Page 42 of Alpha Claimed

"Bennett, Highness. I am Prince Apollo's friend."

She repeated the name. "Apollo. Apollo. Ares. Ares and Apollo are twins."

"Yes, Highness," said Lachlan.

"I… I have to choose."

"Yes, Highness. But not now."

"I… I think I'm going to choose Ares."

Again, the men exchanged a look she couldn't decipher. "Why do you keep doing that?" she slurred.

"What, Highness?" asked Bennett.

"You keep staring at each other like you know something I don't."

River tried to focus but couldn't remember what they'd been talking about.

"I don't like being drunk," she said right before passing out.

* * *

APOLLO

Apollo approachedthe cabin with Silas in tow. He stopped outside the door and listened, but no sound emanated. He opened the door and looked inside to find Lachlan and Bennett at the table, talking quietly. They turned when they heard the door.

He sniffed and smelled River's blood mixed with antiseptic and alcohol.

"Did you get it out?"

Bennett nodded. "She's resting in the bedroom."

"I want to see her." He headed for the room, but Lachlan stood and blocked the way.

Apollo growled.

"I beg your pardon, Highness, but… maybe you might consider showering first?"

"He's right," said Silas. "If you go in covered in… everything we are covered in, you might scare her to death."

Apollo looked down at the blood, soot, and dirt that stained his skin. He looked at the bedroom door. He smelled her in there and heard her steady heartbeat. She slept deeply.

Without a word, he headed to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

It took almostten minutes for the water to warm, but Apollo let it rain on him anyway, cooling his waning rage.

Silas' idea had been a good one. They hadn't located the hunters' scents, so finding their way to where they'd been staying had taken close to an hour. Eventually, the smell of cooking food led him to the place he'd been looking for.

Inside, he'd found half a dozen other rogues. He ripped them to pieces after interrogating them. None of them seemed to know where Titan was. Only the one who Apollo had broken the nose of earlier and later killed had known anything.

After killing the last rogue, burning the cabin to the ground ?made him feel mildly better. Going back to the original attackers, ripping their bodies into small pieces, and tossing them over the cliff had made him feel considerably better. He only wished he could have done it twice.

He washed himself, being careful to get all the gore from under his nails and out of his scalp. Then he stepped from the shower and brushed his teeth before running his fingers through his hair and trying to find something to wear. Bennett and Silas had gone, most likely to patrol, but Lachlan remained behind.

"You may go." He spotted some folded clothes on the kitchen counter, grabbed them, and put them on.

"If it's all right, Highness, I'd like to stay."