Slayer 96_The Warrior's Broken Mate

CHAPTER 96 

 When Grayson woke up Elias was the one that got up and got him out of his cot. He started rocking him around the room and I sat on the floor watching them.

 He took Grayson to the window and looked out at the view for a minute, even though Grayson couldn’t see it. He was just wanting to spend some time with Grayson. That was obvious.

 But he needed to change his nappy and I sat in the chair in the corner of the room when Elias handed him to me and I started feeding him.

 “I better get going. I have to start looking through the list of warriors that we have.” Elias

 said.

 “Get Luke to help. And someone else. There are a lot of warriors around here.” I said. <fn43a5> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? FindN0vel</fn43a5>

 “I know. They keep growing.” He said.

 “I mean, we’ve got warriors from every pack at our disposal.” I said.

 “I never thought of it like that.” He said.

 “They’lle if we ask them to. But right now, I think we should keep it in house. Try and keep it to the ones that are already here. Your warrior pack and the royal guard.” I said.

 “Alright. I’ll start looking.” He said. So he kissed me gently before he left the room and I sat there feeding Grayson while staring into his sweet little face.

 There was a knock at the door and Stephanie slowly opened it.

 “Hey. Come on in.” I said.

 “Are you sure? I didn’t know you were feeding.” She said.

 “I’m sure. It’s fine.” I said.

 “Alright. Elias said that there’s some crap going on. It’s not good.” She said walking inside and sitting on the other chair in the room.

 “No. It’s not good. Stephanie, I need you to promise me something.” I said.

 “Anything.” She said.

 “Elias and I have to go away for a little while. I need you to take care of Grayson. Protect him with your life and if we don’te back, make sure he knows about us.” I said.

 :

 < CHAPTER 96

 “You’re starting to scare me.” She said.

 im

 “Yeah. I’m pretty scared too. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t think it was possible. But

 I am scared. Not for me or Elias. I’m scared for Grayson.” I said.

 “You’re going back there, aren’t you?” She asked.

 “We have to. But we’re taking an army and Morgana isn’t going to get away with what she’s doing.” I said.

 “How long will you be gone?” She asked.

 “I have no idea. But I am leaving Grayson with you. Please, promise me that you will protect him?” I asked.

 “Of course I promise. He’s my little man too, don’t forget.” She said and I chuckled.

 “He’s lucky to have you.” I said.

 “Just make sure that youe back so I don’t have to tell him about you.” She said.

 “I’m gonna do my best.” I said.

 “He’s the prince. If you and Elias don’te back, then that could cause problems here.” She

 said.

 “I know. Which is why we are going to leave the most loyal of royal guards here. They will help protect him until he’s old enough to take over. No one is taking the throne from him. Not like they did from me and my mother.” I said.

 “Will Rowan be here as well?” She asked.

 “Yeah. I’ll talk to herter about this.” I said.

 “Alright. I really don’t want you to go back there.” She said.

 “Me either. But I have to finish what I started.” I said.

 Stephanie stayed in the nursery with me until Grayson went back to sleep and I put him in the cot and grabbed the baby monitor.

 I took it with me as we headed downstairs and Elias had Luke in the conference room with files scattered all over the table.

 “I’ve already contacted my pack. They’re ready whenever we are.” Elias said.

 “I knew we could count on them.” I said.

 < CHAPTER 96

 im

 “These are the warriors from all the other packs that surround us and the royal guards.” Elias

 said.

 “We’re leaving the strongest royal guards here.” I said.

 “Why? Doesn’t it make sense to take them?” Luke asked.

 “No. They’re staying here to protect Grayson. If we don’te back, there could be trouble here. People trying to take the throne for themselves. That’s not happening to my son.” I

 demanded.

 “Okay. Not a problem.” Elias said, grabbing another file.

 “So, Lyra, what’s it like having two Kings totally in love with you?” Luke smirked, looking far too pleased with himself.

 I shot him a re, then nced at Elias, who was suddenly fascinated with hiding behind a

 file.

 “Jealous much?” I teased.

 Luke grinned. “Are you kidding? I’d love to have two Queens fighting over me.”

 Elias lowered the file just enough to give him the weirdest look, and I burst outughing.

 “That… sounded way worse than you think.” I gasped between giggles.

 Luke turned red. “You know what I meant!”

 “Not sure anyone else did.” Stephanie chimed in with a grin. “You’ve always been a bit of a mystery, Luke.”

 “Shut up! I have not!” Luke protested, but his blush gave him away.

 “Did I miss something?” Arthur asked, walking into the room.

 “No. Nothing much at all. Just trying to figure out what s****l orientation our Beta is.” I said.

 “Shut up.” Luke yelled and I startedughing again.

 “Is this really necessary? Shouldn’t we be focusing on saving my realm?” Arthur asked.

 “Lighten up, will you?” Stephanie said, rolling her eyes.

 “How many people do we have?” Arthur asked again.

 “A few. We’re still looking for more. We’re taking as many as possible without leaving our castle open to attack–or our son vulnerable.” Elias snapped.

 < CHAPTER 96

 im

 “I get

 that this is different for you now.” Arthur said. “Last time you were pregnant in Avalon. Now you’ve got a baby. You’ve got another life to think about. I get it. But I have a lot of lives to consider, too.”

 “You said she’s already attacked most of the realm. How do we know anyone’s even left?”

 Luke asked.

 “There are survivors.” Arthur said firmly. “Camps, people in hiding. My soldiers are getting as many to safety as possible and patrolling for others. I know people are still alive, and that’s why we’re doing this.”

 “Do you really think Avalon can be rebuilt, or is the realm lost?” I asked.

 “I don’t know.” He admitted.

 “Then why keep people there?” I pressed. “Why are we making this an attack mission against Morgana instead of a rescue mission for your people?”

 “Would you take your people to a strange realm?” He asked.

 “If it meant they wouldn’t be hunted or killed, yes.” I said.

 “I can’t do that.” He said.

 “Arthur… your castle is gone. You don’t even have a home.” I said.

 “I don’t care. We’re not leaving the realm. We’ll figure it out after she’s dead.” He snapped.

 “That’s fine.” Elias said. “But if it looks like it’s too dangerous, I’ll be ordering our people back through the portal. You’ll be on your own.”

 “You already said you’d help me.” Arthur said.

 “I did.” Elias said, his voice hard. “But Lyra just suggested a solution and youpletely shut it down. You wouldn’t even consider it. If you’re going to act like that, you don’t need our help -and you don’t deserve it. We’re not going there just to serve your ego because Morgana took over your kingdom.”

 Arthur looked at me, then Elias, then the others. He lowered his head and shook it.

 “I thought you were meant to be a Queen.” He said, causing Elias to growl at him.

 “I am a Queen–a practical one.” I said. He turned and walked out.

 “Why are we even helping that asshole?” Elias muttered.

 “Because we have to.” I said.

 < CHAPTER 96

 “I mean what I said. If it looks like we’ll be wiped out, we leave.” Elias said.

 “I know.” I said, sitting back at the table.

 “Has he ever had a Queen or anything like that?” Stephanie asked.

 “I don’t know. Why?”

 im

 “If he hasn’t, and he’s ruled alone, it might exin why he doesn’t get you two agreeing on things. He’s used to having the final say. That’s probably what he expected from you, Lyra.” Stephanie said.

 I looked at Elias.

 “That makes sense.” I admitted.

 “Yeah, but it doesn’t change anything.” He said.

 “I know.” I said.

 I sat at the table in the dining room helping look through the files and we started organising them into different piles of potentials toe with us and ones that we wanted to stay at home.

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Slayer 96