Page 90 of Bite The Power That Feeds

Cobra flashed her a grin before he grabbed him away. “I’ll come back for the other one.”

The one who remained didn’t look pale as a ghost. He looked green as vomit.

I focused on mine. “Are the werewolves doing this to other villages?”

“Yes,” he answered immediately. “The Werewolf King is taking the kingdoms for his own. He started with the smaller villages, but he has made it to the Capital.”

All of this had happened right under our noses, and we had no idea. “Why?”

“Why not?” he answered. “Why be ruled by humans when humans can be ruled by werewolves?”

“When did this happen?”

“A month ago,” he answered.

“I didn’t realize there were so many of you.”

“We have many different factions. That’s why we lie low, so you won’t know the threat we really are.”

Just when I thought we were at the end of this journey, everything became more complicated. We couldn’t walk in there and disperse the cure, not when a werewolf sat on the throne. It was in their best interest to keep the humans sick. “You can eat them even if they’re infected.”

“Yes.”

Shit.

I heard the scream of his comrade when he was lit on fire. But the screams were brief because he either blacked out or died immediately. I kept my eyes on the werewolf who had fully cooperated. “How many of you are there?”

“Hard to say…but at least ten thousand.”

I released a sigh. I couldn’t look the other way, none of us could, because the werewolves would become so strong that they would come for us next. They’d also gained a monopoly on our food source. This was bad.

Cobra grabbed the other one and dragged him to the stake next.

I had no other questions. “What can you tell me about the Werewolf King?”

After a long pause, he answered. “He’s ruthless. Even more ruthless than you are.”

The only way we would drive the werewolves out of the kingdoms was if we all banded together. Vampires. Ethereal. Even orcs. “I have no other questions.”

* * *

I walked up to Viper. “We have a problem. The werewolves have invaded the kingdoms. Ten thousand strong. This all happened while we were focused on finding the cure and dealing with the Ethereal—”

“We don’t have time for this, Kingsnake. Grab your shit, and let’s move out.”

“Did you not hear what I said—”

“Our scouts informed me that the Originals have left Crescent Falls and are riding hard in the direction of Evanguard. Unable to communicate with you, I wasn’t sure what to do, if I should ride straight to the Ethereal or come to your aid. You know what I picked. The battle was quick, so we may still have time to beat Father before he gets there.”

I blinked several times—that was how long it took me to digest what he’d said. “He’s going to kill them all.”

“Yes.”

Another thought popped into my head immediately. “That’s why he told Larisa…”

“Told Larisa what?”

“About being mortal. He knew she would be upset…and I would be so distracted that I wouldn’t notice his exit.”