The Delta's Daughter Chapter 194

KELLEN

Like a pack of silent thieves, we filed out of the barracks one by one, Jasper leading the way. He had brought six warriors with him that had all drawn a white X on their leather vests so we knew who was a friend and not foe.

Creeping through the arena and towards the Palace swiftly and quietly.

*My King* Rogue handed me my sword, the one the old lady had gifted me *I kept it safe* he smiled.

“You are with me Rogue,” I nodded thanks to him,

“We take out any guard or warriors without an X that pose a threat” Jasper instructed before we reached the palace steps and split off into our groups. “King Kellen, follow me,” He said and slipped into the shadows, Rogue and I following closely behind.

The ring of a bell had been a surprise, drawing men and a few guards away from the palace, and that’s when we made our move. I held my sword tight, following the future Alpha, ready to shed blood but hoping to only shed the blood of those who deserved it.

We rounded the corner of a high wall, more steps leading up to the palace doors. We paused to wait until we got the signal.

I opened up a mind-link to Mike and Hunji *Are you in position*

*Yes Alpha King* He replied using formalities *Ready on your signal*

*In position, your highness* Hunji linked back.

I closed my eyes opening up a mass link not only to Mike and Hunji, but to the Gladiators I had initiated into my pack, ready to give the signal and we would all storm the palace. There were almost 200 fighters, which hopefully should be plenty unless Vargr calls his army, then Jasper and Cameron said it would take them only five minutes to infiltrate and surround the palace.

I waited for a beat while a few more of the palace workers came rushing out to the ring of the bell, ready to give my signal when the thunderous boom of an explosion had us all crouching down again and covering our heads. “what the fuck was that” I asked Jasper.

“No idea,” He scowled looking as lost about the explosion as I felt. “Oliver told Tala, he would create a distraction, I didn’t know what though.”

More people rushed from the building and more guards and warriors began to mobilize toward where the explosion detonated. The flames licked the sky and cast light amongst the shadows, making it more difficult to hide our movements. At least it moved more of Vargr’s fighters away from the palace.

*Was that your signal* Hunji asked through the mind-link

*No,* I growled back to him *But it’s a good cover. EVERYBODY TAKE POSITION AND MOVE IN!* I commanded through the open link and had a chorus of affirmatives reply back to me.

*****

MIKE

*TAKE POSITION AND MOVE IN* Kellen’s command came through loud and clear.

“The Wolf King has spoken. Take out anyone who does not bear a white cross on their uniform, do not harm civilians.” Hunji told the warriors we had with us.

“About motherfucking time! Let's fuck these bitches up!” Tobias clapped his hands together and rubbed his palms against each other. He was excited for a battle, ready to dive in. This was his element. This was where he felt most at ease, his green eyes darkening as his beast came forward to show himself. I pitied the shifters he would fight tonight.

We had thought we would be waiting another two days before our troops arrived. However once they had reached the Sea Dog pack, the chief warriors from the three units didn’t want to wait and Alpha John had them get off one boat and almost immediately on to another. And they had only been half a day behind us.

“Royal Beta, we will go in through the front gates, two of your units will go around the wall to the east and west entrance with our men.” The man, whose name was Cameron said.

He was here to meet us when we arrived, we had stayed hidden a few miles away near a rock formation until we had the cover of night, waiting for our King to tell us when to move. I looked up at the front doors of the palace, which sat higher on top of stone stairs.

We had heard the explosion and thought that was the signal but Cameron said that was not what we were waiting for. But seeing as Vargr just commanded guards and warriors to that side of the wall, it was working in our favor.

Cameron’s eyes glazed over for a second before he nodded at me. “The Alpha has left the main palace floor.” He lifted his hand and made a circular motion, I did the same and our units of warriors scuttled off to the other entrances to breach them.

We were up the step in seconds, greeted by a small plump, older she-wolf who opened the door for us. It was strange, the way she had let us in and then hurried away to hide. Would there be people to let in our other units I had expected a little more resistance but then Kellen and Cameron had told us the majority of the palace workers would help us how they could.

