Dark Alpha: A Fated Mates Novel

16: TRAITOR

Minutes passed as they remained in that position, staring at each other. There was a sound of disbelief stuck in her throat, but she refused to let it out. 

Then she began to laugh.

Large bouts of the thick sound came right from her belly, bringing tears to her eyes. "What did you say?"

"Enoch Alba is alive," the Sorcerer repeated. "And the King knows about it."

She managed to speak through the laughter that was beginning to sound crazed even to her own ears. "And you suppose I'll believe anything as preposterous as that. I—Goddess, thank you for that laugh, I needed it."

This seemed to be the opening he was waiting for. "You didn't feel his thread sever from you in the pack link, did you?"

She growled, all traces of laughter drying up immediately. "I couldn't have felt the link even if I wanted to. I don't have a wolf."

The Sorcerer tsked. "Fine. I'll just have to prove it some other way, won't I?"

With a sharp movement, his hands created a small filmy ring that hovered over the floor. And before her eyes, there was the image of her brother and Alpha Sin. Enoch seemed to be begging Sin for something, but with a dismissive wave of his hand, Sin's Keepers escorted Enoch out of the room. Forcefully.
She recognized that court. "Where are they taking him—what are they doing to my brother?"

The last part came out on a shrill shriek, but she didn't have much time for composure. The Sorcerer created a vision, so that event definitely happened. Even the strongest fae illusionist couldn't contort a vision this realistic.

"He's still alive? Answer me."

The film disappeared into smoke. "Yes, he's very much alive. And I can help you locate him."

Ah, Enoch was the catch, the power play. But Vannie was beyond reason at this point, willing to be trapped in all sorts of nefarious contracts as long as she could see her brother again.

"The King can hear my thoughts. He'll know the minute he sees me that I'm planning his downfall."

"We have a spell that can cloak your thoughts from the Alpha."

"I don't want anything to do with your puny spells. I want something I can believe in."

"My spells aren't puny. They held the King of the Inlands for a while."

"And that deserves an accolade, I presume," she retorted, biting sarcasm in her voice. "The King is just as impervious to magick as any other wolf. Anyone would have gotten him with the right amount of tenacity."

"He isn't just a wolf. He is a god. I held a god for more minutes than even you expected me to." He held her gaze, daring her to deny it. "Trust me, Your Majesty."

She didn't. "You are an ordinary emissary—a lapdog. Don't assume I missed that fact. Your magick is basic, while your arrogance is foolishly astounding. You came to my bed to kidnap me, and now you dare to ask me to trust you? While you're using conceal?"

"Your Majesty, you misunderstand–" he began, then realized he was going nowhere with this current course and switched lanes. "I'll drop the conceal," he started slowly, his hands out like he was trying to pet a rabid animal.

Touch me, she urged mentally. Give me a reason to snap. Give me something to take out this anger and betrayal on. Because against everything, she was. . .hurt. Hurt that Sinclair had kept this from her, even though he claimed to be her mate.

"And I apologize for trying to kidnap you. I just thought..." He trailed off.

She continued. "Just thought it would be easier to do so."

He nodded. "I didn't know how much of a mean left hook you had," he said, tone all light and easy, as if sensing her prior violent thoughts.

Vannie considered him for a minute. "What's your name?"

He didn't hesitate. "Crom."

She nodded. "Good. Who sent you?"

He licked his lips. "That's why I'm here. You have to follow me into a portal."

She confirmed that he was truly a Sorcerer then. And fae. Only fae Sorcerers could open portals.

She stared at him incredulously. "I'm supposed to follow a stranger—who still hasn't dropped his conceal—into a portal I don't know where it leads to?"

He sighed, and whispered to the air. He seemed to bend into himself, then straightened to a man four inches taller than the one who'd been before her previously. Brown eyes and black hair transformed into light blue eyes and flame-coloured hair.

She liked having the knowledge of his true features. She could use it against him sometime. "Who bought your services?" She couldn't imagine he was getting paid as much as Zara was in the Inlands.

He smiled slightly, knowing he had the upper hand at this moment. "If I tell you that, how will I lure you into my portal?" He must have seen that she was getting ready to snap, because he continued hurriedly, "If you go with me into the portal, you'll find out who I am, who sent me and their plan for the Inlands. And you'll find out what happened to Enoch Alba."

"Of course, what's the worst that could happen?" His gaze locked on hers once again, not a man that was telling the truth, but a man determined to prove that he wasn't lying. "Except that I could be a prisoner for the second time in my life."

He removed the dagger from its sheath and cut his palm. Blood dripped onto the floor of the apothecary. "My oath, you're not going to be kept longer than you want to be."

Triumph filled her. Crom's blood was right where she wanted it to be. "What do I have to do?"

A look of relief crossed his features, and he said, "Act like the perfect mate. Make him want you. We'll do the rest."

She could do that. Now more than ever, she wanted revenge against Sin. She couldn't believe she almost let herself get swayed by Zara's sob story.

"Create the portal. Let's go."