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OLEN: The Rebirth. Chapters 1-10
THE ALPHA ONYX SERIES

OLEN: The Rebirth. Chapters 1-10

Book 5.

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CherryKel
Jan 14, 2024
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OLEN: The Rebirth. Chapters 1-10
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Chapter 1: Not Again.

~Olen Dreklaus Malik

Age: 4 years old.

I heard mummy go ‘Ahh!’ from outside, so I ran to see.

Daddy sighed and joined Mum in the garden, where an army of miniature gargoyles were on the lawn.

“Gargoyles eating vampires? That’s a new one,” he says, inspecting the gargoyles.

Mum rolls her eyes. “I’m serious! I saw one of them move. Just like in those horror movies.”

Daddy chuckled. “Love, those are just decorations. They can’t move. Must be your imagination playing tricks on you.”

But just as he spoke, one of the gargoyles twitched slightly.

Mum pointed triumphantly. “See! I told you!”

Daddy raised an eyebrow, moving closer to Mum. “Well, this is unexpected.”

All the statues started moving, and their eyes glowed. Mum and Daddy were surprised. I think our garden is magic now, and the statues will take us on an adventure!

“I don’t think we bought ordinary garden ornaments,” Mum whispered as she and Daddy started moving backwards slowly.

Daddy smirked. “Well, at least they’re entertaining. Beats the usual flowers and shrubs.”

I shouted, “Daddy, look out!” because one jumped at him.

Daddy’s really strong; he punched it, and it broke into pieces. But there were more and more coming and they were really mad.

“Olen go back inside and tell mummy to meet us in the garden,” Daddy tells me.

“Otay.” I run back inside to find mummy. “Mummy! Mummy!”

“Oly? Baby, what’s wrong?”

“The garden gargoyles are trying to eat daddy and mum in the garden.”

she laughs. “Are they now?” She picks me up and kisses me. I giggle. I like hugs and kisses. “Shall we go save them?”

“Yep,” I grin at mummy as she carries me to the garden.

“Daddy and mum are like superheroes, mummy.”

“I see. And the bad guys are my new garden gargoyles?”

“Yep.”

When we got outside Mummy’s eyes went big when she saw Daddy and Mum fighting off the gargoyles. The gargoyles were just as fast as mum and daddy.

“What in the…” Mummy is really surprised.

“See, I told you.” Mummy squeezes me tighter, her pink eyes glowing.

“Li, honey,” Mum calls out, “I thought we were just decorating the garden,” she says, giving a swift kick to one of the gargoyles. “Not starting a gargoyle rebellion.”

Daddy grins, “Well, you did say the garden needed a bit of excitement.”

Mummy rolls her eyes, “I meant maybe a new plant or some colourful stones, not a full-on stone army!”

“Looks like we got quite an upgrade from flowers to living statues now. Very avant-garde,” mum says.

“Don’t think they got the memo about being just decorations!” Daddy says as he smashes another one. “Who knew our garden could be so lively?”

The gargoyles were making funny noises, like growling. I didn’t like it. I bury my head into mummy’s neck. Mummy says one of her fancy words and when I look up, they are all turned to dust covering the grass.

“Is this about me not telling you the secret recipe?” Mum asks mummy as she dusts herself off. She and Daddy were covered in grey dust.

Mummy giggles and puts me down. “Sweetheart why don’t you go play with your toys?”

“But I want to play with the gargoyles too.”

“We’ll buy you one that doesn’t have a craving for flesh,” Daddy winks at me. “Go play.”

“Oh-tay.”

Mummy says that if I stay in my room and play with my toys, I can call Meka later. She’s my friend, and she talks to me over the phone. Meka is really nice, and we chat about lots of things. She tells me about her day and asks about mine. Sometimes, we even sing songs together. Mummy says when I’m older I can go visit Meka. That’s otay, though, because I can still hear her voice and see her smile on the phone and it makes me happy. I like having my own special friend to talk to on the phone. Meka makes everything more fun, and I don’t feel lonely when she’s around.

“What happened to the lawn?” Sappy asks.

“Why are you guys covered in dust?” Lettie asks.

I drop my truck and scamper to the door. Sappy and Lettie are home! Yay, they can play with me. I swing open the door and sneak out of the room. I wonder if it’s time to call Meka yet. Mummy says she’s sick and that’s why she hasn’t called.

“My baby’s home!” Mum squeals. “I thought you guys were in Africa?”

“We wanted to check on Oly,” Sappy said.

“Huh…Sweeties you know I love yous like you’re my only daughters—”

“We are your only daughters,” they tell Mum together.

“You could have video called, not that I don’t love seeing your beautiful faces. So out with it.”

“What we can’t visit our big bro?” Lettie asks.

“You really expect me to believe you came all this way to see your brother?”

“Yes,” they said together.

“Uhh-huh. Where are Flynn and Ike?”

“Checking out the weird dust that covered the lawn,” Sappy says.

“What’s that about anyway?” Lettie asks.

“Your mothers bought gargoyles,” Daddy tells them.

“And they tried to eat us,” mum says.

“Eat you?” Sappy asks.

“Huh?” Lettie says.

Everyone turns to mummy. She looks sad. I don’t like to see mummy sad.

“Sapphire, Vio? I didn’t know you guys were coming?” Nix says.

“Why aren’t you in Romania?” Sappy asks her.

“So it is true,” Lettie growls.

“What’s true?” Mum asks. “Someone better answer me or butts will be whooped.” Mum is serious.

“I’m not sure, exactly what’s going on,” Mummy says her pink eyes filled with tears.

“Li?” Mum moves in closer to her. “What’s going on?”

“Their bond has been…broken.”

“Bond? Whose bon— shut the front door. How? What? When did this happen? Is this why she hasn’t called? And why am I the last to find out?”

“Probably because you’ll murder the poor thing in her sleep,” Aunt Scarlet says walking in with Aunt Luna by her side.

“Pfft, I wouldn’t murder her in her sleep.” She shrugs. “I’d wait till she wakes.”

“See, if I had said that you two would have shot bloody daggers at me,” Daddy scoffs.

“This is different,” Mum says.

“Really, how so?” Dad folded his arms.

“We are mothers, duh. But that doesn’t excuse you two from keeping this from me. Is this why you all are here?”

Aunt Scarlet exchanged a glance with Aunt Luna before speaking, “Well, part of the reason. The other is I miss my best friend and wanted to spend some time with you.”

“Don’t try to butter me up,” Mum snorts. “You all think I couldn’t handle the truth?” Everyone looked away. “Unbelievable.” She flings her arms in the air.

“Blue, sweetheart we know how protective you are of Oly,” Mummy tells her. “We want to be sure before we worry you.”

“Does he know?” Mum asks. “I mean can he feel anything?”

“I masked it,” Mummy tells her.

“We heard rumours.” Sappy frowns. “That she was…”

“A two-timing little slag who couldn’t keep her legs shut,” Lettie says.

What’s a slag?

“I don’t know what happened,” Nix says in a sad voice. “I left her on the phone with Oly, and when I came back she was gone. No one saw her leave, and her scent was erased as if she was never there. But her stuff was still there. It made no sense.”

“Magic?” Sappy says.

“No one would have dared to trespass into the domain of one of the most feared kings and his BloodReapers,” Aunt Luna scoffs. “Especially with Lia’s protective boundary spell in place.”

“Which wasn’t even triggered,” Nix tells them.

“You think someone kidnapped her?” Sappy asks.

“Because, you know, during a kidnapping, the natural instinct is to stick your tongue down the throat of your captor,” Lettie says. “Classic Stockholm Syndrome move. Forget ransom notes, just engage in some passionate tonsil hockey, and you’ll be released in no bloody time.”

“We need to figure out what happened and how to fix it. Oly’s well-being is at stake,” Mum says.

“Blue’s right,” Mummy says. “We need to be on top of this.”

“What happened to the lead?” Daddy asked Aunt Luna.

“We lost her in London.”

“That little skank is here?” Mum asks.

Aunt Luna nods, her expression serious. “It’s like she’s one step ahead of us. Someone is helping her. Someone powerful.”

“I’ll rip her heart out,” Mum growls.

Daddy steps in, trying to calm her. “Blue, we need a plan. Losing your cool won’t help Oly.” Mum shoots him a glare, but he continues. “She must have a reason to do what she did.”

“She better, so help me I’ll feed her to the gargoyles.”

“Gargolyes?” Aunt Scarlet asks.

