Chapter 40

Callan

I watched closely as Vivian sat in the car and left the Queen's estate. As the car drove off, a part of me wondered if it was the right thing to do—to send her with Elijah. He was cruel in his own dark ways but I believed he wouldn't do anything to harm her unless she provoked him in some way.

"The guards weren't able to see her leave," Dion rushed toward me while closing his umbrella. The rain was getting heavier second by second. "I suppose the Queen's not going to know anything."

"Hopefully." I turned, returning back to the house.

Some of the creatures had begun to leave, retiring to their homes. The dances had ended long ago. There was only a bit of chatter in the air, some food, and champagne. I stayed on the sidelines with Dion, watching Alexandria as closely as it was possible.

The whole ordeal surprised me.

Vivian's intentions had always been unclear and for some odd reason, I couldn't get into her head to find out what she was doing. Until now. I felt stupid, dumb to let it all slip from my hands. She wasn't here for anything, but for us, to find us and give us to the Queen.

It was all act.

My jaw clenched, teeth pressing hard. I was enraged, but I couldn't remove my anger on anyone.

What difference was it going to even make?

Vivian was a child of sorts, beaten up by her father and driven to murder him. Killing her was the last thing on my mind. I cared for her deeply and didn't want her to get hurt.

Not now, not ever.

"What do you think Alexandria has for us?" Dion asked, standing next to me. His voice was low. It was true, even the walls had ears. "Death?"

I shrugged as my gaze lingered around, watching everyone closely. After Vivian's betrayal, my trust issues were heightened even more. I yearned to slip into everyone's mind and know what they were thinking about.

"Probably."

"Did you know about the curse on her?"

I shook my head, turning to him. "I didn't know the mark of the pentacle was connected to Alexandria's magic," I drew in a lungful, thinking about Elijah's words over and over again. "I did have slight knowledge about the mark after I slept with Stephanie."

"The witch?" Dion cocked a brow.

A small scoff escaped my lips. "Yes. She told me about the meaning of the pentacle and that it had value in her culture. It meant the five elements of life, earth, fire, air, water, and spirit. The witches use it for binding and cursing spells."

Dion listened, and his expression stiffened as I shared my knowledge with him. I didn't care much about the curse on Alexandria or the mark we shared, but I cared about my life and I needed to know if I was going to die or get killed.

The Queen was seated with her guards behind her and a werewolf seated on the ground beside her. She spoke to several women at once and went on with the evening without a care in the world.

What was she even offering to Vivian? Security? It made sense why Vivian continued to practice black magic without worry. She knew she couldn't be harmed by anyone as she had the Queen's protection.

Not anymore.

"One of Alexandria's guards was with Vivian since the day she arrived at the court," I recalled his face, but it was a blur as it had been a while.

"Yes, I had seen him with her several times as well, especially near her room. Do you think we should get him? He must be in court, waiting for her return." Dion suggested while raising a brow.

I took another glance around. There was nothing we couldn't get from the event anymore and I doubt Elijah could get anything from Vivian either. She formed hundreds of lies just to cover up one truth. I wouldn't have cared if she came to me and told me herself. It was far better than finding it out from someone else.

My cock was inside her, several times, she could've opened her mouth once and warned me.

Stubborn.

"Let's go." I agreed with Dion and in moments, we were on the road, returning to court.

There was only one thing on my mind, repeating the entire drive. Was it all planned? From the day I met her at the bar to tonight, there were several occasions where I actually began to care for her and we had even shared some special time together.

How could I now know if any of it was real?

The roads were wet and slippery as we reached the court. The exterior, the thick, old walls of the court, were soaked in rainwater, and there were puddles forming everywhere. I hit the brakes near the driveway and parked the car on the side before stepping out with Dion.

It was going to be a long night.

"Change and meet me near her room. If you see the guard anywhere, grab him." I said, heading to my room as Dion headed to his.

With the mating ball over, there was no reason to wear something stiff as these black pants or tight as the shirt I wore underneath the coat. I quickly changed my clothes, my every move filled with aggression and rage.

Why her? It could've been anyone else and they would've been dead by now.

I spared no life.

Hundred years and I carried the mark of the pentacle without a care in the world. I didn't know what it meant, or why I had gotten along with the other three men I knew. We were in court at the same time when we got the mark. It never troubled me until now.

For the other three, it was different, they became immortals while I was already an immortal. But it gave me strength I never imagined having. It gave me powers, vicious powers that were enough to take down anyone. It reduced my blood thirst to nothing.

It was all great until I learned from Elijah that we were a part of a ritual, to break the queen's curse.

Dion and I walked across several hallways, searching for the queen's guard that was on duty to protect Vivian. The court was fairly empty as many of its residents were out, celebrating the results of the mating ball, and some of them even mating.

"I intended on marking her tonight..." Dion confessed in silence.

I heaved in a breath and then sighed. "Glad you didn't or your soul would've been connected to her for the rest of your life."

He nodded, agreeing.

I told Dion part of the truth I already know. Some of it included the dark magic she was constantly practicing in her room and what state I had found her in one night along with some more information I knew that he didn't.

We went quiet upon finding a man outside her rooms. He was walking back and forth while watching the rain outside from the large, open windows in the hallways. With a silver badge on his shoulder, it told us everything we needed to know.

He was the queen's guard, the man Alexandria got to be around Vivian.

If she couldn't give us anything, surely this mortal creature could.

We stepped forward, slipping from the shadows at the same time and the guard turned his attention to us. It became deadly silent as he watched us near him and then grab him.

"Into the room you go," I said, thrusting the door open of Vivian's room. It was the closest one and also one of the largest ones in the wing "Little prick." My vision turned red at the same time as my eyes did.

Dion sank his sharp claws into the guard's throat, silencing him before he managed to make a single sound. In the meantime, I tossed all the weapons on him onto the ground before slamming my knee into the back of his knee and forcing him onto the ground.

"Not a single sound." Dion whispered as he withdrew his claws from his throat.

They were inches deep.

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