Alpha Nocturne's Contracted Mate

Chapter 282 Two Choices

Greyson led the way through the shell of a building that he and his men had secured and had been using as a base to direct reconnaissance and shelter the people they had rescued.

Lexi followed behind him with Allen and Lord Brarthroroz at her side as they made their way past the curious looks of a mixture of men and civilians who had clearly been involved in some sort of fighting recently.

“We had to utilize some of the civilians that had combat experience.” Greyson explained as they descended a rusty spiral staircase into the basement area, “The men that we lost left gaps in the defense that we had to replace.”

Lord Brarthroroz hummed as Lexi and Allen shared a look between them, both of them having noticed just how beaten down the remaining members of Greyson’s original squadron were.

Greyson ushered them past civilians huddled together in various rooms, their faces etched in misery as the sound of children crying hung hauntingly in the air.

“There was no way to get all of them out safely,” Greyson said wearily as he sat on a chair, wincing as the partially healed burns pulled tightly across the surface of his skin, “This was the first break in their relentless assaults that we had, so I gathered the men that we had and set out. Hopefully, now that we have a line of communications established, we can begin ferrying them back to the capital until this f*uc*kery is cleaned up.”

“Narcissa headed the force here too?” Lexi asked as the rest of them found a place to sit.

“I don’t know for sure, but she certainly matches the description of the monstrosity that’s been harrying our men constantly.” Greyson answered as he ran his hand over his face tiredly.

“I still don’t understand how she got away,” Lexi fumed quietly, “With so many men…”

“She’s a wraith.” Lord Brarthroroz said simply, “It’s like trying to contain and kill smoke.”

“What? Like Steve?” Lexi snorted in disbelief as her father nodded quietly.

“I don’t even know who Steve is, but…how is that possible? I thought she was just… a human? I mean sure, a dark witch too, but essentially they’re just humans on steroids right?” Greyson frowned.

“She was at one point, yes… but I’m assuming that Eromaug didn’t take kindly to her losing the magick he gifted her and after enacting his punishment, he chose to prolong her misery and bind her soul to him as a wraith. She’ll serve him for eternity.” Lord Brarthroroz answered grimly.

“Well that would have been helpful to know before we threw our men at her.” Greyson growled in irritation.

“We couldn’t have known.” Allen intoned flatly, sighing deeply as he looked to Lord Brarthroroz, “So how do we kill her?”

“We have two choices, we can either wait for them to attack again, or… we can take the fight to them.” Lord Brarthroroz offered.

“Well, I’ll tell you one thing, I think we’re all sick of being holed up here like sitting ducks, waiting for them to pick us off one by one.” Greyson growled, “I say we take the fight to them.”

“Do you know where the coven is located?” Lexi asked, leaning forward in her chair eagerly.

Greyson thought for a moment and reached forward, unfolding a detailed map of the area and pointing to an area just slightly northwest of the village, and close by to the smaller containment facility that had ceased communications with the capital.

“We know that they’ve taken the containment facility.” Greyson grimaced, “We found some of the former guards that had managed to get out, but it’s

completely compromised. The former inmates have either fled in the initial assault from the coven, or were coerced into joining them. The ones that refused were executed and now hang from the walls of the facility.. .you’ll see that there weren’t many who refused to join them.”

Lord Brarthroroz scowled deeply at the map in front of him.

“If I know Eromaug, that will be the entrance to his little evil lair that he wants us to focus on. But he isn’t stupid. There is always a second entrance… one that he won’t anticipate us discovering because he’s caused so much noise around this one.”

Greyson c****d his head curiously as he watched Lord Brarthroroz scour the area around the facilities.

“I could really have used Bartholomew’s input on this.” He murmured in irritation.

“Barty-boy? Why would he be able to help?” Lexi asked.

“He’s been around since the first war, he has an incredibly astute memory for remembering all of the historical sites and specific pieces of information that the rest of us would think were irrelevant.” He rumbled before sighing heavily.

“I mean, we can just phone him Papa,” Lexi snorted, “As old as you are, you seem to forget that we have all this technology up here that means you can reach whoever you want whenever you want.”

Lord Brarthroroz looked at his daughter with an amused expression. “True, i guess I’m just used to linking people when I want something doing.” He smiled, “terribly inconvenient that it’s not considered appropriate to force myself inside people’s minds here… well…unless we’re interrogating anyway.” He shrugged, “I suppose it’s polite to ask permission first.”

Lexi rolled her eyes and looked pointedly at Greyson.

“So, are you gonna let him use your phone or what?”

He narrowed his eyes slightly as he rummaged in his backpack and handed the phone over.

“I’m going to respectfully ask when all of this is over, how an Elder manages to live that long among the shifters.”

“Why wait until then?” Lexi shrugged, “He’s part vamp. A half-breed, just like me.” Greyson and Allen frowned at her.

“You shouldn’t call yourself that.” they both said at the same time before scowling fiercely at each other.

“Look boys, I am what I am. Half Daemon, half witch. Just because some outspoken people give that phrase negative connotations, doesn’t mean I see it in the same way. I am half and half, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am unapologetically me and if they don’t like it, then they can go and blow goats as far as I’m concerned. Hybrids, half breeds, whatever they want to call us, we’re still people, just like them, and their bigotry will be their downfall. So don’t perpetuate

the notion of the insinuated negative stereotypes that you think that phrase holds, because to me, it is my truth and I’m going to own that definition like the f*****g queen that I am, do you understand?”

Allen and Greyson blinked at her in shock, a little speechless at the venom in her voice and the angry flare in her eyes.

Lexi smirked at them both as Lord Brarthroroz chuckled darkly. “And a queen you shall be when my time is done, daughter of mine.” Lord Brarthroroz grinned as he navigated to the number he needed to connect to the Enclave and pressed call.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.