“We were attacked by garden decorations,” Daddy tells her.

Aunt Luna says, “We need to act discreetly. The less attention we draw, the better.”

Mummy adds, “I agree. We need to be smart about this, the last thing we need is all of his enemies finding out how vulnerable he is.”

Lettie nods. “I’ve got a few contacts who owe me a favour. I can reach out to them. If she’s here, we’ll find her.”

“Their bond didn’t just gradually weaken. It was more like it vanished in an instant,” Mummy says.

“Did she choose another mate?” Sappy’s eyes went wide.

“That bitch,” Violet growls.

“I’ll rip her heart out,” Mum growls. Daddy wrapped his arms around Mum pulling her in closer.

“Love, calm down.”

“Don’t even try telling me to calm down. That mutt just shattered our baby’s heart, and he’s blissfully unaware. What if this becomes the new trigger for his other side? You remember what happened last time. Spending years unable to hold him, unable to comfort him — that’s not a rerun I’m keen on living through. This time was supposed to be different. He’d grow up, as ‘normal’ as a Fae hybrid prince can be, claim his mate, and take the throne when the time is right. But no, destiny is a bitch who has other plans.”

“All of that could still happen, Blue,” Mummy tells mum.

“Fat chance,” Mum snorts. “Especially if that bitch triggered his dark side.”

“I cloak the bond successfully. It felt like a quick tummy ache to him. As he grows older, the bond naturally will fade away. He won’t have a clue what it is or feel the pain and heartache that comes with it. He’s safe, and he’ll never, ever become that person. From this moment forward, the dark prince shall only be known as the Vampire Prince.”

“I just don’t want him to be alone,” Mum says in a sad voice. “He rejected one connection that nearly wiped him out of existence, found another that he marked, and was punished for it. I don’t know if there’s going to be a third mate out there for him. The universe doesn’t just hand out mates willy-nilly. He’s been through so much. I just want him to find love, companionship—someone who understands the complexities of his world. Someone who would be there for him. Someone who would love him unconditionally. Some who would stand by his side through thick and thin or a gargoyle attack.”

“That’s precisely why we need to find her and figure out what’s going on. Their bond was growing stronger each day,” Mummy explains. “It doesn’t make sense. She loved Oly, and he adored her. He might not fully comprehend their bond, but he feels it.”

“Meka would have never left,” Nix says. “She loved Olen.”

“Meka? Call Meka?”

Everyone turned to me.

“Sweetie how long were you standing there,” Mummy asks as she walks over to me and picks me up.

“Not long. Where’s Meka? Is it time to call Meka?” Everyone looks sad and quiet. “Why is everyone sad?”

“Baby boy, how about me and you go play with your choo-choo?”

“Really?” Choo-choo is my favourite toy because Meka got it for me. She likes trains too.

“Sure thing.” Mum reached out for me and I went to her. She kisses me lots and squeezes me.

“Is it time to call Meka?”

“I’m going to rip her ticker out and shove it down her suck hole,” Mum said with a weird smile as she squeezed me and peppered my face with kisses.

“Can we call Meka now?”

“Later, my love.”

“You promise?”

Mum’s eyes have water inside. “Don’t cry.” I kiss her eyes like she does to me when I cry. “Be a big girl.”

She sniffles. “Okay. I’m a big girl.”

Suddenly, we heard a loud noise. We went to see what it was. Ike was lying on the floor, and the door was on top of him. He looked hurt and was covered in red stuff. Mum quickly turned me away, burying my head in her neck so I wouldn’t see. It was scary, and I didn’t like it. I wanted to go back to playing with my toys and not see the red stuff on Ike.

“Ike?!”

“What happened?”

The grown-ups were talking in hushed voices. I tugged at Mum’s shirt, wanting to know what happened, but she gently shushed me and kept me facing the other way.

“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice small and worried.

“Ike got a little hurt, sweetheart,” Mum says. “But he’s going to be okay.”

My lower lip quivered, and I hugged Mum tightly. “I don’t want Ike to be hurt.”

“I know, baby. We don’t want that either. But he’s strong, he’ll be all better soon.”

I nodded, still feeling a bit scared but trusting Mum’s words. I wished Ike would be okay soon so we could go play. “Baby boy, why don’t you take choo-choo out and I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Otay.” I ran as fast as I could back to my playroom when the phone started to ring. It must be Meka. I climb up on the chair and pick up the phone.

There was no video.

“Hello?”

“Meka! Why can’t I see you?”

“I’m out back, come around.”

“Otay.” I hang up the phone and hurry to the back door.

“Meka?” I open the back door excited to see Meka in person. She was standing on the porch. But she was different. Her eyes were black, not the colour I liked. And her skin looked too white. She even cut her long brown hair like a boy. It was weird.

I stared at her for a moment, confused. “Meka, you look funny. Did you become a ghost?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

Meka chuckled a strange and hollow sound. Her teeth were longer and pointy, they looked different and it made me feel funny. “No, sweetie, I’m not a ghost. I just... changed a bit.”

“Why?” I pouted, not liking the change. “I like your old colours better. Your eyes are black, not grey like before. And your skin is too white,” I pointed out, scrunching my face.

Meka chuckled, her laughter sounding strange. “Well, sometimes people change how they look. It’s a part of life.”

“I don’t want you to change,” I said, crossing my tiny arms. “You were pretty before.” I looked at her long claws, dripping red stuff like Ike and my eyes widened. “Did you hurt yourself, Meka?”

She shook her head, but I didn’t like the way her hair was cut now. “No, darling, I’m okay.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I don’t like it. Can you go back to how you were?”

“I wish I could, baby boy, but this is how I am now.”

I didn’t quite understand, but I nodded anyway. “Otay, but can you still sing and tell me stories?”

“Of course, sweetheart. I’ll always sing for you and tell you stories. How about we do that right now?”

“Otay.”

“Come outside on the deck.”

“Stay away from my son!” Mum growls, snatching me up before I can play with Meka.

“Olen!” Mummy hugs me and starts kissing me. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, it’s only Meka, mummy.”

“Who the fuck you think you are?” Daddy growls all scary-like. “Coming into my home and try to take my son.”

“She’s my friend,” I tell Daddy so he wouldn’t be that mad.

“That’s not your friend baby,” Mum says to me.

“Yes, it is! That’s Meka.”

“Not the Meka we know,” Mummy says.

“And what do you know about me?” She hisses at mummy.

“Watch your tone,” Daddy warns her through his teeth.

“Meka, what happened?” Nix asks. She looks surprised.

“It’s a long story, Nix. Things have changed, and I had to adapt.”

“Changed? What do you mean changed?” Sappy asks.

“I’ve embraced a different aspect of myself, a side that’s been dormant for too long.”

“Dormant? What the hell are you bloody talking about, Meka?” Daddy demands standing in front of Mum and me protectively.

Meka met his gaze, her black eyes scary. “Let’s just say, I’ve found a newfound power within me, a power that comes with a price.”

“A price?” Daddy asks. “What kind of price?”

“A price that I’ve willingly paid to right the wrongs that were done to the people I love.”

“She’s dripping in dark magic,” Mummy says standing beside Daddy. Her pink eyes glowed brightly. “What have you done?”

“She sold her soul to the devil,” Ike said, limping towards Aunt Luna and Aunt Scarlet.

Meka laughed. It scared me. I hugged Mum even tighter, burying my face in her neck.

“You all are nothing but a stain on this world. Crossbred freaks that delude yourselves into thinking you’re better than everyone. Generations of abominations breeding more abominations like some twisted parody of life.”

“Tell us how you really feel?” Mum said with a scoff.

“You’re all an insult to the purity that this world deserves. A blight on the natural order. Your existence is a mockery of everything that is sacred, a stain that won’t wash away. You’re a joke, a sad excuse for life, and the sooner you all realize it, the better.” Why is Meka being so mean? “You think you can just mix and match, play with the laws of nature? The very idea of your kind polluting the bloodlines is sickening.”

Sappy stepped forward “Meka, this hatred isn’t you.”

Meka sneered, her lips curling into an evil smile. “Oh, you think you know me? Pathetic.”

“Meka, if there’s any part of you left, fight against this darkness,” Nix tells her. “Let us help you.”

Meka’s laughter echoed through the house. “Help me? I don’t need your help. There’s nothing left to fight for. I’ve seen the truth, and it’s time for the world to see it. I am free thanks to my master. That bond would have been the biggest mistake in my life.”

