carelessness and so Dr Zeke fired me."

"Yolanda? You worked in Moonflower Community Hospital?" Cyane asked curiously.

"It was almost a decade ago" the doctor smiled briefly.

"Are you done?" Miki demanded from the doctor.

"Uh... just bear with me for a couple of minutes" The doctor requested and no one spoke a word until he had finished his job and packed up all his stuff.

"Brody's wolf is healing and he will wake up in an hour or two. Just give him these pills at night for the pain" he added dropping a folded piece of paper on the armrest of the couch because there was no coffee table in the house. "Miki will be fine," the doctor said placing a reassuring hand on Miki's shoulder before getting up. Before leaving, he paused and turned to look at Xanthos, "More men will come after you. I heard others talking. Call me if you need any help"

When Xanthos began to pull his wallet out, the doctor raised his hand and shook his head, "I am still an addict."

Jayson who closed and locked the door behind the doctor turned to face them with a grim expression. "The doctor is right. I watched them taking her videos and sending it."

"To whom? Everyone already knows we are here" Grayson frowned.

"But we were ordered to take her out. She is still here" Carlos reminded pointing at Cyane.

"I arranged that" Xanthos murmured and all heads turned to look at him.

"What arrangement?" Miki asked before Cyane could.

"I have promised to give Sire something more desirable than Cyane" Xanthos sighed.

"Ash" Grayson whispered and Xanthos nodded, while Cyane paled.

"He is living right there. The spies are sure he is staying in there though they have never seen him" Xanthos said calmly.

"You... you asked me not to go in there" Cyane stuttered shooting a confused look at her mate.

"Of course, I don't want you going in there" Xanthos frowned at her.

"Then why are you going in there?" she snapped.

"I will do whatever it takes to keep you by my side" Xanthos swore as he took a step closer to her, causing Cyane to inhale sharply as her heart picked up a tempo of its own.

The silence smouldered as she stared at him with wide eyes and coloured cheeks. Her mouth went dry as he took another step closer to her and even though she was discreetly aware that there were people in the room, at the moment, it didn't bother her much for she loved being the centre of his attention.

His eyes flamed with the promises of his words and even though there was a good healthy distance between them, Cyane felt as if he was caressing her with his eyes making her body tingle and the mark in her neck burn with desire.

"Ash is crazy" Grayson reminded, forcing them to break the stare and look at him. "And unpredictable."

"I agree with both" Cyane retorted quickly because she got a first-hand taste of that yesterday.

"All Sire wants is little bits of information and I will give it to him" Xanthos assured them quietly.

"By keeping an eye on them?" Cyane asked and he nodded.

"Do you think he will let us go if you give him that?"

"Well, that and the Nest" Xanthos added carelessly.

"What?" Everyone shouted collectively making him raise his brows.

"The Nest" Xanthos repeated as if they had not heard him the first time.

"This place... these wolves are lunatics" Carlos frowned.

"They are deliberately attacking us and they are so violent" Jayson complained.

"They attack today was not by the wolves from here" Miki pointed out. "They were pack wolves sent by none other than his royal jackass."

"Saint" Cyane smirked. "He was watching everything live. I will be the one to kill him" she swore.

"The videos will be shared. You don't understand. The king will contact your people and make us look like enemies" Grayson told her worriedly.

"My queen isn't like your king" Cyane rebuked him sharply. "She will not accuse anyone of anything until she has solid proof."

"That's... that's good to hear" Grayson muttered slumping. "We don't have to worry about them anymore."

"We only have to focus on these wolves. I wonder how many more will die the next few days" Miki said in a barely audible voice.

"Tell me you are not agreeing with his plan," Grayson said shooting an aghast look at Miki, who simply shrugged.

"Do you have any better plan?" Miki countered and when Grayson was silent, he mumbled, "Thought so!"

