What exactly could have gone wrong?

Shelbrooke stared down at his glass of gin in his right hand as he stood in front of the fireplace, thinking of his meeting with Chloe. He'd started working with her for a long time and he realized that she was the best bait to use here. Planning to take the Onyx, render the vampire city powerless, and let her take her revenge by killing the King with her own hands.

But he wouldn't take chances of trusting that woman. For all he knew, she could betray him after getting what she wants. That is why he had chosen to join forces with the Prince. A plus to his men.

What was Chloe doing now? She should have sorted everything out and made sure Wikh goes to jail and their plans will still be on track. At least, it will create more time for them to attack. But he was getting impatient every day.

A knock sounded on his door, followed by a masculine authoritative voice.

"Isn't this how a mannered gentleman is supposed to make an entrance?"

"Your highness?" He looked over his shoulder and strode to sit down on one of the couches that lay in the room. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I am doing? Coming to talk to you, of course." He paused. "That is if you still want to talk."

"Pardon me, Prince Charles, but I am not entirely prepared for a tete-â-tete today but I could use a sermon. At least for the impatience that is right here on my neck." He touched his neck as if showing Charles what was on it, obviously mocking his advice for him to be patient.

He drew a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. "It's okay, then, you may talk."

They heard the door open and a tall beautiful figure stood by the doorway. Charles looked back and he was taken aback at who he saw. Her short hair and green eyes were the first things that caught his eyes. He didn't know whether to be happy to see her or ask what she was doing here. 

"Good evening, Charles."

"Dorathy?" Charles called cautiously as he stood up, looking at her swollen eyes and lips. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" She walked around the room and sat on the sofa beside Shelbrooke, crossing her legs and slipping off her boots. 

"Not trying to burst anyone's bubbles or butt in on something that doesn't concern me. You can always ask me to shut up if you're not comfortable with my questions but, who the hell is dorathy?"

"Not someone interesting." She stretched out on the sofa, her eyes fixed on Charles who stared at her unbelievably. "I'd prefer you stick to my real name."

"Real name?"

"Of course. Don't tell me you believed my story all this while." She laughed softly, a sound deep in her throat, and the muscles of his stomach tightened. "I'm not a Princess and I do not act like one. Is this who you wanna be as the Alpha of your pack?"

"No. How did you expect me to know? Your story sounded so convincing." However, his dorathy was here, acting like he was a total stranger. What had she been planning? Or what has she been lying about?

"Then let's leave at that, shall we?"

"Another of your undercover?" Charles whispered wondering if she was doing this undercover. Had she not told him she was a British Princess who was after her Father's throne? Is Shelbrooke her Father?

"I wouldn't want to interrupt but shall we cut to the chase, Chloe?" Shelbrooke cut in.

"Chloe? Seriously, you had such a beautiful name and you told me Dorathy?" Charles asked, his eyes widened. "What more could you be hiding? Like Shelbrooke is your father? Or like you were never a Princess?"

"Actually, the latter is true but the former is nothing close to the truth. I am not a Princess. I am just a little girl seeking justice."

"For who?" His voice darkening.

"My sister." Her eyes lowered and her mind wandered to that night again when she could hear their screams.

"What happened to her?"

"Let's..." She licked her lips. "Charles, it's best we forget about it. Hmm?" She smiled.

"Okay."

"Are we cool?" Shelbrooke asked and they both nodded. "Okay, cool. So, Chloe and Charles, beautiful combination, when do you say we attack?"

"Tomorrow!"

"Let's wait..." Charles and Chloe talked at the same time. He had suggested that they wait but Chloe suggested otherwise. 

"Tomorrow is when I proposed to help Wikh but he has to run away to a place where I can help him live a good life. That way, he will be wanted and he'll continue to be the suspect but he wouldn't know that. So I'll be free and I can keep working in the palace."

"I'd still say that we stay patient." There was silence for a while, during which Shelbrooke and Chloe looked at each other. 

"Why?" Shelbrooke asked him.

"Because your sister is there?"

He didn't say anything and they both knew that must be the reason. His lips trembled as he wondered if he was doing the right thing. For once, his sister was happy and he wants to destroy that happiness so soon? 

"Yes, I know she just got married and all that but trust me when I say you don't want your sister marrying someone who isn't from her clan. You'll regret it. It's better you strike first before anyone else." Chloe probed, her voice shaky.

"Why are you hell-bent on doing this?"

She rose from the sofa and walked to the window, looking out at the darkening sky. The stars struggle to spread and the birds rush to get to their homes for a good night's sleep. 

"When the genocide happened in Los Angeles, my sister and I were forced to live on the streets and soon, we were able to move into a house close to the avenue miles away from Vampire City. We had a life and for once I thought this was it." She chuckled painfully. "I didn't know that my sister borrowed money from some drug Lord in the city who are known for their ruthlessness. They started going after us and when my sister couldn't take it anymore, she confronted them. They kidnapped her and I worked my ass off to pay them back the money so I could get my sister back. She got back but she never remained the same. 

"A few months later, when I turned seventeen, we both worked at a cafe where I found a map that had a deep forest in it claiming no human has ever gone there and come back alive. I had a bet with someone asking what would happen if I went and did come back. I was told I'd be given a hundred thousand dollars. Hell, that was a lot of money. I took it and I set out for the forest asking my sister to join me too. I shouldn't have. We got separated because we were being chased by..."

"...The mountain elves?" Shelbrooke broke in and Chloe glanced back at him, nodding her head. "That was when you joined the Vampires, am I right?" 

"Yes. I joined them so I could be strong and so I can find out what happened to my sister. Later, I found out where she might be and when she came around the city to fight a war, some years later, I felt it in my guts that she was around. I wanted to save her but King Hail wouldn't let me. My sister died in someone else's arms, her cries that night still haunts me today. I could have saved her, but I didn't." Her voice trailed off and she let tears rush down her cheeks, remembering that night again. She felt strong hands on her shoulders.

"It's not all about what we couldn't do. It's all about what we can do." Charles whispered. "You couldn't save your sister and I'm sorry about that, but I guess you can save my sister."

She turned to look into his eyes, her green eyes turning deeper. 

"Not only will I see to it that Zeidan dies in my hands, but I'll also make sure that the one who my kept sister in captivity until she died, will taste the wrath of my anger!" Her face crumpled already in rage as she was beginning to transform until Charles grabbed her face, whispering into her ears for her to calm down.

"It's okay, dorathy...Chloe." 

"Our plan?" 

"We wait!" Chloe and Charles chorused alike this time, while Shelbrooke just shrugged and sat down.