The Crown Hackura Prince and His Dragon Princess

In Other Shoes Pt. 2

He was quiet for several minutes. He said, “It’s guesswork but there was a…” he sighed then continued, “A family you’d consider a Lord in your realm that had several Chance’s in their line. It’s considered their family name.” I grunted, “Great.” He asked, “Why?” I said, “Because I want to RIP him apart.” He chuckled, “I see. I can get some information together for you.” I agreed, “Do that and I’ll stop glaring at you every time I see you.” He laughed AGAIN. He chuckled, “I’ll do that. This is going to be fun.” I did not agree. I hung up.

My dad linked, “What’s wrong?” I answered, “A Dragon named Chance is going to die when I find him.” He blew out a breath then asked me, “Why?” I replied, “Because Kingsley dated him and he didn’t love her.” He told me, “That’s not really a reason to kill him.” I argued, “If he told her he did love her and didn’t; it does.” My bond with him was filled with amusement but I was serious. I felt one of my younger brothers was now in my room and faded back.

She hummed, “Why are they surprised I shifted?” Uh oh. Aesir, please don’t let her see her guard die. Please. She gasped, “Ohhh little me, Kayda does get bigger. It’s ok. Don’t cry.” They thought she wouldn’t?! f**k! Was she the only Dragon who’d shifted early? I linked my dad, “Kingsley shifted early and they didn’t know if Kayda would get bigger. This is going to be another goddamn f*****g prophecy isn’t it?”

He groaned, “Aesir above, no.” I asked, “Then why the f**k wouldn’t they know Kayda would get bigger?! It’s because it hadn’t happened before. MOTHER FUCKER! I’m so sick of this prophecy BULLSHIT!” He agreed, “I’m right there with you, but maybe it’s not that. Maybe it’s something else.” It wasn’t and I was certain we both knew that.

She gasped, “STOP! My big brother likes my best friend? MATES! Awwww.” I pursed my lips wondering if she’d be happy about that when she remembered everything. She screamed full of anguish, “THEN WHERE ARE YOU?!” My heart jolted in my chest. I kissed her forehead wishing I could take this from her. I didn’t need to ask who she was talking to. It was her family or her Guard.

She scoffed, “I am not meant to be yours Chance.” Fury bolted through my entire being. Gabe portaled to me naked. He asked, “The hell happened. Angelique came through behind him. I pointed at her, “When you and I find Chance in that f*****g realm, see if fire can hurt him.” She grinned, “Done. Who is Chance? Why do we hate him? Actually, I don’t care. Team hating Chance.”

That actually made me smile. Gabe said, “Team tell me what the f**k is going on?” I answered, “Chance wanted my mate and said she was MEANT to be his.” Angelique gasped, “The nerve. I hate him.” I nodded my head to her. Gabe shrugged, “Team hating Chance. We’ll go now that I know you’re not actually killing anyone.”

I said, “Be sure to take Wilder.” He faded in and made a face. He said, “I don’t like her family! They upset her.” I agreed, “Me either.” He huffed and left with Gabe and Angelique. Kingsley snorted, “He’s climbing to find me in a cave. Poor Ember.” That must be her guard. She snorted, “The hell is a nibblet?” I didn’t know.

I called Aiden….again. He answered, “I don’t have the information you want yet.” I asked, “The f**k is nibblet?” He chuckled, “I know that answer. It is a creature that originally lived in Faerie but they died off here when the Dragon realm closed off. I’m sure they live there though. They are wild animals that connect to a person and follow them around. Once you connect to Nibblets they will hurt people for you.”

I asked, “What do they look like?” My phone dinged and I checked to see he’d sent me a picture.” I commented, “That thing looks evil and demented.” He laughed, “If Kingsley has a grouping's loyalty to her then they would protect her. If she told them to attack someone they would.”