"I am guessing Ajax is the one paying them" Miki muttered turning his head to look at Xanthos who had moved to stand in front of the window, with his back to everyone. "These wolves are set on killing us by the end of the week."

With his hands tucked into the pocket of his shorts, Xanthos continued to stare outside with what Cyane suspected was a stoic look on his face. It was a stance he often took when he wanted to think.

To Cyane, it felt like he was blocking everything and everyone out while plotting something devious and debating its pros and cons.

She had been with him for three— almost four— weeks now and Cyane knew about this behaviour of his because she had seen it before too.

As if he felt her gaze on him, Xanthos turned his head and Cyane quickly looked away.

At first, she had been sure this was an infatuation because he was unlike anyone she had seen before but Cyane knew it was turning into something far stronger for her.

Theos! She was losing focus.

"What do we do?" Carlos spoke out loud and Cyane blinked to see that he was now sitting on the back of the couch in which Brody was resting. She was relieved to see that the cuts on Brody's face had healed.

"Break the connection. For everyone. Including us" Xanthos stated and Grayson frowned while Miki quickly brought a laptop and set it on the kitchen counter.

"I don't understand" Cyane furrowed her brows watching Miki in confusion.

"It means we need to cut the network of this area," Miki said his eyes on the computer screen. "No calls, no messages should go out or come in."

"Is it the only way we will survive this week?" Carlos asked slowly.

"Either we fight and risk our lives daily or we play smart," Xanthos said coldly and Cyane sighed. "Do you have any calls to make?" he questioned randomly before looking at her.

"I need to talk to Minerva. She will be out from her exam by four." When Cyane had called Yolanda earlier in the morning, Yolanda had passed on Min's current private number and had asked her to call after four.

"That's almost an hour away. We cannot waste time" Miki dismissed.

"Just forty-five minutes more. Surely we can wait" Cyane rushed towards Xanthos. "Tell Miki to wait" she implored looking at him with pleading eyes because she needed to talk to Minerva to know what was going on with Ash and her.

"Oi" Miki called and Cyane glower at him over her shoulders. "I am not the one who is going to do it. Your mate is!"

Shocked, Cyane tilted her head to look at Xanthos, to see him staring at her from below his lashes.

"You?" she whispered and he nodded.

"He is good with computers. Did you not figure that out yet?" Grayson chuckled from behind her.

Startled, Cyane blinked and once again shot an unsure look at Xanthos.

"Ash is all about computers and we needed one from our end too. We trained for three years, me and him, hoping to make some good money out of it when the king needed it. There was a challenge of sort and we failed in it. After that, no one needed our services" Carlos scoffed. "So, we decided to use our knowledge for our benefit."

"Your arsenal apartment" Cyane whispered as she recalled the large monitors on the screen. She remembered him deleting files that day but had easily dismissed it from her mind making no production out of it!

"Xanthos set it all up. Through that, we were able to keep an eye on our surroundings. Most importantly find anything suspicious about the cage fights" Carlos grinned.

"It's how we were able to track Johnny and lure him to the warehouse" Grayson supplied as things became clearer to Cyane.

"Of course, neither of us are in Ash's level but I can do basic stuff while Xanthos can do better than me," Carlos said with a smile and Cyane nodded.

During the fight with Gunner and his men, Cyane remembered following after the guy who had been quick to run from the scene. She had found it easier to catch him because he had been repeatedly trying to make a call from his phone which hadn't helped his speed.

Even while Cyane had kicked and attacked him, he had been trying to reach for his phone. That guy had been unable to make the call because—

Cyane raised her lashes to look at Xanthos and noticed the slight tilt in one corner of his mouth. His eyes confirmed what she had guessed.

Letting out a breath, Cyane lowered her head and decided that she will process this information later. For now, all she wanted to do was talk to Minerva.

"I need to talk to Min. It's urgent" she told Xanthos calmly.

"What's so urgent?" Miki asked from behind her.

