Temptations (Alpha City Book 5)

by Bryce Evans

“Look, I came here to help. If you don’t need my assistance, then I can take my people and go,” Locke replied arrogantly. He waited, and when nobody said anything he looked around the room until his eyes landed on Skylar. “Ah, Princess, I had heard you were here in Alpha City. Welcome. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” When Locke stepped forward with his hand out, Nolan started to growl and pulled her back. “Well, I didn’t expect this, but I see now. You’ve mated with the Alpha. Your dragon must be very big and strong, Alpha.”

  Skylar reached behind her, grabbing Nolan’s arms and wrapping them around her, hoping her mate wouldn’t pop the vampire’s head right off. She watched as Locke narrowed his eyes. She prayed he didn’t figure out that Nolan couldn’t shift into a dragon.

  Turning his head to the side like he had figured it out, Locke asked, “Is something wrong with your dragon, Alpha?” If he kept this up, Judd wouldn’t have to worry about killing Locke. Nolan’s growls were vibrating through her as Locke pried into their business. His friends all moved closer, placing their hands on his shoulder and back, giving him strength.

  “Nothing for you to worry about,” Skylar answered.

  “As you wish, Princess.” Locke bowed and moved back. His eyes followed Nolan’s friends and how they supported him. If he didn’t know before, he knew now.

  For two hours, Mick went over fake plans with Locke. Even Ryder and Brody pointed out some places that had nothing to do with their real strategy. This was all an act, and Locke believed every part. MJ had made out fake plans in an effort to help them pull the ruse off.

  “I think that’s it for now. We should have some more plans in the next couple of days. We still have some time to prepare.” Mick had done a great job at pulling off the hoax. She only hoped it worked. Every piece of information Locke believed the better.

  “I have to ask this: is the king of Elves going to be joining in this battle? I think I speak on behalf of my people that it would make a huge difference if he was,” Locke asked.

  “We still don’t know that yet,” Mick answered, trying to make it sound like he was disappointed. They’d decided that Bast shouldn’t attend this meeting. They needed to keep his involvement a secret. The enemy would expect him to join them, but hopefully now they wouldn’t be so sure. Everyone else stared at Locke, who apparently wasn’t satisfied with the answer.

  “Well, that doesn’t seem fair. He has just as much to lose, if not more than us,” Locke objected.

  “Well, why don’t you tell him that when you see him at the next meeting? I’m sure he really wants to hear what you have to say,” Mick snapped.

  “I was just asking, Mick. It’s a fair question.”

  “Maybe so, but it’s one we can’t answer right now. I’m sure at the next meeting in a couple of days, he will have an answer,” Mick advised.

  Once Mick was finished with the meeting, they all left. Skylar could feel how tense her mate was. She needed to get him home so he could calm down, but Nolan wanted to wait until Locke and his guards left to go back to the hotel.

  The hotel in town housed all of the vampires, which was good for them because downtown was wired and video surveillance was everywhere. It didn’t matter where they went, the girls in the control room would see it and keep the Order informed.

  “There’s nothing else for us to do. Are you ready to go home?” Nolan asked. “Why are you smiling like that?”

  “Because you said home, and it has a nice ring to it.” Nolan didn’t know just how much that one word meant to her. This was her home now, and she planned to do everything in her power to make sure it was here for a very long time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Locke peeked around the corner. Once the desk clerk left the counter, he headed out the back entrance to meet Hank. He had to look twice before he saw him in the woods. Hank was great at hiding and getting information. The shifters were so stupid in trusting him. They didn’t know how to protect their own city, even from a Trojan horse; they’d invited the enemy into their dens. He got great pleasure knowing how surprised they were going to be when they found out.

  “What did you find out?” Locke didn’t have time to linger, he needed to find out what Hank knew and then send him to Claudia’s before the witch did something stupid and sent people for him.

  “The wolf said that everyone in Alpha City was very cautious, and weren’t talking at all. They are scared. The wolf didn’t know anything,” Hank answered. “But I did get the spray.”