“You think that’s the biggest mistake in your life?” mum asks. “Have you looked in a mirror lately?”

“Meka sweetheart, let us help you,” mummy tells her.

“What don’t you freaks get?” she hisses. “I don’t want your help! I will not be bonded with that abomination who should have been exterminated but got lucky.”

“You bitch,” Lettie takes a step forward towards Meka.

“If you want to see that beloved of yours again, I wouldn’t do that,” Meka sings.

Lettie’s eyes widen in shock.

“Meka?” Sappy takes a step closer, tears in her eyes. “Where is Flynn?”

“If he was dead you would know.” She waves her off.

“What do you want?” Daddy asks.

“What do I want?” Meka taps her chin thoughtfully. “Oh, just a bit of chaos, a sprinkle of despair, and a dash of revenge. Is that too much to ask?” She grins wickedly. “But don’t worry, I won’t let your precious son become collateral damage... unless, of course, you don’t play nice.”

“Play nice, how?” Mummy asks.

“Relinquish the throne.”

Daddy laughs. “You must be out of your bloody mind.”

“Or smoking some new-age mutt crack,” Mum says.

“I thought you would say that,” Meka said. “Last Chance.”

“Don’t do this,” Mummy says. “He’s a baby.”

“He’s an abomination.”

“He’s your mate,” mum tells her.

“Mate?”

“Shit,” Mum said.

“Mummies and Daddy are mates. So are Sappy, Lettie and Flynn. Ike and Nix haven’t found their mate yet. Does this mean we be together forever?”

Meka laughed, a cruel sound. “Together forever? You think I want that pathetic bond? You’re all destined for destruction. Your so-called ‘forever’ will be nothing but ashes.”

My bottom lip quivered, tears filled my eyes. My chest hurts and inside feels funny. “Don’t listen to her, baby,” Mummy whispered, squeezing me tighter.

“Meka let us help you,” Aunt Scarlet says. “This isn’t you. That’s Olen. Your wolf—”

“Is dead.”

Everyone went silent.

“Why? How are you still alive? A werewolf without a wolf is…” Aunt Luna’s voice trails off in shock.

“As good as dead?” Meka tilts her head to the side. “Baby boy, it’s not your fault you were born. So, I don’t hate you. I just can’t have a disgrace like you. I, Meka Payton, reject you as my mate.”

A strange feeling churns in my tummy.

“Ha, jokes on you; that won’t work,” Mom smirks at her.

Meka bursts into laughter, clutching her stomach.

“What’s so funny?” Dad growls.

“Other than that haircut,” Mum says.

Meka shot her a dirty look. “Do you know how long it took me to find those gargoyles?”

“You sent gargoyles to eat us? How original,” Mum rolls her eyes.

Mummy takes a closer look at the dust that clings to my skin. “What is this?” She sniffs it.

“What did you do to my boy?” Daddy growls, stepping towards Meka.

“Careful, King. With a snap of my fingers, I could have your daughter’s beloved head on a stick. But I’m feeling generous today,” Meka smirks.

Daddy’s eyes blaze with fury, but he stops himself. “Explain, so help me Meka your death will be painfully slow and agonizing.”

Meka chuckles wickedly. “Well, it’s a special concoction. Not harmful, per se, but let’s say, a reminder of consequences.”

Daddy narrows his eyes impatiently. “What kind of consequences?”

Meka grins. “I wasn’t sure how to get the dust on him, so I thought one of you could do that for me. So thank, Blue, for that.”

“Fu— piss off.”

“You see the dust on his skin has the charming ability to dismantle any lingering spell or hex. It’s a little gift from me, just to add a dash of excitement to our lives.”

Daddy clenches his fists. “You meddle with my family, and you call it interesting? I don’t think you comprehend the consequences of your actions. Do you know who I am?”

Meka simply smirks, her confidence unshaken. “Oh, I understand perfectly and know exactly who you are.”

My chest and heart hurt a lot. It felt like my tummy was full of big, heavy rocks, and even breathing was super hard. “Mummy, my chest feels weird and I can’t breathe,” I cry. My skin burns and I feel something deep inside me is fighting to get out.

“No,” Mummy starts to cry. “No, no, no.”

It promises to take the pain away if I let it in. “I’m scared.”

“Li?” Mum starts crying. “What’s happening? Why is his skin getting so hot?”

“She broke the masking spell.”

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Chapter 2: Up in Flames.

~16 years later…

Purge. Purge. Purge. Purge.

I jerk awake, the same fucking nightmare. That day remains etched in my mind, as vivid as if it happened yesterday. I could still hear the darkness call out to me, urging me to let it in, to mend what she ruthlessly shattered with a few callous bloody words. The pain started as a small ember, but by the time it had its way with me, the manor went up in flames, birds plummeted from the sky like hail, and the heavens turned as black as my heart. All I bloody wanted was to see her, and in return, she left me broken—a mere four-year-old lad. The anguish and terror etched on my family’s faces are memories I can never erase. She did that.

Oddly enough, I should thank her, for without her, I might never have triggered my dark side. Again. In the aftermath of that twisted event, my memories slowly started to return to me. I began to recall who I am, and before I knew it, I was back to my homicidal self, and the bitter disappointment to my family who only wished the best for me.

Fortunately for Esme, the cunt who cursed me, Grandma Luna and my mothers took care of her. And, just for good measure, I may or may not have flayed her brothers alive.

“Fire!” The urgent cries pierce through the air, mingling with blaring alarms, wailing sirens, screams and the chaotic shuffle of panicked footsteps.

The room’s ablaze, and the humans are losing their bloody minds as if they’ve never seen fire before. The ceiling could collapse any second now, not that it would kill me. As the chaos unfolds around me, I can’t help but revel in the absurdity. Humans scurried like ants, afraid of getting their precious little lives singed by the flames. I chuckle, not a care in the world. The fire rages on, but it’s not the flames that bother me—it’s the annoying predictability of the human panic that truly grates on my nerves. This is why I hate staying at human-run establishments, even if it’s for one night.

So a few hundred of them meet their fiery demise. Big deal, right? It’s not like it’s the end of the world. They’re like ants, countless insects scurrying about. Squish one and a thousand more emerge to take their place. They roam the planet, blissfully oblivious to who truly runs things. In their tiny minds, they believe they’re in control, masters of their destinies. Little do they know, they’re mere puppets, dancing to a tune played by forces they can’t even fathom. It’s a joke, really — a play performed on the stage of their ignorance.

Given my family tree, you'd think I'd cut humans some slack. So, while I couldn't care less about the human population, I do my best not to obliterate them on a whim, all in the name of respecting Grandma and Mums.

Sure, I've got this lineage, but it doesn't make me a card-carrying member of the Human Fan Club. In fact, I've perfected the art of not giving two fucks about them. Still, in a bizarre show of consideration for the family matriarchs – Grandma and Mums – I somehow manage to stifle the urge to turn every encounter into a bloodbath. It's a balancing act, you know? Keeping up appearances while resisting the temptation to thin out the human herd.

I roll off the bed, narrowly escaping the collapsing ceiling. In the blink of an eye, I’m out of the room, swiftly descending the stairs to the underground garage. Luckily, I keep a spare set of clothes in my car. I pull on a tee shirt and shift the car into drive mode. Just as I drive out of the garage, an explosion resonates behind me.

The entire penthouse is consumed by flames as the fire department futilely attempts to quell the inferno. There’s no dousing this blaze, and being the generous bastard I am, I decide to lend a helping hand. With a flick of my wrist, all the pipes in the hotel burst, extinguishing the fire. I had to make it look somewhat logical– a miraculous fire self-extinguishing draws too much attention, but then again, so do pink flames.

Ah, fuck it.

My phone starts to ring. “Answer.”

“You blew up a hotel!” A hologram of my sister pops up on the dashboard.

She looked pissed.

“Hello sis, how are you? I’m well, thanks.”

“Have you gone bonkers?”

“I prefer to think of myself as creatively unhinged. It’s all about perspective really.” I winked.

“Mums and dad are furious. You know the hunters are looking for a reason to—”

“To what? I can easily put an end to that nonsense if the all-mighty King would say the word.”

“And what word is that?” My father popped into the scene. He looks pissed too.

“Hello father, how’s mums?”

“Don’t play with me lad,” he growls. Oh, he’s really pissed. “Have you lost your bloody mind? We’re already on thin ice with the hunters, and you pull a stunt like this?”

“Thin ice? More like a thin crust on a volcano.”

