Her Unwanted Mate On The Throne
Chapter 100

Chapter 100 I've got you now.Enzo moved Doris behind him and tried to position her out of sight without making it seemobvious. She noticed a bit of his own panic seep through his gaze. This all happened because of her.If she hadn't come on this trip, she couldn't have been kidnapped and Enzo wouldn't have been introuble with his own people for letting William stay. Always her fault, wasn't it? “Don’t think youneed to be a hero for me today, Doris. You being here is enough and I know how to handle themwhen they're like this. Don't worry for me, promise?.” Enzo whispered. Doris didn't get a chance torespond before he turned to face the arriving carriages with the rest of the villagers. As it was, noneof them wanted to leave Enzo's side. They cared too much about their kind leader and Doris wasglad of that at least. He was a great man to be loyal to. She almost thought the same of Williambefore he left. But now wasn't a time to dwell on that, she should have known better. At the front ofthe crowd was a man with grey and black hair that was tied back in a bun on his head. He looked abit older than Enzo and a bit shorter too. Was this the man that Doris had heard in his office earlier?It had to be. “Enzo, you look like you're ready for a fight.” The man said with a bit of false kindness.He flashed his sharp teeth at his leader and Doris instantly placed the voice to who she thought itwas “I suppose it's a good thing I am. I didn't expect a large portion of my pack to show up in themiddle of the night.” Enzo placed his hands behind his back calmly and kept a light air to his words."What brings you all here tonight? Our next full moon party isn't for another week.” The man lookedthrough the crowd with a sharpness that felt like a blade across her skin when his sight stopped onher before continuing on. He hadn't seen her at Life Pharmacy, that was a small relief on its own butit wasn't enough to convince her it would all be fine. “I heard you had a few interesting visitors inyour village recently. It's been said that you're keeping the prince here nice and safe. That couldn'tbe true, could it? Our leader would never let that happen.” “He was here, he left a while ago.” Enzosaid easily. “He came through for a chat and asked to wait out a storm. I didn’t see the harm in it, Iallowed it.” “How could you let our enemies sleep among us? How could you offer them safety andprotection when they've killed so many of our people just trying to live? Don't our lives meananything to you?” “The prince wished no harm on me or my villagers, he came for peace and I choseto hear him out as your leader since your lives are my top priority.” Enzo said with an edge to hisvoice. Doris tried to stay blended in the crowd but she swore she felt eyes on her. “I know you don’tagree with my take at leadership, but it doesn’t excuse unnecessary violence to anyone. Even theprince.” “No harm? I heard how many of our rogues he killed looking for some girl. How is thatpeaceful?” The man roared. gol you now."He was trying to protect someone he cared about that was taken by rogues who refused to listen.They tried to torture her for no reason and almost killed her because of it. If any of you had yourwife or child taken, you would do the same.” Enzo said. “All I hear is you excusing him killing ourwolves! A true leader would want revenge, not let him sweet talk his way in their favor! Why was hehere, Enzo? To get information out of you?” “He wanted to unite the rogues back with thekingdom.” Enzo said. The man laughed bitterly. “That's rich. You believe a prince who has one of theworst reputations?” “He didn’t give me a reason not to.” Enzo smoothed out the arms of his coat.“Are we done here? The prince is long gone from here and you can check every cabin if you insistbut it is quite late. My people don't like to miss out on their sleep for ridicules matters.”Someone stepped out of the crowd and spoke in the man’s ear, Doris felt her insides freeze overwhen she recognized him. It was the guard that caught William kissing her in the halls. He waslooking right at her and she knew there was no chance that he didn't see her.The man turned his gaze on her as well and Doris wished she could disappear. Enzo must havenoticed because he moved a bit in front of her but the damage had already been done. They knewwho she was. “You still protect them over your own people. Did you send her to spy on us, Enzo?”The man asked with his voice seeped in betrayal. Doris wondered if William was right, perhaps sheshouldn't have stayed despite her best intentions. 1 “She has nothing to do with their politics, shewas sold to the palace at a young age and has come here for freedom herself.” “Don't lie!” The manroared again. Enzo looked unbothered. “She was seen at Life Pharmacy just hours ago with a man!Was it the prince you let in with her? Why Enzo? They're not part of your pack, we are! We deserveyour loyalty!” Enzo said nothing for a moment. “You have my loyalty, but I don't appreciate liars. Itseems I'm not the only one who has spoken with someone from the palace. I have on good wordthat you've taken bribes from one of the royal members to hunt down the prince. Why would youtake their orders over mine? You're working directly with someone from the palace while I have onlygiven them an ear for their offers.” The man swallowed and glanced at the uneasy faces behind him.Clearly they didn't know about the bribe, was he pocketing it all for himself? Doris silently hoped itset off a bit of untrustworthiness for him as much as he did for Enzo. “Why don't we settle this likemen, Enzo? Wolf to wolf.” He said with his chest puffed out. Doris would have laughed if he didn’tlook absolutely deranged. 1 Enzo laughed for her. “And what? Fight to the death for leadership? Youknow you would never win.” The man snarled. “Fight me, you coward!” He shouted with his fistsclenched. Enzo sighed and removed his nice coat to hand to someone nearby. “I hope you toldyour family you weren't coming home, I would hate to be the one to explain your own bad choicesto them.” He glanced at everyone around them. “No one else is to be involved or risk instant death.This is our match, everyone else back up and stay out of the way!" Doris quickly backed away withthe rest of the crowd and watched as Enzo transformed into his magnificent wolf. The mantransformed a minute later into a brown wolf that looked more than a little deadly. Enzo snappedhis jaws at the other wolf before he led him off into the bushes to be dealt with privately. A matchto the death? That was the last thing she expected Enzo to say. Doris lost sight of them instantly,but she heard their cries and bites start up a few moments later. The rest of the crowd went tofollow them but Doris stayed behind by the fire with her arms crossed over her chest. She didn'twant to see what happened, she could only pray to the moon goddess that Enzo would be fine. Hedeserved to be fine. He was stronger and faster than most wolves, that's why he was the leader ofthe rogues. She could only wait for it to be settled so she could leave—1 A hand closed over hermouth and dragged her back behind the cabins towards the waiting carriages as she tried to kickand hit the man. Doris struggled more violently and went to change into her wolf, but felt a needlestab in the side of her neck before she could allow Cordelia to take over. “Don’t worry.” The voicesaid. She stumbled forward a little and fell right back into their arms when her world shifted all atonce, fear crept into her bones when she saw flickers of darkness at the edge of her vision. Theground looked as if it was about to open up and swallow her whole but her head felt as if it wasabout to roll off her shoulders. “I've got you now.” Doris was barely able to move her head to see amasked man lift her into one of the rogues carriages. She saw nothing more the second the doorclosed behind them. 2