Monsterland Mayhem (Fairy Tales With A Monstrous Twist)

23. Krolic

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

KROLIC

I feed Ailsa another tomato bomb.

While I didn’t hear most of her conversation with Catum, I understood the gist of what they discussed—the elixir, the mating ritual, and my family feud with the Crimson pack.

My blood boils like it usually does when I think about the Imposter King and Heart. They’ve destroyed everything, including this kingdom.

I meant what I said to Ailsa—if we can’t fix this with the mating ritual, then we’ll be forced down a much more violent path.

Thus far, we haven’t permanently killed anyone, just severely injured those who have posed a threat. Primarily because we’re still not entirely sure if the attacking beings are of sound mind or not.

They don’t want to hurt Ailsa. Yet they seem inclined to take her by force.

Craze told me about what happened in the Mushroom Jungle with the snout men.

“They were overrun with lust,” he muttered back in the kitchen. “They’ve all been overrun with it, K. And it’s clear they’re not interested in her consent. Just that she’s a fertile Omega.”

“Is that what they called her?” I asked, frowning at the term fertile .

Her heat hasn’t started yet. So while she will soon be in estrus, she’s not yet. And therefore, by definition, not fertile . Hence the reason I could knot her without impregnating her.

Craze went on to confirm that was the phrase one of the snout men used before trying to stake his claim.

Traditionally, interested Alphas and their mate-circles hunt a desired Omega during the ritual period. And the Omega chooses whom to submit to by succumbing to the eventual rut.

However, Omegas can refuse all suitors.

It rarely happened in the day when rituals were more common. But it did occasionally occur, and that Omega chose to live without mates.

Ailsa could take a similar path.

Unless Monsterland doesn’t allow it.

In which case…

“War,” Catum says, answering a question Ailsa just asked about what I mean by turning Monsterland on its head. “He’s talking about war.”

Yes , I think, hating the word. Alas, he’s right.

“We’ve avoided a fight for what feels like eons,” I add while bringing another fried cheese ball to her lips. “Our hope has always been to find an Omega to complete our circle, and to remind Monsterland of our rituals. Because somewhere along the way, the Alphas lost their sense of purpose.”

“That happens when their leader is absent,” Craze interjects as he joins us in the bathroom. “Or, in this case, hiding his true identity.”

“I can’t tell if you’re insulting me or the Imposter King,” I mutter, not at all amused by his commentary.

“A bit of both, I imagine,” he drawls before stealing one of the tomato bombs.

Except he doesn’t eat it.

He puts it between his teeth and feeds it to Ailsa via his mouth. She moans in response, not too dissimilar to how she was moaning earlier in our bed.

Craze grabs her hips and holds her against him, his shoulders seeming to loosen in the process as his personalities visibly switch to someone softer, gentler, more nurturing.

By the time they’re done sharing the tomato bomb, he seems much less aggravated, which is good because his irritable side was starting to grate on my nerves.

If anyone has a right to be upset about not knotting Ailsa, it’s Catum. Yet other than the obvious erection beneath his towel, he seems fine.

“You said Crimson is hiding his identity,” Ailsa murmurs. “Pretending to be the Silver King.”

“Yes. His wolf is white, so he only ever shows himself in wolf form while Heart translates his edicts for the masses,” I elaborate. “Everyone assumes it’s a sister supporting her brother.”

“And there’s speculation that the king never shifts into his human form because he lost his mate-circle,” Catum adds. “The kingdom thinks Craze and I are dead.”

“Hence, I’m the Mad Hatter,” Craze muses, his eyebrows dancing as he plucks another tomato bomb from the tray and eats it.

I take a cheese ball to give to Ailsa, but she doesn’t immediately accept it. “So what changes if he takes a mate?” she asks. “Why would that make him reveal himself? And won’t that just piss everyone off?”

“The kingdom fell to me as the strongest Alpha,” I say, trying to explain how hierarchy works in our world. “However, that role isn’t official until a king takes a mate. Continuing bloodlines is very important in this world, but with the lack of Omegas…” I trail off, swallowing.

The disappearance of Omegas started with my mother’s death. Then no new Omegas were born, making it impossible for me to officially claim my title.

Thus, we began hunting the way a mate-circle should.

And it took centuries for us to find Ailsa.

If she refuses us…

I can’t even finish the thought. It’ll always be her choice. But our circle won’t move on from her. She’s it for us. And not just because Omegas appear to be on the verge of extinction. It’s her . She’s been our choice since the moment I first scented her.

Our strong-willed, adventurous Omega. The female who never shied away from my beast, even when she thought I meant to eat her.

She’s always been strong. Forward. Confident in her own right.

Perhaps shy externally with Catum, but bold inside her mind and in her dreams.

The perfect mate.

“Omegas have always been rare,” Catum continues for me as he leans against the counter, his arms folded across his chest. “And Omegas only mate strong Alphas.”

I nod. “If the Imposter King takes a mate under these current conditions, he’ll be visibly seen as the strongest Alpha among us. And no one will care how it was done. Unless, of course, they are made to realize that he’s ignoring the rituals.”