Violet crossed her arms, exasperated. “You’re insufferable.”

“Insufferably entertaining. Did you see those flames?”

Dear old dad’s face darkens, fury evident in his azure blue eyes. “You find this amusing, Olen? You jeopardize everything we’ve worked for!”

“I find it amusing that you still believe in those outdated principles. Maybe it’s time for the old man to catch up with the times.”

He grits his teeth, “You are playing a dangerous game, Olen.”

“Life is a game, Father, and I’m just playing it better than most,” I smirk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I can’t hologram and drive.”

“The car drives itself,” Voilet snorts.

“That reminds me.” I deactivated the self-drive mode and went manual. “Now I’m driving, see? Gotto to go.”

“Olen—”

“Olen don’t—”

I ended the call, not in the mood for another disappointing lecture. I swear Lettie is turning into our father. She even mastered his disappointing-what-the-fuck-are-you-thinking glare with unnerving precision. My sisters suddenly treat me like I am the little brother they need to protect and scold. I’m the eldest for fuck sake. Not my fault I was cursed to a babe. Now that I’m back it doesn’t mean I’m less of a homicidal prick. They expect me to be a reformed angel, a changed man returning from the abyss. Little do they realize, I am the very embodiment of the abyss itself. If anything, some might argue that I’ve become a more ruthless version of the homicidal prick they once knew. And who could blame them? They are, after all, dealing with the Dark Prince 2.0. I’m even more fucked up than before, who would have seen that coming? I suppose when the female you marked and almost deemed fit to be your queen, turned out to be a traitor and more psychotic than you— it leaves a mark. Who would hurt an innocent lad who adored her? Sure, as a man, I was no saint to her, but I never inflicted that kind of pain. Even I would never hurt a child. Okay, maybe not entirely true, I’ve done things where children were the casualties. But I can honestly say I’ve never targeted a child or tried to murder one in their sleep. Some lines even I don’t cross.

The worse part is I was ready to give her the entire fucking world if she had only asked. Instead, she triggered my demons and attempted to murder me in my sleep. Dodged a bullet there, or in this case, a wolf. The new Meka is a lot of things, but I never thought she would become a child killer. She wasn’t the first to try to harm our family, and she certainly won’t be the last.

I turned off the highway, heading downtown. I had a mate to visit—someone who had been spreading unsavoury rumours about me being hexed. True, I was, but not everyone needed to know that. It wasn’t good for the reputation. I pulled into the strip club he frequented and waited.

Not long after, there he was. I stepped out of the car and trailed him as he cluelessly staggered towards his vehicle. He reeked of human whores, liquor, and cheap perfume. An omega mutt. The only warmth he could find was in the arms of humans. No self-respecting she-wolf would be caught dead with an omega, and his scent betrayed the desperation of a lone wolf seeking solace in the wrong places with all the wrong people.

“Ah, hello, mate,” I drawled. “I’ve been meaning to have a little chat with you.”

He sobers up quickly, his eyes wide with fear. “My-My prince.”

“Surprised?”

“I-I-”

“No need to be scared I just want a friendly conversation. You know, the kind that leaves an indelible mark on your very soul.” All the colour drains from his face, I love that look. “I’ve heard you’ve been spreading tales, whispering secrets that weren’t yours to tell. Tsk, tsk, Naughty, naughty.”

He swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously around, and the unmistakable scent of piss permeated the air. At least he didn’t shit himself. Yet. “I-I didn’t mean any harm. It was just a joke. I swear.”

“Jokes?” I nod. “My, my, humour is such a subjective thing. What you find amusing, others might find... unsettling.”

I take a step closer, he stumbles backwards until he crashes against his car and hits the ground. “Fear not, mate, I appreciate a good jest. In fact, I think we should share a laugh together.”

“You-you do?”

“Sure, why not? In fact, I know a good joke. Wanna hear it?”

“Ye-yes,” he stammers.

“Knock, knock.”

“Who-who’s there?”

“It’s your impending doom.”

“P-please, I-I-I don’t understand.”

“Oh, you will.” My voice takes on a darker tone.

“I beg you, mercy!”

“Mercy?” I chuckled sinisterly. I crouch down to look the fucker in the eyes. “Let’s hope the flames are more merciful than I am.”

“Please—” With a snap of my fingers, he bursts into flames.

I walked back to my car as his agonizing screams pierced the night air. Humans ran towards him to help, as he screamed and flailed like a headless chicken engulfed in bright, pink, beautiful flames. By the time I got into my car and settled in, the screaming had stopped. Guess the flames were more merciful.

My phone rings again. What now? “Answer.”

“The king is already in Romania,” Ike said while being sucked off.

“I know.”

“Nice fireworks by the way.”

I feigned modestly. “Oh, you noticed? I do have a knack for making an entrance or in this case, an exit.”

“That you do,” he chuckles. “Did you find the mutt?”

“Too easy.”

“Did you kill him?”

A sardonic smile tugged at my lips. “I prefer to think of it as pruning the garden. Sometimes you need to remove the weeds to let the flowers bloom.”

“So, you killed him.”

I chuckled condescendingly. “Let’s not dwell on details. We both know it was a necessary course of action.”

I could almost hear Ike rolling his eyes on the other end. “You always have a poetic way of justifying things.”

“It’s a gift. Now Ike, was there a reason beyond idle chit-chat for this call or did you simply miss the sound of my captivating voice?”

“What can’t I call to make sure you didn’t piss off another fae princess?” he teased.

Only a handful of people in my life have the privilege to joke about that, and unfortunately, this prick happened to be one of them.

I chuckled at Ike’s attempt at humour. “Why Ike, I didn’t realize you missed my charming infant babble. But you know, I’m all grown up now, navigating the treacherous waters of adulting. Try to keep up.”

His laughter echoed through the car. “Can’t blame a guy for checking. You’ve always been a bit of an enigma.”

“Enigma, genius, debonair – call it what you will. I’ve earned my titles,” I replied with a hint of arrogance.

“Oh, absolutely. You’re practically a legend in your own mind,” Ike teased.

I couldn’t help but play along. “Well, someone has to appreciate the genius and stellar good looks.”

“How modest of you.”

“Thank you for noticing.”

“Leave us,” he commanded the female sucking him off. She bows her head, tits hanging out of her dress. Nice tits. I might have to visit her later.

“That important, huh?”

“You never know who you can trust these days.” He adjusted himself before sitting up with a serious look on his face. “We’ve got whispers about some new hunter on the scene. They go by the name the Hybrid Horror.”

“Hybrid Horror?” I scoffed. “Sounds like a B-list villain. What’s his claim to fame?”

“He skins hybrids and brands his initials into them. No one knows who he is or what he looks like.”

“I wonder if his techniques are better than mine?” Maybe I’ll have to pay this Hybrid Horror a visit and see if we can compare our craftsmanship.

“If you find him maybe you two can swap notes.”

“You still haven’t told me what separates him from the other purist hunter fucks.”

“This one’s not like the others. He’s smart, elusive, and his victims... they’re left as warnings.”

“Warnings?” I chuckled. “I’ve been giving warnings for years. Let’s see if he can keep up.”

“Just don’t underestimate him, Olen.”

“Underestimating someone named Hybrid Horror? That’s not my style.”

“He’s making waves. And…” He hesitates.

“Spit it out.”

“Rumours has it, she’s with him.”

Okay, this got a whole lot more interesting. Four years ago, she had the audacity to lead an invasion on the clan and targeted a few mates of mine. Levi paid the ultimate price. That cunning little bitch managed to take down one of the most powerful witch hybrids in Europe – meek, docile little Meka was anything but. Now she’s become a thorn in my fucking side, an evil bitch with a vendetta against my family. Even after she rejected me, triggering my dark side— they still tried to help her. And what did they get in return? Sapphire and Mum Blue almost lost their lives. My Meka was dead and gone and I accepted that.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Olen—”

“I said I will handle it.”

He nods. “One more thing, don’t be late tomorrow.”

“What’s tomorrow?”

“You’re joking, right?” I give him a ‘do I look like I’m joking’ look. He signs. “The reason we’re in Romania?”

“That’s not for another two days.”

“Since everyone was already here they decided to push up the date. Didn’t Sapphire tell you?”

I love my sister to death, but her lectures are another thing. So sometimes I check out. “I must have missed it.”

He chuckles. “It starts at midnight when the moon is at its fullest.”

