Chapter 62

LLOYD

The skeleton gave me pause, and I hoped there weren’t any other chambers like that. The skull had been intact, and unless she had other injuries, she had been left to die most cruelly.

If this was around the same time I was cursed, Finn was king, and maybe this was why the witches made a deal with him.

I’d seen a few strands of gray hair, which meant it was not Kiralah, and I hadn’t expected it to be her. I linked Dr. Hurst and instructed him to retrieve the skeleton and report his findings.

Misty kept looking over her shoulder at Chelsea, surprise radiating from her. I was just as surprised at Chelsea’s tearful outburst. She didn’t seem the type, but picturing someone starving to death could be overwhelmingly emotional.

“The Arbor?” I asked, my eyes meeting Tanner’s.

“Okay. I’ll meet you there,” he confirmed, his arms wrapped protectively around Chelsea.

Linking Adam, I instructed him to bring a vehicle to the entrance.

Misty had made it clear—no driver’s license, no driving—so I resigned myself to the passenger seat, not having the time or patience to argue the point. One thing at a time…

Vetus laughed in my head somewhat derisively.

~“Any insight on the skeleton?”~ I asked.

~“No, whatever smell there was dissipated long ago.”~

Just another mystery that we couldn’t solve.

Bigger things loomed on the horizon. I heard the pack whispers, and the question regarding the inevitable coronation would be posed sooner or later. I knew it was unavoidable and would have to break the news to Misty.

There was no way to refuse the title, but I wanted a few changes. I fell into bed exhausted every night, although not too exhausted to make sweet love to her.

“What’s the Arbor?” Misty asked, her voice curious.

“It’s a beer garden,” I replied with a grin, leaning down to steal a quick kiss. “Lots of trees, comfy chairs—it’s pretty laid back.”

“Oh, that sounds lovely,” she mused, then linked me with a thought. ~“Make sure Adam sits next to Dawn.”~

I couldn’t help but smile. Misty made sure Adam and Dawn were always seated together. When we reached the entrance, Dawn was already there, pulling open the front passenger door for me.

I slid into the seat, mainly because the back was rather cramped. Misty, ever the force of nature, circled the car and opened the driver’s door.

“Hop in the back, Adam. I’m driving,” she declared, her tone leaving no room for debate.

I suppressed a laugh. You had to admire her aplomb as she drove confidently through the gates and stopped the car.

“Where to?” she asked.

I gave her the directions, and within ten minutes, we were seated under the shade of leafy trees, waiting for burgers and beers.

These moments felt rare and precious—away from the palace, no curse hanging over our heads anymore. The freedom was intoxicating, especially for me. I loved being outdoors with Misty by my side.

“Chelsea took it hard,” Dawn remarked, Adam sitting close beside her.

Misty nodded worriedly. “I’ve never seen her cry like that, and I’ve known her all my life. Actually, I have never seen her cry, full stop.”

My thoughts wandered to Caitrin, who cried at the drop of a hat. She’d been teased because of it and was the only one of my siblings who never teased me. I blinked the melancholy thoughts away as the beers arrived.

Pouring Misty’s beer, I took a playful sip from her glass before giving her a wink. No reaction.

“It could be a mix of things,” she said thoughtfully. “She felt guilty after you reprimanded her about Chef Petros’s food. Here we were, eating like kings while someone starved to death.”

I frowned. “I didn’t reprimand her, and it’s not like we could’ve saved her. She died centuries ago.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Adam said, frustration etched on his face. He’d resumed his guard post but was on call for any jobs I had for him.

“Tell him what we discovered, Dawn,” Misty said casually, then leaned forward and grabbed my beer, taking a long gulp with a smirk.

“Who’s that?” I asked, squinting toward the entrance. Misty followed my gaze as I took a swig from her glass.

She tilted her head, eyeing me with amusement. “I spat in your beer.”

I burst out laughing. “No wonder it tastes so good.”

She shook her head, laughing too. These little moments build history, and I loved every second of getting to know her better.

I couldn’t wait to feed her and still wanted to whisk her away, but just as I thought I was getting a handle on things, I found myself at a loss with the next query.

Without Misty’s and Tanner’s help, I would have drowned in a never-ending sea of jargon and processes.

~“I agree, we need some alone time.”~ Vetus seconded. ~“I already hate that stupid computer.”~

~“You and me both…”~

While ordering a second round of beer, my eyes flicked to the entrance, wondering why Tanner was taking so long, and all of a sudden, I felt a shadow on my heart.

“What do you think, Lloyd?” Misty asked me.

I hadn’t been following the conversation. “About feeding you? I can’t wait.”

Misty shook her head, heat blossoming across her cheeks. “No, I mean about the witch we found…”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t even know there was another chamber. But judging by the remnants of her robe, she’s from the same era as me. I never overheard talk about her, but maybe that’s why the witches agreed to help Finn.”