“Right. Otherwise, he can spin it that the Omega came directly to him and declined the ritual, as proven by the heir in her belly.” Craze utters the words with a hint of malice, his dislike palpable. “That was the reason we presented you to Monsterland—to provide proof that you are not denying the ritual.”

“To give you a choice,” I rephrase. Because that was the point of all this—we want her to willingly choose her mates.

And, of course, we hope that choice will be us.

We are the strongest Alphas in Monsterland. Deep down, her Omega soul knows that.

It’s the human part of her that needs to understand all this, to accept it.

“So with the ritual, I… I run. And you chase?” She voices it in a breathy tone that goes straight to my knot.

And I’m not the only one who feels it. Because Craze groans, “Graves, now I’m hard again.”

Catum just smirks, but I’m certain he’s not unaffected by our Omega’s words. “You run and Alphas chase, yes,” he confirms. “And you choose which circle to submit to.”

“For a rut,” she says slowly, like she’s tasting the term. “Which means…?”

“Fucking,” Craze growls before grabbing her and pulling her into a kiss. “Lots and lots of knotting. And coming. And pleasure.”

She melts into his touch, her lips rounding on a moaned “Ohhh.”

Craze smiles against her mouth. “You like that, don’t you, gorgeous?”

She swallows. “I… I might.”

“You will,” he promises, kissing her again. “You’ll fucking love it.”

“Assuming we proceed with the ritual,” I interject, hating that I have to be the voice of reason. But it’s my job. My role. My burden. “If the Alphas won’t respect Ailsa’s choice, then it’s too dangerous to continue with our plans.”

“Thus taking us to plan Z,” Craze says on a sigh as he steps back from Ailsa.

“Taking me… home,” she summarizes, her lips curling down. “And then what?”

“Then we handle the issues here and come back for you later,” I tell her. I hate this plan, but it’s our last resort. “We hoped your presence here would reignite some of our old ways. However, thus far… it seems to have proven just how lost Monsterland has become.”

I look at Craze, his words from a few minutes ago swirling in my head.

“That happens when their leader is absent.”

It’s my darkest fear come to life.

It took us so long to find a potential mate, thus allowing Monsterland to deteriorate beneath the Imposter King’s rule.

We searched for an Omega out of necessity. But I would be lying if I didn’t admit to myself that our reasons went deeper than just saving the kingdom.

We wanted a purpose.

A future.

A queen .

Perhaps that makes us selfish in a way.

Only, I thought bringing Ailsa here would unite the kingdom, not divide it more.

We anticipated the Imposter King’s minions trying to drag her back to his lair, but thus far, the only Alphas who have come after her are ones who want to knot her themselves.

Except for maybe the Tweedle brothers and Brandt. Although, we never actually waited to hear their reasonings. We just assumed they were there at the behest of the Imposter King.

Have we been looking at this wrong from the beginning? I wonder. Has the betrayer on my throne sent anyone after her at all?

“We need to move forward with plan Z,” I say slowly out loud, my mind trying to solve all the puzzles of the last few days.

Hell, if I’m honest, these puzzles date back centuries . And now they’re made even more complicated by the Imposter King not doing what we anticipated.

Which makes everything here an unknown.

I do not like unknowns.

“Ailsa will be safer outside of Monsterland at this point,” I continue, still thinking aloud. “I know we have allies here, but I currently don’t trust anyone. We need to regroup and determine who we can actually rely on in Monsterland. And we can’t do that with her essentially serving as bait for chaos.”

Our Omega frowns at the term bait .

But it’s an accurate one.

She’s a fucking beacon for mayhem.

“Someone has to stay behind to protect her,” Craze tells me. “Her realm is too connected to ours for us to just leave her there.”

He’s right. There’s a reason the Imposter King’s edict is so strongly obeyed across all the realms. We’re the heart of all magic, our monster influence having spread far and wide.

The Imposter King has informants everywhere.

Which is why we won’t be taking Ailsa back to her district or anywhere she’ll be noticed and discovered. Thanks to technology and media reporting, everyone in her realm will know she’s an Omega, as the results of her ceremony would have been broadcast worldwide.

She’ll be recognized everywhere she goes.

And that’s why the Imposter King would never expect us to take her back there.

However, like in Monsterland, we have homes in her world. Places we can tuck her away while we work through the issues here.

“You’ll go with her,” I tell Craze.

Not because he won’t be useful here, but he’s a master of disguise. If anyone can protect Ailsa while simultaneously moving around the realm, it’s him.

That’s why he was chosen to be her initial escort here.

And why he needs to be the one to go with her now.

He dips his chin. “All right.”

“Do I get a say in this?” Ailsa asks.

“You do,” Catum says before I can respond. “It’s always been your choice, Ailsa. It will always be your choice. But that’s precisely what we’re trying to accomplish now. And since we can’t guarantee your ability to choose here, it makes sense to move on to plan Z, just like Krolic has said.”