“I know when it starts.” He laughs. “Piss off.” The last thing I heard as I end the call was him laughing his ass off.

I drag my hand down my face, a bloody bonding ceremony. In all my centuries of existence—been a babe twice, if you care for the specifics—never did I think I’d be partaking in such sentimental nonsense. Do they not comprehend the solitude befitting my dark existence? A mate, they say, as if I were some pitiful creature seeking solace in another. I am the epitome of power, and I shun the feeble chains of connection.

Let the weaklings prattle on about love and unity. I find my strength in the shadows, where alliances are born of fear and respect, not some frivolous bond dictated by an unseen bloody force. The very notion of being tethered to another soul is a nauseating prospect.

Unless it’s her.

Fuck her.

The only reason I’m doing this is for my family, they endured my rollercoaster of an existence. But mostly for mums as for dear old dad, it’s politics. Uniting two of the grandest clans in all of Europe and appeasing those fuckers who want anyone on the throne but me. I could kill them but then that would end up being another fucking lecture. I groan frustratingly. The things one does for familial bliss and political strategies. Poor girl, she has no idea what she’s about to be tethered to for the rest of her life.

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Chapter 3: Words of Wisdom.

The preparations for this grand farce are almost as nauseating as the scent of the countless flowers that infest every corner of this castle. Mums have thrown themselves into the ordeal with a zeal that’s almost admirable. Their dream of a harmonious family, bound by this so-called bonding ceremony, is as laughable as it is pitiable. And dear old dad keeps giving me a ‘don’t fuck this up’ look.

As for me, I skulk in the shadows, an amused spectator of their desperate attempts to shackle me to domesticity. A bonding ceremony—the very notion sends shivers down my spine, not of anticipation, but of sheer mockery. They think this will tame me? Oh, how wrong they are, and they know it. Not like anyone would admit it. The only person who had a shot is consumed by a relentless pursuit to destroy my family and dismantle everything we have built. For that, I’ll make sure her death is a slow, agonizing one.

I take a long drag off a joint—I swiped from Ike— exhaling slowly as I gaze up at the star-studded sky. Where is a thunderstorm when you need one?

“Do I even bloody wanna know?” Grandma Luna asks as she joins me on the balcony.

“It depends.” I finish my joint and flick the bud over the rail.

“Did you really blow up a hotel?”

“It’s more of an explosive redecoration.”

Grandma Luna chuckled, shaking her head. “Oh, sweetie, you always had a knack for turning chaos into an art form. Reminds me of the time you redecorated the living room with glitter. I’m still finding glitter in the furniture.”

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I believe in leaving a lasting impression. Glitter has that timeless quality.”

“Are you excited?” she asks with a sad smile, knowing bloody well how I feel about mates. The only good mate in my opinion is a dead one.

“To get the old man off my back? Definitely.”

“Olen, promise me one thing,” she implored, her tone sincere. I nodded in response. “At least try, sweetheart.”

Another nod from me, though we both knew that trying was a murky territory.

Before she left, she added, her eyes narrowing playfully, “And try not to scare the poor thing more than she already is.”

The moment I walked into the room, the scents of her fear and arousal hit me. She obviously liked what she saw, yet the terror in her eyes prevented her from meeting mine. Good. It would make this whole bloody affair a lot easier. All I need is an heir and then I’ll mail her royal ass back to her father’s palace. Unless she chooses to stay and assist in the raising of our heir.

“And there is the man of the hour,” Grandpa Onyx smirks. “You look like you’re ready to set fire to the place.”

“Does everyone know?”

“It’s pink flames,” he pointed out. “Nightmares?”

“If I say I hated the wallpaper, would you believe me?”

“If I say you look like a man who can’t wait to claim his beloved, would you believe me?” This is precisely why we got along so well. Some say we were so much alike that it was downright terrifying.

“Touche.”

“Olen,” his tone turns serious, “Son, I’m not really good… with these… feelings and emotions shit, that’s more of your grandmother’s thing… So I’ll just say it. A chosen mate bond, it’s not the same as truly feeling the depth of real connection. When you feel the undeniable magnetic pull of the mate bond, nothing else in the world can compare. It’s a force that transcends everything. Don’t look at me like that, I know how I sound,” he snorts. “If you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it.”

I chuckled at him. Despite my grandpa looking like he could be my age, he’s not. There’s a depth in his eyes that holds wisdom, and the sheer strength he exudes from ageing proves he’s far beyond my years. I’ve heard the stories of my grandfather – he wasn’t always this way. So, it’s surreal to realize that one of the most ruthless, cold-hearted hybrids of all time has been tamed by a human. It’s truly baffling and disturbing.

I lean back on the stone wall staring into his matching azure blue eyes as if they hold the secrets of a thousand lifetimes. Despite the tales of his merciless past, there’s a softness in his gaze. It’s as if grandma managed to thaw a heart that was once encased in ice.

“You know, I heard the stories,” I say, a grin playing on my lips. “You weren’t always the wise and gentle soul you are now.”

He chuckles a sound that resonates with a lifetime of experiences. “That’s an understatement, Olen. Back then, I was a force to be reckoned with and still am,” he said with that unmistakable arrogance of a vampire king. “But your grandmother, she’s the reason I traded my old ways for a shot at love.”

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. “How did she manage that?”

He leans in, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. “Love has its own brand of magic, kid. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it, and before you know it, you’re willingly taming the darkest parts of yourself for someone else. For her. I know how you feel, I was willing to give up the throne because I didn’t want to deal with that shit. Then you see her smile and it’s a knockout punch, stealing the air right out of your fuckin’lungs. It’s the kind of smile that makes your heart skip a beat and your pulse quicken. Then one touch, one kiss and you’re fucked.”

Then her face flashed in my mind, that bloody smile plastered on her face, in that adorable rose-pink dress that clung to every soft curve of her irresistible, sexy body. My heart squeezed tight and an unwelcome darkness surged within me like a fuckin’ tornado. I despise her. I fuckin’ hate her.

“Olen? Olen?” Grandpa Onyx’s voice snapped me back, his eyes knowing like he could sense the shadows I was drowning in. “Do I want to know where you just went?”

I met his gaze, my own eyes carrying the weight of the darkness that had just consumed me. “Nowhere good, just drowning in the abyss of hate and regret.”

Grandpa Onyx leaned back on the stone wall beside me a heavy sigh escaping his lips. His eyes, filled with a wisdom only centuries could bestow, studied me. “Hate and regret are powerful emotions, Olen. But you’ve got to navigate through that darkness, or it can devour you if you let it,” he said.

I scoffed, my tone bitter. “Easier said than done.”

“Watch who you’re talking to, boy. I know exactly what the darkness wants and how it fucks you up. I’ve done things—things that I’m not proud of. Things I wish I could take back,” Grandpa Onyx warned, his voice carrying the weight of regret and a history stained with blood. Of course, he knows the darkness, he embraced it at one point in his life.

“Does it get better?” She’s etched into my mind, and every damn memory is a knife twisting in my gut.

He nodded knowingly. “A mate bond can be a double-edged sword, my boy. But don’t let it turn you into something you’re not. Darkness might feel like a refuge, but it’s a treacherous path. There’s always a choice.”

“What if the choice is to let the darkness consume me? Maybe I want to be the monster everyone thinks I am.”

Grandpa Onyx’s expression remained calm, but there was a glint of concern in his eyes. “Monsters are made, not born. Learn from your mistakes, but don’t let the darkness devour your soul.

“You have a choice, Olen. Don’t let her actions define you.”

“When did you get so—”

“If you say gentle, we’re going to have problems.”

I chuckle knowing he’s not above beating my ass. “I was going to say philosophical.”

“Better be,” he pats me on my shoulder with a smirk. “If you want to say fuck it, I’ll cancel this shit and deal with your grandma and mothers. I am willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of your happiness.”

I snicker, he always knows how to make me feel better. “Don’t think the King would be pleased.”

“I don’t think so either,” he grumbled. “But he will understand.”

“I’ll eventually need an heir.” I shrug. “Now is as good a time as any.”

“You think a beloved is just to breed?”

“Didn’t you?”

“Before I met your grandmother? Fuck yeah.”

“Are you serious?” Dad shook his head, his disappointment evident in his father.

“This is bullshit, and you damn well know it.”

“I thought you’d be thrilled I united two of the largest and strongest clans.”

“At the expense of your own flesh and blood.”

“Do you honestly expect him to choose a beloved on his own? And you bloody well know what the court demands.”