The guards we met were eliminated quickly and quietly until we rounded a corner and came into what looked like the main hall of the palace, where there were over two dozen warriors gathered and one of them turned to see us. “INTRUDERS!” he called out and before we knew it, we were engaged in battle.

The clashing of metal as swords met and sounds of growls filled the air. “Find Kellen, I can handle this” Tobias growled out and when I looked at him to make sure, I saw thick brown fur sprouting over his arms and legs, his limbs growing longer as he morphed into his beast. Hunji and I took our cue and followed Cameron towards another side of the large hall.

I glanced back to see Tobias’ beast let out a loud and menacing roar, the guards he was fighting visually froze at the sight of the almost ten-foot bear. We moved swiftly forward where we could hear the sounds of others fighting just outside. Cameron burst through a pair of double doors and halted as did the men on the other side of the door. All with their weapons raised, ready to strike.

“Mike, Hunji!” I heard Kellen’s voice and swiftly stopped the action of swinging my blade.

“Kellen!” I cheerily smiled as my best friend stepped forward to hug me and then Hunji

“Boy am I glad to see you guys!” He exclaimed.

I took note of his appearance, his hair was longer, his skin tanned and he had a beard going on. What was most noticeable was his size. “Shit man, you're huge! This slavery bullshit looks like it did you some good” I couldn’t help but chuckle. It wasn’t the time to joke, but I couldn’t help it; I couldn’t, not say anything, that just wasn’t me.

“Vargr is at the wall that collapsed, along with some of his army, this side of the arena.” A man who was as tall as me but not nearly as built said, “Sorry, I am Jasper, future Alpha.” He added when he noticed me giving him a quizzical look.

“Introductions later, Let's go kill this bastard and anyone who stands behind him.” I smiled at my King and gestured for them to lead the way. Seeing Kellen invigorated me and I was ready for a fight, now we had been reunited.

*****

TALA

I watched Vargr and a few of his warriors leave the palace from where I hid, letting out a breath of relief. I didn’t need to run into him, not now. Not now I knew the fight had just begun. I could hear the distant clang of weapons and the shouting as a fight broke out down the hall. I tried to focus on my task, yet the vision of my mother's mangled body wouldn't leave. Had she done it in an attempt to weaken Vargr Or had it simply been too much for her and she finally found a way out and this time succeeded in taking her own life

I rushed to the doors of Vargr’s office and slipped inside closing the door behind me. Once in I went to the painting behind his desk, knowing the safe was behind there. I still had to fulfill my end of the bargain. Except even as I safely got the jewels from the safe, I had no idea where Oliver was to give them to him.

The safe was easy to open. I had known the combination to unlock it for a long time. Vargr’s carelessness all these years was working in my favor. Once the safe was open, I looked at the contents. Small bars of gold were stacked on one side. On the other was a large square tray holding loose diamonds. My eyes sparkled bright and I held one up to the light. These had already been cut and they sparkled under the dull light of the lamps in the room. I grabbed three of the medium-sized velvet bags that were conveniently there and emptied the tray into the bags quickly and stuffed them into the top of my dress. The jewels’ weight sat heavily; heavier than I thought they would be.

I closed the safe and put the picture back, not that it mattered. If Kellen killed Vargr, it wouldn’t matter that I had broken in or who knew. I guess I did it out of habit, fear of being caught by him.

I slipped out the door and ran to where Oliver’s guest room was, looking behind me I didn’t see the Rogue himself and smacked straight into him. Oliver caught me by the arm before my ass could meet the floor. Blushing when his fingers stroked the bare skin on my arm “Princess, it’s time to go.” He said with eyes that looked at me sadly.

“Oliver, how did you know where I was” I felt a little breathless and it wasn’t from running. It was the way he was looking at me. Like… a man in love.

“I didn’t, but I figured this would be the best place to find you when I heard you were taken from the whore barracks.”

“Oh.” I said, and then again “Oh! Here,” I plunged my hand into the top of my dress and brought the three bags “My end of the bargain, you still have the map”

Oliver took the bags from me, peering in one before he quickly closed it and shoved all three into his pockets. “I do, where is this hidden exit mentioned in your sister's diary” He asked.

