Book 1: Chapter 66

“I think we have been navigating those waters pretty terribly.” I answered and Aelia chuckled, the light coming back in her eyes.

“Well, it’s not really something you can prepare for. I’m just glad you took my advice dear.” Maggie reached out and took Aelia’s free hand in hers.

I reached out and took a drink of the wine glass I had left on the table. “When she first told me, I didn’t want to believe her. She did say you were the one to push her to tell us. Thank you for that. It’s not easy but I don’t know what I would have done if I found out she never told us.” Glaring at Aelia, she stuck her tongue out at me.

Nate squeezed her hand. “He’s right. We might have brought you back only to kill you ourselves.”

She shrugged. “Good luck with that. I fully intend on enjoying my afterlife, thank you very much. All the coffee and whisky I can have. It’s been over a week since I’ve had coffee. That’s its own torture.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “The acid…”

“Goddess, shut up! I don’t care! Let it burn a hole through my stomach! At the very least it will make me happy!

All of us laughed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Maggie had leaned back in her chair, smiling as she also sipped on her wine. She sighed and placed the glass down on the table.

“I know the issue that happened with my nephew but have you decided what you are going to do moving forward?”

Nate cocked his head to the side. “I mean, we aren’t going to mark each other if that’s what you’re asking. It took me pulling my head out of my ass and a good whipping but I know she just wants me to survive this.” His hand came around and dropped across her shoulders, squeezing it gently.

“I don’t think that’s what she means.” Aelia flashed a smile at him. “For now, I’m still trying to keep a handle on the Hunter situation. I’ve got my boys starting to come in from their posts, seeing what we need to do with them. I’ll most likely leave Noah, Finn, and Keri in charge if I end up leaving before we figure out what they really want. It should deter them from coming through if they know the Alpha King will be in the area with his full army for a funeral. Though, my name has been known to strike fear within the hearts of Hunters. Me being gone might make them bolder than they should be.”

Her face had a shadow pass across it. She really hated Hunters with a passion that I thought I matched with my hatred of rogues. It turned out, I was severely outmatched. I was willing to admit her level of anger outshone mine. The things I was able to find out that she did to Hunters and their families horrified even me. Part of me wondered if Maggie knew what she had done over the years.

“The Gathering was also talking about the influx of Hunters popping it. Almost like they knew you were running out of time.”

Aelia shrugged. “They might actually. It doesn’t take much to bribe information out of someone. Especially since I’m not the most popular among the old fogies at the castle. A few of the advisors and the healers there know of my condition. It would mean my old man has a rat but I don’t think they would turn against him. Some of them just see me as a rogue or worse, the Rogue King coming for the king’s throne with my army of rogues.” She snorted and shook her head. “Idiots, the lot of them.”

“Well, that’s disconcerting.” I rubbed my chin.

“Did you really think the castle was without its politics? If you ever get called there, be careful. Everything is about personal gain and they will tear you to shreds if they sniff weakness. There is as much corruption there as any government. It just takes a strong leader to be able to mitigate their reach.” Aelia ground out.

Maggie shook her head. “Have you decided who will be king yet?”

She groaned. “Goddess, not you too. It’s not my job to choose the next king. That’s my old man’s job. He relies on my opinion far too much.”

“I think you’re taking this too lightly.” Maggie gave her the same look a parent would when chastising a child. “You being the Rogue King means that your opinion matters that you are backing the next Alpha King. That means something to the rogues and the Alpha King knows that. Not to mention, you are a great judge of character.”

Aelia leaned her head on Nate’s shoulder. “I’m not sure about that last part. I’ve been wrong more than once. I just wish people would let me be able to rest in peace.”

Nate chuckled and leaned his head against hers. “Never. You mean too much to everyone. We are going to bother you up until the very end. If anything, we are going to squeeze more days out of you just from pestering you.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes, making me smile. Maggie was looking at me as she sipped her wine. “What about you Silas? What do you plan on doing? Your father…”

I growled. “I will stand my ground and protect my pack, every single one of them. My father was a coward and he deserves to rot in that abandoned house. I will never abandon my pack like he did.”

Maggie sighed. “You are as bad as Aelia. Both of you have this anger…”

“It’s justified. He’s lucky I didn’t kill him the other day.” Her voice was hard with her lips pressed thin. “He’s lucky I care about Silas and Nate more.”

“I almost killed him myself that day. Aelia stopped me. He sent orphans to be tortured, meant for Nate to be captured but Aelia gave herself up, then he fessed up to killing our mother not to mention setting up Nate’s parents to be killed. The man deserves so much pain I don’t think I can even provide the kind he deserves.”

Aelia hummed. “I can. I’ve got some ideas that were used on me. Though, seeing what he has become, I don’t think it’s even worth it now.”

I started to agree with her when Maggie slammed her fist down on the table. “Stop it, both of you. Your father was a horrible man, yes. He has been for a long time and it’s scarred most around him. But neither of you need to steep that low. Neither of you need to have that stain on your hands, do you understand me?”

