Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 297: A Foolproof Plan

He followed her to the new Wintertooth, then to the Forest of the Strays. The marriage plan was technically still on the table, but with security tighter than a miser’s purse, Kaan had to wonder if he could even look at the royal palace without someone throwing a spear at him.

Judging by the king’s ever-growing paranoia, it wouldn’t be shocking if King Valentin had already drafted an entire list of creative excuses to keep him out.

Forcing his way in was always an option—but one that would raise too many questions. His marriage proposal to Riona, delivered through the king, remained in limbo. His offer of unification had been flatly rejected. What other reason could he present to gain entry?

A diplomatic visit? A political alliance? Sure, because that had worked so well before. And even if he showed up with a perfectly reasonable excuse, Valentin still had every right to slam the doors in his face. His palace, his kingdom, his overinflated sense of control. The king could do whatever he pleased.

But—if he could get Riona to be his bride, whether through persuasion, charm, or sheer force—King Valentin wouldn’t be able to keep him locked outside the gates.

Like it or not, Kaan would be part of Eira’s royal family, and last he checked, kings couldn’t exactly ban their own in-laws. (Well, they could, but that would be very awkward.)

Confident that this time his plan wouldn’t go up in flames, Kaan took a few extra precautions—because, let’s be honest, things always went sideways.

He sent the imperial army to Eira in advance—a little insurance in case things didn’t go as planned. With his troops already stationed on Eiran soil, seizing the kingdom would be effortless should the king resist a little too much.

That wasn’t all. Kaan also intended to smuggle witches and wizards into Eira. With their proximity to the demon, their research might progress faster, increasing the chances of subduing Ol’gaz for good.

Thessara had voiced her concerns, worried that Eira might try to kill the demon or seal him away with even stronger magic. The latter wasn’t much of an issue—Kaan could always break the seal again. But what if Eira decided to kill Ol’gaz outright? Now, that would be a real problem.

"You need to snatch that demon and make it your servant before the Blood Moon child destroys it for good," Thessara said, her voice carrying the usual mix of wisdom and barely disguised panic.

And that was why Kaan was under pressure—not just from time, but from Thessara’s ever-growing anxiety. Her constant worrying, which sounded more like thinly veiled threats at this point, was starting to get to him. Against his better judgment, he was beginning to share her fear.

"I won’t let that happen," he said through gritted teeth. "If there’s no other way, I’ll just claim the Blood Moon power myself."

Thessara smiled—not that anyone could see it, given that she was nothing more than an invisible, overbearing ancestor.

After his failed attempt to find Riona five years ago, he had grown distant, and Thessara had felt the disconnect. But she brushed it off as the realization dawned on her. Ah, so that was his plan. It all made sense now.

"Ohhh," she said. "She’s your backup plan."

What Kaan had completely overlooked—hadn’t even entertained as a possibility—was that Riona already had someone else. This wasn’t about husbands, no.

Vampire marriages, especially among the royal family, were basically business contracts wrapped in fancy ceremonies.

Love had no place in it. Spouses were easily replaced when better opportunities arose, and no one batted an eye.

And Kaan could offer Riona so much. She would be the wife of an emperor, which was no small thing in high society. Just imagine the wealth, the prestige! She would sit at the peak of power, admired and envied by all.

Even better would be if she took one look at him and immediately fell in love. That would save him so much trouble.

Back in Asvaldur, countless young ladies would have thrown themselves off a tower for a chance to marry him. He knew—without a shadow of a doubt—that his handsomeness was unrivaled among vampires.

The peak of perfection. The gold standard.

And yet, despite all of this, despite his flawless credentials, Riona had already gone and gotten herself a lover.

A lover who, to make matters worse, possessed the kind of masculine beauty that most men could only dream of having.

Kaan eyed the werewolf and swallowed the urge to roll his eyes. He could not afford to let his frustration show—not even a flicker. The first one to crack would lose, and he was not about to lose to a glorified guard dog.

But oh, look at that face. The furrowed brows, the death-grip jaw, the barely contained rage—this Alpha was one wrong word away from a full-blown meltdown. Kaan almost smirked. Almost chuckled. Watching him struggle to keep it together was delightful.

Beside him, Roderick stood stiffly, hands clasped in front of him like a man in silent prayer. Please, don’t do it. Don’t provoke him.

There was nothing to gain from fighting a renowned Alpha—especially this one. The youngest Alpha to have coveted the title, and to make matters worse, a Zacharia. That family name alone carried enough weight to make things messy.

Kaan tilted his head slightly, his voice calm, casual. Unbothered.

"Is it because of him?" he asked. "I can give you something he can’t."

Roderick’s stomach twisted.

Wait. What? Is he going to give her the Asvaldur? Are you seriously thinking about handing over the entire empire—for a vampire girl you’ve never even met?

His internal monologue was spiraling. This was madness. What could the Blood Moon child possibly do with an empire? Decorate it? Turn it into a trendy new kingdom for lost souls?

But Roderick knew better than to speak up. Not here. Not with so many eyes watching. The emperor couldn’t afford to lose face by having his own subordinate call him out in public.

Then, as if this conversation wasn’t already off the rails, Kaan delivered the real punchline.

"I know how to save your brother from Ol’gaz," he said smoothly.

Technically, it wasn’t entirely a lie. If Kaan could get Ol’gaz to listen to him, then maybe—just maybe—he could get rid of Florian. And in a way, that would free the kid from the demon’s grasp.

A bit of creative problem-solving. A little outside-the-box thinking.

Win-win, right?