"Is it by any chance, about the phone call she made to Gideon's parents?" Jayson asked curiously and every head turned to look at her.

Refusing to answer them, Cyane turned to face Xanthos and extended her hand so that he could pass his phone.

"She fucked up badly because of that" Carlos said and gasping, Cyane turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" she thundered without warning, making Carlos jump in his seat and Brody tremble a bit in his sleep.

"It's all over 'The Traitor alert'" Carlos said shaking his phone.

"Traitor alert?" Cyane asked snatching his phone and reading the website.

"It's like a blog where all the information about the traitors of the kingdom is posted" Jayson explained. "We were hot topic two days ago but now Minerva and Gideon's pack are on the hotlist. The whole conversation was spread out in details and people are coming up with their own stories, reasons and explanations."

"And a woman is blamed for everything wrong" Cyane whispered as she read the hateful comments on the page against Minerva. All considered her as a manipulative witch who had turned their golden boy Gideon against his pack and his family. There were death threats in there too and Cyane couldn't take it lightly.

Closing the screen, she dialled Min's number and grimaced when the call went unanswered thrice. A fire flamed within her and sweat coated the corner of her foreheads as she paced the floor while trying to make the call.

"There are death threats in here" Cyane hurried towards Xanthos, to show him the comment section so that he could read it for himself. Jayson on the other hand showed his phone to his brother.

"She is Lysander's daughter. I am sure she has some twenty guards around her" Miki rolled his eyes and Cyane clenched her fists to reign in her anger.

"But her mate isn't with her" Grayson reminded nervously and then slowly looked at them. "Ash has kidnapped Gideon. He had separated the mates and it will make their wolves grow physically weak. She is a sitting duck."

"Alpha Joshua and his mate will be put on trial tomorrow and Saint will be the one making the ruling," Jayson said cautiously.

"We all know what it will be" Carlos grimaced shaking his head pitifully and the veins in Cyane's neck were visible as she sucked in deep breaths to calm herself.

"Tha ton skotóso" Cyane swore in Greek letting out her wings, startling everyone.

"I will kill him" she repeated in English crossing her arms across her chest to make the bird gesture indicating her promise as a Lycorian. "Saint Winthrop has to die."

"Of course, he does" Xanthos assured stepping closer to her, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

Stunned to hear his words, everyone stared at him with wide eyes for this was the first time he was speaking anything against the royal family.

"Nobody can touch you without your permission. Not even me!"

"Seriously?" Miki asked in a breathless voice and Xanthos turned to glare at him. "I mean, not about her... about Saint. You will kill him?" Miki demanded and Cyane growled.

She will be doing it. Saint was her prey!

Xanthos nodded once and Miki shouted excitedly.

"Normally, I wouldn't have encouraged this but that little bastard has to die" Grayson agreed.

"How are you going to do it? When are you going to do it?" Miki asked impatiently.

"Tomorrow" Xanthos replied as he proceeded to sit on the stool Miki had abandoned in his excitement. "But before that—" he trailed off without taking his eyes off the screen.

He placed his phone on the counter and then began typing on the laptop. Cyane watched him working and raised her brows in surprise.

How come she had failed to notice this before? She watched him work on some dark screen and never really interested in computers, Cyane couldn't understand what he was doing but Xanthos seemed to know what he was doing because his fingers moved effortlessly over the keyboard while his eyes remained glued to the screen before him.

"Before that?" Grayson demanded, crossing his arms across his chest, seriously interested to learn more.

"It's time for me to break the chains" Xanthos gave a cold, cunning smile and then pressed the enter key.

****

Haha.... Super excited for what's coming next. There will be a showdown!

There is a reason their date had been cut short. The rest half will continue in an upcoming chapter!

Xanthos is planning an attack the next day but the king has already planned his attack on Minerva for this day. What will happen to her?

Do share your thoughts with me :D

Next update on 19th May 😊

Stay safe lovelies.