The Alpha Heir (Kingdom of Askara Book 2)

by Victoria Sue

  Just over an hour later, Taegan held the horses quietly as he spied Cy and Mari walking towards him. The trees were quite dense to the back of the pack house, and it was eerily silent. It was very late by this point and he realized he had only visited Aldred’s pack during the day before, when the noise from the saws filled the air. Aldred’s pack business was logging. They had access to the huge Dorn forest, but interestingly enough Aldred’s great-grandfather had instituted a program of replanting years ago so they would never run out of resources.

  The fact that the trees were protected but the humans that operated the heavy saws weren’t wasn’t lost on the rebels. There were many workers with injuries, and even more that could no longer work. Mari tightened a robe around her and allowed Cy to solicitously guide her over the fallen branches. It was dark, but the moon was full and Taegan could see her face.

  “The children aren’t here,” Cy said. “They were moved this afternoon. Mari’s friend works the saws and he saw a cart pull up to the back of the pack house this afternoon and six children carried out.”

  “Six?” Taegan repeated. “They have more?”

  “Yes,” Mari whispered, “and Clive recognized one of the gammas from Warwick’s pack. Aldred is travelling down there first thing in the morning. I am to accompany him in the carriage and then ‘make myself useful’ until he is ready to go home.” She rolled her eyes.

  Taegan sighed. “We need to head back to Warwick’s and get as close as we can.”

  “No, Taegan.” Cy clasped his arm. “We know he isn’t there because we already searched as close as we can get. We need to regroup back at the camp and plan.”

  “I can’t,” Taegan whispered, not caring if Cy saw how wretched he felt. “He thinks I’ve abandoned him. How can I stop looking?”

  Mari laid a comforting hand on his arm. “Cy told me briefly what has happened. You think he means to offer himself when the children are released?”

  Taegan nodded, and Mari tightened her hand. “Then think. He knows if he gave himself up now it would be pointless. They could kill him immediately and just have tomorrow as a celebration. From what Cy tells me Caleb isn’t dumb.”

  Taegan nodded. “You’re right. He won’t do this unless he thinks he is saving Rayne and Neal.” He looked at Cy. “And he’s a wolf, or a good part of him is. We won’t find him until he wants to be found. We need to be ready to act when he does.”

  Cy nodded and then told Mari that she wouldn’t be returning to the pack house after going to Warwick’s so she needed to hide her belongings somewhere. Taegan looked away as they kissed, his thoughts immediately on another’s lips and how soft and sweet they tasted.

  Cy took the reins from his stiff fingers and they both walked the horses through the trees until it was safe for them to mount. “We’ll find him, Taegan. We have time.”

  “And Gia?” It would kill Caleb if anything happened to the little boy.

  “I’m rotating everyone on patrols. He can’t have got far.”

  “It’s cold,” Taegan said bluntly. He knew Cy knew what he meant. If Gia was in the forest he wouldn’t survive the night.

  “I think he’s been captured,” Cy said bluntly. “And he must have been moved on horseback to disappear like this.”

  Taegan blew out a breath. “But he must have been close. Whoever took him had to be within a quarter mile of the caves.”

  Cy nodded worriedly. It was too close. “Those two that had Anna and Gia originally. Do you think they would try and get them back? We don’t know what punishment they are being threatened with.”

  “I doubt it,” Taegan said. The younger one had genuinely seemed disgusted when he saw the kids. “And their village is miles away from here.” He swung himself up onto Sky’s saddle and let her pick her own way through the trees. He was in no mood to lead anything.

  • • •

  “You trust him to be there?” Peya asked, quietly focusing on Taegan.

  Taegan focused on the forty or so people all clustered around the barn who had come to listen and nodded. “With my life.”

  Peya smiled. “And since that life has protected mine countless times, I agree.”

  “There is something else,” Taegan said. “I gave permission for Silas to send birds out to summon the other Alphas in the territory. Senekal particularly, as he has a large pack and Caleb says he wasn’t present at the choosing which makes me think he may not be a fan of Warwick.”