  “Does it work?”

  “Yes, Master. We tested it and it works. We plan on going out tonight to see what we can find.”

  “Good. I need information, but right now I want you to go and see Claudia. Tell her that the dragon princess and the Alpha tiger have mated, but something is wrong with his dragon. I got the impression that he can’t shift, or that he doesn’t have one. And tell her this: they believe that she isn’t coming until next week, and they’re hiding everyone in some underground mines. All the women and children will be there. Now go and get back and find out what they’re planning. I want to know if we’re missing something.” Locke slunk back toward the hotel. He couldn’t be seen sneaking out or they would get suspicious.

  “Where have you been?” the High Master asked when he caught him re-entering the hotel.

  “For a walk. Is that illegal? Am I a hostage here in Alpha City?” Locke demanded.

  “The sun hasn’t even come up, so it looks suspicious that you’re sneaking around. You know how they feel about you here. For your own safety, you need to stay close to the hotel and have your guards with you at all times.”

  “I was young and stupid when that happened, and I was bewitched. You all know that. I couldn’t control what I did to the Walsh woman. They have witches, they should know that stuff like that happens. It wasn’t my fault,” Locke complained, frustrated.

  “It doesn’t matter; you took a shifter’s life. And not just any shifter, but the Alpha’s mate. If she hadn’t stopped you then you would’ve killed the boy, too.”

  “Yes, I’ve had the pleasure of being told he would rip my throat out if I give him a reason to. No respect from these…”

  Locke’s head hit the back of the wall as the High Master slammed him against it. “What the hell did you do that for?”

  He watched as the High Master clenched his jaw. “Because you are stupid and trying to get us killed. Make comments like that again, and I’ll serve you up to them on a silver platter. These people are not animals, they are shifters, and you need to understand the difference.”

  “I didn’t say animals, Master. Forgive me if you thought that was what I was going to say.” Locke bowed his head. That little slip-up almost got him killed. He needed to remember that the High Master was a shifter-lover.

  “I have some calls to make. I suggest you keep a low profile until the next meeting. That’s all they would need, Locke. Just one slip-up from you.”

  He watched as the High Master walked away. All he could think about was that when he got control of the Council, he would make sure they all knew that shifters were nothing more than animals, not worthy of being compared to his race. Vampires were far superior, and shifters were only good for being slaves. That’s how it used to be, and before he was done, that’s how it was going to be again. If the shifters wanted a war, he would give it to them.

  Nolan paced in the back while Ryder spoke to his pack. All of his members were here, inside the Rock’s boundaries. It was a sacred place, and it held a great power. But that was only if you had a coven of witches to bring it out. The Rock looked like something out of medieval times. It wasn’t just one stone, but several gigantic ones positioned in a circle. Each rock was a different shape and size, carved in the images of a wolf, a tiger, a bear, a jaguar, a panther, an Elf, and a woman. Tonight they were using it to inform the citizens of Alpha City where they were going.

  Once everyone was inside the circle, they closed it up using magic. The women, children, and the elderly we
re all going to Bo and Cat Toland’s land. They had already planned this because of Sage’s dream. Fortunately, Sage had visions. Not as many as Carina, but she’d dreamed that Claudia and her coven were in the woods searching for something on the ground. It wasn’t something they wanted to chance, so they planned to move everyone a day earlier just in case they were wrong about when Claudia would be coming.

  It was his time to talk, and he shocked everyone when he grabbed Skylar’s hand and walked up with her. “I don’t know if you have heard, but I’ve found my mate. Skylar is the princess of the dragons, and we have mated. I’m sorry I’m just telling you about it, but…” Nolan kissed the top of Skylar’s hand. “It just happened. I hope you’ll welcome her into the pride and into our community here in Alpha City. I love her, and she has brought great joy to my life.

  “Now, let’s get down to why we’ve brought you here tonight. We’ve already made you aware that the women, children, and elderly will be going into hiding until this has been resolved. You know that your mates will be able to fight better if they know that you are safe. We’re moving the timetable up for moving to tonight. You leave in a few minutes,” Nolan told them, and some of the women in the crowd started complaining.

