45:The alpha king

"You get more with honey than vinegar," the Unoria king's council advised.

The Alpha King glared silently at the vampire hanging by his wrists in the courtyard.

The ropes, laced with holy water and garlic, kept him at bay, and the strikes from the pack members had worn him down to the point of near unconsciousness.

Surprisingly, the vampire hadn't uttered a single sound through the torture, enduring everything in silence.

"A vampire's pain is heightened. Why do you think he doesn't cry?" one of the council members remarked.

"My king, that's not important. What matters is that vampires have gathered at our borders, and they demand his release," the council spoke in unison.

The Alpha King's gaze remained fixed on the undead being. He suddenly felt an urge to tear him open, to examine his internal organs and determine whether he had nerve endings that allowed him to feel pain.