  “Are you mad?” DeRose exclaimed.

  “No. I don’t think so.” He turned to Peya. “I agree with what you said before. We need to change something. I don’t want children coming home in ten years with burns like yours and missing fingers. I don’t want to go to any end of life ceremonies for any other than those that are a celebration of a long and happy life. I told you I wanted to leave the rebellion and not be your leader, but this isn’t because of that.”

  The smile that lit Peya’s face was almost triumphant.

  Taegan looked around. It wasn’t just his leaders he had summoned to the hillside but many families. “I think this is our day. I am not going to escape with Caleb and hide in Caedra. I am going to see he becomes the Alpha he was always meant to be, and I intend to stand at his side while he does it. I am not resigning as rebel leader because I don’t want to do it anymore. I am resigning because I will have a different role. This is the future. The Alpha in Caedra by all accounts is a good man. We know the one in Perse is reasonable. I’m not going to say it’ll be easy, and I’m not saying we might not be in for the fight of our lives.”

  He looked at Silas. “Someone — a lot wiser than me — said something like ‘If we don’t change anything then nothing will change.’” He glanced around. “This is our chance.”

  Shocked silence had met his words, and then Cy smiled and started clapping. Within a few seconds a tumultuous wave of noise must have woken everyone in the camp. Taegan nodded and tried to smile. He was too busy swallowing tears to speak.

  • • •

  He sent his men away to prepare and the families to bed. Silas was leaning on the wall of the barn looking at him with an almost pained expression. Taegan paused. “What?” The wolf looked every one of his two hundred years.

  “What?” Taegan repeated, alarmed.

  “I don’t know how to say this in a way that it’s not gonna mess up every plan you just talked about, but—”

  “You think they won’t make him Alpha because he can’t shift.”

  “No, I—”

  “Because you said you felt his Alpha power. How you had to submit. I mean, you said that, right?”

  “It isn’t—”

  “You know he is the future, Silas. I—”

  “Taegan!” Silas nearly bellowed, and Taegan shut up. Silas heaved a sigh. “I do think Caleb is the future, and I do think he is going to be a strong Alpha.”

  “Then we’re both in agreement,” Taegan interrupted again, helpless to stop himself.

  “He just can’t do any of that with you by his side.”

  Taegan stilled. He was about to scoff, to sound incredulous, derisive; but the expression on Silas’s face kept him silent.

  “It’s one of our oldest laws. No heir can be made Alpha without mating an omega. They rule as a pair. You know this,” he said.

  Taegan sat down heavily. He did know. How could he forget? He stared down at his hands. Calloused, scarred. The jagged white line down his thumb from when he’d slit it jumping from a Zari tree and caught his hand on a sharp branch. The marks on his wrists from where Warwick had tied him. The first day his hands had cupped Caleb’s chin and marveled at how natural it felt. The night he had gripped Caleb’s cock and wanted more. The nights when all he could do was hold Caleb’s hand in his and never need anything else. They were empty now … just like his heart.

  Taegan stood and raised his chin. Took a settling breath and met Silas’s worried eyes. “It doesn’t matter. This is” — he sighed — “bigger than that, bigger tha
n me. Caleb is the future, and even if I can’t stand next to him, I can stand by him…” He licked his dry lips. “So long as he’s there, the rest doesn’t matter.” But it did. Every word killed him, but every human he had fought with and fought for needed Caleb to be Alpha. He couldn’t take their one chance away much as he was desperate to do just that.

  Taegan had just spoken to the last patrol that had returned with no sight of either Gia or Caleb when he heard his mom.

  “Taegan?”

  He turned and saw his mom carrying a cup and a small package wrapped in cloth he knew would contain food. “I know you don’t think you will be able to eat, but I think you need to take your own advice.” Taegan gazed helplessly at his mom. “You have children that are depending on you, and you have to bring that sweet man home.” She stepped closer. “Taegan, I don’t need a cottage. I don’t care if I live in a barn or a cave. It isn’t what the walls that surround us look like, but who they protect.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I love you, son, but if you don’t grovel to that beautiful boy and promise him forever I’m going to smack your butt, and don’t think I won’t.” She stepped back and arched an eyebrow.

