To Rule the Alpha's Heart

12. Bartering Souls

EINARR FJERSTÄD

Against his every instinct, Einarr dropped to a knee in front of the Alpha King.

He fought to keep his head bowed– to ignore the primal instinct inside of him that wanted to challenge any being that dared force him into submission. Every Alpha in Nortend was forced to bow before the Alpha King as a display of servitude and respect, but Einarr's entire body wanted to resist. He did not belong on his knees.

Einarr's fingers clenched tight, and his eyes remained frozen on King Rangvald's feet as he waited for the monarch to allow him to rise. Only silence greeted him. Rangvald undoubtedly enjoyed seeing Einarr on his knees– obedient.

Finally, the King released him, speaking in the Nortend tongue. "Rise, Alpha Einarr of the Onyx Craven Pack."

Einarr stood as soon as the words left his kin's mouth, rising to his full height in front of his cousin. Rangvald had been born only a few moons before Einarr, but he was chosen as Alpha King, nonetheless. In his near thirty years of life, Einarr had never once challenged his cousin's claim to the throne, but Rangvald still treated him like a threat.

"King of Alphas," Einarr began, finally lifting his gaze to meet his cousin's. They possessed the same slate gray eyes as their grandsire. "I deliver to you many Eatrelan spoils. Gold and jewels, medicinal potions... human slaves."

Einarr swept a hand to the side as he spoke, and a handful of his men brought forth several chests of jewelry and expensive metals from their raids, placing the loot at King Rangvald's feet. At the same time, other pack members pushed the human captives forward from their place behind the Onyx Craven Pack.

A low hum of approval rumbled from Rangvald as he slowly moved to inspect the chests of riches first, and Einarr used the King's momentary distraction to scour the dome for Calla. He found his human mate in the shadows, tucked beside Cyril and the human girls she'd chosen to keep for herself. The white sheets of Calla's hair nearly glowed in the firelight.

Einarr turned his attention back to King Rangvald as the male moved forward to investigate the human captives. He studied the humans like he'd studied the jewels, occasionally reaching out to touch a particularly beautiful young woman or capable man.

Finally, Rangvald nodded. "I am pleased."

The King turned away from the human slaves, slowly tredding back toward his throne and the naked women who sat on the carpets surrounding it. Soon, some of the human females that Einarr had captured from Eatrela would join those women on the carpets– bed slaves to please the noble shifters. The All Luna, Rangvald's mate, was not in the dome.

Einarr barked a quick order for his men to lead the human slaves from the room. He needn't concern himself with their fates any longer. The sound of footsteps and clanging chains faded as the humans were shuffled out of the dome, and Einarr's men closed the lids of the chests once more.

"My King, grant the Onyx Craven pack leave to bathe and rest before—" Einarr could not continue.

King Rangvald lifted a hand in the air, a wordless order for silence. The King became dangerously still. His nostrils expanded once, his head tilted to the side, and dread coiled into the pits of Einarr's stomach.

"I hear the feeble fluttering of more human hearts amongst your ranks, cousin." Rangvald's words were menacingly calm. "Are you hiding them?"

Every muscle in Einarr's body tensed as Rangvald turned away from his throne once more, stalking carefully around the roaring fire in search of the human heartbeats. Einarr barely withheld a snarl. "These humans are mine."