The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Four - (Blood)lust

They stared at Gerald who stood behind me, most likely conversing through mind link. A link that had yet to be established by a blood cocktail. Before me stood a chalice on the coffee table, most likely prepared for said blood cocktail.

"I see." I heard the King finally. "You are kinder than I thought, Macey."

"It was a test." I deduced.

"Yes, had you chosen to join him, you would have been immediately kicked out of here."

"Understandable. It would be unwise to have a Gamma with a rash mind and unsettling ways."

I watched the King frown slightly. "Your tone of voice suggests that you..."

I smiled slightly, giving him a knowing look. "That I?"

"You know something, don't you?"

Her smile widened slightly. "All good things to those who wait."

He stared at her for a long minute, as if he could find the answer on her face.

"You'd do well to invite Dragon Generals in good faith. Working with them and their soldiers might help with the seething hatred your people still have for my Mother's kind. I suspect most Dragons harbor the same feelings. The war ended thirty four years ago. Though there is peace now, you as King, have yet to establish a healthy bond with Dragon kind. In the end, absence does not make the heart grow fonder."

I picked up the knife next to the chalice and slid it over my palm, allowing blood to pour into the chalice.

"Is it really that bad?" One Prince asked as he seemed genuinely concerned about the matter.

I looked over to him, noticing his slim build. He had broad shoulders and thin hips. He was muscular, but in a lanky way. He was very obviously built for speed. Graced with the same golden skin and black hair as the rest of the people in the room, his eyes stood out. He had green eyes, unlike his brothers and parents. Amber bled from the irises, making the green almost seem surreal. His hair was also longer, stopping just below his chin, I could imagine his coat to be shaggy. It was a trait that many wolves built for speed retained. The shaggy hair added volume to their much slender bodies, to make them look bigger than they were. Upon the high bridge of his nose sat a pair of rectangular glasses. His nose was perfectly straight and his cheeks high. His jaw was slender too, but not in a feminine way. His lips, pursed, were almost as golden as his skin. They were slightly plump and upturned in an alluring way. It was as if he was smiling even though his expression was anything but smiling.

"Prince...?"

"Noel. Just call me Noel."

"Very well, Noel." He smiled kindly, I could see kindness bloom into his aura as well. "Think of it this way. The war had caused a great wound on both species. Many lives were lost and even more severely wounded. When a severe wound is left untreated, it will fester and fester until, finally, it bursts."

He nodded slowly, his smile spreading. "I guess I see your point."

He held his hand out towards me and took the knife when I held it out to him. He cut his own hand and poured blood in the Chalice. He handed the blade to his brothers who one by one poured blood in before their mother did the same. Finally their father followed suit. He picked the cup up and swirled the blood around to cover the entire inside of the cup.

As soon as all sides were covered the cup mysteriously filled to the brim. The cup was handed to me first, as per custom. The order we had cut our pals in was the same order we had to drink from the cup. I took a sip, the taste sweet like wine, even though the smell still consisted of blood. Handing the cup to the lanky Prince, I watched as he slowly turned the cup and took a much larger sip from the exact same spot I had drank from. His eyes stayed trained on me the entire time. Within his aura something sparked. True interest.