The Delta's Daughter Chapter 367

LAMIA

I stood listening to Oliver, listened to what he divulged until I no longer could. Knowing what I knew and what Oliver has just told me, my wolf and I were beyond mad. Anger didn't even scratch the surface of what we were feeling.

Silas and Orion had their own agendas, they were both dead, and we had no need to worry about them anymore. But Senko had been there from the beginning. The story Althea told us about him coming to Tolba, the way he left, had been a lie. Not on her end, but Senko's. He had discovered their secret. He went willingly with the friends he had met before reaching Tolba.

He wanted to create a new race. An army and wanted my DNA to do it with. We of course, already knew about little Zane. But were there others? Others he managed to clone from the DNA of mine and Zane's unborn child. How did he even obtain it, as Oliver told us, he was killed two years prior to my capture by Silas.

I was ready to walk away, to let him die until he opened his mouth again.

"Wait! Shayna had a child with Senko!" I halt my steps, grasping Mathias's hand and crushing it in mine.

The only thought that rang through my head was that Senko had another child, other than Kolby Crimson. A female. Was she like Crimson a Grimalkin?

"Who?" I asked not turning around and feeling the anger roll off my mate who had kept quiet letting me have my moment with Oliver.

There's a moment of silence until Travis breaks it "Tell her the name of the child!" Travis growls threateningly at Oliver.

"I don't recall her name, it was something like Petrina, but I can tell you she had yellow eyes."

"Where are these diaries?" Hunji asks as now we know Shayna knew a heck of a lot more than anyone even thought. More than Tala knew. And what was her connection to Farid?

"I hid them along with the translation of the epitaph."

The more I heard, the more I pieced together, the more volatile my wolf got. I tried to calm Inanna, but it was no use, her fury only fueled my own.

I wanted to lash out, strike something or someone. I was ready to take that out on Oliver. Oh, how I loathed him so much. Words don't do the level of hate I feel for him justice.

We had gotten word of what happened at the Golden Circle Pack. Tobias had reported to us immediately and of course, Kellen had notified me of when Mike and Rhett had returned to New Moon. Apparently, Jonda was still in a coma, Rhett by her side and she was pregnant with Rhett's child. Thank the goddess it was Rhett's and not Mike's.

That situation was already complicated enough. I still held out hope for Mike and Lyric.

Boling and bubbling inside me, my rage and temper flared. I was done chasing ghosts. Done playing games. Done with people trying to kill my family.

I was done waiting for shit to happen. It was time to take action.

"I changed my mind," I said, dropping Mathias's hand and turning back to Oliver's cell.

"Little wolf?" My mate tried to catch my attention, but it was useless.

I looked Oliver straight into his eyes, watching them slightly glow even if his wolf was weak. The orange glow to his eyes foretold his lineage. He was indeed the son of Silas. Silas was the illegitimate son of Kellen's grandfather. His royal genes were passed down to Oliver. "Don't kill him just yet. He may have some use after all."

I peel my eyes from the mutt caged up and turn them to Morgan. "You and Hunji will stay. Morgan, see if you can get anything from reading him. You have my permission to use any means necessary to get information from him whether it be consequential or not. Pick. His. Brain."

"Yes, your highness." The tiny pale witch nods at me.

Then I close my eyes and draw on the power of my wolf. Drawing on any other power I can connect to, I open my mind, searching out the shifters of the realm, connecting to the spirit animals of each and all. I want my message to be heard, loud and clear by all.

I was a mother, a mate, a queen. The strongest wolf in the realm. It was my duty to protect my family and that extended to little Zane, he was mine. No matter who he called mother, he was a part of me. He was family.

Senko nor anyone else will no longer hurt my family or my people. This is my realm, and no one gets to fuck with it.

*****

MIKE

It had been a few days since we had returned to New Moon. I debriefed Kellen and even told him about Duke and my visit with Ashe.

Kellen and I discussed and deciphered as much as we could about our encounters with Ashe and what Lamia had told us about her. We also had bits and pieces of when Hunji was in Mint with the priestess Ascena and his personal encounter with Ashe.

The question still remained - What did Lamia have that needed protecting and what was the fate that Kellen would need to accept?

For the better part of the week, we poured through history books, books that held prophecy, or scripture that foretold warnings. But none gave us any insight into what was coming.

I had stayed clear of Lyric, not trusting myself to be around her and keep my wolf in check. I had never taken so many cold showers in my life.

I also wasn't in a good place. My evenings were taken up by drinking and watching Jonda lie on the bed through the pack hospital window. Rhett by her side. We hadn't talked.

