Chapter 7
The castle was very beautiful. Though the walls were old and cracked, they were still strong. Above the gate, flags waved in the wind. They were red and black with the imprint of a skull at the center of each flag.
As we continued walking, I noticed that we were being followed by other guards.
At the center, a giant statue of Rhain stood. It was tall and gray in color. The statue was fully dressed in armor. His eyes looked down, as if watching over the people. In one hand, he held a raised sword, and in the other, he held the head of a werewolf.
The courtyard was lifeless. There was no garden, nor the sight of anyone. The only thing there was gravel and stones.
Ahead, the scent of blood hit my nostrils, and I frowned slightly. I smelled fear and anger in the air. Having my wolf meant I could perceive any slight scent in the air.
We continued walking, and I caught sight of something on the wall. It wasn't just something—it looked like the shape of a human. And indeed, it was, because when I walked closer, I saw people hung on the wall. Their hands and feet were spread apart as if they were being crucified.
My breath caught in my throat. They were losing a lot of blood.
Rhain raised his head toward the people, and he didn't seem shocked. Instead, he looked pleased. We walked closer, and the sight became clearer. There was a wooden stake stabbed close to their chest, and their bodies were beginning to lose life. From their feet, I saw the color changing into a grayish tone, with veins bulging out.
My stomach twisted.
"Why are they hung up there?" I asked.
"Because I ordered it," he said. "And I made sure to ask the witches to slow their death process."
"What?"
"These are the men that murdered your pack."
As the words left his mouth, I slowly turned my head to the men, and I didn't feel bad anymore.
"They deserve it," I said, clenching my hands at my sides. I could feel the bitterness in the back of my throat from my wolf.
She wanted to kill them. But I didn't want them dead yet. I wanted them to suffer till eternity for what they did.
I slowly turned to Rhain. "But they're your kind. Shouldn't you be happier that they helped you end the war?"
"I should," he said. "But I'm the King here, and I give orders—not them. Anyone who goes against my rules will be punished."
I opened my mouth to speak but was stunned at the sight of men and women. All dressed in soldier uniform, the colour of black and red.
Instead of walking towards there, Rhain led me away from the castle. We continued walking, and the sight of another castle appeared.
"I have a lot of questions," I said to him.
"I know," he said.
"Welcome to my home," he said.
The castle was small compared to the one I saw when we first came here. The thought of staying here—staying here with him after what happened to my pack—brought a heavy weight to my chest.
"This is your house?" I asked. It was small for a King like him.
"Yes. Well, I have two houses. One is for more official business—where I hold meetings and the rest. But this one is for me alone."
There was no sign of servants or soldiers around. Good, because it would be easy to escape.
"You will be safe here."
"You mean safe from other vampires who would want me dead?" I asked.
"Safe from everything," he said. "You'll meet people who are close to me here, but other than that, it'll just be the two of us living here."
I opened my mouth to speak, but then the sound of footsteps inside the house drew my attention.
"Hurry up. The King is here," a deep male voice called from inside.
We walked inside to find two tall males staring at us. They were tall and frightening—for vampires.
"You should bow when the King walks in," the first male voice said.
"And you need to mind your tone," the second male growled.
"You fucking bastard! You hauled me out of bed!" he added.
"Is this how you welcome your King?" Rhain spoke up. "Orion and Darian?"
"You were gone for a long time."
Rhain slowly turned to me. "Don't mind these two bastards. This is how they act when they haven't seen their King in a long time."
The men stared at me before turning to Rhain. "Really? You brought a werewolf here?"
Rhain tilted his head and turned to the staircase. "Vivian?"
I turned to see a woman walking down the stairs. She was beautiful. Her face was round in shape. She had bright green eyes and plump lips. Her hair was long and dark.
Vivian stopped walking when she reached the bottom and bowed her head. "Your Grace."
"Can you show Harley to her room and ensure she has a bath and food?"
"Of course," she smiled, turning to me. "This way, please."
I followed her, and we both started walking upstairs when the two males suddenly started arguing.
"Send your pets away from here," a cold female voice cut in. "We have important things to discuss."
I slowly turned my head to see a figure leaning against a pillar. She was dressed in a black cloak.
I didn't have time to linger on her for long before Vivian walked me upstairs to what looked like a hallway, and we continued from there.