“Fuck the court. He’s your son.”

“Exactly, my son.”

“You’re sacrificing his happiness for power and some robe fucks.”

Again, this is why we get along so well.

“Happiness is a luxury, father. Power is survival, and that’s what this union secures.”

“Ruin his life for some power play,” Grandpa growled, his fists clenching. I had never seen them argue about anything, ‘til now.

Dad chuckled darkly. “The court demands obedience, and our legacy demands strength.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the court or our legacy if it means destroying our own family!” Grandpa shot back.

“What is going on out here?” Mum Aurelia asks with grandma Luna by her side.

“Onyx?” Grandma Luna furrows her eyebrows.

“This is a mistake,” Grandpa gritted, pulling grandma into his arms, taking in her scent to calm himself.

“We talked about this,” Grandma tells him.

“Let’s all say what we are thinking,” he said. Everyone visibly tense.

Oh goodie.

“Onyx.” Grandma Luna shot him a warning look. Which he ignores. My hero. “The boy is spiralling, and some royal piece of ass is not going to change that especially after what happened.”

“You think if there was another way, I wouldn’t take it?” Dad challenges. “I tried to make things right this time but instead he turned out worse than he was.”

They do realize I’m standing right here, or, more accurately, perched on the balcony rail?

“Everyone, just take a breath,” Mum Aurelia said. “Olen agreed to this. It was his choice.”

“She’s right,” I tell my grandpa, hopping off the rail.

“For fucks sake,” grandpa Onyx drags his hand down his face. “You really want to do this?”

“She’s not ugly, that’s a plus.”

“Once you bond with this female, Olen, there’s no going back,” Grandpa Onyx warned, his expression serious.

The image of the ruby-red circle surrounding my bite mark with my name branded on her freshly shaven pussy flashed into my mind. The darkness within me relentlessly gnaws at my soul, each passing day eroding it bite by bite. The monsters clamour for revenge, to make her pay for what she did to us. Their desires also veer towards nailing her to the wall with our cock. I can’t help but chuckle darkly in my own mind. I marked her cunt but didn’t fuck her. Now it seems half of London had the opportunity before I could rectify that fuck up. Even after fuckin’ Esme, in every hole, in every room of my manor, I never once lost control. The connection was there, but it was nothing compared to the one I felt for Meka. Now, they’re both dead to me – one more than the other, but I’ll fix that soon enough.

“What’s everyone doing out here?” Mum Blue asked with a frown, holding a bunch of those bloody awful flowers in her hands. “The Feld’s are here.”

Her gaze shifted between her beloveds, then to Grandma Luna and Grandpa Onyx, and finally back to me. Realization lit up her features.

“This is going to be a shit show,” she mumbles to herself on a balcony full of supernaturals.

Mum Blue never really had a filter and that’s what I love about her.

“That’s the spirit,” I smirk. “Let’s not keep my future in-laws waiting.”

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Chapter 4: Where’s the Love?

“Piss off,” were the first words that greeted me as soon as I turned the corner.

Ike sat at the bar, leisurely sipping on his whiskey. Nix was beside him, accompanied by two lords—vampires with little to no regard for human lives or any life really. It’s precisely why we get along so well.

“We were actually expecting your she-wolf to be swollen with your third pup by now,” Varrick smirks, taking a sip from his glass of blood.

His She-wolf?

“She wasn’t mine to claim.” Ike gulps down his drink in one go and orders another.

There was a tick of annoyance in his jaw. It was no secret Ike had a thing for Meka. Even as a boy, I knew he liked her from the way he would stare at her. The only reason she wasn’t swollen with his third pup was because he knew if he touched her, I would have skinned him alive. Sometimes I wonder if I should have just given her to him; maybe none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t be forced to relive puberty twice.

Dustin laughed, a mocking tone in his voice. “Not yours to claim?” He chuckled. “You’re fucking with us, right? You’re a royal hybrid prince; your grandfather is King Onyx Kayli Dreklaus Malik. No one is stupid enough to challenge your claim on that she-wolf. They’d have to be out of their mind.”

“Hell, if you don’t want her, send her my way,” Varrick says.

“That’s the same thing Levi said before she took his head off.”

Dustin’s eyes went wide. “That bitch is no wolf, or even human. How did that happen?”

“When did that happen?” Varrick asks, almost choking on the blood in his glass.

“Sixteen years ago,” Nix tells them.

“Been that long, huh?” Dustin grinned. “Time flies when you’re having a blast. But since we’re such great friends, we’ll do you a favour and take care of the problem.”

Nix scoffed. “Good luck. No one’s seen her since the clan attack four years back.”

“And now she’s got a new friend, the Hybrid Horror,” Ike tells them.

They exchanged a glance. “Heard of him?” Nix raised an eyebrow.

“On our way here, we stumbled upon this wolf pack in Hungary. About a hundred mutts, maybe less,” Dustin says.

“What were you two doing with wolves?” Nix asked, well aware of the age-old animosity between the species.

“We were playing a little game of hide and seek with this cute little omega.” Varrick shrugged.

“The entire pack got wiped out because the Alpha decided to mate with a witch. They were celebrating the birth of their new Alpha when they got slaughtered. ‘HH’ got burned into the ground, right where the Luna and her pup were burned alive.”

“And, you know, being the kind-hearted gentle vamps we are, it was only fitting that the little omega joins her fallen pack,” Dustin added with a smirk, a dark glint in his eyes.

“That’s sick,” Nix glared at them and promptly left.

“Was it something we said?” Dustin frowns, his eyes glued to her backside as she walks away.

“You want to keep those eyes, keep them off my sister,” Ike warns, sipping on his drink.

“There’s the prince of the hour,” Varrick exclaimed as soon as he spotted me. “Must say, when I heard about the bonding ceremony, I was surprised. Especially after those ridiculous rumours we heard.”

I feigned ignorance. “What rumours are you talking about?”

They exchanged a knowing look before Dustin said, “Some dumb shit about you getting hexed and turned into a baby.”

“I don’t know how they come up with these things,” I lied smoothly, pouring myself a glass of Hennessy and refilling Ike’s glass in the process.

Varrick chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. “Well, you seem fully grown to me, my prince.”

I raised my glass in acknowledgement. “Just the wild imagination of the rumour mill.”

Dustin leaned against the bar. “Never in my existence would I have thought I’d see the day where Olen, the dark prince, chooses a beloved. Congratulations, she’s a beautiful female,” Varrick said, raising his glass.

I acknowledged his comment with a nod. You and me both.

Dustin grinned. “Who would’ve thought the notorious dark prince would be tamed by a pretty little princess?”

“Who said she tamed him?” Ike asks.

They shared a look.

“I need an heir,” I toss back my drink and said frankly. “After she’s free.”

“You would set your beloved free?” Dustin looks shocked.

“I would set my queen free,” I corrected.

The idea of a mate, a concept steeped in sentimental nonsense, churned my gut with disdain. Beloveds were for the weak, for those who clung to emotional crutches. I despised the very notion.

“Is that your intention for my daughter?” The fury in King Feld’s voice only fueled my amusement.

Dustin and Varrick excused themselves, wisely avoiding the storm that was about to unfold. Ike remained, casually sipping his drink, enjoying the show. Prick.

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t know that,” I said, turning to face the scowling king. “Do you think I accepted your offer because I had a change of heart?” I smirked like the arrogant prick I am. “She’ll be the mother of my heir and my queen, serving a purpose in the grand scheme of royal succession. Isn’t that good enough for you?”

The king’s fury was palpable. “You truly don’t have a heart.”

“You sound surprised. After all, sentimentality has no place in the game of power. You know that or you wouldn’t be here.”

The king’s retort carried the weight of both concern and frustration. “My daughter is a strong, capable female. She would make an exceptional queen,” his German accent thickened with emphasis. “You need her.”

A sarcastic smile curled on my lips. “Need her? I don’t need anyone. What I do need is the power and stability that comes with this strategic alliance. Your daughter is merely a means to that end.”

His eyes flared with a mixture of anger and frustration. “She deserves more than to be used as a pawn.”

I chuckled, the sound dripping with arrogance. “Deserve, old man, has nothing to do with it. It’s about survival, dominance, and ensuring the strength of our bloodline.” The king’s face hardened. He knew what I said was true even if he wouldn’t admit it. “Don’t pretend like you suddenly care about her well-being, because if you did, you wouldn’t have jumped at the opportunity to bond her to me.” Once more, I struck a nerve. His jaw tightened, fists clenched by his side, a silent admission of the unsavoury truth. “Your daughter will take my cock, bear my heir, and when she’s fulfilled her purpose, you can have her back.”

