Chapter 52: The Guest’s Right
Zethar;
"Calm down," Zephan says behind me as I march over to the throne room, and I huff.
"I am calm!"
"Then walk like it!" He snaps back, but I can barely contain my rage.
"He has some nerve coming here. I’m going to snap his fucking neck in two and decorate my bathroom with his antlers!" I rage as I pull my sleeves up, and suddenly Zephan grabs my arm, stopping me in place.
"What are you...?"
"You better calm the fuck down and think with your head!" He scolds, and I blink at him.
He pushes me against the wall behind me, and as he stares at me, I see concern in his eyes.
"I know you’re angry. You have every right to be, and quite frankly, nothing should be in the way of you getting justice for Maruck. But you’re a prince. More than your grudges, the people of Beastheaven matter. You can not afford to put them in danger." He speaks, and I look away.
"If you hurt that bastard, you’ll give the other clans a reason to come for us. Our people do not need a war right now." He adds, and I grit my teeth.
"It’s an insult that he’s come here. He has no fear! He’s come to rub it in my face. I can’t let it slide..."
"You don’t have to respond to everything, Zethar! At least not right away." He cuts me off, and I stare at him in silence.
"Calm. Down." He adds, and I take a long, shaky breath as I look away.
"I’m calm." I lie, and he scoffs before moving away from me.
"Liar." He breathes, and I roll my eyes.
"You know that I want more than anything to have his head on a platter! This is hard for me. I’m trying!" I snap at him, and he smiles.
"I know." He replies, and I stare at my brother as silence settles between us for a few seconds.
"Promise me you won’t hurt Balinar. No matter what he says, you can not react. Not here." He begs, and I stare at his outstretched hand in silence.
He wants me to promise that I won’t hurt the very man I want more than anything to kill??
"Zethar..."
I groan in annoyance and push past him as I march towards the throne room.
"I’ll try my best."
******
Koda;
"You’re looking fatter, King Wilhelm!" Balinar exclaims as he walks towards the throne with his arms in the air, and without a second’s hesitation, I move to stand at the foot of the steps. Blocking his path to Father.
His gaze flicks down to me, and he smirks.
"You’re bodyguards are unrelenting, too. Where are the other four?" He slurs, and I stare blankly at the hideous man before me.
He’s older than I am by just three years. Yet I’m sure he’s seen and caused evil that’s way too much for his age.
"You look rougher, Balinar." Father’s heavy voice notes, and Balinar’s smirk deepens as his gaze rises back to Father.
He takes a few steps back and does a half spin with his arms still lifted.
"I know. When you work hard, it kind of shows..." He says, and finally, he drops his hands.
"Unlike some pricy Kings who rot on their throne all day and gain fat, I lead my men constantly to hunt for omegas. We understand that a flourishing population is where true power lies... Not a combination of Clans with just 1% of omegas and a King who "Respects" them." He replies, and my nails dig into my palm at all the insults he just threw at Father.
I look back up at Father, seeking permission in his eyes to launch at the bastard, but Father ignores me and instead smiles at Balinar.
"Ah... Hunting for omegas. The way of savages." Father replies, and Balinar’s smile falls.
"I hope you haven’t brought such foolery to my kingdom," Father adds, and Balinar’s smirk returns.
"...Not yet." He replies, and my heart sinks.
I’m about to speak when the doors behind him burst open. He trunks around, and as he moves out of the way, I see it’s Zethar.
Shit.
Zethar’s eyes lock onto Balinar, and the intensity in the death glare he’s giving is terrifying.
"Ah. Just the man I want to see." Balinar says, and Zethar’s dark scales start lining the side of his neck. Crawling upwards in a sinister slow motion, and shimmering like shards of glass.
Shit, he’s shifting...
"Don’t you greet?" Balinar pushes, and just then Zephan steps in. He stands beside Zethar and places a hand on his shoulder.
"You look like shit, Ballinar. Did another omega try to take your other eye?" Zephan spits at Ballinar, and a smooth wave of satisfaction washes through me as I know those words will hit Ballinar.
Just like Zephan and Zethar, Ballinar is a twin... But unfortunately, his twin was born an omega.
Balinar, being the bastard he is, who only sees Omegas as commodities, locked up his twin brother in a tower and let’s wealthy Alphas from all over use his brother as a breeder.
One day, when he went to see his brother, out of pain, his brother stabbed him in the eye. Rendering Balinar completely blind in one eye. The eye Balinar always hides behind his hair.
He hates talking about it, but if you’re going to dish out shit, you should be able to take it.
Zephan grabs Zethar’s wrist and pulls him to the side of the hall, and as they stand, Zephan doesn’t take his hand off Zethar’s wrist.
"Balinar. What brings you to my home?" Father questions to break the tension, and when Balinar turns back to Father, I can not help but smile at the anger on his face.
"Your son killed my men. I’m here to demand compensation for them and their families." He replies, and my brows knot at his words...
"You fucking bas..." Zethar begins, but Zephan holds him back.
"Zethar, you will only speak when spoken to; otherwise, you will be escorted out," Father warns, and Zethar stares at Father in awe.
"Compensation? Your men are the ones who ambushed my son’s camp." Father then speaks to Balinar, and Balinar raises a brow.
"Says who? Your son, who’s addicted to taking lives?" Balinar replies, and my heart skips a beat. That is a sour topic no one touches. And this bastard...
My eyes dart over to my brothers, and now, Zephan has an arm wrapped tightly around Zethar’s waist to stop him from looking. Zethar, on the other hand, looks as if he gets the chance, he’ll slice through Balinar right here and now.
Zethar has a horrible history with lovers. Everyone he’s ever been with... Beta, Alpha, Omega... they all ended up dying... under him.
His last relationship was four years ago. Enemies tried to get to him by calling him a killing addict. We’ve tried to keep him safe from that for all these years, and now, this bastard...
"King Wilhelm, do you have any proof that my men tried to attack your son? Have you forgotten the sacred Guest’s Right that you created yourself, King Wilhelm?" Balinar continues, and my nails dig into my palm in annoyance as I realise the card this fucker is about to pull.