I asked, “And what would they be doing while she’s gone?” He answered, “Waiting for her to come back. They would’ve bitten anyone who tried to come near them that they didn’t know had her loyalty, but they could’ve turned on them if they know those people are why she’s not there with them.” Awesome super smart pets. Though I was certain Rusty would rip anyone who tried to hurt me to pieces if I let him. Maybe they were like dogs?

I questioned, “Would the Dragon realm know they do that?” He admitted, “Probably not. They never knew they bonded with humans. They probably saw them as pets who reacted or left them in the wild. If someone took them they didn’t accept from the wild, they’d bite them and return to their home.” Interesting. I said, “Thanks.” He hummed, “Of course.” I hung up.

I looked at the ceiling, “Aesir, do not let me have to call him again. He’s already going to be obnoxious about this.” Kingsley drew my attention back, “Ugh. I snuck out.” I closed my eyes hoping she wasn’t about to see her guard die. She snorted, “Ohhh Chance didn’t know we shifted early. Interesting.” I agreed that was interesting because it meant on some level she did not trust him. I did not care for that because if he betrayed my mate, he was dead.

She muttered the word, “Betray.” I linked my dad, “If this fucker named Chance betrayed MY MATE I will blood eagle him and PAINT the capitol in his blood after!” He said, “At least you're calm. Is she awake to explain these memories?” I answered, “She’s still asleep muttering words.” He groaned, “You are this murderously angry over strung together words you don’t know what’s behind them?” I retorted, “Betray is a pretty clear word.” He just made a noise of annoyance. Whatever.

She screamed, “KARLIENE?!” Who is that? I wanted to scream, but I didn’t want to pull her out of her dreams. She wanted her memories. Unless she seemed to be in pain, I’d let it be even though I wanted answers. Then she screamed in fear, “EMBER!” I winced hoping I wasn’t right. I didn’t want to be right. If Ember was her Guard I hoped he was alive and I could punch him in the face.

She began to twist in the sheets fear overtook her and she whispered, “Draco.” I ground out, “f**k this.” Draco was a dead man. A very beyond dead man. I gently pinned her down. I whispered, “I’m right here, Cupcake. He can’t hurt you.” She screamed for Ember and I was pretty sure she’d seen him die. She was begging for him to be ok. Then she shuttered in relief and her eyes opened.

I carefully asked, “K, what happened?” She answered, “I have a Dragon Guard.” I replied, “That does stand to reason.” She admitted, “I thought he died protecting me but he and Bacu flew back over the mountain. A lot of people attacked me but he was always there.” I asked, “Was he the only one?” She nodded. They only gave her one guard?!

She giggled, “That upsets you.” I replied, “One guard is NOT enough for a Princess.” She grinned, “So, if we have a daughter she gets more than one.” I found myself saying, “If we had a daughter she’d be lucky if I stopped at the four guard my Aunt has. I’d fight for six but…” I trailed off. She cupped my face and kissed me gently.

When she pulled back I asked, “Who the f**k is Chance?” She grinned and I felt her mischievous in the bond. She asked, “Jealous?” I replied, “Raging murderously plotting to kill him.” She threw her head back and laughed. She admitted, “You might get to. I’m pretty sure he was betraying me and I was young and dumb and didn’t see it. If we got back and discover he’s with Draco, I wouldn’t be shocked.”

I told her, “Anyone who betrayed you will regret it. I will paint the damn capitol with his blood.” She arched her hips into mine. She whispered, “That’s hot, big boy.” I slid right back inside her. She shivered around me. I whispered, “Always so wet, warm, and welcoming for me.” She trailed her hands up my body. She agreed, “Always.” I slammed into her and gripped onto the headboard.

When we both came I stared into her eyes. I told her, “I hope Ember is still fine.” She admitted, “Me too. I think he is though. It’s like I have this missing ache for him, not like he’s dead. Could he be looking for me in the human realm?” I replied, “He could.” She asked, “What do you think?” I answered, “That they either stopped him from coming after you or he agreed with the plan. I know that no Guard in this realm would leave us unless they died. If they did, they would be walking around dead inside while still breathing.”

