Chapter 73 - THE MORNING STAR

With that defeated words, the two Lycans who were holding Reynold down, released him. Raphael did the same to Stephan and the three Dragon guards in the room.

The five of them were being released the moment Reynold agreed at Torak's demand.

Stephan scrambled toward his brother with tears and snot stained his handsome face, he was only seventy eight years old, a young age for a Dragon shifter who had long life span.

He was holding his brother's bloody hand, trembling.

How ruthless Alpha Torak to cut off his brother hand, he would be cripple! But, he didn't have enough courage to voice out his dissatisfaction.

His brother did nothing except wanted to save their last female to protect their lineage!

And about the betrayal, it was their predecessor fault! There was no connection to his brother and him! Why did he punish them?!

"Raph, clean up here." Torak was done dealt with them, it was time to go back to his mate.

"Alright. Worry not." Raphael waved the Alpha away, assured him that he would handle thing there.

Once Torak was out of the room, he sniffed the air and followed the familiar addicted scent that was able to calm his nerve in an instant.

Raine's smell was mixed with Calleb and with that Torak's burrows knitted slightly, he didn't like another male scent near her, even though it was the Gamma.

He picked up his pace and in no time, he had arrived at the garden that located at the backyard of the manor with beautiful sculpture fountain.

His mate was sitting at the edge of the reservoir while playing with the water absentmindedly, she looked sullen for some reason that he didn't know.

The ray of the afternoon light fell on her delicate white neck as she tied up her hair into a messy ponytail.

Raine didn't see Torak was coming as her back was facing him, but her slumped shoulder indicating that she was not in a good mood.

Calleb was standing beside her while the ten Lycans, which supposed to protect them, were standing on guard a few meters away.

Calleb noticed Torak's presence as he said with mischievous smile at Raine. "See? He is fine. I told you right?"

Raine whipped her head and looked at Torak in relief, but before that, she widened her eyes that Calleb assumed as a glare, but she was lack of intimidation. At this point, the Gamma had gotten used with Torak's ferocious side, so her attempt to make herself looked scary was fail miserably.

Raine turned her body and as Torak was approaching her, she gave him a smile as bright as the moonlight, so warm, beautiful and pristine.

historical

Once Torak was close enough, Raine wrapped her slender hand around his waist as she sighed in content. Today was the longest day Torak had left her since the attack. She felt antsy and annoy because Calleb refused to leave her and check on him.

"Alpha, if you are a bit late, she will have cried." Calleb informed him that made Raine glared at him again.

As Calleb was often 'baby sit' her, he grew fond of her and acted like a big brother, an annoyance one of course, as he liked to tease her if Torak was not nearby.

"Do you worry about me?" Torak wrapped her waist carefully, he was still paranoid if he didn't cautious enough, he might end up hurting her.

Raine nodded while burying her face on his chest, the sound of someone screaming before was still ringing in her ears, it was terrifying.

"I am sorry for make you worry.." He whispered at her ear as he pulled her hairband and let her long black hair cascaded down on her back and shoulders. He combed her hair with his fingers as he hummed in satisfaction at the feeling of the soft fabric between his fingers.

The Alpha, who would not say a word when he cut off the Dragon Lord's hand, was actually apologizing for something that he didn't have to.

He looked totally different from five minutes ago, the bloodshot eyes and the killing intent that lingered around him dispersed in an instant once he held his precious mate in his arms.

No one would have thought that he was so close to exterminate one race of Dragon shifter a few minutes ago if they watched how good he treated Raine now.

Sometime Calleb was curious about how far his Alpha could go or how low he could bend for his mate.

One could actually change drastically.

I don't think I want a mate.. Calleb thought to himself.

***

When the night came and the old manor appeared more forlorn than the day time as the light from inside had not yet turn on, a Dragon Lord with crippled hand was standing behind the big window with bleak expression.

His hand had casted with thick bandages.

With all the Lycans had been long gone, the tranquility inside the manor returned, but the rage within him didn't subside even an ounce.

"Brother, you need to rest." Stephan approached Reynold while holding a cup of warm water. "Is that still hurt?" He glanced at his brother right hand as he recalled the event this morning.

"No need to worry about this." Reynold answered curtly, but his eyes still locked at the garden behind his manor as if he was waiting for something or someone.

"Alpha Torak really cruel! How he can do something like this?! We had never betrayed him! Is not enough for him to forbid us to shift as we wish? That is our nature as a shifter!" Stephan voiced out his resentment.

The younger brother continued to complaint grumpily for a few good minutes until he realized his brother didn't give any respond to whatever he said.

"But, brother why did you kill Torak's people?" Eventually he remembered the reason why the Alpha had come to seek for them. "That's just baseless accusation, right? He just wanted our assets!"

"No, I did kill his people." Reynold admitted calmly as he turned around and looked past Stephan's shoulder.

"But, why did you do that?" Stephan frowned. "You know that he will come after you."

However, instead of answer his brother's question he talked to the person behind him that no one knew since when he was standing there.

"I did what you had told me to do and this is what I get." Reynold showed him his bandaged hand as his eyes flickered with acrimony. "You better wish that your plan is going well."

Stephan abruptly turned around and looked at the ethereal beauty in front of him that rendered him speechless.

He was so astoundingly appealing, his features looked as if it had been carved by Gods themselves, which was indeed true, his entire body shone like a morning star while emanating a domineering aura and dignified air of monarch.

"The lost of your hand is nothing the moment you get your pride as a Dragon shifter back." The man smiled alluringly.