Chapter 291: Alliances are made{2}

"I heard the king and his lords are heading into the Werewolf realm," Lord Dangrey opened his mouth to speak as he looked down at Selira, Aria’s mother, who was on her knees feeding Dangrey grapes with her hands."This of course means that we can either go along with them or wait for them to return!" he said with a slow smile on his face, speaking even as he chewed a grape, completely discarding the manners expected of a noble.

Selira listened, but the joy beaming from her eyes couldn’t be said to be normal. It was almost as if serving him was the only thing that brought her great and immense joy as she looked upon him with a steady, devoted expression on her face.

"I’ll do anything you ask, my master and my lord!" she said, and Dangrey nodded his head in contentment even as he collected another grape from her with his hands, since she was kneeling too low for him to take it from her mouth.

"The good news is that we won’t have to worry about Zygons, since there’s no way your daughter will leave you to die," his translucent eyes glinting with mischief even as he spoke.

"We’ll be safe and protected, and we can just watch things from the sidelines," he continued, aware that as a noble with powerful men and countless servants, all he had to do was ask and he would instantly be allowed to follow.

The only thing I have to worry about is the king, he thought to himself as he recalled the rumors of how much the king doted on his pet, who might as well have been his Queen.

The king was ruthless—so much so that even if he killed no one in the years to come, people would still easily recall the bloodshed he had single-handedly caused.

"He’s also fickle..." he muttered under his breath, aware that you could never predict what he would or wouldn’t do.

Still, Dangrey had already made up his mind to go, aware that if he intended to manipulate Aria and slowly get her under his control without anyone being the wiser, he needed to do it carefully and take his time.

Selira fed him another grape, which he smoothly put into his mouth, a bit more sour than usual, enough to make him squint in response to the bitterness lingering on his tongue.

"Master, you’ll be taking me with you, right?" Selira asked with a pleading gaze, even as Lord Dangrey looked down at her with a smug expression on his face.

His gaze slid from her red hair to every other part of her naked body, since she had nothing on but the slave collar around her neck.

Looking at her like she was nothing—and everything—at the same time.

"Your second daughter should be there too. Of course I’ll take you along!" he said, realizing that he had no appetite for anything else but her two daughters.

Nothing would give him greater pleasure than having all three of them in his bed. Most importantly, bedding a woman whom the king had already bedded.

Isn’t it a way of indirectly calling myself king? he mused, fully aware that such thoughts couldn’t be spoken aloud—not until King Jared followed through on his end of the bargain and killed King Zyren, as had been previously agreed.

Slowly, he licked his lips as he gazed down at the naked woman at his feet—his slave.

Content at the sight of her, aware that it was only a matter of time before he had her daughters sitting beneath him, besotted by him.

Reaching down, he grabbed the tips of her red hair, whispering softly to himself under his breath.

Red is my favorite color, he told himself as he slid the strands between his fingers, then leaned back into the chair he sat on, a satisfied look spreading across his face as he stared out through the window.

A look of anticipation burned quietly in his gaze.

The lords made sure to demand more men, which meant that any noble who wanted to come along was welcomed—but not before Aira carried out a purge with her abilities, allowing them to uncover a few Zygons.

Family heads yelled and swore that their members hadn’t turned, but Zyren’s orders were absolute.

Anyone who reacted badly to Aira’s abilities and began to shift was to be killed—and they were.

The closer it got to the departure day for the Werewolf realm, the more intense the air and environment became, almost like something heavy hung in the air that none of them could see, yet all of them could feel.

Aira packed her bags and prepared in her own way, sending waves of her power through herself to battle the nausea that came intermittently.

Thinking it was nothing more than the side effects of her powers flaring.

No ritual can be foolproof! she thought to herself, unable to fathom the idea of becoming pregnant by a vampire, since it was something that never happened.

They might look similar, but the truth remained that they were two different species in the eyes of the world.

Reproduction between them was something she had never heard of.

Meanwhile, Rymora also prepared, aware that this was the only chance she would get to leave the castle without Lord Drehk’s eyes on her.

Because the moment they returned, she would instantly be forced to live with him.

I can’t come back, she thought to herself, knowing it was the only way she could survive with the baby growing in her belly.

A wry smile tugged at her lips as she gently caressed her stomach, aware that unlike the times she had been abandoned by her family, her child would be hers and hers alone—and would never abandon her.

The messengers of the temple had also recovered, apart from those who were dead. Serraphina chose to go to the Werewolf realm, while the rest decided to stay behind.

The hunters also prepared, making sure to join the nobles’ train as servants and other human helpers, aware that it was the only way they would not be suspected.

The werewolves also readied themselves, beyond excited that at last they would be returning—with help.

But while King Jared’s men looked eager and energized, he himself wore a cool expression. A hint of worry lingered in his gaze, one he carefully hid from everyone else—everyone except Clara, who stood by his side as they spoke quietly together in their room, both of them looking out into the distance.