Chapter 97
Philip let me sit and process everything he said. When things I have read started to make sense. Like how the rogue king is never found or caught.
“Wait, wait, wait. Okay so why all the kidnappings and paying off the rogue king? Like if you are the same then why?” I asked jumping up with the need to move. Pacing the room waiting for him to answer. “Think about it Kai I know you’ll find the answer.” He says calmly. His calmness makes me want to rip his throat out.
“If this is between alphas why being me in all of this?” stopping looking at him with all the seriousness of the world. “well as much as I love and trust my daughter well let’s be honest when she’s mad or doesn’t want to hear something she can be a lot abit scary.” He chuckles. I have heard that a lot and we’ll I have only seen her really mad, other than that one time and I’d prefer to keep it that way.
“So what do you need from me?” “time. Once you see how things work together and benefit each other then you can explain it to her. She’s always had short temper and we’ll you’re the only one who is off limits to that anger” nodding as I know he’s right. Sitting down I wait for him to finish.
“yes we take the young but they are not treated badly here. Most are willing participants. And some well they are meant for that need a little more. As for the pup, you saw she’s from a pairing we are hoping to replicate. Once a child was born without magic. Magic doesn’t affect her. She lives in a tree in the way-station grove with Eris. It was well we don’t know how long the poor thing was alone in the woods. I had sent out a group to retrieve a young vamp who had turned unexpectedly. A bloodline we didn’t have records for. They found the poor thing too cold and hungry to even cry. The young vamp showed great strength in bringing the girl here unharmed. Fresh babies' blood I’m told that it is the sweetest blood. No toxins from the world yet. Most of the pups are born sterile here. This is how we keep control of the population. Also, another reason we don’t run the risk of crossing bloodlines with each other. So cousins won’t be bred. I mean we keep very good records but stuff can happen.” Shrugging he sets his plate down. “I can’t say it’s my favorite meal but we can work it into the menu around the holidays.” Shaking my head. “naw to be honest fallen and I do enjoy the jerky it’s not our favorite it’s a keep you alive when things are slim, meal. Yes, it’s the traditional meal for the winter solstice but you don’t have the changing of the lights here so no real need.” “changing of the lights?”
“ya winter the sun is down so it’s more of an orangery hue to the dark sky but in summer the sun is always out even the night hours are more of a dusk or daybreak.” He nods in understanding.
“So okay why do you make so many pups if they are all sterile?” “blood donors. The more donors we have the less death we have. Okay, we have a lot of death too but less noticeable this way. The vamps get to live long lives without fear and we get loyal workers. We have several vamps around the border watching for invaders. They just inform us of intruders. They don’t fight unless the king orders it.” “okay fine let’s say I get and understand the blood and warrior factory going on. But if you have this army at her fingertips why do the winters still hold power?” I growl. I read Enoy's mother’s early entries in the journals. I know what they did to her.” “We didn’t and don’t have a right to that title. Yes, we could take it but what does that prove? We are bigger and stronger.. wolves would see us as tyrants. I mean we are but only half the time.” He winks. Rolling my eyes. I think I am broken as the more he talks to more I get how the packs run. The black rose is in the public eye. The honorable pack that’s been wronged by the royals. This would gain more allies than if we were the pack that charges in and wipes them out. The pack of rogues is the sibling that goes in behind you and fixes the problem. They take the heat as no one can touch them hell I mean no one can find them.
“so if this is just outside the border how has no one just stumbled upon this place?” “We are inside a mountain. Only one way in and one way out. It’s a cave at the base of the mountain. It use to be able to be seen by everyone but Ambrose spelled the entrance a long time ago. You have to have the mark of the rogue to see it and cross the ward around it.”
“Wait. Your mother?” “I’m not gonna lie and sugarcoat it. When you don’t have to play by the rules you don’t. Yes, my grandfather and Max’s grandfather had some darker needs that needed to be met. After I was born my father was brought here and told me everything. He knew where his path was taking him and it was his task to raise me as an honorable alpha for the pack and world. He would still be here as my advisor as that’s the role of the leaving king. But he was taken during a fight a while ago. Ambrose was able to pull us both into a pocket to perform the transfer before the silver poison finished him off. Since then I was running both packs poorly. If I still had arty then I think it would have been fine. She had plans to overthrow her family as she felt she has robbed the longer she was away from them. Turns out she was right. But we have no proof that Artemis was the alpha of alpha heir and not Apollo.” “you didn’t bring me here to be the one to tell Enoy you brought me here to see the side of reason and keep her from storming the winters.”