I know Tala had spoken to Rhett and probably Kellen too. Whatever their conversation, it wasn't mentioned to me. Truthfully, I didn't need to know what transpired between them.

I felt for Rhett, truly I did. When Lyric dropped the bomb on me that Jonda was with child, I thought for sure it could have been mine. When I walked into the room back in Golden Circle, leaned over her, and took a good whiff, scenting the child in her womb, Duke growled in my head. It wasn't ours. She didn't carry my scent and Duke felt no connection to the tiny bean growing inside her.

I felt relief, because of Lyric. But then I felt disappointed that I would not be a father. I wanted Jonda to wake up more than anything, I wanted her to be able to tell Rhett. If she woke up and knew she was carrying his child, I was sure her mind would change, and she would accept Rhett.

Her words played over and over in my mind that she would have chosen me. She attempted to end her life trying to do the right thing. For me. Little did she know my mind and heart had already been swayed. I had already relented to the bond and was ready to choose Lyric.

I couldn't face Lyric. I was sure she had heard Jonda's words too. That Jonda would have chosen me over her fated mate. How could I face Lyric, knowing she knew this? How could I face her knowing she was on the edge waiting to find out if the child was mine or not? What would have happened if it was? Of course, I would have been a great father, but would Lyric accept it? Just when I was making headway with her too.

Duke was quiet in my mind, he had been since he disclosed his true self, but I felt his thoughts. The unease, the trepidation, and the anger that his queen and mate were being threatened.

We could feel Inanna's emotions, she made no attempt to hide them. I was sure the other three knights could feel them too. More so today. We had a unique ability to know where our queen was, no matter what. A deeper connection that went beyond pack, a connection that was close to a mate bond but not quite. Although I doubt any of us, including Mathias, had the connection Kellen and Lamia shared.

I felt the emotions of Queen Lamia slowly change from despondency and despair and build to growing anger.

I felt her before I heard her voice, the drawing of energy from our wolf. I had felt this before when Kellen was detained in Bhakhil, fighting for his life.

*I call on the power of the knights to lend me their strength, to share their power, and give me more.* It wasn't a request, but a demand, my wolf complied lending his strength to the queen. I felt my life force funnel through my body, starting in my stomach and drawing up through my arms and down to the tips of my fingers. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it happening. My wolf became weaker, retreating.

Suddenly a ringing formed between my ears, and I clamped my hands over them as it became louder and louder. Piercing and slightly painful. I looked around the pack foyer, where I currently was, watching others grab their ears, hearing the same piercing ring as I was.

Then came Lamia's melodic voice, except it harbored rage and fury. It was loud and clear but echoed and vibrated through me. I cast a glance at Kellen who also had his hands clapped over his ears. He had been coming down the stairs and was now almost brought to his knees like me.

I watched as others fell to their knees clamping their head in pain. I shared a look with Kellen, he too had no idea what was going on.

*Shifters of the realm hear me now. This message is for Senko and those who align themselves with him. If you can hear me, Senko. I'm coming for you. Shifters of the realm tell him I'm coming for his head. You can no longer hide from us. I will turn every stone and exhaust every resource until you are found. I will pay ten times a man's weight in diamonds for whoever leads me to him. You may know him as the Shadow Witch. Whatever name you go by, I will find you and I will kill you. You have fucked with my family enough.*

The message is clear and vengeful. It's not a threat. It's a promise. It's powerful. As is the essence of Lamia, the force of her wolf and her own aura rolls through us like a true queen. Her voice reaches across planes and oceans connecting with every shifter that has a spirit animal. They hear her. They hear her message.

Lamia has just made the first move. A dangerous move that puts her in an impossible position. She's doing this for the pup. That I understand. She's doing this for Lyric's sister and dare I say she's doing this for Zane.

Never in my life have I heard Lamia issue a threat like this. Sure, she has threatened to kick someone's ass. But this… She called out an enemy. One that is unknown, one that may be even more powerful than Orion. Maybe more powerful than her.

*Lamia,* Kellen says softly but with concern, through our connected mind link once she has cut herself off from everyone else. *Was that wise?* He dares to question her.

*It was necessary.* She replies amendment.

My mind goes blank and through the fog that clouds my mind, I watch as wolves stand and right themselves. A hushed whisper grows as they begin to talk about what just happened.

"The queen of shifters spoke to us all!" One young wolf says, her eyes big and round, unbelieving.

