4

CHAPTER FOUR 

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Rene searches everywhere for Kyra, and after a long while, he finally finds her outside the castle. 

Kyra is gazing at the full moon; the soft breeze blows gently on her hair.

Rene approaches her, relief pulsing through his blood and he completely misses the hardness in Kyra's gaze.

" I've been looking for you. I even went to your chamber, but__" He halts, not willing to talk about his unpleasant experience with Javier. 

"We are already prepared to leave, what's left is the money,"

"You won't need it anymore,"

"What? Why? " 

The sudden coldness he senses from Kyra snatches his throat with anxiety in a death grip. 

Is she going back on her promise?

Kyra's eyes glisten with hidden contempt as she cups Rene's chin softly, leaning closer to whisper.

"I have to tell you this, something terrible happened Rene__ your mother and your friend were caught by the guards, and they didn't succeed in leaving the gates,"

The blood drains from Rene's face, "N_no," He croaks, horror swirling inside his head. 

His disbelieving gaze snaps to Kyra's,  "How? You told me the old passage is safe, you assured me that they will make it!" Panic makes Rene's voice rise, and Kyra's gaze narrows in displeasure; she has spoiled him too much; that is her first mistake, and now this wretched boy thinks he can raise his gaze and his voice at an Alpha.

She quickly hides her anger. This is going to be fun for her; revenge is meant to be sweet, after all. 

"I opened the passage as promised, but they did not even make it there. Your mother and your friend have been taken to the dungeon, the Chief will decide their fate later,"

Rene's weakened knees threaten to sink, his body flushing coldly with horror. 

His mother... Soral. They cannot be in the cold dungeon, his mother will not survive it. 

How did their plan fail? His hopes crumbling to nothing.  

"No!" Rene grasps Kyra's arm, tears of desperation burning in his eyes. 

"Please, save them; you have to help me; my mother will die if you don't do anything, I'm begging you!" 

Kyra's expression softens, and she reaches out to gently stroke Rene's hair. "Of course, dear brother," she coos. "I'll do everything in my power to help you. But you have to trust me, and do exactly as I say."

'Poor boy, don't cry yet; I still have a lot of surprises for you', Kyra laughs internally when Rene nods fervently. She almost feels sympathetic when she sees the tears of relief streaming down Rene's face. 

' Don't blame me, dear brother. You betrayed me first and trampled on my kindness' She pats Rene's face, drying off his tears tenderly with her knuckles.

Rene jerks when several guards march towards them with bright fire torches, scanning the area until they find the person they are looking for.

Rene is yanked away from Kyra by powerful hands. 

"What are you doing? Leave me!" Rene screams,  struggling against the powerful warriors, who bow briefly before the Princess. 

"It's Chief's orders to bring him!"

Rene's despairing gaze wanders to Kyra, who wears a soft, reassuring smile; she leans to whisper to him.

"Go with them, I've already figured out a way to save you, like I said you just need to trust me, I will be shortly behind you"

Rene is dragged into the castle and the Chief's private chamber; he is forced roughly to his knees before the Chief. 

Anxiety causes Rene's stomach to roil with nausea when he looks around the large room to see his half-brothers present.

He bows his head cautiously, his heart beating ever so wildly that he is afraid that it will burst. 

This is the closest Rene has ever been to the chief, and he is conscious of being the centre of attraction in the magnificent room.

Chief Jaron breaks the nerve-racking silence. "You look exactly like her,"

Who?

His mother? Why did the Chief sound so irritated?

Rene's head remains bowed, "Chief, please spare my mother; as you know, she's currently in poor health. Don't let her die in the dungeon!" Rene's pleas earn a few snickers from his brother; they scoff in disgust, unable to believe that this weak rat is their father's blood.

It is a stain on their royal honour.

Rene is filled with relief when Kyra walks inside and stands next to the Chief. She's here to support him ...

"Has the prisoner revealed any information, yet?" The chief inquires from Eren but his sharp eyes linger on the lowly omega that has been brought before him.

"He is stubborn and still hasn't spoken a word, we have tortured him quite a lot, still nothing"

Chief Jaron sighs, massaging his temples tiredly.

"I knew it wouldn't be easy to break him, but I cannot help but feel that it is suspicious that his whole clan has been keeping quiet about his capture too, we need to get him to speak to find out what they are planning,"

Rene shudders as he feels the Chief's hooded gaze fixate on him again. 

"Come closer, boy" The chief beckons to Rene with his fingers and when Rene gets close enough, he tilts Rene's head upward using the tip of his footwear. 

"I heard quite an interesting rumour that my prisoner was captivated with you?"

"W_what?" Rene's enormous eyes dominate his small oval face. 

"N_no Chief" He makes another sound as if he is strangling. His fear is palpable, but it is too much, more like utter horror. Where did such rumours come from?

"That is true, several people who attended the public celebration attested to it."Kyra supplies the answer the Chief is waiting for, and Rene's wide, frantic eyes snap in her direction. 

What is going on?

"T_that is not true!" He cries hopelessly. "That barbarian does not know me, how can he b__be" Rene cannot utter the words. It is unthinkable to be linked with that brute who is an enemy of their clan.

He meets Kyra's gaze briefly once again and sees something flash in her eyes, it is gone too quickly before Rene can interpret it. Is she telling him to still trust her?

"You are so disappointing, just like the wench who gave birth to you, I have a task for you if you succeed, I will pardon her along with that slave boy who helped her escape"

Hope and a flicker of fear vibrate through Rene's body when Eren and Aston hand the Chief two separate vials.

"You will add these portions to the prisoner's meal and give it to him; you have to ensure that he takes it."

"Is it p_poison?" Rene stammers, staring at the green unsettling liquids in the vials. 

Why does it have to be him to kill the prisoner?

His knees unwillingly move back a step,  his hands trembling as he unconsciously tries to distance himself from the Chief's imposing figure.

"N-no, my Lord," Rene stutters, his voice barely audible. "I-I don't want to kill anyone."

Chief Jaron's expression darkens, his brow furrowing in displeasure. "You dare refuse me? Are you forgetting that your mother's life is in your hands?" he growls, his voice low and menacing.

Rene's face pales; he knows he is bound to obey, he cannot lose his family.

"I-I'm sorry, my Lord," Rene whispers, his voice cracking with fear. "I'll do it."

The chief's gaze narrow, his eyes glinting with a cunning, calculating light. 

"This isn't poison; it's simply a newly developed medicine that will turn our dominant Alpha into a weak, useless Omega like you!"

Rene gasps inwardly; it is his first time hearing that such a deadly drug exists. "B_but, why me?"

"We don't know how the drug will work, but this medicine will definitely make the Alpha go into a mad rut. Do you even know what that means?" Aston asks and Eren scoffs. 

"I doubt he knows that, did you forget that our boy is a virgin whose limp dick is only for fancy?" Eren's laugh turns evil when an embarrassed blush stains Rene's face with a red flame. 

"I mean that our prisoner will want to fuck ceaselessly; our females are too precious to serve him, so you will be there to satisfy him; we finally found something you may be good at, after all." Aston's explanation drenched Rene's body with horror, sweat dampening his skin, and a frightened plea leaves his mouth. 

"No, please, don't do this to me!" His cries are ignored, and Eren adds cruelly. "The barbarians don't mind fucking with the same sex, I'm curious to see how it happens though" 

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