“Or we could devise a whole new plan,” she offers. “One that involves me choosing you now and giving you the heir you need. Then you could just reclaim the throne, right? Do exactly what Crimson planned to do and say I chose not to indulge in the hunt?”

My heart pangs at the idea, my soul immediately declining the option.

Because it’s not who we are.

We don’t take by force.

And we’re not going to mate our Omega under false pretenses.

We will do this the right way.

Or we won’t do it at all.

“I’m not Crimson,” I tell her, my voice gruff. “I can’t… won’t … hide behind a technicality. If— when —we retake the throne, it will be the right way. Because I’m a king who respects Monsterland kind. Not a coward who hides behind mirages and outright lies.”

She stares at me for a long moment. Then she steps around Craze to reach me and goes up onto her toes to press a kiss against my lips.

“I understand.” She cups my jaw, only then making me realize I’ve clenched my teeth together at some point during my speech. “But my forgoing the hunt and choosing you would never be a mirage or a lie. Because I think I chose you and your wolf the first time we met.”

I lean into her touch, my eyes drifting closed. “As much as I wish I could do it this way, I can’t. For the sake of the kingdom, we must perform the ritual,” I tell her. “They need to be reminded of our ways.”

But it needs to be safe enough here for us to perform the hunt the way it is intended to be performed.

“Okay,” she whispers, going up onto her toes to kiss me again.

I clasp her nape and pull her even closer to return the kiss, this time allowing my tongue to part her plump lips and deepen our embrace.

She shivers in response, then presses herself more firmly against me.

My free arm slides around her waist, holding her to me as I claim her. Worship her. Devour her.

Moons, she’s addicting.

Perfect.

Beautiful.

Mine .

My wolf purrs inside, pleased with her acquiescence. Thrilled by her presence. Loving her affection.

We’ve hunted for a mate for so long, finally finding the perfect one in a forest just outside a small, unsuspecting manor.

She lived in a mountainside district, her life not one of prestige but of work. And something about that made her even more perfect.

Because she’s never been put on a pedestal. Never been one to direct others or put anyone else down.

She’s youthful. Vibrant. Alive .

Hardworking. Dedicated. And full of dreams.

Dreams I want to make come true.

She deserves everything and more.

“We’re going to prepare Monsterland for you,” I promise. “And we’ll come back for you, Ailsa. I vow it.”

She swallows and nods. “If you don’t, I’ll find another portal to fall into.”

I smile. “You didn’t fall, baby girl. You jumped.”

Her brow furrows. “I definitely fell.”

I lift a shoulder. “If that’s how you choose to remember it, that’s fine. I’ll simply recall my own version.” Where she bent over to touch the portal and basically dove right in. “You are destined to rule this kingdom, Ailsa Marvel.”

“You’ll be the Monsterland Queen,” Catum says, coming up behind her to kiss her nape. “And we’ll be your knights.”

“Your personal court,” Craze adds, stepping forward to complete the circle around her. “We’ll all bow to you as our mate.”

“And worship you as our goddess,” I conclude, my lips against hers. “I’m sorry, baby girl.” Because I hate that she can’t stay. Hate that Monsterland needs our intervention now. Hate that I have to say goodbye .

Craze meets my gaze as I glance at him, my chin dipping in a nod.

He needs to take her now.

Before I change my mind.

Before I decide to take her up on her offer.

Not that I can. She has to be in heat, and I refuse to give her another dose of that elixir just to speed up the process.

That’s how the Imposter King chooses to play.

But as I told her, I’m not him.

I’m the Silver King. The true heir to the throne. The motherfucking Monsterland King.

And my mate-circle is the strongest in the land.

It’s finally time we remind our kingdom of our place at the top of the hierarchy.

It’s time for the Imposter King and my dear sister to pay.

Just as it’s time to temporarily say goodbye , I think, looking down at our chosen mate. I kiss her one last time, then let Catum turn her in his arms to do the same.

She’s still dressed in just a towel, but Craze will find her something to wear in her home realm. He’ll hide her. Protect her. And ensure no one can find her.

His gaze tells me as much as he pulls her into his arms.

“We’re going now?” Ailsa asks, sounding breathless.

“It’s as good a time as any,” he tells her. “Hold on, Ailsa. The ascension isn’t as easy as the fall.”

Her lips curl down. “What?”

Craze doesn’t elaborate, just calls a portal and pulls her into it.

The swirl closes half a beat later, leaving me and Catum staring at one another.

“Who’s first on the kill list?” he asks me casually, like we’re not about to go annihilate half the fucking kingdom.

“I want to talk to Brandt first,” I tell him. “Find out if he’s of sound mind.” And if he is, then he’ll be the first Alpha we make an example of.

Catum nods. “All right. I’ll?—”

The ground cracks beneath us, sending me backward into the counter and Catum into the shower he recently vacated.

Both of us frown, the rumbling intensifying as a portal swirls open where Craze left seconds ago.

He comes flying out of it, a towel in his hand—the towel that was just around Ailsa when he left with her—and crashes into the ground.

Unconscious.

Alone.

And covered in blood.