"War is coming," Another says. "This isn't our fight." "How much power does she hold?" The whispers and chatter go on. Kellen nods for me to follow him back to his office.

Tyron and Rogue join us, he must have mind linked them. The door shuts behind Rogue and sooner than it has, Kellen growls menacingly, Conri making himself present.

"That was one way to get his attention." Rogue comments, receiving a crystal blue glowing-eyed glare in return.

I shake my head, "You weren't there, none of you were. Senko, he's powerful. Dangerous."

"What are you saying, Mike?" Kellen asks me, cautiously.

I drop my head, not even wanting to say it out loud in case it's true. "He may be even more powerful than Lamia or Mathias."

Right on cue, the phone in Kellen's office rings. He puts the call on speaker. "Lamia."

"It's Mathias." The deep voice of King sounds out, full of agitation. By those two words, we could feel how irate he was. "I want a realm-wide manhunt of that fucker. He has been behind it all."

"How do you know this?" Kellen asks him.

"Oliver told us. Travis didn't kill him." He pauses "Finnegan was right. Oliver knows everything. Too much."

"He's alive? I swear by the moon I will beat the ever-loving shit out of Travis." Kellen scowls and I feel Duke come forward pushing a growl out from deep within. "Please tell me you ended that fucker's life?"

"No." I distinctly hear molars grind together, and the tightness in Mathias's voice. "Lamia wants him kept alive… for now. He has more information."

"What do you want us to do King?" Kellen says, casting a rueful glance at the three of us as we wait for Mathias to tell us his plan.

"Two scouting units from each kingdom, I want Rhett's Enforcers out there looking for him or anyone associated with the fucker."

"Count Rhett out right now," I interrupt, knowing he is in no mental condition to lead any search party. "His mate is with child and in a coma."

"In that case, have your little thief make contact with the party that hired her to steal the crown for Senko. Lamia wants him tracked down, the sooner the better. She is out for blood. She has taken this personally and so have I. That stone epitaph she acquired for someone? Well that someone just happened to be fucking Oliver."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Rogue squawks.

I internally groan. Mathias didn't issue a command; he had no right to in our lands or to me and the King of werewolves. But this is coming from Lamia, and those two come as a pair. Both are just as powerful. And both hold influence over all kingdoms.

"Make it an order if you have to," Mathias says as if sensing my turmoil that Lyric probably wouldn't want to do this. I didn't want her to do this. She was too close to it as it was.

"She has a pup, King," I state matter of fact hoping he would understand, being a father himself.

"And so does your queen. This affects all of us, Mike. So, I suggest you get your shit together and get your mate in line. Zane is in as much danger, if not more than anyone else."

He has a point.

"Also, Seko has another child, a female, so says Oliver."

"No shit." Kellen swipes a hand down his face. "Does Crimson know?"

"Not yet, Lamia is on the phone with him and Tawny as we speak. Hunji and Morgan are going to further pick Oliver's brain."

Mathias hangs up and Kellen's eyes immediately glaze over. "I called for Lyric and Damon." He tells us.

It's not long before I catch the scent of my mate and inhale deeply before the knock at the door comes. Kellen calls for them to come in and together Lyric and Damon walk in.

I watch Lyric, she's taken a standing position across from Kellen. "You heard Queen Lamia's message?" He looks at her pointedly.

"Yes, your highness." She says, eyes darting to me.

"Good. King Mathias has requested you to make contact with the man who hired you." I watch Lyrics' eyes roll in exasperation. Ticking Kellen right off.

She must notice Conri is pushing forward as she holds her hands up in defense, "I'm sorry I just didn't think I would ever need to deal with that ass again." Her hands drop and her lips pull into a tight line, thinking before she speaks. "If we are going out that way, I would like to stop back at my place and grab a few things."

"Rogue will go with you," Kellen says eyeing me.

"The fuck he will. I growl. "If anyone goes with her, it's me." I stab my chest with my index finger, making a point. All but beating my chest.

"Alright, that's fine. If you two can handle being alone together." I look at Kellen giving him a death glare. He looks between Lyric and me, eyebrows raised.

A few days alone with Lyric. I could handle that. She might not be able to.

*Don't make me regret sending you out with your mate. Mike. We are looking for answers, not for you and Duke to mate and mark. Got it?* I nod as Kellen cuts the mental connection, throwing him a wink for good measure.

Through the doom and gloom, I suddenly see a spark of light. Feeling like I have something to look forward to. A way to get to know Lyric on a more personal level. A chance to be near her without the hassle of the palace and my looming past.