"Brother."
Prince Eli's call distracted the two.
They weren't sure how he was able to follow them out here without them noticing him. Maybe it had to do with how Alphas can sometimes mask their presence.
From the look on Wilder's face, he didn't like it.
"Why are you here, dear brother? Weren't you warned to stay away from me since the incident?"
"I am against this," Eli said seriously, ignoring the comment he just made.
"You are against everything," Wilder said with a bored look.
"Then don't do it. Not only is it dangerous, but you are also going to be killing many innocent people."
"Witches are never innocent."
"We aren't either."
"That is why we need to get rid of every threat before they come for us."
"That is a wrong approach!" Eli said angrily but Wilder just scoffed at him.
"You are never going to be a great king at this rate. You are so fragile, brother, so weak." He said as he walked threateningly closer toward Eli, and just like he had expected, Eli moved backwards.
Even Alphas feared Wilder. Why wouldn't others?
"You are going to be a terrible king," Wilder whispered to him.
"I... don't want to be King," Eli said in a broken tone.
"Unfortunately, you were born with a blood greater than you. Just like father." Wilder said pitifully.
"Letting an ignorant man control you two. Giving him more power by marrying his daughter. You couldn't even say no. You even mated with her and had a Beta son!" He laughed like he was really amused.
"Even her blood seemed stronger than yours." He laughed again and watched how Eli's face turned red from anger but he waved it off like he couldn't care less about how he felt.
"You should return to your pregnant wife. Let's hope she gives you an alpha this time. Otherwise, you are going to be a laughingstock." He turned to leave but Eli called after him.
"Then you think you are better than me? Deriving joy from killing people?"
Wilder turned to him. "Take this anger to your father-in-law. When he suggests... I guess that word is wrong. Because he never suggests. He demands."
He paused what he wanted to say and turned all serious as he asked, "You are learned. You have read hundreds of books about our history. Have you read of any generation where our kind chooses to run off to some other kingdom instead of residing here?"
"That is because they have realized how terrible the kingdom is now under father. And it would even be worse under your reign. And should I tell you what is even going to be worse? When Lord Zealot demands that you fetch back your people and even take them in as slaves to teach the others a lesson, you are just going to do it. Like a pathetic little fool."
"I hate you," Eli said with spite, handing fisted beside him.
"No. You don't, brother," he said confidently.
"You are only intimidated by me." He smiled, amused.
"And you know there are only two ways you can live freely. Getting rid of me while you are king. Or me being the king while you attain freedom. Unfortunately, you have no control over both."
He tsked as he turned around to leave, muttering, "What a weakling."
Wilder mounted his horse, and Richard gave Eli an apologetic look before he mounted his too, and they rode to the west.
Richard didn't know what Wilder was thinking. They didn't even know whether he desired to be King or not.
He even rarely spoke to people outside and only spoke more when he was with his brother, and their conversation was always like that— leaving Eli angry and sick at the end. Wilder also looked very angry whenever he was done chatting with his brother, but why? Was he jealous? Maybe. Maybe not.
Richard had never been to the area before. When he heard the outskirts to the west, he thought it was a remote area with barely enough people. But the place was bubbly and had a lot of people. In fact, it seemed like it was because they weren't in the main areas that they lived recklessly. So it was easier for them to blend in with the crowd.
Richard observed the discomfort Wilder was facing with the rowdiness and noise. Whenever he was present, everyone was usually quiet especially because he was very sensitive, and it got worse after he consumed a large amount of Beta's nightmare. But now, they didn't know he was present so they made as much noise as they liked in the streets, which was beginning to affect him.
It got worse when a wooden gate was pushed open and someone ran out, falling hard on the ground. It was surprisingly a girl who was probably around 11 years old, and she had blood in the side of her mouth. The commotion caused a small crowd to form around them as onlookers began to wonder what was happening.
"You think you can run away? Drag her in!" A girl who came in from inside instructed the girl beside her, who looked like a maid. Both girls were not more than fifteen years old, and the one who had instructed the other had a whip in her hand. She looked like a noble lady. A spoilt noble lady.
The little girl on the floor kneeled and sobbed while begging the lady to forgive her, but the girl turned deaf ears to her cries and ordered the maid to drag her in.
Wilder watched the scene with interest. He had never seen other people bully each other before now. It was... intriguing.
Just as the girl was about to drag the little girl back inside, another girl appeared from the crowd and pushed the maid off just before she could grab the little girl from the floor.
"What are you doing to a little girl?" The girl who had interrupted them asked as she looked at the older girls in disbelief. She also looked as young as the noble lady. But she looked... strange. It wasn't exactly about her looks or what she was wearing. She was pretty. Very beautiful and wore a blue cloak without covering the hood, but she just looked different for a reason neither Richard nor Wilder could pinpoint.
"And why are you all just watching without doing anything?" The Savior girl asked the onlookers. She seemed genuinely confused.