A Wolf's Duty (46 page)

“Alex?” Her eyes jerked
unwillingly up to the man’s face. He appeared unperturbed at having
recently killed a man, his face as calm as it had ever been. “I’d
like you to help me with something.”

“What?” She
croaked her voice small, her eyes unwillingly returning to Sean’s
fallen body.
So much blood. Elijah didn’t
even bat an eyelid. My god, he ripped Sean’s heart out! He ripped
Sean’s heart out. Got to stay calm. Tobias is coming. I know he is.
All I’ve got to do is stay alive until he gets here. He’s
coming.

“I want you help me claim
the throne,” he moved again speeding to stand in front of her. “Or
do you want to end up like your friend over there?” He grinned,
stroking the side of her face with bloody fingers and streaking her
cheek with Sean’s blood.

Her body
trembled convulsively under Elijah’s dark stare and her courage
took flight, leaving her trembling as she cursed Sean’s dead body
for taking her only means of defence or attack from her.
Tobias, help me!
her mind
screamed, desperate for escape.

Chapter
Forty-One

Tobias, help
me
. Alex’s voice flitted through his mind
before being abruptly cut off but the fear in his mate’s voice woke
him from his slumber. His eyes shot open, amber overpowering any
traces of grey. Deadly claws sprung from his nails and fangs
erupted in his mouth, his body tensed for attack.
Xandria!
Shooting from
the bed, he barrelled through the doors, fear for Alex’s safety
running riot through him.
She sounded
hurt, where is she? The garden?

Running along
the corridors, the frantic look on his face and the speed at which
he was moving attracted the attention of the guards stationed along
the halls who trailed after him. Desperate to catch up to him they
called out his name but he continued to run headlong, ignoring
their pleas.
I’ve got to get to her. Maybe
she fell down. No, its got to be something bigger than that, she
sounded terrified.
Arriving at the entrance
to Alex’s garden he threw the door wide, unhinging the heavy wood
with his excessive use of force. Dropping the door on the grass he
walked into her sanctuary, finding no trace of her among the men
extending her garden. “Xandria! Where are you?” he bellowed,
walking further into the garden. Ignoring the urge to sneeze, as
his delicate nose was bombarded with a host of different
fragrances, he tried to sort through the scents to find the one
unique to Alex. The smell of vanilla reached his nostrils but it
was too faint for her to have been in the garden
recently.

Grabbing one of the men
littering the garden by the collar he pulled him close. “Where is
she?”

“The Princess?”

“Yes. Where’s my
mate?”

“I don’t know your
highness, she hasn’t been in here since yesterday morning and she
didn’t stay for long. She said that there were too many people and
left.”

Turning to
regard the men already in the garden and those that had followed
him, he felt himself surrendering control to his wolf.
I have to find her whatever it takes.
Regaining control over himself he shouted to all
present. “Find her! I don’t care what you have to do, just find
her.”

“Yes your highness,” they
agreed before filling out of the garden.

Closing his
eyes he tried to shut out all distractions, focusing on reaching
Alex’s mind. He was met with nothing and he growled at the lack of
results.
The only time I can’t feel her
when I’m actively trying is when she’s sleeping deeply. But after
the way she called out to me I doubt she’s gone to sleep, which
means she must not be conscious. She sounded hurt, what if she fell
and hit her head? There isn’t anywhere on the estate that she could
do that. Damn it where is she?
Stalking out
of the garden he began to enlist any and all members of the royal
clan in the search for his mate.

“The Princess is missing
find her. Stop whatever you’re doing and look for her. I want every
inch of this place searched, find her and bring her back to me.
I’ll be in the Audience chamber. Hurry!” he screamed as he walked
through the halls of the estate. Scurrying out of his way, tasks
were dropped and posts were abandoned as residents of the estate
heeded his call. Striding through the halls of the estate towards
the audience chamber he was pleased to see people rushing to obey
his orders.

Where is
she?

A tall guard
rushed past him and his hand shot out halting the man’s movement.
“Ryan and Sebastian. I want you to find them and bring them back to
the estate.”
Might need their
help.

“Of course your highness.”
Tobias released the man’s arm allowing him to rush off once
more.

I’ve got to
stay calm, she’s got to be around here somewhere. She’d have told
me if she were leaving the estate, she would have told
someone.
A petite brunette was running
towards him and he stopped her much as he had halted the man. “Find
whoever was with the Princess last and bring them to
me.”

“Yes Prince
Tobias.”

“Do you know where to
bring them?”

“The audience
chamber.”

“Good. Be
quick.” He released her arm moving ever closer to the audience
chamber doors.
Where is she? Where is
she?
His mind raced, the wolf doing nothing
to calm him, pacing its corner of Tobias’ mind in
agitation.

We should be
out looking for her,
it growled.

We are looking
for her. The entire estate is looking for her. We’ll find her
soon.

And what if
she’s not? What if she’s hurt? She needs us!
the wolf roared.

Got to stay
calm, got to stay calm,
he chanted in his
mind.
Won’t be of any use to her if I’ve
gone wild. Might scare her. Got to stay calm.
Gripping both handles of the audience chamber doors he pulled
hard roaring his frustration, the double doors flew off the frame
crashing against the stone wall at his back. Chest heaving as he
drew in short frustrated breaths, he entered the empty room sitting
down on the cold steps rather than his usual seat as he prepared
his body for action the instant information on his mate’s
whereabouts was brought to him.

