The King's Prey (Unedited Edition)

Chapter 25 : Behind Closed Doors

Mortala • [more-ta-la]
Unrelenting and deadly; involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death.

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My eyes fall on Liam first, remembering I explicitly told him to go home and get some rest after looking after Anastasia all week. On top of that, he's supposed to start retraining border patrol on Monday which I already know will be long and brutal for him. What the hell is he doing here anyway? What are they all doing here?

I go to open my mouth, ready to tell him off until he stops me short as he speaks up. "The hell, Samuel. Have you not gotten any of our calls or texts?" I look to Killian to see him tapping away at his phone, frantically texting whoever's on the other end as Liam says this. Killian glances up to catch my gaze once before getting distracted by an incoming call and answering it swiftly as he puts several feet between him and the rest of us to give himself some privacy. The utter urgency in Liam's voice is what halts me from reprimanding him for his presence at my front door.

I don't listen to Killian's conversation as I focus back on Liam. My mouth gapes slightly, confused by what he means. Then I remember that I accidentally left my phone in my office from when I was working through the remainder of the destroyed documents. I make a mental reminder to always have it on hand in the future. "No, actually. I left it in my study. What's wrong?"

"Can we come in?" Sterling asks, crossing her arms in front of her. I glance behind me at the foyer and in the direction of the kitchen. This is not going to go well.

I hope this past week has been enough to ease any tension between her and Anastasia—I hope the physical space has provided time for Sterling to consider not intervening in her situation anymore and to not cause any extra calamities, especially since I can't bring myself to put up with her disapprovals right now with everything going on. After they crossed paths for the first time at the hospital, her anger told me enough about how she feels about a human living with me.

"I'm fully aware that she's in there, trust me," she spits as she reads my expression. Her fiery red hair seems to glow brighter with the increased intensity in her tone. Liam squeezes her arm to try and calm her fury.

I swallow for a moment, praying that this doesn't end with my house in shambles, but then opt for a better option—one where the two females won't have to bicker. "Let's talk in my office. I don't want her being a part of whatever this is."

I turn to begin walking in the direction of my study, but Liam's words cut my movements off. "Samuel." Spinning back to face him, a grim look is all I make out over his features. "I think she needs to be involved."

My chest tenses. "Why?"

"Because it involves her kind," he breathes. I can sense how uncomfortable the subject makes him, too. Liam has always been the mischievous type, but in moments like this, when he takes situations seriously, it speaks volumes about the severity of the problem.

"The fuck do you mean?" I keep my volume contained so she doesn't overhear our conversation.

"The warriors that went searching for the rogue that broke into your house found a group of humans out in the woods," Sterling finally confesses. My eyes widen.

I usher them inside, not wanting to talk further about this out in the open. Once they're through the front door I motion towards my office for them to follow before we make our way through the vast house. We bypass the kitchen as I check once to make sure Anastasia's still there and ok.