His Little Fae

Doorways (III)

In spite of everything,

I will believe people are really good at heart.
____________________

Alexius' POV:

Gabriel had returned.

Based on scout reports, he and the vampire's under his charge were still being held within the Alpha King's territory. The only person who'd made it back was Demetrius, Queen Valerie's right hand.

I had almost killed him myself when he went off on a tangent about how wonderful my sister's blood had tasted. They hadn't been sent in there to hurt her. They had most definitely not been sent in there to kill her. I barely knew where to begin. The plan to extract Alexandria from the werewolf king's ranks had been destined to fail from the start.

But betrayal from Gabriel? ... I hadn't expected it so soon.

"He'll be arriving in a few minutes, Alexius, we all know how fucking punctual that bastard is," Castiel said, his back against the wall, his eyes dark. "What are you going to do?"

I flicked my gaze away, my fingers weaving together over the dark wood of my desk as I barely managed to keep my anger in check. Outbursts would get me nowhere. "He made an attempt on her life. And will be punished accordingly."

"And since when has Gabriel ever been under anyone's command?" He questioned, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "He tried to kill her after I left the territory, Alex. Your sister. One of the two last members of our royal family."

That same rage coiled within me, burning and blistering as it crawled up my spine and curled around my lungs, Castiel's words only igniting it further. How dare Gabriel show his face here again after that attempt? Did he think I was unaware? That Demetrius hadn't reported back?

I let out a low growl. My eyes trained on the door as one of the guards knocked before hastily stepping inside. "Your Majesty, Lord Gabriel awaits you in the throne room."

Castiel pushed himself off the wall while I stood to my feet. "Have every guard on standby, he is not to leave that room unless I allow it. Is that understood?" I ordered.

The fae nodded before I waved him off. "He has no cards left to play," I told Castiel, my eyes burning a molten gold. "We will hold him accountable, even if he thinks he answers to no one."

Castiel gave a faint nod, his eyes still lined with uncertainty as we strode out and made our way through the halls of the castle. It had taken months to fully free it of the stench of blood and death and wolves, and even longer to clear out the memory that came with it. But the former throne room where my family and their close advisers had met their end still remained empty.

It was the only part I couldn't bear to enter.

A cool voice stopped us in our tracks, one I'd grown very familiar with over these past few months.

"And where are you marching off to so early? I called in for a meeting, did you forget?"

"Good morning to you too, Valerie," I said in acknowledgement, my eyes turning to meet her blood red gaze. She was shorter than me, smaller and so much less dangerous looking, but her entire aura radiated power. She wasn't the vampire queen in name alone, that much was obvious.

Unsurprisingly, she leisurely fell into step beside me, as she always did, her eyes darting forward. "That's not what I said."

Castiel's lips quirked at her response. "Will you ever take a joke?"