The First King
Chapter 23

A wolf stumbled through the night, its gray fur blending into the tree line. The wolf whimpered as she tripped over an extended tree root. Lorelei laid there in the leaves as she panted. For two days, she had been running, and at this point, she was unsure where she was. All she knew was that the more distance that she put between her and Konrad, the better she felt.

With shaky legs, she rose from the ground. Even though she was in wolf form, her vision was blurry with tears. She needed to keep going, to keep running. Konrad... Just thinking his name urged her forward. He had lied to her. As she continued to run, her pain was being replaced by anger. But she could not blame him entirely. It was the humans. They had taken a hold over him, controlled his choices. They were the reason that she and Konrad could not be happy.

Lorelei growled as the scent of other wolves filled her nose. All this time, she had run without a purpose, but now she had one. She wanted to tell anyone and everyone about the deceit and betrayal that was going on at Sella Castle. If Lorelei could not have Konrad, no one would have him. Neither the humans, wolves, nor Prew. Her ears perked up as wolves howled around her. She was surrounded, and she could feel the aura of an Alpha. Her wolf halted in its tracks, but as she stood there, her fatigue began to catch up to her.

After Lorelei shifted, she collapsed onto the ground, and a giant wolf stalked up to her. He sniffed her, catching the familiar scent of Konrad on her. The wolf nudged a hand curiously before shifting into his human form. Alder stood above Lorelei, running his hands through his beard as he thought to himself.

"Alpha..." Lorelei rasped as she looked up at him.

"What is it, little omega," Alder questioned as he squatted beside her.

"I've come from Guilford," she muttered as she attempted to sit up. As she struggled to replace her strength, no one stepped up to offer aid.

"I know," Alder stated as he watched her. "What is it that you want?"

"I've come to inform you of the lies that you have been told."

"Oh? Do tell," he replied with a sly smile.

"I was Konrad's fated mate," she explained as she finally sat up. "I still was when you bent the knee to him."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed as she stared at him with wide, bloodshot eyes. "He was going to annul his marriage after the war, but the humans are trying to control everything. They've even allowed witches to join them! And Konrad is rolling over like a weak dog."

"What about his human queen? What do you think of her?" He inquired as he raised an eyebrow.

"She is insane! Always carrying a silver dagger, threatening Konrad and others any chance she gets."

"So, you've come to tell me all this, why?"

"To warn you," Lorelei whispered sternly. "To give you the chance to save your people from the greedy humans. You should not be bending the knee to a weak man with a weak wolf."

Alder threw his head back and began to laugh. Lorelei's face grew hot as she listened to him and the warriors around her. She attempted to stand, but Alder quickly pushed her back to the ground.

"Where do you think you are going?" He growled.

"I-I don't know," she whimpered as she looked down.

"You've come here determined to get me to back out on my deal with Konrad," Alder snarled as he leaned in close to her, gripping her chin tightly. "The problem is, I never bent the knee to that King of whatever. I pledged my allegiance to Prew, the Queen of Queens. And do you want to know why? Because that insane human beat me in a one-on-one fight. Do you think you could do that, little omega? Do you think you can beat me in a one-on-one?"

"N-n-no, Alpha," she muttered as she tried to make herself as small as possible. "Of c-course not."

"Of course not," Alder mocked. "You're just a jilted lover; a pup who is having an outburst because you were rejected. Are you upset because a human female, who is immensely strong, was chosen over you?"

Lorelei wanted to speak, but Alder's aura was keeping her silent. Tears rolled down her cheeks as his grip tightened even further on her.

"You know what? I'll let you live this once, but you must leave my territory and never return. And if I hear of you speaking ill of Prew, hell even Konrad, I will kill you. I shall have no qualms in ending your life, and no one would ever know. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes... Alpha," she cried.

"Good. Now, run," Alder commanded as he finally released her.

Lorelei's body moved against her will, shifting into her wolf as she sprinted away. Alder stood up straight as two of his warriors walked up beside him. After counting to ten in his head, he finally looked down at his wolves.

"See to it that she leaves our territory," he instructed. "Push her East."

The wolves lunged forward, quickly chasing after the female wolf. For miles, they chased Lorelei. Even after she was sure she was out of the Frostpaw's territory, they did not let up on their chase. But they never got too close, never attempted to attack her. They only pursued her. If she tried to change directions, they would nip at her heels until she turned back.

Around midday, Lorelei jumped into a river, and once she was across it, she turned back around. The wolves that had been chasing her were gone. She did not know when they stopped following her. Had they stopped a few minutes ago? A few hours ago? She was unsure, but with them gone, she allowed herself to shift and collapse onto the shoreline. Her legs were on fire, and her heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest.

Lorelei curled up in a ball, tears streaming down her cheeks and onto the sand below. With each sob, her body trembled. After a while, she began to feel hot as the sun bared down on her. And below her, the rocks and sand dug into her skin. Lorelei wiped her eyes as she attempted to sit up. It was getting dark, the sun barely visible in the western sky. She ran her hands up her arms, but then she froze. Her eyes traveled down her body, noticing that she was naked. Lorelei had not said the incantation when she ran from Alder. Her clothes had disintegrated, and now she was in the middle of nowhere. She buried her face in her hands as she started to sob again.