Minutes passed and no one
had anything to tell him. He watched them scurry past the room
through the large empty frame where the door should have been. His
muscles were tense as he formed fists convulsively, the stinging
from his sharp claws cutting through skin barely registering as his
mind focused completely on finding his mate.

“Your highness?” His eyes
darted up, locking with Charles’ blue ones, a quick glance told him
that Charles hadn’t come alone, bringing other members of his
Council as well as acquiring some guards.

“What?”

“The estate has been
turned upside down.”

“I don’t care,” he spat,
his gaze shifting once more to look out of the doorway, hopeful
that someone would be bringing him news.

“What’s going on? I
couldn’t manage to slow anyone down long enough for them to tell
me, they told me to come here.”

“Xandria is missing. I
can’t find her. She called out to me and she was afraid. She might
be hurt and I have no idea where she is. I thought she might be in
her garden but they haven’t seen her since yesterday. She would
have told someone if she were leaving the estate, she would have
told me.”

“You don’t know where she
is?”

“Isn’t that
what I just said?” he snapped.
My wolf is
right,
I should be out looking for her.
What am I doing just waiting here for her?
“I’m going to find her.” He stood from the steps and began
moving towards the doorway.

“Your highness, where do
you think you’re going?” Adam inquired.

“I’m going to look for my
mate.”

“We don’t know what has
happened to the Princess, it would probably be wiser to remain
here. If she isn’t on the estate then our enemies may have caught
her.”

She’s human,
the hunters wouldn’t harm her,
he sighed
trying to reassure himself that she was safe while the very idea of
her being among the men who had killed his brother turned his
stomach.
But I’ve marked her, they’ll know
that she’s one of us.
“That’s even more
reason that I should be out there looking for her.”
She sounded terrified. Do they really have
her?

Slaughter
every one of them!
the wolf
roared.

None will
survive when I’m finished. They’re a blight against our people even
if they are less active that they were in previous centuries.
They’re a threat to my mate. I’ll kill them all, they don’t deserve
to live.

There will
always be more idiots willing to take their place and try to harm
what they don’t understand,
his wolf added
in a rare moment of forethought.

Then I’ll
continue to mow them down. Threats against Xandria aren’t to be
tolerated.
“Move out of the way,” he
snarled.

“I can’t do that your
highness,” Adam stated calmly. “If the enemy has caught the
Princess then we can’t allow the only heir to the throne to walk
into their arms. What would become of our people?”

“I don’t care, now
move!”

“Your highness we can’t
allow you to leave this room.”

Agitation ran
through him and he began to pace in front of the throng of people
that had gathered, taking stock of their numbers.
Outnumbered. They’ll listen to the stupid
council, I’m not King yet so can’t override their orders when
they’re supposedly in the best interest of our people. Damn it
father, where are you when I need you?

“I don’t want to have to
hurt you,” he growled. “Just let me go look for her.”

“If you die then what will
become of our people?” Charles demanded.

“What sort of King would I
be without a mate? The royal bloodline would die with me. I can’t
take another mate if I lose Xandria and I won’t stay long in this
world if something happens to her.”

“Your highness,” Charles
continued. “The entire estate is searching for her, we will find
her.”

“The whole world could be
searching for and it would make no difference to me. I want to join
the search.”

“No,” Adam stated
firmly.

“I’m leaving,” Tobias
growled stepping forward.

Shaking his head, Adam
looked on at his Prince disappointed. “I’m sorry your highness.” He
turned the guards now in the chamber. “Restrain him.”

The guards that
had until now remained stationary around the council members moved
forward cautiously and he eyed their approach as his frustration
found a target. Roaring loudly, he leapt forward claws slashing at
an unprepared guard, blood gushed forth from the wound as the man
fell to the floor.
One down, nine to
go.
Spinning from the fallen guard he
jumped onto another, pulling hard against the man’s arms until a
loud popping was heard followed by the man’s screams. A claw swiped
against his arm but the pain was forced to the back of his mind as
he retaliated slashing down against the man’s chest.
Three dealt with.
Realising that their best chance for success was to attack as
a single unit, the remaining guards surged forward tackling Tobias
to the ground. Fists flew as Tobias struggled under their weight;
fangs and claws were used to inflict as much damage as possible but
eventually their superior numbers managed to subdue him. Hands
gripped his wrists and ankles holding him against the floor while
he struggled against their restraints. The guards wheezed as their
bloody wounds struggled to heal, claw marks and missing chunks of
flesh coating their bodies.

“Your highness, please
calm down,” Charles pleaded; distressed by the sight of the Prince
he had watched over for decades being confined in such a
manner.

“Fuck you! Fuck all of
you, I’m the Prince of our people and I order you to let me go. Let
me go now.” The guards holding him down looked confused as to whose
order to follow their grip loosening slightly.

“Prince Tobias?” The
familiar feminine voice floated to his ears and he struggled harder
against the men who held him, shaking one loose. “It’s Ilyanna
Beaumont, someone told me you were looking for me. Has something
happened?”

“Let me go!” he roared. “I
need to talk to her.”

“We can’t let you go
Prince Tobias, not while you’re so insistent about leaving,” Adam
inserted.

“I won’t try to leave this
room, I just need to speak to her.”

“Let him go,” Adam
ordered, his voice resigned.

Springing up
from the floor he spared a passing glance at the injured
guards.
Obstacles,
he shrugged, dismissing the injuries he’d caused them.
“Ilyanna, when was the last time you saw the Princess?”