  Taegan nodded grimly. “It might not be that simple, mom—”

  The quiet of the night was suddenly lit up by deafening screams and for a second Renee clutched him in terror — then the calls went up: “Wolves!”

  Jenner came running towards him. “Gammas. About three miles from the barn riding through the vineyards.”

  Taegan’s heart thumped in his chest. “Mom, get the children and get them to the escape tunnel.”

  She stood in a daze as if she didn’t hear him.

  Taegan gave her a push. “Go, take as many as you can.” It was early, very early. There were a lot of people still in the caves, but most of the young men were already out working in the fields. Taegan ran towards the caves and helped those who were struggling. Children were tripping as people tried to run. An older man fell to one knee, but a teenager yanked him up before Taegan reached them. “Quick, follow Renee,” he shouted and pointed to the tunnel. Taegan grimly patted the knife in his belt. He wouldn’t let any of his people be caught if he had to fight every wolf himself.

  Taegan knew he was out of options, and as the last of the women ran past him, he turned to follow and Cy caught him up. They ran down the passage and followed a woman struggling with two children. The smallest fell again, and Taegan simply picked him up. The passage narrowed until it reached a small ladder that people were climbing, and fresh air dulled the panic so people weren’t being trodden on in their haste.

  He was the last to scramble up the ladder and didn’t register the complete silence until he looked up. A beat passed and Taegan had a second to appreciate the trap as fear clutched his gut and twisted, hard.

  There must have been more than twenty gammas all surrounding them. The women and children were cowering but no gammas had gone to touch any of them. In fact, if anything, they were keeping their distance.

  “I want to speak to Taegan,” the man sat on the white horse in front of them all spoke.

  In case he had been in any doubt that he was looking at someone come to kill him, the two shifted wolves by the horse’s feet snarled and bared their teeth. Then the man surprised him by raising a hand and silencing the wolves immediately.

  “I’m Taegan,” he said and stepped forward, bracing himself. He tipped his head up to look into deep green eyes. Unusual, for a wolf. The man paused for a heartbeat and glanced to the trees. A smaller horse appeared and Taegan sighed when he saw the boy riding it. Kyan. He should have known not to trust a wolf.

  “Yes?” the wolf asked Kyan, gesturing to Taegan. Kyan grinned and nodded.

  What the hell is going on?

  The wolf smiled and threw his leg over, jumping to the ground. He tossed his reins to one of his men and stepped forward. Taegan’s fingers inched to his knife and the wolf saw it. Saw it and ignored it, stretching out his hand.

  “My name is Gage, and I understand I have you to thank for letting my little brother go.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Taegan was stunned.

  Kyan raced over to him. “They have Caleb, we have to hurry.”

  “What?” Alarm skittered through him, but his heart hadn’t slowed since the wolves appeared.

  “I would wish to sit and talk properly but there isn’t time,” Gage said, a serious expression drawing his features.

  “Who has Caleb?” Taegan interrupted.

  Gage huffed. “Warwick.”

  Taegan bit his lip to stop the cry even though he knew where Caleb had likely gone.

  “Alpha.”

  They all turned to see Silas tipping his head respectfully. Gage extended his arm and Silas clasped it, each wrist circling the other’s upper arm. Taegan had seen the wolves greet each other like this countless times.

  “I thought you were the heir?” Taegan asked.

  “My uncle died in his sleep two days ago. My choosing ceremony won’t happen until next month, but as I am twenty-five in a matter of days there is little point in assembling a council.”

  Silas nodded.

  Kyan hopped from one foot to the other. “Tell them,” he pressed.

  Gage’s face grew somber. “My brother came to me in some distress three hours ago. I had no idea he spends so much time in the Dorn alone, but I understand he was hoping to find his friend Neal had returned.”

  Taegan nodded quickly.