What was she to do out here, all alone and naked? Where was she to go? Behind her, she could see a forest and the base of a mountain. She had traveled a great distance, but she was sure that she was near the Gantawa Range. Which meant she would be close to Guilford. As much as it embarrassed her to be naked, she would not return to the Wild Haer pack. She was still angry with Konrad, with everything that had transpired.

Lorelei's ears perked up as something rustled in the woods. She pulled her knees up to her chest, doing her best to cover herself. She gasped as birds flew overhead, escaping the treeline behind her. Then there was silence. There was no movement, no smells, nothing. Lorelei shook her head as she tried to calm herself down. There was nothing there; her mind was playing tricks on her. With a sigh, she turned her head back to the water.

"Well, well, well," a soft voice whispered nearby. "Look what we have here. A little wolf, all alone in the woods. Are you lost, little wolf?"

Lorelei jumped as she looked around. At first, she could not see anyone, but a figure slowly emerged from the shadows. She could smell iron, as if she was sitting in a puddle of blood. Her heart raced as the man walked closer to her. The glowing red eyes, the stench of blood, this was a vampire. She did not need a map to know that she was pushed toward a vampire keep by Alder's men. Lorelei braced herself, expecting him to attack her, but he didn't. Instead, he looked at her, as if waiting for her to speak.

"N-no," she stammered. "I-I-I was running."

"Running?" He repeated as he savored the word in his mouth. "Why?"

"I-I just needed to get away," she answered honestly. Her eyes watched as the man removed his coat and flinched as he dropped it over her shoulders.

"Forgot to say your magic words, didn't you, little wolf?"

"I did," she whispered as she pulled his coat tightly around her body.

"Now, why are you running?" He inquired curiously. "The world is a dangerous place, little wolf."

"I... I don't want to say," she murmured as she looked away from the vampire.

"Why not? You're running from it; what can it hurt to tell me about it?" He questioned as he knelt down beside her. He cocked his head to the side as he watched tears fall from her eyes. The corners of his lips curved upward into a small smile. "Oh... You were rejected, weren't you."

"I rejected him!" She snapped.

"Oh, forgive me. I had assumed that since you were the one that was running-"

"I didn't want to stay there any longer," she interrupted with a scowl.

"Why not chase out the weak wolf that you rejected? It seems wrong to me that you were the one to run," he pondered softly as he reached out, gently removing a twig from her blonde hair.

"How do you chase away the Alpha? The King of Ki..." she clasped her hands over her mouth, silencing herself.

"Ah," the vampire mused as he chuckled. "Where did you replace the strength to reject an Alpha, little wolf?"

"I was angry. He had promised that the two of us could be together, but it was a lie. And he loves her... that woman." Lorelei growled as she gripped the coat tightly in her hands.

"The Queen of Queens?"

"You know about them?"

"We have heard whispers: rumors about a wolf and human being together, gathering forces to push us back," he replied with a shrug. His fingers moved from her hair down to her neck. It made him chuckle to see her skin react to his touch. "So, does the wolf love the human after all?"

"Yes," she uttered as she leaned into his hand. "He admitted it before I rejected him."

"That must have hurt you greatly. I am sorry that you had to go through such a traumatic experience."

"How is it that you, a vampire, seem more compassionate than any wolf that I've come across?" Lorelei questioned as she sniffed back more tears.

"We are not as cold-hearted as you were raised to believe, no pun intended," he laughed as he cupped her face. "We vampires have meaningful relationships. Some of us even adopt orphan humans, raising them as our own."

"I never knew that," she whispered as she looked into his red eyes.

"It is not your fault, little wolf. How can you know the ways of the world when you are kept locked away within your pack?" He quizzed as he turned to look at the darkened sky above. "Why don't you come with me to the Black Shadow Keep? Perhaps we can replace you a bed to rest in?"

"Would the Vampire Lord allow me in there?"

"Well, lucky for you, little wolf. I am Vihaan, the Vampire Lord," he boasted as he stood to his feet. He took her hands, gently pulling her up as well. "And I say that you have my permission to come into my home. How does that sound?"

"It would be better than staying out here all night," she joked as her legs wobbled beneath her. "But..."

"But?"

"Are you going to hurt me?" She questioned worryingly.

"I would never harm a guest of mine," he asserted with a frown.

"I'm sorry," Lorelei gasped as she looked down. "I shouldn't have assumed anything. Please, forgive me."

"No need," Vihaan interjected as he placed his finger beneath her chin. With gentleness, he lifted her gaze until their eyes met. "You are being cautious, and I can respect that. But, I will admit that there is something that I would like from you in return."

"What?"

"Conversation," he smiled. "In exchange for clothes, food, and a bed, I just want to talk. It isn't often that I get to converse with a woman as beautiful as yourself."

"Oh," Lorelei nodded as she blushed. "I can do that."

"Good," he said as he led her into the woods. "I'm anxious to hear all about you, little wolf."

Below is the map, in case anyone needs a refresher on it 🥰