Her breath caught. She cried, “I don’t want that or Ember and Bacu.” I cupped her face, “I could be wrong. Your people aren’t ours. I did hear you mention your Nibblets.” She snorted, “He wasn’t happy about that.” I said, “Apparently Fairy’s know more about them. Those Nibblets are loyal to you. They will probably find you when you return home.”

Her jaw dropped. She asked, “Really?” I nodded, “According to Aiden.” She giggled, “That would be kind of funny. There were a lot of them.” There were probably more now. She tapped her chin, “I didn’t seem to think they were anything more than pets. Ember definitely found them annoying.” That confirmed Aiden was right. They didn’t know Nibblets would protect those they were loyal to. Her guard would’ve been thrilled.

I glanced at the clock, “It’s time for you to get to work.” I portaled her to her place and watched her get ready. I told her, “I’ll get the timing of my Aunt’s fight, but we’ll be in Faerie for it. If I need to manufacture a reason to get you out of work, I will.” She snorted, “Good thing I can’t get fired.” I kissed her and pulled back, “If they dared fire you, they’d be staked faster than they could blink. They are lucky you want to work there.” No one would fire my mate. She winked at me and left.

I opened a portal and found Lincoln. Maddox came in with drinks. Lincoln groaned, “You’re wearing your I’m going to kill the drinking face.” I snorted, “We have people to hunt down.” Lincoln nodded, “I can get behind that. By the way…” he trailed off and I caught his hand as he went to hit the back of my head.

He linked, “Dick.” I raised an eyebrow. He snorted, “I have sources! You joined the pack with us! Obviously, I dragged Maddox with me to EJ who happily let us join. He was amused. That’s what I’m telling myself his quirked eyebrow meant.” I asked, “Did Robyn and Luca join? K hasn’t yet.” Lincoln admitted, “Not yet because I knew that and they want to wait for K. Plus, they can already link each other.” They were in a clowder so that made sense.

I portaled to Uncle Gunner. I asked, “Who do you need us to track down?” He handed us a handful of files. He told me, “Take your Guard. That’s a sect I just found in Kazakhstan. I think everyone in their compound will be glad to have them gone.” I opened a portal and went to Jocelyn. Chester was with her and he instantly stood.

I told him, “We are going hunting.” He asked, “And you’re coming to get us? Give me that folder.” Jocelyn bit her lip as he flipped through the files. He called Ithios demanding, “Assemble the Guard and get to Joceyln’s office.” I hummed, “It’s my office.” She snorted, “I claim it since I’m here more.” I winked, “Touche.”

Ithios came through with Eagan, Asmung and Bragi. They took the files and all made faces. I said, “Today, we take a step to defend my Aunt. Those fuckers have their plans for her but they won’t get to do them.” Everyone nodded and we opened a portal. It was extremely cold, but that wasn’t surprising since it was winter.

We moved around the compound. We easily timed their patrols. Killing their three man Guard team quite easily. Chester threw the grappling hook over and he went up first. Three of my guard went before I was allowed. Lincoln grumbled, “It’s no fun when they come.” Maddox snorted, “Not that he’s usually right when he complains, but he’s right this time.” Lincoln gasped. I ordered, “Get up there.” He grumbled and climbed over. I went before Maddox and my remaining Guard.

Chester said, “It’s quiet. Almost too quiet.” I linked Uncle Eric, “On a scale of one to not happening, are you interested in popping to me with Aunt Haley?” He asked, “What are you doing?” I answered, “Going after O’Toole’s from Melanie’s computer system that my mate got.” Aunt Haley popped beside me.

I said, “I think if you show yourself they will come out.” She hummed, “Yes, they are using Earth magic to make everyone uncomfortable who enters here without invitation.” Uncle Eric asked, “Why the f**k hasn’t that been done in our territory?” She admitted, “Because I don’t know how to limit it to our home and not the whole ass territory where we don’t invite humans to drive through.” He shrugged, “I mean I’m not opposed.”

