The Alpha’s Dark Heritage

Chapter 6

***Nina***

Asher walked in, and the moment I saw him, I realized I had completely forgotten my brother was on the way. So that means Sam was with other brother, issac. Of course, they had made a promise of a favour to each other a few weeks ago. Sam must have Issac wait I. Another room while this meeting was happening.

Asher who looked at the vacant seat beside me then to everyone in this room. As king of covens, he was now supposed to attend these meetings.

He must have opened a portal to our house in Willowsfield and driven here himself. Most probably was a few minutes behind my mate and I since he just entered the building.

Opening a portal directly to this place would have been an easy travel but we hadn’t been here before. Now we had. Now, I’m sure my mate would have me open a portal here instead of my house in Willowsfield.

“Starting without me?” he said, striding confidently toward the table, ignoring every other vacant seat and sat in the seat to my left.

The moment he sat beside me, I offered a small smile, and no doubt everyone else in the room noticed it. If I knew my brother well, he only sat next to me as a form of protection. He has always been the protector of our family and he would never stop doing so.

Asher scanned the gathered council members and then zeroed in on Mateo just on the other side of Sam, who clearly blocked us in case on any suspicion. the. As if deciphering the situation instantly, he leaned back as if he was at home on the couch.

“Now we may begin,” he commanded, causing a few council members to emit a recognizable aura of annoyance.

My siblings and I had anticipated that our return would be fraught with tension, especially after the council had attacked us years ago. They were none too pleased with our re-emergence; it was expected. If it hadn’t been for Mateo persuading them to reconsider and for my people exposing a demon...

The meeting dragged on, stretching into what felt like an eternity. I remained silent, merely listening as the council members argued about their various concerns. Each King and Queen aired problems and suggested solutions, and after about two hours, I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open. Thank Hecate I’m not the eldest, I thought, glancing at Asher. I definitely couldn't handle long meetings like this one. This would surely be my first and last. I glanced over at Mateo, who seemed neither tired nor bored. How does he do it?

“Now that we’ve all discussed our individual issues, let’s address the common problem we face,” Mateo said, jolting me from my fading attention. “What are we going to do about the demons still wandering around? And we also need to consider the red-eyed wolves, who are fining their ways onto all of our lands uninvited.” He addressed the room, and I could sense the collective tension rising as everyone seemed ready to speak at once.

Great, I thought silently, bracing for yet another round of arguments. I pretended to be interested, but my mind was starting to drift back to the bitter reality that Crowley was still free and that he was my sister's captor. I needed to inform Asher about this after the meeting—before he got too busy with his kingly duties to hear me out.

“The demon,” the dragon king said, interrupting my thoughts. “There was only one we encountered, and he has been dealt with by the mate of the King of Covens.”

In that instant, Asher slammed his fist on the table, rising from his chair, his glare piercing.

I was the only one who flinched at his sudden outburst. “Queen!” he corrected the dragon king, his voice sharp. “She is my wife, the Queen of my people, and you will address her title when mentioning her.” Asher’s anger seeped into the air, thick and palpable.

Then again, he hadn’t seen his mate, Summer, for quite some time. She’d left two weeks ago to handle matters with her father’s coven. The absence of his mate was visibly wearing on him, just as it was on all my brothers. I still wasn’t sure about Nevins, but I sensed a persistent longing in him for his own mate. It was what me and my mate had endured a few weeks back. I knew the feeling of being apart from the mate bond after you know who your fated mate is.

“Apologies, King Asher,” the dragon king replied, and Asher sank back into his seat, still glaring at the elder.

I bit my lip, knowing I should tell my brother first about Crowley; however, I couldn’t help myself. “He hasn't exactly been dealt with,” I blurted out, drawing the gazes of everyone in the room.

“What do you mean, Nina?” Asher asked, his tone shifting to confusion. I turned to him, offering an apologetic expression. “Summer and the rest of the Whitlock Coven got rid of Crowley,” he insisted firmly.

“I don’t think he was that easy to eliminate,” I countered.

Asher’s brows knitted together, and a knowing look crossed his face. “Did you have a vision?” he asked, his voice echoing in the tense room.

The dragon king’s eyes widened, and I heard Emmet’s voice from across the table. “So, she is much like Queen Alice! Do share what you saw, Princess,” he encouraged as I glanced around the table, my gaze eventually landing on Mateo.

Just as I opened my mouth to recount the dark dream I had experienced, a burning sensation flared to life on my left wrist. At first, it was a mild heat, but it intensified until I glanced down to see the mark glowing bright red, pain coursing through my arm.

I stood abruptly, my heart racing as panic began to overtake me. “Nina!” I heard Asher’s voice calling out, his eyes wide as he noticed the mark.

“The red-eyed wolves are back!” Ryan's voice rang through the cacophony as alarm spread across the room. “We’re under attack!”

And that was the last thing I heard before succumbing to darkness.