Page 68 of Dragon's Revenge

“Thank you.” Duff hesitated as he looked at Vieno, then back at Lidon. “May I address your omega?”

“I don’t need his permission to talk to people,” Vieno said.

Frustration dripped off Duff in waves. “My apologies. I was wondering if… Can you confirm you’ve been designated the True Omega?”

Vieno nodded.

“Rhene mentioned you brought someone back from the dead.”

Every head in the room turned to Palani. Vieno’s voice was much softer when he said, “I can’t claim credit for that. I may have been the vessel, but that wasn’t my power. It was…” He swallowed. “It was a miracle.”

“But you’re sure he was dead?”

“Enar confirmed I was dead, and he’s a doctor, so yes, we’re sure,” Palani said. “I was dead, and then I wasn’t, and that’s all we know.”

“Wait, that was you?” Duff looked puzzled. “You’re Rhene’s brother?”

“Yes.”

“So your mate”—he looked at Erwan—“is related to the True Alpha. They’re brothers-in-law.”

“Yes.” Why did that matter?

Duff leaned back in his chair, some of the tension in his face leaving as if he’d figured out a problem. “That explains it.”

“Explains what?” Erwan and Palani asked at the same time.

“Why the True Alpha would align himself with dragons. It made no sense to me, seeing as how the True Alpha is supposed to be moral and good, and the dragons… Well, they’re not. But now I understand. It’s because you’re related.”

Palani held up his hand. “Wait. You think the only reason we’re in alliance with the dragons is because my brother is mated to one?”

“Why else would you be? We all know how the dragons betrayed the wolves and how immoral they are. The True Alpha shouldn’t want anything to do with them.”

Erwan clenched his fists, then released them again as a tense silence descended over the kitchen. Finally, Lidon spoke. “Palani, would you get Grayson? I feel we need his input here. We’ll need Emma too if she’s available. And Vieno, sweetheart, can you ask Sven to take over your lunch duties? We’re gonna be here a while. Let’s relocate to the living room, shall we?”

“Why?” Duff asked, seemingly as confused as Erwan was.

“Because it’s clear to me you have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about, so we’re gonna start at the beginning.”

“The beginning?”

Lidon nodded. “The blood pact between the dragons and the wolves. We’ll go over every step until I’m convinced you have all the information.”

“But I already know all that,” Duff protested.

Palani snorted. “Somehow, I doubt that because if you did, you wouldn’t be asking these stupid questions. No offense.”

“None taken,” Duff said, but his face showed that he had, indeed, taken offense.

They moved to the living room, where Vieno served more refreshments as Palani made a few calls. It didn’t take long for Grayson to join them.

“Emma can’t come,” Palani said. “She’s nesting, Nadiv said, and unable to travel.”

Of course. She was about to deliver the eggs.

“We’ll manage without her,” Lidon decided. “Grayson, this is all you.”

“In the year of our Lord 840, King Laoch of the dragons and Høvding Olaf of the wolves entered into a blood pact, a solemn alliance between the two.”

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