She huffed, “Tourism would be affected and that’s not f*****g fair.” She walked to the middle of the compound. Blade faded in and went with her. I wasn’t too surprised when she called out to them. She shouted, “Come and try to get me you f**k face piss heads. Gerdishek would probably say come save me if I told him we were meeting.” That had them popping out.

I pulled Chester’s dart gun and fired. Aunt Haley was laughing as one tried to use his Earth powers on her. They stared at her in shock as she sent the vines back on him. I admitted, “I didn’t know the earth would attack another child of the earth.” She replied, “The earth knows evil too. If it’s choosing who to listen to between me and them, it will choose me. Especially since I’m one of the goddamn promised siblings!”

She’d killed one but we’d taken down the other seven. I told Maddox, “Linc was right. It’s too easy with my guard here.” Ithois snorted and rolled his eyes as we threw them through a portal into the dungeons. I hugged Aunt Haley before she popped away with Uncle Eric.

Lincoln snorted, “So not only did we have your Guard, but you also called in your Aunt. It’s like you didn’t want us to have any fun.” We walked through the portal and found my dad. I asked, “When is Aunt Haley’s fight?” He answered, “Tomorrow in Faerie. You should be able to get there when it starts after Kingsley gets off work.” I nodded and walked with him to the gym. I got in a workout before we went to see Uncle Gunner.

I asked, “What do you have so far?” He answered, “A s**t ton of burgundy missions I can’t fully get into. The information is redacted but I got into five of the files. I’m working on the rest with the program. It’s actually a version of my code from twenty years ago. The updates are sweet.” I shrugged, “Sure.” He snorted, “You don’t get it.” I agreed, “Nope. Not even a little bit.”

Uncle Gunner laughed, “Well, the five I’ve hacked are on that screen. You’ll recognize at least one. Your dad will remember all of them.” I looked and instantly spotted the one I knew. The one with the bodies spelled out to leave Alexander alone. I jolted, “She took all these missions on ALONE?!” He answered, “Mmhmm.” I read the report and shook my head. She’d been disappointed it wasn’t harder. I rubbed my face yelling, “f**k!”

Dad said, “Read that one.” I glanced at it and jolted, “Five teams went for him?! Why didn’t I know that? Five teams of how many?” Uncle Gunner answered, “Largest was a group of ten. The rest were six.” I shook my head, “Tell me she didn’t go after thirty-four people alone. Tell me she didn’t.”

Dad answered, “She did.” Levi groaned, “I have bad timing.” Tristan shouted, “WHAT THE f**k DID YOU JUST SAY?!” I pushed past Levi and glanced at the screen I was looking at. He asked, “What’s this injury report? She kept some alive?” I answered, “She kept one alive and sent pieces back to the group he came from.” He said, “That doesn’t make sense with the injury list.” I glanced at where he was pointed and looked up at my dad.

He pursed his lips and I felt his annoyance in the bond. That was where we put our people’s injuries in reports. While reading the lines he was looking at his sister’s injuries. Uncle Gunner swung around in his chair. Levi sighed, “In our reports that would be the injuries sustained by our teams.”

Tristan whirled around. He ground out, “But you said she went by herself. You’re saying these were her injuries?” Uncle Gunner said, “It’s impressive that those are the only injuries she sustained.” Tristan smacked the screen, “Do you see this?” I linked dad, “We should probably not point out the injuries listed out before she went.” Because I’d just seen them myself.

Horror jolted down the bond when he did. Levi glanced at us both then followed my dad’s line of sight and closed his eyes. Tristan was combing over the screens. He asked, “Are these their injuries? She whipped this guy?” I answered, “No, that doesn’t appear to be what she did.” She’d hacked him into pieces but she didn’t whip him.

I asked Uncle Gunner, “Why that guy? She’d have a reason.” Tristan growled, “Stop avoiding answering me.” Levi said, “Those are her injuries prior to going.” Tristan roared and shifted. Levi opened a portal and pushed him through it. I winced, feeling bad for the man.

