There was a tense environnt that had started to build up in the room. It felt like I was in so interrogation room waiting to be bombarded with questions while soone is watching us from the outside. This man, Henry Collins, did not look any fishy to , but I sowhere had a gut feeling about the kind of questions that he would be asking.
As long as he doesn't reveal that I was a princess, which I thought he knew, I would keep my mouth sealed about it and relay all the answers in any coded way as possible to .
"Selene, I don't wish to ask any stupid questions," Mr Collins said nonchalantly as he stared at dead in the eye. I knew he was an elder, and he had a lot of authority here, but the way he looked had so underlying warning in it. Like how he was last ti when we had t, like this was his den. "I will only ask questions with good aning to it. Rather, I just have one question, what is your main goal as the Beta of Winterwells?"
The question was very focused and anyone who spied on us from outside or anywhere else would think the sa. But I was aware of the fact that Mr Collins knew my identity.
He had ntioned how his question was going to have so aning to it and it sound like a aningful question, directly cutting to the chase.
But the main question was hidden behind it. He did not want to know my intentions as the Beta, but rather what the Alpha princess of Adalolpha was doing here in disguise. Now, since he had frad it in a hidden way, I had to answer in the sa way. Whether he understands or not was his lookout.
"I want to see Winterwells grow, the people her to break their own boundaries and beco friends with their better selves that lie on the other side of their invisible borders," I answered without any hesitation. My sentence held a lot of aning and I just hoped he understood what I ant. It was going to be a conversation between us where we simply talked in vague and embedded language instead of bringing out the truth. If Mr Collins was smart enough, he would understand the analogies in my sentence.
"True. No man can grow unless the conflict with their past self stops," He replied with a hint of taunt laced in it, and I smiled at his answer.
He was truly a smart man that he had understood exactly what I had ant with my words. When I had said boundaries, I had ant the border and there was only one border around Winterwells, which divided Waterwoods and Winterwells into separate lands.
Thinking about it now clearly, Mr Collins ntioned 'No man' and 'Conflict' which ant No-man's-land between the two villages and the conflict that had been going on since the past.
The way he had acknowledged my sentence ant we were on the sa wavelength here.
"Yes," I agreed with Mr Collins before saying, "and I want to aid them in ending that conflict with their past self and expand the reach of their abilities." At this point, I was confused about how to fra the sentence, but the ssage I wanted to convey was already said and I knew Mr Collins would not miss out on it. I wanted to end the conflict and the age-old feud that went between the villages and that was one mission where I severely needed the help of the elders.
Although it was a good cause, the war had been going on since before my birth so it was a given that the other elders had seen the war take place and probably even participated in it and survived.
I needed to make that impression of war in their hearts change.
Mr Collins humd as he took in my answer and smiled, "you co with a noble heart and a noble cause, Selene. "
That was a big approval from his side. He couldn't obviously approve of it directly, but him acknowledging it was enough of an approval for . At least now I knew it was not going to be as tough as I had imagined it to be. Rather, there was soone who would be in support of . I did not know about the other elders, but the one sitting in front was okay with that idea, and I just wanted to see if he was willing to help with it.
"I won't be able to succeed without your support," I said in a polite tone. It was obvious what I was asking here. In any village, the last decision lied with the elders, not the Alpha and nor the public.
"Well, I always support a good change, Selene," Mr Collins replied, and that was enough for . There was one elder already on my side and with him being Channing's father, I just had to keep track of his thoughts and what happened inside the quarters here with help of Channing. Mr Collins continued, "you can of course talk with the other elders. I am sure they would have similar thoughts. Usually, their minds conflict with mine, but who will deny such a great change? I heard about the new initiative you started."
My heart clenched at his words. They were positive, to begin with, but Mr Collins had carefully said that usually, the other elders did not get along with his thought process. It was probably because he was the youngest elder here and others were old enough to not accept the change so easily or not at all.
"Yes, I want the people to be strong and also grow our pack," I replied to his last statent about the new initiative I had started.