  “He heard crying on the hillside and saw a little boy, younger than him sitting on a fallen tree. He was just going to see what was wrong when he smelled a human and stayed back. The man appeared on horseback and stopped when he saw the child. He dismounted and picked him up, even though the boy clearly didn’t want to go.

  “Kyan didn’t like it but he knows not to interfere with humans — until he heard what the little boy cried out before the man hit him.”

  Taegan winced.

  “He was crying for Caleb.” The green eyes stared at Taegan. “I know Caleb, we were friends as pups.” He hesitated. “I thought he had run off until I saw him at the choosing. That was what all the packs were told.”

  “Did he see which direction they went?” He didn’t care what excuses Gage was offering for not interfering in Caleb’s torture.

  Gage reached out, put his arm around Kyan and drew him close comfortingly. “Kyan followed them until they met with a group of wolves he knows. Warwick and some of his gammas.”

  “Warwick has Gia?” Taegan burst out. It made sense though. But who was the human who took him? Then he huffed a breath. He knew. Fuck, he knew.

  “Kyan recognized the human as one of your men. He was cruel to Kyan before you all interfered.”

  Fucking Rego.

  “Then we need to go to Warwick’s,” Taegan said determinedly.

  “Wait.” Gage held up his hand. “There’s more. Kyan ran after them. His wolf scent would be recognized, so even if they smelled him they would take no notice. Warwick had another two children and he took them to the pack house.”

  “Two more?” Taegan shot an alarmed look at Silas.

  “He means to sacrifice them on Darkest Day,” Silas said to Gage.

  The wolf gaped then took a hurried breath. “Then this is even more important. Caleb appeared. The wolves made some comment about bedding one of the young girls and Caleb jumped down from one of the trees.”

  Taegan closed his eyes in despair.

  “They beat him,” Gage said quietly. “That’s when Kyan came to find me and told me all.”

  “Kyan.” They both turned at Renee’s delighted cry. Kyan grinned and ran to her, immediately being enveloped in a big hug.

  “Warwick is murdering hybrids,” Silas explained quickly. “Caleb is sacrificing himself to be the diversion we need to rescue the children.”

  Gage nodded. “There is something else.” He hesitated.

  “Let me guess,” Silas said. “Kyan has told you Caleb
is an Alpha.”

  Gage’s eyes widened. “Yes, but surely that is impossible.”

  “I believe you will know as soon as you touch him. I can—”

  “We’ve run out of time, Silas,” Taegan interrupted. “I want to go get him now.”

  “I sent birds to the Alphas not at Mason’s choosing. Alpha Senekal in particular.”

  Gage nodded approvingly at Silas. “He needs to be witnessed.”

  Taegan had no idea what that meant but he was out of patience. “I’m going now. If you are interested in helping, get the wolves who want to end this madman and meet us there.” He looked to the sky and saw the first red stripes indicating dawn. It was time.

  “I will,” Gage said and then he extended his arm to clasp Taegan’s. Taegan stared for a second, stunned; then he clasped Gage’s arm. Things were changing already.

  • • •

  Quiet voices kept threatening to bring Caleb awake but the pain beat them back every time. He knew; in some dim part of his mind he knew what had happened and where he was, but being made to wake made everything real, and he had had all the real he could cope with.

  “Caleb?”

  A tiny whisper, more a whimper than an actual sound caught his ears. Not because it was loud, but because it was familiar. He couldn’t help the groan as he tried to open his eyes. One wouldn’t focus properly, but he still recognized the little boy huddled close to him. “Gia,” he croaked, and smothered the gasp of pain as Gia pressed closer too quickly. He blinked a few times trying to focus and licked his dry lips.

  He hurt everywhere. His arm felt like it was on fire. His chest hurt every time he breathed, and his head felt like it was about to explode. But none of it compared to the utter agony in his heart when he thought of Taegan. His eyes slid closed but he wanted to cough and it was hard to catch his breath. He needed to sit up a little, but he wasn’t sure he had the strength.