Uncle Gunner said, “Because he’s the group's leader. His son is also dead along with his brother. They are burgundy too. She killed this man because he was the one who kept sending people after Alexander. This was the first time he went himself. They thought they could outsmart the Resistance because they did know it was them stopping their teams.”

My jaw dropped. Uncle Gunner added, “They were about ten miles out from Egress finding them. It’s how he found them all so fast. They were in no man’s land. A lot of these groups planned to go through there. Eric needs to declare that area a pack and territory for someone.” Dad said, “It’s maintained the way it is because….”

I sighed, “If Uncle Eric was a royal he could do it.” My dad agreed, “H is right.” Uncle Gunner sighed, “Then we need a presence there. Something to deter them.” Dad nodded saying, “That’s doable.” I read through the rest of the reports.

Dad asked, “What are you thinking H?” I replied, “These are just the missions about Alexander. There will be more where she went alone. I’m literally reading the consequences of a Beta being forced into an Alpha role. Aaron needs to read these, but I think her dissolution with Alpha blood is going to have ramifications. We need Aunt Haley and probably a whole ass team of people to undo.”

Drake McAlister answered, “You’re right.” My Uncle Drake was behind him. Drake came in and read the reports. Tears coursed down his face when he read each one. We were all silent. I linked Uncle Drake, “Why did you bring him?” He answered, “T called him. He needs to see it and as a father I understand. He also can tell you how affected a Beta blood would be. He’s literally a Beta and she was never in line to be one. She had no desire to take on Beta responsibilities. He can tell you how this would affect her.”

Drake McAlister sighed, “Duncan could say best because he never wanted Beta duties.” I interrupted, “Where is he?” Drake answered, “His pack has him on a mission. He doesn’t know Melanie is home or what’s happened to her?” I snorted, “Is he in another realm?!” He replied, “He’s in Uganda.” I jolted, “What the f**k for?” He replied, “I do not know.” I rubbed my face. Drake continued, “You already know this is bad, but it’s easily worse than you know.”

He dropped into a chair and cried, “My poor pup.” Alpha Peter stormed into the room. Good lord did they let the whole ass pack in here? I linked my dad, “Sam should probably not see her mate like this and read this about her daughter.” He shrugged.

Alpha Peter read the reports and flinched. I asked, “What?” He said, “This is my fault.” Drake stood, “No, it’s not.” Alpha Peter said, “This is a pup who had a good Alpha. This is why she’s so mad at me.” I admitted, “I have no f*****g clue what you’re talking about.” I linked Uncle Eric, “I’m going to need you to come here with Aunt Haley because I don’t understand what in the Werewolf logic is happening.”

He was there in second. He walked over to the screens to read. Alpha Peter said, “She’s mad at me because she feels lied to. I was a good Alpha but then all she saw was bad. She feels like I let her believe a lie then left her there with them.” I reasoned, “She knows that’s not true now.” He titled his head, “Yes and no.”

I asked, “Huh?” Uncle Eric answered, “She knows he didn’t leave her there, but she still feels like he gave her a standard that she never saw again.” I asked, “You got that from mission reports? How?” Alpha Peter said, “We read a lot of Beta reports. She formatted this like yours, but this is Drake’s tone.” He wiped tears away.

I checked the time portaled away to grab Kingsley and brought her back. She raised an eyebrow at our group. I said, “It’s not your fault there were bad Alpha’s.” Kingsley closed her eyes. Drake said, “But that’s not what she believes. Is it, Kingsley?” Kingsley said, “Drunk Angry Melanie did admit she felt like she never saw a lot of life.”

Drake nodded, “And she thought I was dead so she blamed Peter.” Kingsley admitted, “No, not exactly.” Alpha Eric said, “This is pup who is bleeding metaphorically. Especially a Beta and there have to be more reports.” I linked dad, “How do they know that? Is it an Alpha thing?” Aunt Haley muttered, “She was literally bleeding on some of these goddamn missions.” Everyone winced.