Claimed by the Mad Lycan King

”Do you think she is under the influence?” Asher asked after watching a video that showed Maisie taking the devil away.

The tension in the quiet room was so thick that it made the three gammas grimace.

”No. Her movement doesn’t show that she is under the influence, which means she has been taking their side for so long,” Altair replied.

”I don’t think she is under the influence, because the way she moves is so different from the four warriors who have instigated the first fire in the watchtower,” Zephyr said. He recalled the first attempt to get the devil out.

Based on their experience, the devil had the ability to influence other people and bend their will to their benefit. And most of the people who had been influenced wouldn’t be able to get themselves back.

That was why Zade killed the four warriors that night. He executed them himself as a form of honoring them, because they didn’t deserve to die, but they were no longer themselves anymore.

”So, we are clear that she is a traitor?” Asher then looked at Zade because Maisie was one of his pack members; he even gave her to his mate, which meant Zade had gone through her background and behavior thoroughly. He wouldn’t have let anyone with the tendency to hurt his mate be around her. ”Zade?”

”I can’t say for sure; something doesn’t add up.” Zade should have had this discussion with Seara last night, but she looked so tired, and he decided to bring this matter up later, after this meeting.

”What do you mean?” Altair asked impatiently. ”If you know something, say it.”

The devils could use this ability on those who didn’t have a strong soul and mind.

This method didn’t always work, but only a handful of people or shifters could resist, not to mention during the dark time, when the devil’s power increased significantly, which made it harder.

However, there was one thing that they didn’t know yet—how the devils had developed different abilities...

”I think Seara can see the devils.” Zade didn’t think the words were right. ”No. She can sense them.”

He then showed the surveillance camera from the day when Neriah came over, and they went to the garden. That woman wanted to see the watchtower.

He paused on Neriah’s expression when the warriors told Seara and Neriah that they were not allowed to step into that area.

”She knew something,” Zade said as he zoomed in on Neriah’s face. The camera’s quality was so good that it could capture the emotion behind her longing expression. ”My mate had also said that she felt uncomfortable around her for no reason.”

Altair narrowed his eyes. ”That’s too far-fetched,” he said with a scoff. ”Moreover, she is not right in the head.”

After Altair finished his words, he was already hurled across the room; his back collided against the mahogany table, and it grated against the floor with a deafening sound.

Their respective royal gammas immediately stood by their kings, trying to de-escalate the situation.

”That’s not a nice thing to say, Altair,” Zephyr said as he stood in front of Zade, preventing him from going on to the second attack, while Jazz held Altair back and tried to calm him down.

Meanwhile, Asher was still sitting on the chair; it looked like he was too lazy to get involved.

”Don’t you want to do something?” Blake asked him. He was already standing up; if things got worse, he had no other choice but to get involved.

However, his king didn’t seem to be concerned about any of that. Asher stretched out his arms; this was not the first time they were having this kind of altercation, though.

”What can I do? I will get involved if it is two against one, but if I have to jump in the middle of their fight, I will think twice. I am not strong enough to fight the two of them at the same time.”

The corner of Blake’s lips twitched when he heard that. ”Don’t you feel ashamed to say it out loud?” He knew, among the three of them, his king was the weakest in terms of strength.

”Not really. I am only stating the truth.” He then patted his royal gamma’s shoulder. ”Don’t worry. Your predecessor had seen worse than this. Why do you think the Lycans are rarely in the same room together?” Asher nodded his head righteously, and Blake couldn’t say anything else.

For Jazz and Blake, it was their first rodeo to stand for their kings against the other Lycan kings. However, Zephyr had had enough of these kinds of encounters.

Meanwhile, the other two Lycan kings were at a dead end; their eyes flickered as they mind-linked with each other.

But thankfully, things didn’t escalate.

”How can you be so sure?” Altair finally spoke; he straightened himself and acted as if nothing had happened between them a few minutes before.

Hearing this, Zephyr knew the worst had passed; he then gestured for Jazz to take his guard down.

”I am not sure; I need confirmation.”

And right at that time, a warrior mind-linked Zade, telling him that Seara was having a panic attack and he needed to be there.

”I will be right back,” Zade said and then left with Zephyr, but Altair followed him.

After the altercation, he wanted to see what that woman could do. He had gotten enough information about Seara, and his first impression was that the woman was unhinged.

***

”Everything is okay around here?” Jude asked. The three of them were in Jeremy’s room, hanging around a bit after Oliver got the book. ”I saw the guards look very tense. They were extremely strict when we came, even though we have been here a few times and they know us.”

”Yeah...” Jeremy scratched his head and got two cans of soda from his fridge. ”Something was stolen a few days ago, so everyone is on edge.”