"This better be important," King Hati hissed as his fingers traced a possessive path across the bare shoulder of the woman sprawled in his bed.
His eyes, however, held no warmth, only a cold, calculating gleam.
Monrel, his sorcerer, flinched with his gaze fixed on the floor. "It is important, My King. It concerns… her."
Hati's hand became still . He rose and the silken robe slid over his powerful frame. As he turned to leave, his eyes flicked back and a snarl twisted his lips. "Did I tell you to cover up?" he spat, the words laced with venom.
The woman whimpered, scrambling to obey, in fear.
"Make sure you stay busy," he purred with a cruel amusement dancing in his eyes before he swept out of the room.
"Wine," he barked at a guard stationed in the hallway.
"Have you found her?" he demanded, his voice a low growl that was directed at Monrel, who trailed behind him like a whipped dog.
"No, My King," Monrel stammered, shaking his head. He hesitated, knowing the consequences of what he was about to say. "But… the ball has changed color."
Hati froze, steps away from the balcony he was headed.
He spun around with his eyes burning into Monrel.
"You moon-struck hound!" he roared, each word a lash. "How is it that she's only gone fourteen days, and the ball has changed?Do you have any idea what this means? What she is?"
"I apologize, My King. She… is faster than anticipated," Monrel choked out, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Silence descended, heavy and suffocating. Then, with terrifying speed, Hati's hand shot out and his claws clamped around Monrel's throat. The older werewolf gasped, his eyes wide with terror.
"Are you forgetting your place?" Hati's voice was a low, menacing purr. "Did you get… comfortable? Selene isn't just some pet you lose track of. She's the key! The power! Do you know what she can do? What she will do if she falls into the wrong hands?" Blood welled beneath his claws, but his gaze remained cold, detached.
Monrel tried to shake his head, but the pressure was unbearable.
"Do you know what's at risk now? Everything I've ever worked for!" Hati snarled. "How dare you be so stupid? All the treatments, the protection! Her room built with obsidian, her access to the moon denied, strict diets, monthly treatments… all for nothing in fourteen days? She's my weapon! My legacy!"
"Please!" Monrel managed to gasp, his vision blurring.
Hati released him abruptly, and Monrel collapsed, choking and spluttering.
"I have a way to find her! We need the shadow fighters!" Monrel rasped, desperate.
"They won't arrive until two days before the Solstice. You know how far they live," Hati growled, his patience wearing thin.
Monrel swallowed, his mind racing. "Then… send word to those who know of her existence! Threaten them with their lives! They must understand the importance of retrieving her!"
"Don't tell me what to do, you mutt!" Hati spat. "Don't forget what I can do… to you. Now get out and find a way to find her faster! I need her power, I need her blood! I NEED her and I WANT her! Do you understand?"
Monrel scrambled away, leaving Hati alone. The king's growl rumbled in his chest as he slammed a fist into the wall, shattering it. Blood oozed from his broken fingers, which he casually rearranged with a sigh.
"I must find her," he muttered, his eyes burning with a possessive rage. "She is mine." He closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind, linking with Alpha Kylan, the shadow pack Alpha and Lyall's father.
Less than an hour later, Kylan stood before him.
"You don't look so good," Kylan observed, his gaze flicking over Hati's bloodied hands and manic eyes.
"You will begin your journey tomorrow. Visit each of them," Hati commanded, his voice tight with barely suppressed fury. "Find me who did this and scare the others!"
"When I find out who took her… I will unleash a bloody spree!" he whispered, raising the wine to his lips, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying anticipation. "And they will beg for death."
"Do you have a suspect?" Kylan asked, his tone hardening.
"Magnus. Visit him first. Find out what he knows," Hati said. "Kill him on sight if you think he did it."
"Very well. I don't think Magnus has the… courage. He is not so bold," Kylan said.
"I think he is. He's the only one who hates me more than he fears me," Hati shrugged, then drank deeply. "I don't blame him. I'd hate me too. Killed his wife and daughters. Hmm. But he will not have My Selene."
"I shall do my best, My King," Kylan said, bowing his head.
"Take Sasie with you," Hati ordered, waving a hand dismissively. "We must be quick. We need to solidify our plans ahead of the Solstice. With Selene missing, we need to focus on finding the map without her… until we find her. Because I must! Her power is the key to everything."
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"Hmm," Alpha Magnus said, his eyes scanning the message. His face was a mask of cold fury. He looked at Kell, his trusted servant.
"This should not be played with," Magnus said, with a low growl.
"It's true, Alpha Magnus. My source confirmed it. The King has sent out his stealth bounty hunter to search for her," Kell said.
"I want absolute certainty. Get me solid proof, immediately. Then, make arrangements for us to begin searching," he commanded, his eyes burning with a desperate hope.
He crossed his legs, a dark promise forming in his heart. If Hati had lost his secret weapon… this was his chance.
"If this is true… we must find her!" he vowed, the words a silent oath. "Before Hati does."