  Nolan waited for them to settle down, but they were scared. “You know we’re scared, too. We don’t want a war, but as you know we don’t have a choice. Just know that everything you’ll need is at the place you’ll be going. We…” Nolan watched as all the Alphas and Betas stepped up beside him. “We need your support. We need for you to go without any argument. We need to know that you’ll be okay, so that thought won’t enter our minds. If we don’t have that assurance, then it could cost some of us our lives. I know that you are all strong and will do the right thing. You’ll board the vehicles and travel to another place. All your cellphones will stay here, and when you come home they’ll be returned. There will be plenty of information coming through so you’ll know what is going on. Now give your loved ones a big hug, and without any noise go with your Beta to the vehicles. We don’t know if we have spies watching us. The least amount of noise will help us out in the long run. I love you, my pride, I love each and every one of you. I fight for you. Pray for us. Pray that the Gods will bless us and help us win this war. Take care, my family.”

  Everyone bowed their head in a silent prayer, then shuffled to where their Beta was standing.

  “That, my friend, was a great speech. We couldn’t have said it better, Nolan. Thank you, because I really thought they would put up more of a fuss.” Brody patted him on the back. “I love you, man. I need for you to know that.”

  Nolan smiled. “Aww, I love you too, Teddy Bear.”

  Brody just smiled and squeezed his shoulder when Skylar walked up.

  “I’m flying overhead to make sure they get there without any one following them,” she said.

  “What if someone sees you?” Nolan asked, concerned.

  “Nobody will see us that far up, and I assure you that they won’t spot us from above. We’re built for stealth, my love. We didn’t survive all these years without learning how to fly unseen and unheard. You want a lift?”

  “Yeah, baby. I would go to the moon and back with you.”

  Skylar laughed. “You know, you are one smooth talker, mate of mine. But I feel the same way as Brody. I love you, my tiger.”

  Nolan hugged Skylar to him as they walked out of the circle. He blocked her as she shifted so nobody would see her nude body. They would meet back in a few to see if Dag seen anyone. Nolan’s eyes were good, but nowhere as good as Skylar and Dag’s.

  Before Skylar picked Nolan up, Dag flew back down to the ground. “You have four men hiding in the woods. I’ll follow them when they leave, but it might be a good idea to have people talking about taking everyone to the mines so they can report back with that information. Say it’s just a precaution.”

  Nolan nodded and walked over to Jamie Foster, the Beta of the Malone Pack. He would get the message delivered.

  Nolan tipped his head at Dag, and he flew off again and waited in the air for the men to leave. Skylar moved to the other side so the men wouldn’t see her and Nolan taking off.

  He held his breath as Skylar picked him up and jumped up in the air. This time it didn’t take his stomach; in fact he almost yelled out because the feeling he was having was pure joy. The heights didn’t even bother him. Maybe he hadn’t gotten a dragon, but he did get the love of flying. His body was acting like he craved the air. Maybe he got some of the dragon’s traits.

  “We’ll fly ahead and scan the area, then backtrack,” Skylar said. Nolan nodded and looked down at the ground. It was funny was how well he could see from this far above. He could pick out small animals running in the woods. The last time they’d flown he could hardly see anything.

  “I can see everything tonight,” he told his mate.

  “Maybe you got the eyesight. Do you see the small animals running in the woods?”

  “Yes, I do, and they have a red glow to them. Almost like night vision.”

  “Then you have the vision of a dragon, my love. That’s how we can see them, even if they’re camouflaged. It helps us pick out our prey from great distances, and we can also see who is hiding. Remember, we didn’t live this long by being stupid. The Gods granted us a lot of advantages for being the keepers of the air.”

  “God, I wish I could fly,” Nolan muttered, but he knew his mate heard him.

  “Maybe one day you will. I’m not giving up hope,” Skylar said with a little squeeze from her claws.

