The Alpha King (Kingdom of Askara #1)(68)

“Kieran is Luca’s twin brother,” Gabriel said flatly.

“He tried to kill Luca,” Taheesha whispered before Kit had a chance to react to Gabriel’s comment.

The mug wobbled alarmingly in Kit’s hands. “When?”

“On their eighteenth birthday. They poisoned him and then one of their gammas stabbed Luca while Kieran watched.”

Kit never knew. All this time and he never knew who had done it. He’d never even thought to ask when they’d met again. “I’m surprised he’s still alive,” Kit said flatly.

“Luca let him go at the time, even though he challenged him and won.” Taheesha trailed off and Kit understood how difficult it must be for her.

“And you lost contact with Luca?” Gabriel asked. Kit nodded miserably. Sascha, Gabriel, and Asher had been taken into their confidence a few days ago. Sam and Taheesha already knew. Kit had tried to speak to him constantly but there was nothing, not even an awareness. He was trying to bury his panic.

He had to keep it together. Kit leaned down and kissed Adera’s soft cheek. Don’t worry. We’re going to get Daddy back.

“I’ve sent Elliot ahead to try and make contact with Christoph. Darrin wanted to go, but Elliot can shift and run faster.” Gabriel looked back as he heard the shout from outside. “We’re ready to move. Let me know if Luca...” He stopped himself and smiled sheepishly. “Of course you will.”

Taheesha and Kit fed Ari and Adera. Asher was driving the cart and Darrin was riding alongside Sascha and Gabriel. Every single other wolf was shifted and patrolling. The snow had quickly disappeared and with every mile the air grew warmer. The suns were bright in the sky and Kit knew they would separate soon. The rest of the humans traveled in the second cart with the spare horses tied behind it. Kit could tell as soon as they got to the road and he laid a sleeping Ari in the nest of blankets next to his sister, pulled a blanket around him, and went to sit next to Asher. Elliot appeared a few minutes later, shifted, and was passed some water as he jumped up next to Asher. Sascha and Gabriel turned their horses so they were riding alongside.

“Where are we?” Kit asked.

“About a mile from the main road that leads into Neira, and less than that to the village,” Elliot said. “I saw Christoph and he’s ready to march when we are.”

“Except we can’t march without Luca,” Kit said quietly. Four heads all turned to him in a mixture of resignation and frustration.

“There’s some other news,” Elliot said somberly. “Christoph was on his way back to find us when I saw him.”

“What is it?” Sascha asked.

“Alpha Cain is dead.”

Everyone stared in astonishment except for Kit. He had been expecting this ever since he had found out who Kieran was. It was his dream. The black wolf and the white wolf weren’t Adera and Aristaad. They were Luca and Kieran.

“His heir is to be crowned tomorrow,” Elliot continued, “but Alpha Cain didn’t have a son. His beta-commander will be crowned Alpha.”

It was Kieran. It had been Kieran all along.

“And worse than that, the rumor is that he is the Alpha King.”

“He is going to pass himself off as the Alpha King?” Sascha said incredulously. “Who is this man?”

Elliot sighed. “His name is Kieran, and everyone is being encouraged to be there.”

Gabriel started and looked resigned at Kit. “We must be ready to act.”

“Still nothing?” Sascha asked, looking at Kit hopefully. Kit shook his head. “You look incredible for someone who’s just had twins,” he said cautiously.

Kit smiled. He and Taheesha, much to his chagrin, had examined himself and the hole was completely healed. He knew Luca had healed him before he left. “What’s the plan?”

“We go to the village and wait to hear from Luca,” Sascha said. “We have no choice to do anything else. Gabriel and I can shift and see what we can find, but we need to get to the village first.”

They were wrong. Even as Kit lied and nodded his agreement, he knew they were wrong, Neira was huge. They had no hope of finding Luca. He had to do something. In fact, he was probably the only person who could do something. The gammas would dismiss him as inconsequential the same everyone had done all his life, and for once he could use it to his advantage. Any werewolves or any humans the size of Asher wouldn’t get anywhere, but Kit had spent his life sneaking in and out of places. “Will Ari and Adera be safe?”

“Yes,” Sascha said firmly. “Darrin has friends that will keep them and Taheesha safe.”

That was it then. Kit had to wait for his chance, and then he had to leave.

In the end, it was simpler than he had thought. They arrived at the village in silence. Kit watched as skinny children were dragged protectively behind adults in a worse condition. They were watched with varying degrees of suspicion and Kit wanted to cry at the one thing common in all their expressions: hopelessness. Darrin stopped the first horse and they were immediately surrounded by Christoph’s men. They were quickly taken inside the nearest small stone house and the carts were hidden. The villagers offered them weak broth and thin bread, not because they were ungenerous but because it was simply all they had. When Attica and Henry had unpacked the rest of their food supplies and started cooking, along with the rest of what the wolves had caught, it was a feast and there were many people in tears.