"Smart move," he remarked, and I knew it was a clever move. There were already a few people who were thinking of joining the pack today. "I wish you the best of luck. If there is any help you need, make sure you co to ask. We are very giving"
I was sure the sentence ant completely otherwise of what he just said. Although he might have genuinely ant to co and ask for help, I think he ant it only in reference to himself. If there are tis, which I think would co in the future, I knew now which elder to co to. Henry Collins looked like a helpful man. But his last words where he said that they were very giving, I was sure it had other aning. It only ant that elders wouldn't be helpful this simply.
"Sure Mr Collins," I said, "it is great to know that. I am sure other elders would be more supportive and provide with so funding"
I did not an to ask for funding, rather so kind of open-minded approach which I did not know how to fra. I just hoped that he picked up on what I was trying to say. This was getting tougher with ti and if I could et this man outside of this building where there were no eyes on us, I might be able to tell and ask him everything freely.
Mr Collins laughed at my words, "funding is sothing that Channing can negotiate for you. Go now get your branding done."
I was sure he had not understood what I had ant and just went ahead with the chat. But Channing had told he would co for after checking if the branding was ready. Why did Mr Collin ask to go?
Right that instance I heard the cafeteria door open and Channing called out to , "Selene," I looked at Mr Collins in shock first and then at Channing, who waved in a co hither motion, "Co it is ready."
"Okay," I responded to him. How did Mr Collins even figure out Channing was coming here before he ca? I was the one facing the door, and I did not even see Channing co here. Was Mr Collin's nose that strong that he could even sense Channing from far? Probably it was sothing else with his abilities. "It was nice eting you," I greeted the man sitting in front of and he extended his hand ahead for a handshake.
I took his hand generously and his hold was as firm as before. "Sa here. I hope your mission to better Winterwells goes well"
"Thank you," I replied as I walked past him and joined Channing.
Channing hurriedly walked through the lobby, "Isn't my dad cool?" He asked like a little boy and I smiled at him. Channing turned to face , raising his eyebrows questioningly, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"He is nice," I replied, and Channing unconsciously puffed his chest as if the complint was for him and not for his dad. But I had to admit, Mr Collins was one good man to make Channing feel this proud, even though he was adopted. Channing suddenly halted and pulled in a corner. We stopped away from the main lobby near a fire exit. "Woah, at least warn!" I said in a hushed voice.
Channing looked at innocently and shrugged, "Sorry, but I forgot to tell you sothing."
I was rubbing my hand where Channing had suddenly pulled , "What was it?"
Channing looked left and right and above the stairs to check if anyone was there. It was an idiotic idea because, inside the fire exit, the voice echoed. Channing ca ahead to whisper in my ears, his voice was as low as he could manage, "Last night Fang invited and you for a celebratory party in Waterwoods for you. It will be tonight after twelve when people go to sleep."
"What!" I almost shouted when Channing placed his hand on my mouth.
"Shh! We are talking of enemy here," Channing warned, and I ridiculously looked at him. He could have told this after we exited the elders' quarter but he had to do the dare ga.
"What!" I whispered this ti, "Are you sure it is safe? I don't understand why does he has to give a celebratory party for ."
Channing clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, "Just co, it is for you becoming the Beta, there is a place in Waterwoods where others don't co and and Fang had held many partied there. So pack mbers from Waterwoods join as well. It's a win-win situation. You will get to know them and they get to know you. Won't it work better for your mission?"
"Y-Yea" I drawled on my words. It truly was one of the golden opportunities, but it was Fang, and I was very doubtful of that man. But the mission cos first, and I had to agree, "Let's go then, it sounds like a good opportunity."
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Author's note: I sotis upload chapters late and in a hurry, so the chapters are not edited. I know you guys are eager for more chapters, but it is my humble request that you unlock the chapter half an hour later than the upload. It is occasional but just so you can read it after opening it directly. I have so daily word quota to et to keep this book running in win-win so I might upload unedited chapters on the days I start writing late. Thank you for understanding ^^
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