Chapter 208: Capital of the Sterling Empire

Zara

She rode in the darkened SUV with Marcus and Govinda, even though she could withstand direct daylight. Her half-witch, half-demon genetics made sunlight unpleasant but not deadly.

As lost in my thoughts as I was, I didn’t ignore the passing forests and ravines. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of silver and turned my head to make out the very distinct silhouette of a wolf racing through the forest. Every time it approached the tree line, I saw a flash of silver and its long muzzle.

"I think we’re being followed," I said to Alpha, nodding toward the passenger window.

He glanced at me once, then twice, before rolling his eyes and cursing. What I noticed was the completely unfazed expression on his face.

"Of course Mom told him we were almost there," he snorted, turning his gaze back to the road. I watched his jaw twitch before he looked back at the silver wolf. "My little brother, Brandon, is following us now."

"Well, I don’t know how skilled he is at swimming, but he’s running out of room," I giggled, now fully focused on observation.

The forest began to thin, allowing me to get a better look at my chosen one’s younger brother. We’d talked about his family many times, but Brandon was always a topic that made Alpha nervous.

Brandon’s wolf was silver with onyx spots around its muzzle and ears. Almost as big as my wolf, he easily kept up with us, even on the rocky terrain. He was agile, I’ll admit.

He pushed off a particularly large rock and landed on all fours within seconds, never slowing down. His eyes, a paler honey color than Alpha’s, darted constantly in our direction.

"He’s showing off," Alpha said dispassionately, not once looking back. "If you wave at him, he might never leave us alone."

To be sure, I waved a couple of times.

A minute later, I held my breath as the road we were traveling on transformed into a two-lane bridge. There was no ground on either side of us for Brandon to continue running, only a steep, rocky slope and a nearly endless lake, sparkling in the sun.

"He’s not going to jump," I shook my head, certain of it. A few more seconds passed, but he didn’t slow down. On the contrary, with every leap and push, he picked up speed. I looked at Alpha, my eyes wide. "Really?"

Alpha glanced at the cliff and paused for a moment. "The fall won’t kill him. It won’t even break any bones if he lands correctly."

"That would be hard for a wolf," I noted, slightly more concerned than Alpha.

"He’s quickly turning into a werewolf," Alpha shrugged, raising a thick eyebrow.

At the very last moment, Brandon’s feet left the ground and shot into the air. One leg turned into six, then seven, until beneath his body there was only sky and air.

His muzzle was turned toward the sparkling lake, his silver fur retracting into his body, revealing bare skin, a smug grin, and a very visible male organ. The splash that signaled his landing was the last thing I heard.

We flew over the bridge and returned to the dense forest, no longer seeing either the silver fur or the caramel eyes.

Now it was my turn to gasp as the forest finally parted. The trees spread out left and right, forming a bowl-shaped formation around the entire city, and steep mountain slopes obscured everything.

In the distance, at least three snow-capped mountains were visible, each more jagged and unique.

The entire Empire was awash in color. Brick buildings with cobalt shutters, plum-colored park benches, and streetlamps draped with flowers. The buildings’ walls were covered with graffiti, images stretching from top to bottom, displaying hyper-realism.

Wolves and other animals.

"This is an artistic district. Here..."

"You’ll find everything related to creative expression," ALPHA chuckled softly, the sternness in his eyes softening slightly. "Art galleries, classes, restaurants, and clubs—it’s all in this part of town. The university is just a few blocks away."

We continued through the arts district, and I admired the random statues that seemed to have been immortalized as small monuments all over the city. Many of them were abstract works, curved and twisted. I couldn’t understand any of them, but they were all incredibly beautiful.

"College students make them," Alpha remarked as we passed another statue. "Mom decided they’d look better in the city than in a closet somewhere, so every year she selects a few of the best works to display around town."

It was another ten-minute drive from the arts district to a modest-looking neighborhood surrounded by small ponds and fountains with domes.

Judging by the multitude of toys on the lawns, the houses were clearly intended for families. It was obvious that this neighborhood was lived in and loved with great care.

We headed to the end of the street and turned into the long driveway. My heart pounded with every second, listening to the smooth asphalt beneath the SUV’s wheels.

I admired the house for a moment, trying to spot young Alpha running out the front door and down the porch steps. Large windows streamed light into the living room, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the leather corner sofa and small television.

Before we could climb the porch steps, the front door opened, and a petite woman stepped out. Her brown hair fell just below her shoulders, and freckles were visible on her face.

Alpha still looked young, with slight wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. A smile crossed her face as soon as she saw us both, though I’m sure I looked surprised.

"You’re both early!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she clasped her hands together. She spun around and looked back at us. "I’ll go get your dad!"

I chuckled as I heard his morning voice echoing through the house, telling Killian to go downstairs and that work might take a while.

I wasn’t surprised at all to see Alpha looking just like his father, who shook my hand firmly and, it seemed to me, smiled warmly.