“You might be right.” Misty nodded.

“I’m always right,” I said with a cheeky grin.

“You wish you were,” Misty sassed, grabbing my beer and downing half of it.

“I guess I’ll be driving.” Dawn grinned knowingly.

Grabbing Misty’s hand, I kissed her palm before sitting back with a sigh of satisfaction. “It takes a lot more than two beers to get me drunk. I’ll drive back.”

Misty’s eyes narrowed, and she took a deep breath, but before she could find a retort, Tanner linked me.

~“Alpha, we need you back here. We’ve got an odd situation.”~

~“What kind of situation?”~ I asked, sitting up straight.

~“A woman. I can’t quite place her scent. There’s this spicy tang to it, similar to Misty’s. And something else too—something I can’t identify. She’s insisting she needs to speak to the new alpha king.”~

~“Who is she?”~

~“She says her name is Yamika McBain.”~

I froze. McBain. Kiralah’s last name. My mind raced as I processed the connection.

~“We’ll be there shortly,”~ I replied, finishing my beer in one long gulp. Witches—related to Kiralah, no less. Was it one of them who had given Misty her powers? Did the coven still exist?

And, more importantly, would this Yamika know anything about it?

“What’s going on?” Misty asked, her hand resting on my forearm, concern flickering in her eyes.

“A woman named Yamika McBain is waiting to speak with us,” I explained, my voice steady despite the surge of questions in my mind.

Misty shot out of her chair, her eyes wide with surprise and anticipation. “Maybe she knows how all this came about?” Grabbing the keys off the table, she motioned to Dawn and Adam.

“Wait, Misty,” I said, gently grabbing her wrist before she could rush off. “We let her speak, but we don’t give her any information.”

My voice carried a note of warning, the old prejudices bubbling to the surface. This entire situation was a little suspicious.

Misty paused, her brow furrowed as she looked at me, searching for the reason behind my sudden caution. “Why? What do you think she wants?”

“That’s just it,” I muttered, releasing her wrist but keeping my eyes on hers. “We don’t know.” My mind churned through the possibilities—why now? “Why seek out the new alpha king, of all people?”

Misty’s lips tightened, but she nodded slowly. “You think she’s a threat?”

“I think we have to treat her like she could be,” I said, my tone firm. “The covens—if they’re still around—have hidden themselves for a reason. We let her talk and see what she wants.”

Misty drove back to the palace silently, and through the bond, I knew her mind was churning as much as mine. Adam and Dawn sat silently in the back.

Leaving Adam to park the car, I reached for Misty’s hand, the warmth of her fingers grounding me as we made our way toward the Administration section.

A scent hit me as we approached—strong, unmistakable, and strange. Tanner had been right; there was something off about it.

The smell was sharp and spicy, like cinnamon mixed with something more feral, almost feline. It clung to the air in a way that felt unnatural and set my instincts on edge. My pulse quickened; who—or what—were we about to face?

“I can smell her already,” I muttered under my breath, my grip on Misty’s hand tightening slightly. The scent wasn’t just unusual—it was unsettling. There was a rawness to it that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Misty nodded, her expression tense. “I feel it too,” she whispered. “Where will we speak to her? I don’t want to do it in the throne room.”

“We’ll use the boardroom in the accounts department,” I said decisively, linking Tanner as he came into view.

“That’s where I put her. But before we go in, let me warn you, the woman is strange. Do you know she stood in the parking lot mumbling for about a minute? Couldn’t catch what she was saying, but I’m not sure the lift stops on all floors.”

Unease filled me.

As we neared the boardroom, the scent thickened, becoming more pronounced with every step. The spiciness carried a hint of something wild, something that felt both predatory and elusive.

It reminded me of a cat stalking in the shadows—silent, deliberate, waiting. I’d never encountered witches with this kind of scent. It wasn’t human, yet it wasn’t fully animal, either.

It was as though something ancient lurked beneath the surface, hidden just out of reach.

“She’s not like the others,” I said quietly, more to myself than to Misty. “Whatever she is, she’s different.”

Misty squeezed my hand gently, her eyes meeting mine. “We’ll handle it.”

I motioned for Tanner to stay, and he followed us in. What kind of power could a witch like Yamika hold, and what did she want with me? We were about to find out.

My gaze fastened on her as she got to her feet gracefully, dressed in a simple tunic. Her hair was darker than Misty’s, almost blue-black, and her eyes slanted just like a cat’s and were sea green.

“You are the alpha king?” she purred through a mouth painted blood red.

“I am Lloyd Tenebris, and this is my mate Misty. What business do you have with us?” I asked, pulling a chair out for Misty while I remained standing behind her.

“I have come to reclaim my ancestor’s grimoire,” she stated, sitting elegantly and crossing her legs.