Tamed By The Lycan Prince

A CONVERSATION PT.2

CHAPTER FOUR- 5.2

-ANTONIO-

Kinnsion remained silent for a while, mulling over Antonio's words. His gaze was far away, lost in thought. Kinnsion spoke with determination. "We won't involve father in this situation. I will take it upon myself to investigate and deal with it. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," Antonio replied, relief washing over him like a cool tide. There was a nod of unspoken gratitude in his eyes which Kinnsion silently acknowledged with a small nod of his own.

"Good. Now, let's talk about this scent you followed," Kinnsion said, changing the subject abruptly.

"Well... it was unlike anything I have ever come across," Antonio started, his voice barely above a whisper. "It was captivating, mesmerizing almost." He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words to convey his experience.

"Wild honey and blooming jasmine you said?" Kinnsion asked, his gaze intent on his younger brother.

"Yes, but there was something else... underneath it, a primal musk that was intoxicating," Antonio replied, his eyes distant as if reliving the moment.

Kinnsion raised an eyebrow. "Could it have been a mating pheromone? Although, I've never heard of a werewolf and a Lycan being mates."

Antonio raised an eyebrow and asked, "So it's a mating pheromone? But wouldn't she have detected my scent or something? She didn't seem to react at all to me."

Kinnsion frowned, "Perhaps it was the Wolf's Bane. It has the power to impair the senses of a werewolf or even a Lycan."

"True," Antonio agreed, "I was under the impression that mating pheromones were more potent than Wolf's Bane. I expected her to be able to smell me, or at least sense my presence."

"Brother, you underestimate the strength of Wolf's Bane, particularly in its liquid state," Kinnsion said thoughtfully, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation. "Based on your description of the she-wolf's symptoms and poisoning, it is likely that she was given a dosage of liquid Wolf's Bane which would have numbed her senses to her mate's presence."

"Perhaps," Antonio conceded, though he still looked uncertain. He was silent for a long moment, his eyes glazed with deep thought. "Do you think that someone from her own pack would betray her in such a way? What motivation could he possibly have for such an act, especially towards someone as stunning as her? It's hard to believe that she could do any wrong."

"You don't know this she-wolf, Antonio," Kinnsion pointed out, his tone holding a warning. "We don't know anything about her or her pack dynamics. Betrayal is common in werewolf packs."

"But still," Antonio protested, "Don't werewolves value loyalty above everything else? Isn't that one of their most sacred tenets?"

Kinnsion sighed, and for a moment he looked older than his years. "Yes, they do," he agreed. "But remember, brother, we're talking about creatures of instinct. Power dynamics, territorial disputes... these can lead even the most loyal to betrayal. And if she's as beautiful as you describe, jealousy or desire could easily become a motive."

"Desire?" Antonio echoed, furrowing his brows in confusion. "But that would only apply if someone else wanted her as their mate. I thought werewolves were firm believers in finding their fated mate."

"They are," Kinnsion confirmed, his voice heavy. "But werewolves are susceptible to the temptations of power and lust. It's not rare for them to covet what others have, even if it's a mate. It's not unheard of for them to challenge the right of another to claim a mate, especially if she is as attractive as you say."

Antonio frowned in thought, his mind wrestling with the complexities of werewolf society that he was only now beginning to understand. In many ways, it was a mirror of their own society, the Lycans, but there were still many differences that caused confusion.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. The weight of their conversation hung heavily in the room. Kinnsion was the first to break the silence. "I think it would be best to involve father and the Council of Dire-,"

"No-," Antonio blurted.

"Let me finish," Kinnsion interrupted. "I think it would be best to involve father and the Council of Dire, but not at this moment. I will investigate the matter personally." He rose from the seat beside his brother.

His eyes glinted with unspoken determination, hard and sharp as obsidian in the dimly lit room. The lines of his face were etched in stern resolve, the sharp cheekbones and furrowed brows echoing the gravity of their discussion. He crossed the room, his movements measured and filled with a grace that bespoke years of training. His tall silhouette was outlined against the flickering amber flames of the hearth, his dark hair seeming to absorb the soft glow.

"I won't tell father or anyone else, however," Kinnsion said, his voice echoing his dire sentiments. "If I find anything that is treasonous, I will involve father. It will be his choice to involve the Council of Dire."

Antonio nodded, his features drawn into a grimace of reluctant acceptance. He knew Kinnsion was right, though it galled him to admit it. The safety of their pack was paramount and the thought of involving their father and the Council sent a shiver down his spine.

"Thank you, brother," Antonio finally said, his voice thick with the weight of his thoughts. "I really appreciate you doing this."

Kinnsion paused, glancing back to where Antonio still sat. His gaze held a shrewd understanding as he studied his younger brother. Then he nodded and left the room.

The room was cast into a deep silence, the only sound being the soft crackling of the hearth and Antonio's heavy sighs. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, fears and uncertainties. He had never thought that he would be mated with a she-wolf, let alone one that could possibly be involved in some intricate pack betrayal. The idea made his stomach churn.

He found himself thinking about her more and more - the gleaming white of her hair under the moonlight, the hypnotic gaze of her crimson eyes, the way she existed with an alluring combination of grace and power. Despite the possible threat from the werewolves, it was those thoughts of her that consumed him most. He thought about their unintentional meeting, when she sat before him like a vision out of a dream, her countenance shimmering with an unearthly beauty. An involuntary shiver ran through him as he recalled the intoxicating scent of wild honey and blooming jasmine that seemed to cling to her.