Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 292: The Last Sane Man Standing

That was why Kaan skipped over the other kingdoms, even though it would have been far more strategic to deal with the nearest ones first. Despite the untouched realms surrounding him, he set his sights directly on Eira.

King Valentin was one of the few rulers who didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet when Asvaldur came knocking with his generous offer of unification. Of course, Eira wasn’t the only kingdom that conveniently ’forgot’ to respond until the empire started applying pressure.

But Valentin wasn’t just dragging his feet—he was practically digging a trench. The man was known for being ridiculously stubborn about his independence, and the odds of him suddenly deciding to pledge loyalty to Asvaldur were about as high as a bat deciding to sunbathe.

See, unlike some of his more naive peers, King Valentin actually knew how to run a self-sufficient kingdom. He had the strength to stand firm against Asvaldur, and he understood the cost of war.

The empire may have been larger, and its army more refined, but clashing with Eira wouldn’t have been a clean victory. Even if Eira fell, Asvaldur would not emerge unscathed. The Imperial Army would be battered, his resources drained, and his grand vision of uniting all vampire kingdoms would suddenly look a lot less...unifying.

And Valentin had done the math. He knew exactly how much of a headache he was causing. That’s why he stood his ground with unwavering confidence, watching Kaan try to figure out how to deal with a king who simply refused to play along.

But Kaan hadn’t come unprepared. Long before he left Asvaldur, he knew he was walking into one of his toughest challenges yet. So he had a plan. And now, as the newly crowned emperor—no longer just the crown prince, but a ruler with real power—he had the full weight of the empire at his command.

No more answering to the old man. No more waiting his turn. He was the emperor now, with an army to command, wealth to throw around, and a grand vision of uniting the vampire kingdoms under Asvaldur, whether they liked it or not.

Surely even King Valentin couldn’t say no to what Kaan had in mind—a deal too good to refuse: the Blood Moon child as his bride. A politically advantageous marriage, a strengthening of ties, a win-win situation! Logically, this was a fantastic offer for Eira.

Kaan had done his research and what he found only made him more confident. The so-called Blood Moon child was basically the royal family’s unwanted houseplant. Ignored, neglected, probably watered twice a year.

Judging by how they treated her, she wasn’t even a real royal in their eyes. Which meant his proposal was practically a done deal.

Once married, she’d officially be part of Asvaldur’s royal family, and Kaan could finally cut ties with Eira. Not that anyone in their right mind would be checking in on the family’s outcast.

And when the time came for Kaan to claim her power and dispose of her, no one would even bat an eye. It was all so beautifully simple.

But his carefully laid plan shattered when King Valentin revealed that the Blood Moon child was already betrothed—to an Alpha werewolf, of all things.

Kaan barely kept his composure. He had to bite his tongue so hard he nearly tasted blood. If he opened his mouth now, he’d probably flip the entire damn table and cause a scandal, and that would be difficult to explain. So, deep breath. Calm. Focus. Murder later.

So he stayed in Eira, determined to find another way to claim the Blood Moon child for himself. But as he lingered, something unusual caught his attention—or rather, it was brought to his attention.

"There’s an aura of dark magic around here," Thessara whispered.

Kaan stopped mid-step. Oh. Now that was interesting. He closed his eyes, concentrating. Yep. There it was. Subtle, but definitely there.

"Find out more," Thessara ordered.

To an outsider, it might have sounded like she was furious—offended by the audacity of someone wielding forbidden power. But Kaan knew her too well. This wasn’t anger. This was intrigue. Thessara wasn’t looking to destroy whoever had summoned the darkness—she was looking for a way to use it.

And if Thessara thought this dark magic was worth looking into, then Kaan had every reason to dive in headfirst. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Using the law as his excuse, he led the investigation into dark magic, determined to uncover its secrets. It was exciting, but not for long. Before he could dig up anything remotely useful (or at least mildly entertaining), a message arrived.

Nina Zacharia was calling in his promise. She wanted Daciana back, and in return, she’d do him the favor of killing the Blood Moon child.

Nina’s sudden restarting of their broken deal was prompted by Riona’s presence in Wintertooth. The new target was so close, and there was no way Nina wouldn’t use this opportunity to the fullest.

She still believed his sole desire was the Blood Moon child’s death. However, she had completely missed the memo. Kaan didn’t want the child dead—at least, not yet. He wanted her power. And more importantly, if anyone was going to kill her, it was going to be him.

This was a bit of a crisis. Years of scheming and careful preparation could go up in smoke if he lost the Blood Moon child. So, with all the grace of a man prioritizing absolute chaos, he abandoned the dark magic investigation and ran straight toward the bigger disaster.

Kaan hadn’t told anyone about his plan for the Blood Moon child—strictly classified between him and Thessara. Because, really, who knew what kind of chaos would unfold if people discovered that Blood Moon power could be transferred through murder?

Well, technically, this was entirely Thessara’s theory—completely unproven and based on wild assumptions rather than facts.

But honestly, what else would you expect from two obsessive psychopaths willing to bulldoze through reality itself to get what they wanted?

Deciding this was a solo mission, Kaan ordered Roderick—his ever-faithful, long-suffering babysitter—to return to Asvaldur.

Roderick, of course, was having none of it. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I shall accompany you in your next move. I have always been by your side, and I intend to do so, as is my duty." freёweɓnovel.com

Which, loosely translated, meant: What insane scheme are you plotting now, Kaan? I am the last shred of sanity in your life, and if I don’t come with you, you’ll probably burn an entire kingdom to the ground.