His eyes widened so much I feared they might pop out of his face.

“Bloody hell,” I heard Ike say.

I smell his anger, his rage, not like steam shooting out of his ears wasn’t enough.

“Choose your next words wisely,” I warned in a deadly, calm tone with a sinister smile playing on my lips. “I would hate for my future queen to witness her father meeting an unfortunate fate at my hands. That might make the honeymoon awkward.”

“You dare to threaten me, boy?” he seethes.

“Of course not, it’s a warning. Consider yourself fortunate; this is a rare occurrence. I don’t make a habit of giving them.” I know he can see the pink flakes swirling in my eyes.

A mix of emotions—fear, anger, regret, guilt—flickered across his face. “What have I done?” he questioned, his voice heavy with realization.

I circled around the bar, closing the distance between us, and whispered in his ear, “You sold your daughter to the devil for power.”

I took a step back, savouring the impact of my words. “Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.” A cruel smirk plays on my lips as I strut away with my hand in my pocket and Ike following behind me.

“Your ability to be absolutely terrifying is quite impressive, you know,” Ike said, beaming at me with a twisted sense of pride.

“Did you fuck her?”

“Fuck who? You have to be more specific.” I turned around, no words needed. My fist connected with his gut, the sharp impact sending him sprawling, a guttural oomph escaping from him as he doubled over, clutching his stomach. “Oh, her. I didn’t know you were going to bond with her. It was years ago. You didn’t even have your fangs yet,” he managed to wheeze.

I leaned in, my voice dark and casual. “You’re not allowed to touch her until she gives me an heir.”

“You really are serious.”

“Yes, I do not want the legitimacy of my heir question.”

“No, I don’t mean that, I mean sending her away after.”

“Once she fulfils her duty there would be no need for her.” I shrug.

She’d never be my beloved; she’d be a means to an end. A mate had no place in my world. Duty and tradition dictated my path, but sentimentality wouldn’t stain my legacy. The dark prince, untamed and unapologetically ruthless, playing the game with no room for weakness or sentiment or a beloved.

“Hey, have you guys seen Nix?” Sapphire asks.

“I think she’s cleaning out the shed,” Ike tells her.

“Thanks.”

“Wanna get high?” he asks, patting his pocket for the joint I’d snatched earlier. “You stole it, didn’t you?”

I was going to answer when we heard a scream.

“What the fuck?” Ike said.

“It came from the southern wing.”

“The Feld’s are in the south wing,” Ike said.

When we got there, dad, mums, grandpa Onyx, grandma Luna, uncle Valentine, Aunt Ava, Aunt Luna, Uncle Ian, all stood there, alongside King Ludovick, his Queen Hilda, staring at Princess Orfilia, with a blade pressed against her throat and blood seeped down her pristine, see-through lace gown. That’s a nice gown, and the blood makes it so much better. Am I the only one who thinks that?

Holding the blade was an eight-foot mother fucker who was as big as a fucking house. He had more muscles than brains if he thinks he’s leaving here alive.

“Did you think this through?” I ask the giant mother fucker with a scar across his face only a mother would smother at birth.

He growls at me, his scarred face contorting into a scowl. “Abomination,” he spat.

I chuckled mockingly. “I’ve seen my fair share of giants fall. Your size doesn’t scare me.”

He pressed the blade deeper into Orfilia’s delicate neck, a dangerous glint in his eyes as her warm blood coated the steel.

“Are you scared now, abomination?” he growled menacingly.

“Do something!” Queen Hilda cried, clinging to her beloved’s arms.

“One more step, and I’ll cut her pretty head off,” he snarled.

“Please, no,” Queen Hilda begged.

“How did you even get in here?” Grandpa Onyx asked, his concern more directed at the security of his palace. Grandma Luna elbowed him. “What? It’s a legit question.”

“Of course, you’re worried about security,” Dad scoffed.

“Why don’t you let the female go, and we can talk about this?” Uncle Valentine diplomatically suggested.

“Yeah, that’s going to work,” Grandpa Onyx mumbled.

“I don’t see you doing anything.”

“Let the female go, and we can handle this outside because my beloved hates it when I get blood on the carpet,” Grandpa Onyx quipped, sending a smirk in Uncle Valentine’s direction. Uncle Valentine rolled his eyes. It always surprised me to see the two fierce kings act like this.

He spits on the carpet. “Fuck you, hybrid scum.”

“Bad dog,” Grandma Luna hissed.

“Hybrid scum?” Grandpa Onyx nods, his features hardening as he stepped forward.

“If you want to see your precious reapers again, I suggest you step back to your whore,” he sneered.

Growls erupted from everyone in the room, except from the Feld’s. A hint of fear flickered across the fucker’s face. Turns out, he wasn’t as daft as he looked.

Grandpa Onyx casually cracked his neck. Dad and Ike step forward standing beside him.

“Stay put, abominations! Or she dies, along with those reaper bastards,” he threatened, pressing the blade deeper into Orfilia’s delicate neck. She whimpered, pleading.

“They’ll understand,” Grandpa Onyx declared.

In response, he forced the blade even deeper.

“Please, my prince,” Orfilia whimpered.

Dad hissed a final warning, “This is your last chance.” He pressed the blade deeper. “Olen, end this now.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

I was about to set this idiot on fire when he said, “She said this would happen.” There was a sinister satisfaction in his tone.

She?

“What are you waiting for?” Dad asks.

“I’m waiting for his grand reveal. Unless that’s all, and we can finally get to the good part.”

Suddenly, the door to our left crashed open, Violet, Aunt Scarlet, Uncle Stephen, and Avaline were dragged in — bound, beaten, covered in blood and grimy.

“Are you willing to sacrifice their lives as well?” The fucker sounded disturbingly proud of himself.

Fuck.

“Violet?” Mum Blue calls out. Dad instinctively held her back.

“Babygirl, are you alright?” Dad’s concern filled the air.

“I’ll be better when we feed these bastards to the rats.” The mutt holding her shoved Violet to her knees, and she shot him a venomous glare.

I’m going to take my time with that one.

“Scarlet?” Aunt Luna’s voice quivered.

Uncle Ian wraps his arms around her, urgently asking, “Baby, are you okay?”

“Mum?” Ike’s growl reverberated.

“I’m fine,” Aunt Scarlet says even though she is covered in bruises and has a busted lip. Witches didn’t heal as fast as the rest of us. That means she has to be too weak to heal herself.

“Avaline? Stephen?” Aunt Ava gasps.

“Baby girl, it’s okay,” Uncle Stephen consoled his beloved.

“Olen, burn these fuckers!” Avaline hissed, writhing in her captor’s arms. The mutt holding her, backhanded her, busting her lip. She spins around, spitting the blood in his face and snarled, “Go to hell, you spineless prick!”

With a snarl of his own, he wipes his face with his hand. “You bitch.”

“You’re confusing me for your mother,” she shot back.

“Enough!” There were two of these ugly mother fuckers. Not like one wasn’t enough in the world.

“Screw you, furball!”

“Quiet or I will make you?” Fuckface Two sneers.

“Then make me, you fucking coward—”

He punched a hole through her chest, tearing out her heart. “That’s better.” He drops her heart.

Uncle Valentine released a thunderous roar that shook the very foundation of the palace. Aunt Ava’s screams tore through the walls.

“Avaline!”

“No!”

“You bastard!”

“You’re dead!”

Queen Hilda wails and King Ludovick’s enraged roar merges into the chorus of screams and sobs. Fuckface held Orfilia’s heart in his hand, greedily sucking on it.

“You’re dead!” Uncle Stephen hisses, breaking free of his chains. But before he could reach the mutt, he got his neck snapped. Dad and Grandpa Onyx restrained the enraged Uncle Valentine, while Aunt Ava thrashed about, and screamed in the arms of her sister and mother.

“Now that I have everyone’s attention,” Fuckface One says as he sucks the blood out of the arteries. “I’m hoping we can all play nice.” He tossed the heart over his shoulder.

Guess the bonding ceremony is off.

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Chapter 5: Lucky Number 7.

“Why?!” Queen Hilda’s cries filled with horror and disbelief. “She did nothing!”

“She was about to commit the ultimate sin of tainting her womb with the seed of an abomination,” Fuckface One proclaimed.

