Bonded by Fates; The Origin

20. Deals

Atlantes POV:

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It’s been a day since we rescued King Conri and his face wasn’t contorted in fear and pain anymore.

I've been carefully watching the doctors applying some medicine into the saline solution which is helping him to hydrate his body ever since he’s still asleep. The doctors have been doing it a lot recently.

“The wolfsbane is leaving Conri’s body, they have injected a whole lot of wolfsbane into his system before. The fastest way to make him feel better is injecting the medicines directly in an intravenous way”, Dr Susan told us and I was glad she was in there.

She was really good at what she does. Healers can do a lot of things, but the most important thing is that they can diagnose quickly any external or internal injury so they can nurse the injured as soon as possible.

Dr Susan is way beyond that, she truly cares for each one of her patients and she doesn’t keep depending on magic. Sometimes magic isn’t enough, especially in Conri’s situation.

I was sure that she could come up with any cure for any injuries or disease. We don’t have diseases like in the Human Realm.

However, most of our diseases are caused by our own feelings. The worst of them all is guilt, because it’s the kind of feeling that depends only on ourselves to heal.

Many beings of all kinds have been committing suicide over and over again, feeling guilty for something they did in the past.

King Phoenix keeps their souls in a pith of the underworld called ‘Suicides’ Valley’. Their souls keep on living the same thing that made them feel guilty over and over again until they can finally overcome this feeling and move on. It’s a temporary place but it can take centuries or millenniums for a soul to overcome it.

The Suicides’ Valley is the most guarded pith from the underworld, King Phoenix made sure of it.

“You look like you could use some rest yourself, King Atlas” Dr Susan snapped me out of my thoughts.

King Atlas? Had she been talking to Philip?

“You’re right, I’ll take a quick shower now that Randall and Liam are here and I’ll be right back” I said, and made my way out.

I went to my room thinking about everything.

I made my way to my bathroom, undressed and I stared at myself in the mirror, I made a shell with my hands, took some water and threw it in my face and hair, dishevelling it by running my hand through it.

So many things have happened. Was it all because King Phoenix and I dared to intervene The Fates?

He might be coming within a few months, so we can renew our ritual. I don’t know how much longer we’d be doing this, if only I was sure that everything that’s happening was because of the war or so, but what if it’s because of what Phoenix and I have been doing?

I had to make sure before he came in again, not that it would change anything. We both had our reasons to intervene in The Fates and prevent something from coming into our lives. A good reason.

I took a shower, dried myself and dressed properly. When I was leaving my room, I got surprised by a mind-link.

“King Atlantes, come to meet me, I’m in your office.”

That’s definitely Lucius’ voice.

I flashed to my office and he was there waiting for me.

“King Lucius, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?” I tried to sound polite.

“Oh please, no need for formalities, I came here to let you know that Patsy is under my orders now. I’ve made her do a blood oath” he said, and I tried to be expressionless, but I could imagine the things he might’ve done to make her do it.

“Why would you do that?” I asked him, with a frowning face.

“I have some unfinished business I need to take care of about my father. It wasn’t hard. I haven't done anything to her…yet” he said coldly.

“So, I’m afraid you’re here to make a deal?”

“Exactly” he simply replied, smirking.

“Before that, I want to take you to the healing room, shall we?” I asked him. I wanted him to know about Conri’s condition if he thought he could simply trust anyone in that group.

“Oh please, I’ve heard about Conri and I don’t give a damn about it, I’m here to make a deal” King Lucius said, firmly, but I didn’t flinch.

“Please, I insist! We can make a deal there. I was about to go check on him anyway”, I said, and he gave me boring eyes but came anyway.

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Lucius POV:

Atlantes might be crazy if he thought that an unconscious body would have some effect on my cold heart, but I wanted to make a deal and he sounded like he was up to make some agreement if I followed him, so I did.

We made our way to the healing room and the mutt was there with Liam and his mate…

His mate, Alice…the mother of my future mate.

I couldn’t show any weakness around them.

Conri was laid on a bed, unconscious. I checked on him and he was really bad, with long and messy hair and beard. It made me curious about what happened, but I didn’t want to look like I was interested, it could blow away the whole deal.

