From The Ashes

Chapter Forty-Two

We stopped in our tracks. My eyes went wide at the scene before me. Von let out a growl, low and deep from within his chest.

Valen nudged him to calm him down, knowing that one wrong move could ruin everything. 

King Alistair stood before us, with Beta Alexander in wolf form at his side. Behind them, holding a tied up and unconscious Artemis, were Celia and Seraphine.

Seraphine had a wicked grin on her face and Celia's eyes trained to the ground at our arrival. She held a silver dagger to Artemis's side. I blinked in realization. 

It had the same design as the one from the castle.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant way to meet my daughter's mate," King Alistair crowed.

He clapped his hands in a slow fashion and watched as my lip raised in disgust. 

"Oh, come now, dear. You didn't really think you'd be able to save everyone did you?"

I snarled in his direction and began to move forward. I froze in my tracks as Celia pressed the dagger harder into Artemis's side and she began to squirm back into consciousness.

She hissed in pain as her shirt rode up and the silver came in contact with her bare skin. 

Von growled again but didn't move. He couldn't risk hurting Artemis. 

I could see Valen's eyes glaze over for a moment. I hoped and prayed that he was contacting the others and letting them know of our situation.

King Alistair smirked and nodded to Alexander, who nudged some ratty clothes in our direction. 

"Why don't you all shift back so we can have a nice chat?" 

We exchanged glances before doing just that. I threw on the clothes that were in front of me and nearly gagged at the smell. 

"That's better." His face curled into a smile as wicked as Seraphine's. 

"Let her go," I managed to get out.

His eyes flashed to me and his nostrils flared, but he kept his composure. 

"Indigo, is that anyway to speak to your father?" 

"You are not my father," I spat back at him. 

He chuckled. "Oh, but dear I am. You know that as well as I do." 

"Enough of this, what do you want with my mate?" Von boomed.

King Alistair rolled his eyes and shifted his weight on his feet. 

"I had to get you all here somehow. I would have preferred Indigo, but really anyone would have done nicely. And my informants were so eager to share the knowledge they gained since Indigo's arrival at DarkBlood," he explained while gesturing to Seraphine and Celia. 

"Cut the shit. What do you want from us?" Valen growled. 

"Power, young prince. I want power."

I cocked an eyebrow at my disgusting excuse for a father. 

"Allow me to explain. You see, Seraphine approached me a year ago and brought forward a potential alliance. She would help me secure a treaty with your filthy pack, and in turn, I wouldn't kill her daughter and her daughter's mate once I took over your lands. She was so sure it was you, Valen," King Alistair shrugged.

"But things change, I guess. Once it became clear that Celia was not fated to be yours, Seraphine came crawling back to me, begging for one more chance. She helped secure the plan to bomb your castle and has been keeping tabs on you all ever since. How did you like our gift, by the way? I really thought the Fate Spinner was going to set things in motion much quicker. Such a pity that it's gone."