  “Do you see anyone yet?” she asked a few moments later.

  “No, nothing. This is good. We can get the women and children hidden and then get ready.” They continued to check the area for a couple more hours just to make sure that nobody followed. When they were convinced, they met the others at Nolan’s home.

  Skylar hated leaving, because Thea was feeling very uncomfortable. The midwife said that the baby had dropped and that it could be any day now. This wasn’t good, but they couldn’t move her and she couldn’t shift until after the baby was born. Thea and Xavier would hide in the basement. He had a tunnel that led from his house to the mountain. That way if someone did get in the house, they wouldn’t know where they were located. Every Alpha had built a tunnel leading out of each home that lead to the woods behind their house. The only ones who knew about them were their Betas.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Skylar and Nolan walked inside the house and found everyone sitting in the kitchen except Thea and Xavier. Thea was laying on the couch, and Xavier was rubbing her belly.

  “Are you okay, Thea? Is the baby coming?” Skylar asked, concerned. She hated the fact that Thea would have to hide, and if the baby came she wouldn’t be there. She was scared for Thea.

  “Are you kidding me? I’m doing great,” Thea answered, but Skylar could see the fear as it crossed her face.

  “Don’t you lie to me, Thea. I can see that you’re hurting.”

  “No, not hurting, Skylar. Really, please don’t worry about me. I’m going to be okay. I need for you to have your focus on the plans. Plus, I have my right-hand man here to help me. We can do this.”

  Skylar rubbed her hand over Thea’s belly, then bent down and whispered, “Sin, this is your Alpha speaking. I need you to go easy on your mom so she’s not in so much pain. And if you could wait to come until after the battle to make your debut, that would be good. But if you can’t, then please be a good boy and your Alphas will be proud of you. We love you already and can’t wait to see you.”

  She watched as her mate kneeled down beside Thea and rubbed his face all over her belly. “Be a good boy for Mom and Dad. And remember, we have a big backyard for you to run and play in. You’re going to have the best time here.”

  Thea and Xavier both put their hand over Nolan’s before he could get up. “Thank you Alpha, and we’re happy to be home, too.”

  Skylar watched her mate’s eyes water. He nodded and wa
lked away. Nolan was such a strong man, but she could tell that Thea touched his heart. He would move mountains to make sure that she and the baby were okay. In fact, Skylar could tell that Nolan would do whatever it took to make sure they were all okay.

  Sitting down at the table, she gazed at all her new family as they gathered around the room. Time was running out, and some of these wonderful people might not make it. She had a lot to fight for, but in reality they all had a lot to fight for.

  “Tomorrow we need to all be in our places by midday. Dag found out some interesting news tonight, which I’m going to let him explain.” Bast motioned for Dag to start.

  “There was a group of men hiding in the north woods. They were close enough that someone should have scented them, so I’m guessing they’ve found a way to mask their scent. Anyway, once I told Alpha Banks what I’d seen, we made sure they could hear some of the Betas talking outside about moving everyone to the mines tonight. Just as a precaution. Once they heard that they started moving out. I followed them, and they went straight to the tree line out behind the hotel, and the one you call Locke met them outside. Their meeting didn’t take long, and then the group of men started toward Claudia’s castle. I didn’t follow them too far in. Jamal would be able to pick me up. I’m sure your cameras did.”

  “If we wanted confirmation on Locke, we just got it.” Kayden’s voice was gravelly as the growl vibrated out of his chest.

  “I don’t think anyone doubted he was a traitor, but his time has run out and his fate will soon be sealed,” Judd replied with a smirk on his face.

  She could feel the pressure in the room as the shifters got restless. The wildness in each of the shifters was pushing hard on all of them. If she hadn’t been part of this group, her dragon would’ve jumped out of her skin and took over from all the different emotions flying around. She had felt these feelings before, when her brother killed their father. She wanted Jamal dead, so much so she could taste it on the air she breathed. These people had been through enough, and she could tell they felt the same. They wanted to taste the blood of their enemies and make sure they were dead.