The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 196: See It Play Out ()

"How do you feel?" Caedmon asked Zariah,

He leaned against a stall in amusement, watching Zariah as she strolled around the same spot repeatedly.

Moving on the tips of her toes like she was about to begin a dance out in the open.

"Full." Zariah replied simply.

Caedmon chuckled quietly, it was always a surprise to him, that the revered Crimson Alpha could in fact be so innocent and cute.

Caedmon had not expected this at all, he had not expected that he would actually find his target so endearing.

It was almost painful, that she was so endearing and yet succumbing to him with such ease.

"You would be. We ate at a dozen different places and tried many varieties of human food." Caedmon said with a smirk.

"Human food is good and all, but we are wolves... nothing beats a hunt." Zariah replied to Caedmon, still moving about aimlessly.

"A hunt? So she fancies raw meat and the taste of blood then?" Caedmon asked with a raised brow.

Zariah scoffed beneath her breath, throwing Caedmon a dirty look.

It was meant to be a dirty look but that brief moment of eye contact had Caedmon’s breath catching in his throat and sent his heart skipping a few beats.

This feeling, Caedmon could not decide if it was thrill or terror, or a blend of both but whatever it was, it was exciting...it made Caedmon feel alive, in a way that not even killing did.

’What is this? Why does it feel like each glance of hers stares straight into my soul? Seeks out my hidden truth?’ Caedmon thought to himself.

"I am not some feral animal, Caedmon. After the hunt, I would naturally bring the game back to be cleaned and properly grilled... this is not the early Lycan dynasties of claws and maws." Zariah said to Caedmon with a roll of her eyes.

Caedmon laughed quietly, crossing his arms over his chest.

’She was an interesting woman too, more so than any of the women he had ever had’ Caedmon thought.. and Caedmon had taken more than his fair share of women... perhaps a little over more.

"You must have no strength left for another stop." Caedmon guessed amusedly.

"Another bite might do me in, I do not need so much food, not even in three years." Zariah grumbled beneath her breath.

Caedmon found it delightful, that Zariah was slowly but surely warming up to him. It happened so naturally that she did not seem to take notice of it, take notice of the fact that barely a week ago, she was so cold and distant, only agreeing to give him an opportunity out of a sense of duty.

’The mate bond truly works wonders.’ Caedmon thought.

It could even make such a powerful woman an easy prey, Caedmon could see now that they had taken all the right steps... the Crimson Alpha would be in his grasp before the month was up.

And with her would come King Askel, her true mate.

"But we haven’t had any desert yet, so how about this? How about I get you a few pastries from the bakery at the end of the street..." Caedmon began to say,

Zariah was about to protest but Caedmon quickly carried on.

"Hear me out, just a few to return to the inn with. You might have the taste for them much later." Caedmon suggested.

Zariah pursed her lips slightly before she shrugged casually and nodded her head.

"I will fetch them right away, wait for me here?" Caedmon asked Zariah.

Zariah nodded again and carried on with her pacing.

Caedmon watched her for a moment more before he smiled and headed off down the street.

Just when he turned the corner, Zariah froze in her step, passing a glance to the path Caedmon had taken.

"You wish to fetch pastries, so tell me why I smell rogues masking their scent as humans?" Zariah murmured quietly.

Zariah took a different path, stealthily trailing after Caedmon.

Sure enough, he went right past the bakery and took a turn into the woods. Zariah trailed him until they reached a clearing.

Zariah quickly hid herself behind a tree, her scent was already masked and Zariah did not worry too much about being spotted.

Without her wolf, Zariah’s scent was not as potent as it used to be and so it was more easily obscured.

Zariah waited for only a heartbeat before a mangy looking wolf emerged from the woods, crossing the clearing to where Caedmon stood.

’He is in cahoots with the rogues already, it would not be far fetched to say he must know about the gruesome murders.’ Zariah thought to herself.

"She has on a dark grey cloak and will be walking with me. Do exactly as you were ordered, do not harm her..." Caedmon instructed.

The mangy wolf growled lowly before it darted back out into the woods.

Zariah quickly hid herself as Caedmon returned and she stealthily slipped back to where she had been before he left.

’What does he have in mind identifying me to the rogues?’ Zariah wondered, glancing down at her gray cloak.

It could not have been that Caedmon wished to do her harm, Zariah knew Caedmon and the mastermind needed her alive till they could access what was hidden in the Crimson Moon territory.

Beyond that, Caedmon had specifically ordered that she was not to be harmed.

"Well, we will get to see it play out, won’t we?" Zariah murmured to herself, deciding she did not have to speculate over what would happen soon.

Caedmon soon returned from the bakery, carrying a small basket covered with a white cloth.

The scent of freshly baked pastries wafted from the basket and Caedmon lifted it, shaking it temptingly. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Did I keep you waiting long? There was a queue and I could not reveal I was an Ethereal alpha and demand for preferential treatment." Caedmon explained to Zariah.

"It is just a brief wait... I can do that." Zariah murmured, her hands clenched beneath her cloak.