“This way,” I told him and led him to the maid’s quarters. I had never known this hidden exit was here. Not until I read Shayna’s diary that explained not only this but the location of the witch Jack wanted. I took him to the room that was a large storage closet and pointed at the shelves. “Behind there, the tunnel should take you out to the rock formation. From there you are on your own.”

Oliver slid past me and hauled the large shelving unit out the way and tapped the wall until he found the seam and pushed on it hard. The wall gave way, producing a small stone door. Oliver turned to me, scanning his eyes over me and then looking at the open door reluctantly. “Come with me Tala,” he said, his eyes regarding me with a pleading look. “Come with me and I will treat you better than anyone. We can live happily without any of this. We don’t need a pack. Just you and me…”

He trailed off when I didn’t reply and just stood there gaping at him. He was asking me to run away with him “Oliver… I can’t”

“I know,” He said hanging his head, in a way a child would when he was disappointed “You found your mate and I am nothing but a criminal, nothing like a prince, but I had to ask.” He took a step forward and cupped my cheek. “I have never met anyone I wanted to fall in love with” He whispered and then bent his head to press his lips to mine.

It wasn’t a kiss like last time. It was soft, lingering, a goodbye. Had I misjudged Oliver Was there actually some good in his heart He had surprised me. Oliver was nothing like the sly fox and monster I thought he was when I first encountered him. I’m sure he is, but he had shown me a different side to him, One that could care, one that could love. I felt sorry for him and almost sorry to see him leave. But a deal is a deal.

“Goodbye Oliver,” I said when his lips left mine and he took a step back towards the opening.

“Goodbye my beautiful princess, I would say I hope to see you again, but I know if we did it would be my death.” With that he turned and slunk into the darkness beyond the opening, closing the stone door behind him.

I would never see him again. And despite everything he has done in the past, the man he was or is, I hoped he would live the life he dreamed of and I silently wished him well.

I stood there for a few moments, almost expecting him to come back. Did I want him to come back I closed my eyes, for just a moment, until reality came crashing in on me and the sounds of a bear roaring brought me back to the now. There was a battle going on and Vargr must die.

I ran from the storage closet, down the maid's hall, and out onto the side of the courtyard. I could hear the shouting and fighting coming from this side, close to the arena. I picked up the hem of my dress and began running towards the battle.

I had to see, I just had to. I wanted to watch Vargr die. I wanted to watch him take his last breath. I promised I would see his defeat and I would.

“And where do you think you are going” The dark, cruel and venomous voice spoke. Like a knife, it cut through the air and had me pausing. I knew who it was before I even turned to look the monster in the face.

“Vargr.” I sneered once I had turned to face my tormentor. The man I had called father for 21 years. Why was he here, he was supposed to be with his army fighting against our militia.

He clicked his tongue at me tapping his sword on his thigh, a menacing look sat across his weathered features. “Tsk, tsk, little Tala. So the Gladiator Wolf King lives. Your mate won’t be seeing you again. That I will make sure of.” He laughed and lunged forward shifting into his wolf and knocking me back down to the ground.

His wolf circled me as lay there trying to get my bearings, toying with me, stalking me as if I was his prey. I got to my feet and tried to back away, but he growled, leaping to the other side of me, cutting off my exit down the stairs to the arena.

He shook his shaggy brown fur out and gnashed his teeth at me, making me take another step back.

Shit, shit shit, I thought, when suddenly I felt Mora push her way forward and I began to shift. My shift was quicker than I thought and didn’t hurt like it normally did when I had been allowed to in the past. Within seconds I was standing on four paws.

My wolf growled back at Vargr and she barred her teeth in a warning for him to back off. He flew towards us and she barely dodged his attack. Mora let out a howl just before Vargr’s wolf turned and attacked again. This time we weren’t fast enough and he managed to claw our shoulder.

The cut was deep and burned, but that didn’t deter my wolf, she was ready to fight. So when Vargr’s wolf attacked again she flew forward meeting him head-on. I wasn’t in control, my wolf was and Vargr’s wolf was too big for Mora to take on, yet she bravely defended us and I knew she wouldn’t go down without a fight.