Chapter 5 Bringing Darkness

• D-day
• Once again, the courtroom was filled to the brim, with heavily brigaded soldiers guarding every entrance and exit.
• The late Duke's sons stood before the crowd, staring unblinkingly at the entrance, each struggling to catch a glimpse of her white dress before she came into view.
• Thirty minutes earlier, Lian had walked in and worriedly announced, "The priestess, She's nowhere to be found."
• Thorstein's perfect countenance broke into a worried frown as he narrowed his eyes at his brother beside him. But Knight blinked. She would come. He knew she would. Ayra was never one to run away from a battle, and that might just be the end of her.
• Standing next to Thorstein was his mother, who constantly stuck her head out to catch a glimpse of her stepson and his cousin, Adonis.
• Once she muttered cynically, "And where is the traitor? I figured out he would be here to watch his roach get the death he escaped because he was fifteen."
• "Please, mother," Thorstein pulled her back. "Not now."
• But she shrugged him off, folded her hands across her chest, and turned away.
• "Priestess Ayra!" resounded in the courtroom, and they all turned to find her striding in with Mel trailing behind her, holding a tray, and in the tray was the Duke's pendant.
• A bandage covered her palm, and her skin appeared paler than when he last saw her. Still, she held his gaze for a long second before dropping her lashes down.
• She locked eyes with Thorstein, searching his eyes as if for strength. Too bad her role required one; without a wolf, communication would have been easier.
• Thorstein nodded at her, ignoring his mother's snarl, and apparently, that was everything she needed to begin to function.
• She veered around to the people, and there was a pin-drop silence as she raised a hand, dropped it immediately, and began with a hoarse voice. "A vision came," she began boldly, and then her voice trailed, "but one that will cause unease."
• Knight let his eyes latch onto her tensed shoulders, covered by the white veil. She was lying—or was about to lie. Knight mused. He'd never thought she'd entertain the idea of making him Duke to save her skin.
• "It's unbelievable, but it's the goddess's instruction." She raised her chin and exhaled. "Your next duke is..."
• Knight stared Uninterested in the drama below, Knight gazed at the clock overhead.
• "It's Thorstein," she finished.
• Too bad, Knight thought. She had given him the impression she was going to choose right.
• But as Astrid's smile began to reveal itself and the people had begun to stand up for a cheerful round of applause, the priestess added, "And—" She shut her eyes " and Knight."
• The people of Scania erupted, Thorstein's brows knitted, and Knight blinked.
• Two Dukes—well, that was very unlikely—one that never happened in Packs history. Was she serious?
• "Ayra?" Thorstein's voice broke in confusion. "Are you sure?"
• "That's not the question," Astrid sneered. "The question is if she's even a real priestess."
• "There have never been two Dukes."
• Knight raked his fingers and looked up at the clock again. There had to be just one, and he had a rough clue who.
• Suddenly outside the hall, the noise of gunshots sent everyone's heads up, everyone except Knight.
• There were growls, howls, and the nauseating sound of bare teeth yanking flesh.
• Screams, yells, air gurgles, and steel against gates—finally, the entrance slammed open, and they trooped in. Rogues—several hundred of them—were in their wolf forms, while the rest wielded weapons. Weapons that had been banned from the pack.
• Intruders!!" Thorstein shouted as if sounding an alarm, "Where's the gamma?"
• A scrawny figure quietly emerged from the unwanted troops, with a crutch in his right hand. " If you're asking about the white-haired guy," contrary to the wreckage behind him, his voice was surprisingly calming, "Well, he's dead."
• "Dead," Thorstein repeated, surprise gradually turning to anger as he gently pulled his mother behind him.
• "Oh, I'm sorry." The stranger's repentance was genuine. "Was he close to you?"
• "You're so dead!" Thorstein yelled, shifting into a large black wolf, all muscle and mass, and creeping for the crippled man who surprisingly stood his ground.
• He held out his free hand, "Lord Thorstein, I promise you, I'm a fan. If you'll just stay still, no one will get..."
• Thorstein lurched.
• Ayra screamed.
• The detonation rang out, and the wolf dropped to the floor, whining and flinching, the pain filling its cries.
• "Ouch," the strange man sucked in his breath. "You know, I tried to warn you."
• Astrid rushed to her son.
• The audience had begun to scramble around for safety, but most were hiding behind chairs and under benches.
• Ayra remained motionless, gazing forward at the unfolding chaos through dilated pupils on a bleeding Thorstein, only partially seeing as her eyes filled.
• "Connor." Knight's voice and steps filled the room. "You wouldn’t have that pity if he had reached you."
• Connor rolled his eyes. "He seemed saner than you." He looked down at the wolf again. "And prettier," he scratched thick locks of brown hair. "Is it too late to switch sides?"
• But he said nothing, and Ayra didn't need to wonder why for long. Soon, she felt rough fingers on her veil, slowly dragging it down until her black, curly strands were visible.
• He inhaled, his touch trailing down to her waist. "Dont cry. It excites me."
• "You did this," she breathed.
• "No, Ayra," he answered. "You did this."
• Ayra shut her eyes, letting the darkness cloud her; it was best not to see. Best not to feel.
• His fingers gradually lowered, brushing her hips, before disappearing. She felt relief, but not for long. In a swift second, a rogue held her shoulders, turning her towards the view of the throne.
• But instead, it was stuck on Knight.
• As he ascended the stairs and reached the throne, he paused, gazing down at the arms with a disgusted frown. He then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Not enough."
• Behind her, Thorstein cried, Connor huffed, and the other rogues hailed, "Capo!"
• Beside her, Mel sobbed.
• And before her, standing upright with his chin tilted up, Knight locked eyes with her.
• Ayra shrunk into herself.
• And all of a sudden, the future looked bleak.