“We found him all thanks to Alice. She was brave enough to put herself in danger so Werloth could track her and rescue them”, Atlantes said.

Well, that was a pretty stupid and reckless move.

“That was not very wise”, I said.

“Especially because she’s pregnant” Atlantes said, startling me. She was pregnant?.

I got closer to her and Liam. He stood up in defense but I didn’t care, I took a lungful of air trying to smell something and then I got relief.

“You’re trying to get your baby killed?” I asked Alice, dryly, and Liam got enraged, standing between me and Alice. I just rolled my eyes and made my way back next to Conri's sleeping form.

I was relieved that the baby she’s carrying isn’t my mate, it’s too soon and I’m not prepared for it. Was I scared?

I shook away this thought.

“Conri got tortured for 2 decades, Lucius. They made him suffer badly, they ripped off his claws, cut his flesh over and over again with silver with wolfsbane, they never asked for anything, never talked to him about anything, they made it for fun. They took away his hope because they placed a usurper in his place. So nobody ever tried to go after him and that’s only what we could see. We don’t know what else they did to him. My point is, it could have been any of us. You shouldn’t trust any of them so easily”, Atlantes said.

I felt my hand turned into a fist, I was almost quivering and I was fighting hard to keep my calmness. I was enraged, but for the first time, it wasn’t because of his disrespect.

I’ve killed many species, I have tortured and hurt a lot, but it was never for free, I always had a reason to do it.

Furthermore, I would never act against any royalty for free. When we attacked the dragons, we thought we'd been threatened. It ended up that we’d been tricked by no one less than my father. I didn’t regret it, I did what I had to do back then and no one had ever talked about it anymore.

Seeing what happened to Conri over nothing, it made a burning sensation float over my veins, I took it as a threat.

Anyone who could kidnap and torture a King for so long, must have no mercy from any other royalty of any kind, but still I didn’t want to meddle in this, I had other priorities.

“It was his own brother” I simply said, and everybody frowned.

“Excuse me?” Alice was the one who said it.

“Conri has a bastard brother. His father cheated on his mate once and somehow the she-wolf got pregnant. His brother must have casted a spell to look like Conri, since his bastard brother was the son of a King, he had some royal aura but not as dominant as the King itself. I know something else that Patsy shared with me. She told me everyone that is part of the group and the only one who’s missing now as a leader is Alice. That’s why she wanted so badly for Alice to unblock her powers and she was stalking Alice. She was waiting for some opportunity, that’s it for now. I won’t meddle in this anymore, it’s not my problem, I have my own business to take care of from now on”, I said the whole thing, looking at Conri.

I will make them suffer just as much, but I don’t need anyone else bothering me anymore. They insisted on keeping acting cool. I don’t care about it.

That’s why I always succeed. I don’t make any effort to get what I want.

“Wait, Lucius. I know we have our differences. You’re the one who killed most of the dragons in my realm. I never knew the reason and I truly hope you have been tricked too, but probably not. However, my mate is in danger now. They kidnapped a King and they’re making a mess around the Realms. I hate to admit it but we need you this time, please, do the right thing”, Liam told me and I frowned.

Was he really up to leaving it all behind for his mate?

Is this the power of the bond?

For the first time in my miserable life, I gulped hard but I shook it off.

“I won’t meddle in problems that aren’t mine, Liam. And no, I haven’t been tricked”. I lied and flashed away before I did something I'd regret.

My mind was spinning around, I was sure that they would look for me sooner or later, I'd just wait for it and then we'd make the blood oath.

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Alice POV:

I wrapped my arms around Liam. What did just happen?

“Why was he here?” my dad asked.

“I have no clue, he said he wanted to make a deal. Look, I think he might have a lot of information. Patsy is following his orders now” Atlantes said, and my eyes opened wide and I could feel how unsettled Liam was.

“How could he do it? He can’t be trusted”, Liam said.

“You know Lucius, he wouldn’t come all the way here with some fake information, he might have access to the location of the group. Besides, there are more leaders in this group than we thought…Patsy took a blood oath, it’s not like she has any choice now”, Atlantes stated, and my heart started to race.

