Chapter 289: Deal Sealed

As the two listened to what the lawyer, Mr. Bernardino Gerald, was saying, they learned about the terms and conditions of the deal. The man spoke in a monotone voice, his eyes never looking away from the thin stack of papers in his hands. Every word he said hung in the air, heavy and sharp.

"Wait, what do you mean by elimination?" Faye asked. That was the word she had heard the most. She leaned forward, her heart hammering against her ribs, her eyes fixed on the lawyer.

"It means that if you betray Prince Arthur De Rolo, you will be eliminated... Killed. Both of you. You have to submit 118 Beast Morphs by the end of next year." The lawyer didn’t blink.

"So you’re giving us a year and three months to deliver 118 fishes?" Faye asked. She couldn’t believe the scale of the request. Catching one was hard enough. One hundred and eighteen sounded like a suicide mission.

"Mr. Griffin said he and his team can do it in under six months," Bernard replied. He didn’t look at her. He looked at Malo, who was trying to avoid his partner’s intense stare. He knew Faye was killing him with those eyes of hers. She was likely imagining all the ways she could tackle him right there in the backseat for making such a reckless promise.

"So where are we supposed to sign?" Malo asked. He kept his voice steady, acting like he hadn’t just put a target on their backs for the next half a year.

Bernard showed him the paper. It was smooth, dark parchment, and it felt cold to the touch.

"Pen?" Malo asked. He looked around the interior of the limo, expecting to see a fancy fountain pen.

Bernard handed him a knife. It was small, gold, and looked incredibly sharp.

"The royals use blood as proof."

Malo didn’t hesitate. He used the knife to prick his thumb and pressed it onto the paper. A small smear of red stained the dark surface. Then he handed the knife to Faye.

"I thought you were the one with common sense," Faye muttered. She took the blade, feeling the weight of it. It felt wrong, like something out of an old horror movie, but she knew she was trapped now. Still, she took the knife and did the same.

The moment she signed her part, the file floated toward the prince. It didn’t just slide, it hovered a few inches off the table, moving through the air like a piece of paper caught in a gentle breeze.

Faye was stunned. She watched the file drift across the cabin space, her jaw dropping.

He had telekinesis.

Prince Arthur did the same, and everyone watched the paper closely. The three blood marks flowed across the page, meeting in the center and forming a knot. It looked like the ink was alive, writhing and twisting until it locked together in a tight, red braid.

Both Faye and Malo stared at the paper with their mouths open. They had never seen anything like it before. It wasn’t ink anymore. It was magic.

"What was that?" Malo muttered. He looked at the knot, then back at the prince, his earlier confidence wavering just a little bit.

"That is the deal. The knot will be untied once you deliver every single Beast Morph to me," Arthur said calmly. He leaned back in his seat, his arms folded behind his head.

He wore a unique smile that practically screamed danger, though no one could prove it. It was a relaxed, predatory look, like a cat watching a mouse run in circles.

"Are you a Were-Witch?" Faye asked. That was the only explanation she could think of. Only a Were-Witch should be capable of doing something like that.

"I’m not. I am a Lycan. Part Were-Wolf and part Were-Witch. We royal bloodlines can carry multiple Were species."

Arthur continued, his voice smooth and informative, as if he were just talking about the weather.

"I can sense certain species from afar. We can shape-shift without the presence of a full moon. The moon simply gives us enough lunar energy to last for months. We also possess extremely keen eyesight. For example, there are people waiting for you outside those woods. Hija de Luna. Or, as it is commonly called... The Moon Wolf."

Faye flinched slightly, realizing the prince was fully aware of what she was.

"You know what I am?" she asked, her voice quiet.

"You may not have the white hair or the eyes, but you reek of that white wolf. From the parking lot, before you and the Alpha arrived at the club, I already knew it was you. And when you followed us, it became obvious. Unlike most Alphas, I do not have a problem with your kind. We are business partners now. We will provide whatever you need until our deal is complete. Anything you two require, I will deliver." Again, he smiled.

Faye thought about his words and remembered something he had said earlier.

"You mentioned that you can shape-shift without the moon. Is it only royal blood that can do that?"

"Yes. Only royal blood."

Faye nodded. She wasn’t planning to discuss it further. She had simply wanted to confirm something.

A screen inside the limo showed Butcher and four of his gang hiding nearby, waiting for Faye and Malo to be alone before attacking them. The grainy image showed them crouching behind the thick brush, their weapons ready, completely unaware they were being watched from inside the car.

"Do you require our assistance?" Arthur asked, his tone suggesting he could wipe them out with a single snap of his fingers.

"No, we can handle them," Malo replied. He stood up, smoothing his jacket, looking like he was ready to face a small army.

"Excuse me?" Faye muttered. She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"I don’t want anyone getting hurt. They’re kids like us. Talking is the only way," Malo said. Then he bowed slightly to the Prince. "Thank you, Prince Arthur De Rolo."

He stepped out, and Faye had to follow. After watching the limo drive away into the distance, its taillights fading into the darkness, Faye turned to him.

"You are a dumb-head. I don’t have my Beta with me. Princess and her sidekick are still at the club. How exactly are we supposed to talk our way out of this?"

"We have each other. As long as there’s Mr. SquarePants and Mr. Star, no one can destroy us," Malo said confidently. He straightened his shoulders, projecting an image of strength that he definitely didn’t have.

"Fuck you," Faye sang out. She shoved him in the chest, but he didn’t budge much.

Then she heard footsteps. It was the sound of heavy boots hitting the gravel, and the sound of an iron dragging across the ground, a rhythmic scraping that made the hair on her arms stand up.

"Well, well, well... isn’t it the Captain StarPants?" Butcher said as he clapped.

The two friends lazily turned around. Malo, who would normally run from danger, wasn’t running this time. He stood his ground, his hands buried deep in his pockets.

"Hey, Uncle Butcher," Malo said with a wave. He said it as casually as if he were greeting a neighbor, not the man who had shackled him and sold him to the highest bidder.

"Hello, nephew. Hello, the Omega who took my eye." Butcher grinned,

"It’s time to collect my eye."