I had enough of this shit. I flicked my wrist in a gesture that should have summoned the magic coursing through my veins. But to my surprise, nothing happened. It was as if the very essence of my being had been snuffed out, leaving behind an empty void where my magic once thrived. I turned to Mum Aurelia, who was already looking at me.

“Our magic won’t work,” Aunt Scarlet tells us. “They’re using some kind of magical artefact.”

“The half-breed is smart,” Fuckface Two grins sinisterly as he steps over Uncle Stephen’s body.

“Burn in hell, you bastard,” she spat, glaring daggers at him.

He sighed and then backhanded her so hard she crumbled, knocked out cold.

“You son of a bitch, you’re dead,” Uncle Ian growled, threateningly.

“Scar!” Mum Blue exclaims. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size, you but sniffer!”

“Ah, the Destroyer,” he declared. “Or should I say former DeWe all shared the same puzzled expressions, wondering how he knew Mum Blue was the Destroyer.

Only a few know the legend of the Destroyer and I didn’t think this fucker was one of them. He laughs, enjoying the puzzling expressions across the room.

“Who are you?” Mum Blue demanded.

“Who am I?” he echoed, his tone dripping with mockery. “Oh, my dear Destroyer, you wound me with your ignorance.”

“If ignorance wounds you, then consider it a scratch compared to that slash mark across your ugly behemoth face,” she shot back.

“Bold words for someone in your position.”

“Enough games,” Dad growled, his voice a low rumble of warning. “Tell us what you want, and we might spare you the agony of a slow death.”

Fuckface Two smirked, unfazed by the threat. “Oh, I think you’ll find that I hold all the cards here,” he sneered, his gaze sweeping over us with contempt.

“For now,” I gritted.

Their mocking laughter filled the room, a grating sound that grated on my nerves.

“Look at you, all grown up,” Fuckface Two mocked, his tone dripping with condescension.

Why am I not surprised that he knows?

“Well, someone’s been paying attention,” I taunted. “Or did you just learn to count past ten?”

His expression darkened. “You’ll regret that,” he snarled.

“Not much for regrets,” I shot back.

“What is it that you want from my family?” Mum Aurelia demanded.

“Don’t you mean the disease you call a family?” he sneers in disgust. “The original family. Your family is a mockery of the natural order.” His words dripping with venom. “The Malik lineage became a beacon of purity after that abomination Xanthus met his faith.”

Again, how does this hound know so much about Vampire history, more precisely my family history?

“But now it’s turned into a wretched experiment, a breeding ground for abominations. The world thinks it’s okay for crossbreeds to breathe the same air as us. You’ve blurred the lines, diluted the essence of what once stood proud and untainted. It was bad enough there were half breeds, then came the hybrids and tribrids. I am here to rectify that. Your twisted sense of acceptance has consequences, and I am the instrument of retribution. So, what do I want from your family? Oh, just the satisfaction of witnessing your downfall, the annihilation of this blight upon the world. Consider it a cleansing fire, purging the impurities that fester within your tainted veins.”

A yawn escaped my lips as I feigned disinterest barely masking the turmoil within. The monsters in me demand blood, while the darkness claws at the edges of my sanity, begging to be unleashed. “Well, that was quite the monologue. Haven’t heard a speech like that in a while. If you’re done trying to save the world from one impurity at a time, can we move on to the more entertaining part? You know, the one where I take my sweet time peeling back your skin, unveiling the mysteries beneath.”

His lips curl into an evil smirk. “Here I thought that was my job.”

I exchanged a knowing glance with Ike. “So you’re the one causing the stir. Going around flaying hybrids must get boring.”

“You’ve heard about me,” he said proudly with a grin.

“How humble,” I muttered under my breath, exchanging another glance with Ike. “Looks like we’ve stumbled upon the life of the party, Ike. Think he’s got any more tricks up his sleeve, or is this the extent of his charm?”

His smug grin was replaced by a flash of anger. “Watch your tone, little maggot,” he growls. The darkness in me slowly seeps in, I can feel it worming its way in. “You may think you’re clever, but you’re nothing but an insignificant pest.”

“I think you hurt his feelings,” Ike says.

“You think this is funny,” Fuckface One growls, his mouth stained with the blood of my betrothed.

Mum Blue’s eyes blazed with fury. “What’s funny is the scar on your ugly face,” she hissed.

Dad’s tone turned eerily calm as he issued a chilling warning, “You know there is no way you’re getting out of this alive.”

Grandpa Onyx adds, equally chilling, “Let’s cut to the chase and skip the fuckin’ speech this time. We’re not here for your dramatic monologues.”

Fuckface Two smirked, unfazed by the hostility. “I always wanted to meet the infamous Tribrid King,” he said with a mocking tone. “Though I thought you’d be taller.”

“Look, Dad, your own personal groupie,” Dad tells Grandpa.

“Let them go and I’ll let you have an autograph,” Granpa Onyx tells him.

A cold chuckle escapes Fuckface One’s lips. “Nice try,” he sneered. “Since all this started with you, it’s only fair it ends with you. Originally, I thought it’d be poetic for you to rip your son’s heart out, but I suppose that’s a bit too heartless, even for me. So, let’s spice things up. End him, and I’ll graciously release the lot of them, reapers included.” He nods to me.

“You’re out of your bloody mind,” Dad growls, fist clenched by his side.

“Why don’t you go die under a rock,” Mum Blue hisses simultaneously.

He grabs Violet by the hair, yanking her towards him. A sharp yelp escaped her lips as she fought against his merciless grip. “Don’t do it, Grandpa!”

“Brave girl.”

“Piss off,” she hisses at him.

All up her arms had needle marks, some even infected looking.

His grip tightened and she bit back a whimper, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I was never prouder of my baby sister.

“What’s it going to be?” Fuckface Two asks. “One life for seven.”

“No! Don’t do it,” Violet screams. “Don’t let her win!”

Her?

Fuckface One’s claws dug into Violet’s chest about to rip her heart. I couldn’t let them hurt her on my account. My life is not worth it.

“Deal,” I gritted out.

He withdrew his hand, leaving behind a trail of blood oozing from the wound.

“No,” she whimpered. “Don’t do it, Ollie.”

Even on her deathbed, she’s protecting me. “It’s my job to protect you, not the other way around, baby sis.”

“This is madness,” Mum Aurelia interjected, her voice trembling with tears. “I won’t sacrifice one child for another. There must be something else you want. Name it, and it’s yours. But not my family.”

“Mum, it’s okay—” I began, but Mum Blue’s sharp retort cut through the air.

“Like hell it is,” she snapped, her own eyes brimming with tears. “There has to be another way.”

“There isn’t.”`

“No, Ollie,” Mum Aurelia pleaded, a single tear rolling down her rosy cheek. “You’re our baby.”

I couldn’t bear to meet her gaze, knowing the pain I was causing them.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I have to do this.”

Violet sobs, “Ollie, please...”

Their plea was like a knife to my soul. The darkness in me wants to come out and play.

Mum Blue’s voice wavered with emotion as she spoke. “We’ll find another way, Olen.”

“Listen to the boy,” Fuckface One tells her.

“Fuck you,” she snarls at him giving him the finger.

He growls at her.

“Do it now,” Fuckface Two snarls.

“No!” Violet whimpered, her struggles persisting against his grip.

“What I don’t understand is why you want me to do it,” Grandpa Onyx said. “Is it because you’re too scared to get your hands dirty?”

The realization dawned on us as Grandpa Onyx laid bare the challenge.

“We’re not scared,” Fuckface One snarled defensively.

“Then, by all means,” I stepped forward, arms open wide. “Have at it.”

“What is this?” Fuckface Two growled. “Some kind of trick?”

“I can’t use my magic, and neither can anyone else in this room,” I pointed out. “We don’t want to see anyone else get hurt, like you said, one for seven.”

“Stop moving,” Fuckface One growled. I frowned and halted halfway to them. Their eyes turned black, mindlinking. Judging by their faces, they didn’t know what to do. One thing was clear – they weren’t the ones calling the shots.

She was.

“Having second thoughts, Hybrid Horror?” I taunted, the tension escalating in the room. “Are both of you the Hybrid Horror or is just one of you?”

“Fuck it,” with a guttural growl, Fuckface One strides toward me, his eyes ablaze with fury. His claws sink into my chest, tearing through flesh and sinew, grasping for my beating heart. Agony sears through me as he wrenches it from my chest, leaving me gasping for air.

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