I couldn’t read Lucius at all, he turned his back to us, but I also could see deep down inside him, he felt for Conri. Why is he acting like that?

Nevertheless, we had to do something, even if it meant going after him and trying again, we just couldn’t let this chance go away.

“I will go after Lucius and try again. If he can have access to their hideout, we can’t just give up. I know he can’t be trusted and we have no idea what he’s after, but we can’t just give up on this opportunity”, I said, firmly.

“Alice, you won’t go after him, he’s dangerous, he'd rather be left alone. Let him come for us. He did it before, he might do it again”, Liam told me. I don' know if he was right.

“Liam, Conri deserves it, please”, I tried again, and Liam looked down and glared at me again.

“Can you just wait until Conri wakes up and gets better, my love? I promise I’ll go after him myself then”, Liam said, and a big smile formed on my face.

I kissed him and held him tight.

I approached King Conri's sleeping form.

“Don’t worry King Conri, we’ll always be here watching over you” I whispered.

“I don’t have a good feeling about this but Alice’s right, as soon as Conri heals completely, we'd better go after him” my dad said, looking at us and then at Conri again.

My dad was really feeling for Conri, we all are, but he'd been too quiet and never left King Conri’s side and for that, I’m grateful, but still I felt that there was something else.

“Dad, how are you feeling?” I asked him.

“You know, it’s hard to see our King in such a state and to imagine everything he’s been through…he really was a magnificent King, Alice, nothing could ever put him down or let him down, he always had all the reasons to distrust everyone. Now I wonder what kind of scars, after these past decades, would remain in Conri’s mind and soul” he said, and I looked down.

I heard the door opening and Dr Susan made her way next to Conri.

“Medicine time” she said, smiling, chewing gum, and I miss this smile of hers.

“Please, tell us he’s getting better”, Liam said.

“His face is flushed, better than when we found him” Atlantes said.

“Guys, calm down, I’ll check on him, I’m here for it” she said, grinning.

She checked on Conri and she smiled after she listened to his heartbeat with the stethoscope. It made her make a bubblegum ball.

“You’re a wolf, do you really need that? And the stethoscope as well?” my dad asked her and I chuckled.

“Of course, grumpy Alpha, it’s a life under my care and I would never take anything for granted, not even with my high sense of hearing” she said, chuckling, winking at my dad and he, on the other hand, didn’t roll his eyes at her as he always did, he just nodded instead.

My dad is really worried.

“Well, I might say that I’m impressed, Conri is getting better and he’ll wake up soon, his Lycan is a very strong one and he is very willing to live, I guess” Dr Susan said.

“Dr Susan…” I was about to ask her something but she cut me.

“Oh please Alice, just Susan for you, we’re bff now.”

I chuckled at her statement.

“Well, Susan, what’s your wolf’s name?”

“She’s Aurora, she’s a real beautiful, caramel wolf. I bet not even your grumpy dad would resist her charm” she said, winking at my dad and he rolled his eyes.

I laughed and it made even Liam and Atlas chuckle this time. My gaze found Conri’s face and I could swear I saw a slight smile forming on his face for a second.

Am I seeing things that aren’t really there? What does it mean?

I shook off this thought. Maybe my wish for Conri’s improvement is also affecting my mind.

“You two would be great together. Thank Goddess, I wouldn’t be living around anymore”, I joked.

My dad blushed and Susan smiled. I'd never seen him blush like that before. Actually, he always got tense when Susan was around.

“I would definitely keep him in line” she also joked, but I saw something in her eyes. Maybe she wasn’t just playing.

Was she…in love with my dad?

I almost jumped out of joy. Susan is great and maybe she’s what my dad is needing right now to heal his broken heart. They aren’t fated mates but they can be chosen mates instead.

I still had to talk to him about the nightmares he always had when I lived in the pack house. I wanted to know if those nightmares still insisted on showing off when my dad sleeps and I could spend some time talking to Susan as well.

I wanted to help her if that’s what she wanted, even though it’s something they both had to do by themselves.