I looked down, my hands balled up into fists. Aelia grumbled and I could barely hear a whisper of ‘too late for that’ but I know Maggie didn’t hear her. Nate did because he squeezed her shoulder a little harder.

“I know. It’s just hard not to be angry. He broke up our family. It’s his fault we haven’t had Aelia in our lives. It’s hard to forgive that.” I gave her a sad smile.

Maggie gave me a knowing one back. “I understand, dear. It’s just not your place to sully your hands with that man. Let that anger go. It’s already eaten you up, your hatred for rogues is legendary among all packs. It will only be worse for you. Especially when Aelia finally leaves us.”

My eyes fell back to down to my balled up fists on the table. It was soon covered by my sister’s hand. She pulled my fingers out from their tightened ball and interlaced her fingers with mine.

“She’s right. You’ll have so much going on, I want you to be able to live. I don’t want our father, his actions, or anything he has down get in the way of you finding happiness. Silas, I want you and Nate to find your happiness. I’ve managed to stop you from seeing red with rogues but you can’t continue to be angry after I’m gone. You’re too old for that.”

I snorted and shook my head. “How dare you. I’m not that old.”

Nate laughed. “Says the one who sounds like a potato chip bag opening when he gets up in the morning.”

Groaning, I rubbed my face. “Maybe I am that old.”

Maggie laughed and shook her head. “That part doesn’t get any better, I can tell you that. Getting old isn’t for the weak.”

Aelia chuckled. “I’m glad I’m not going to have to do that. I’ve got enough shit going on.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, just leave us to our slow decent into madness. Thanks little sis.”

“Happy to oblige. You want me to make it worse? I’m pretty sure I can still beat your sorry ass even in my state.”

“No. Thank. You. It took me three days for those bruises to leave. I lied to my Gamma that I went to a fight club.”

Maggie threw her head back and laughed while Aelia snickered. Nate took a moment but then looked wide-eyed at me.

“That’s what happened? You can home completely wrecked and I had to cover for you but you never told me.”

“Yeah, I got my ass handed to me. Even Eros limped away from that. I never thought I would get beat so thoroughly in my life.”

Aelia sighed. “It’s like you guys don’t even realize that I earned my title of First Alpha Prince. The reason why no one comes to challenge me. They will lose, even now. They know better.”

“I would have paid to see the destruction of those two princes. I heard they barely made it out alive.” Maggie smirked as she sipped her wine.

“Your gaggle of she-wolves and their ability to tap into the rumor mill is truly incredible. But they are alive. I promised my old man I wouldn’t kill them…then. I’ll kill them now if they aren’t stepping up to protect their own kind from the Hunters. That I won’t stand for. Even if it kills me in the process.”

I squeezed her hand this time. “Woah there cowgirl. Let’s focus on you just keeping your strength and maybe helping out with the ones on our doorstep. I’m sure those idiots know that if they went against you or the Alpha King there would be consequences. No need to be up in arms yourself.”

Aelia wrinkled her nose and I smiled. We lapsed into a comfortable quiet as we all reached for some cookies. Aelia moaned and took a second cookie before Maggie could stop her. I smiled but she only got one bite of it before Nate leaned down and stole it from her. He took the cookie in his mouth and ate it in one bite. She looked horrified at his audacity but it made the three of us laugh.

“Alright kiddos. It’s time for bed. You guys showed up late enough as it is. I don’t want this one to lose out on anymore sleep. We can talk more tomorrow.” Maggie got up and took her glass, mine, and Nate’s that he didn’t touch. “I kicked the kids out for the weekend, so there are two other bedrooms for Silas and Nate. I’m sure you’re going to be with your boys, Aelia?”

We all were up and I could see Aelia was leaning more on Nate than her own legs. He looked worriedly at her but he didn’t say anything.

Aelia nodded to her. “Thank you for having us, Maggie.”

Once Maggie put the glasses in the sink she came over to Aelia and kissed her on the cheek. “You know I will always have you. You kept your end of the bargain, and I thank you for that dear. Even if this is the last time I get to see you.”

Maggie brushed her cheek and headed up the stairs before us. I furrowed my brow and looked down at my sister.

“What did she mean kept up your end of the bargain?”

Aelia smiled up at me. “I promised her I’d bring you two with me at least once. Neither of you would have come if I didn’t push you. You’d probably never would have visited.”

She wasn’t wrong. Both Nate and I had pretty much been raised to only be with ourselves. We used to think of us only having each other. It seemed silly now, with how Maggie welcomed me as though I was a second nephew. Scolding me like I was her second nephew.

“I just…”

Shaking her head, Aelia reached out to me and squeezed my arm. “I get it. Our father isolated us a lot. It’s hard to think outside of the bubble. We do have others we can rely on though. Now, your family just got a little bigger. It’s never too late.”