When her mask was completely down I let out an audible gasp.
It can’t be. How was this even possible?
“I was wondering whether you would co back.” Maggie smiled at softly.
“That’s not possible...I watched you die!”
She chuckled lightly.
“Maggie, this isn’t funny at all!” I snapped. “Are you the reason why Warren left the palace?”
“He doesn’t belong there,” she said with an even tone. Then she let out a pitiful sigh, “I’m guessing that my brother couldn’t go through with the plan after all. Warren was supposed to kill you. Had he done that, Alvar pack would’ve been our ally by now. Luther won’t be happy at all.”
“You have been working with Luther the entire ti?!” I looked at her with bewildernt, “What the hell is going on, Maggie? Had I not seen it with my eyes, I would never believe all this is true!”
“Theo didn’t touch , and he wouldn’t be able to kill without touching , that I knew. I was worried that Theo would be suspicious about my death, but it all worked out well.”
She smiled softly like she always did. I used to admire that smile, but now, it was the most unbearable expression I’d ever seen.
I was there at her funeral. I watched Warren and Demarco both suffer day and night. I watched their broken hearts bleed for the woman they both loved so dearly.
“We mourned for you, Maggie. Warren and Demarco mourned for you!”
“Warren is a good kid, but he is too soft-hearted,” she said casually as she tucked her wavy long hair behind her ear gracefully. “I faked my death hoping that the loss of could toughen him up, but he still let Theo off the hook so easily. Being overly forgiving is never a good trait.”
I rembered what Raymond said before his death and murmured, “So you were the woman Raymond ntioned. Why, Maggie? Why did you choose Luther?!”
“Why?” she scoffed, “Ciana, if you hadn’t co into my life, I might not have taken this path! You forced my hand.”
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
I reached out to grab her but she avoided and sneered, “I said your arrival was the catalyst for my decision! Oh well, you’ve got help coming. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon enough. By then we’ll find out who your pack chooses to follow.”
“Don’t ss with my pack, Maggie,” I warned her as she disappeared into the woods. “Or I will personally deliver you to death’s door myself!”
Maggie was no longer anywhere to be seen, leaving still in utter shock.
“Ciana!” Sherry ran to , “Is everything okay?”
I looked at her worried face and said to the fiery woman with bright red hair, “I’m okay. I just saw Maggie.”
She gasped.
They were here to protect on Theo’s order. My mind imdiately flew to their Alpha.
What would Theo say or do if he was here? He would be as baffled as I was, but he most likely would co up with a plan shortly after the initial shock.
How I wish I could bounce ideas off him, or even just have him give a hug. That would be enough to get back on the right track to figure out my action plans...
Then it struck . Since when had I grown so accustod to having him near ? Now that I was away from him, I didn’t feel whole.
I missed him terribly.
But I needed to be stronger. My pack was under threat and I needed to sort it out before Luther and Maggie got their claws into them.
***
*Theo*
When we approached a pack that was rumored to be building a rebellion, Jake and I ca up against a strong line of defense right at their territory border.
“It’s like they were expecting us,” Jake muttered.
Fortunately, I’d brought a group of n along.
“Let’s try to talk them down, first,” I said. I motioned to the guards to spread out so we didn’t look so intimidating and threatening while approaching the warriors.
Jake stayed beside and I made my way to the front of the line on my own.
“Who here is in charge?” Jake asked on my behalf.
One of the warriors stepped forward. “We know who you are, King Theo, and you aren’t welco here. Our pack answers to Luther and Luther alone.”
“We’re not here to fight. We’re here to talk to Alpha David,” Jake said.
“He won’t see you! He doesn’t trust you. Luther said not to let you talk or you’ll kill us all!”
“Luther was wrong,” I announced, “There is no need for blood. You have my word. Again, I’m not here to fight!”
“The royal court is known to fucking break promises. You’re going to have to fight. n, attack!”
The warriors grouped into formation and launched themselves at us.
“Get ready!” I shouted over my shoulder at my warriors.
I headed straight into the attack. The first warrior I encountered, I grabbed him by the throat and tripped him with my foot. I slamd him into the ground, growling. Two more closed in on . I reached out and punched them both in the stomachs, knocking them off their feet.
“Don’t kill anyone. Just incapacitate them and round them up. I don’t want any deaths today,” I ordered as Jake and my n moved in.
I didn’t want to start my reign as king with the slaughter of anyone who opposed . It would make everyone think I was just like my father.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” my n chorused.
It didn’t take long to finish knocking out my opponents. Their wrists were quickly bound and they were pulled off to the side.
“Let’s go see this Alpha David,” I muttered.
We went into the pack territory and straight to the pack house. I noticed how a lot of the pack mbers ran into their houses. I could hear worried whispers and doors locking.
When we rounded a corner there was a woman clutching a baby to her breast. She shrieked when she saw and backed up. She tripped and fell over.
“Get away from ! You’re going to kill , just like all the others,” she wailed, burying her face in the bundle in her arms.
I sniffed and walked past her. “Jake, make sure she’s alright. Get her whatever dical treatnt she needs for that fall,” I ordered.
Jake nodded and went to the woman. She seed willing, at least, to let him tend to her. I wasn’t there to massacre anyone, especially not a defenseless woman and her child.
We got to the pack house, and I went right inside to face Alpha David of Bluvally. He was ready for , his entire ard guard standing around him and his family.
“You’re not welco here!” he cried when I walked in.
“Alpha David,” I paced in the room slowly and found myself a comfortable chair to sit down on. Then I gestured to David to also take a seat as well as I continued, “As a pack under my rule, I am not only welco but I am obligated to ensure you have everything you need.”
I folded my hands and raised an eyebrow, looking into his eyes.
“Well... you’re not wanted. We don’t recognize you as our king, we recognize Luther,” he said, tilting his chin up. “I know you killed the shifters I sent to the border.”
“They are unhard,” I assured him, “and are outside waiting for you.”
The Alpha gaped at . He looked at his own guards who were looking around like they were lost and didn’t know who to believe.
“Luther said you’d co here and kill us if we didn’t obey you,” David said. He stood up and walked through his wall of guards. “What do you want?”
“I’m here to put all your doubts to rest,” I said, smiling humorlessly. “I’ve been hearing rumors about rebellions against the crown and disloyalty to my father. It is my mission to prove I am not my father.”
“And what, you think that will make us bend the knee to you?” he snarled, throwing his arms out to the sides.
“Bend the knee or don’t, it is no worry of mine. You can follow Luther, and I’ll even allow you to keep your pack land. However,” I smirked, “if you choose to recognize a different leader, I’ll have no choice but see you as an enemy, at which point, your pack will no longer be allowed to travel or trade freely in my lands. As far as I rember, your pack has plenty of gold, but relies heavily on other packs for food and dical supplies?”
“You can’t do that!” David argued.
“Of course, I can. I’m not going to force you to follow , but I’m not going to allow disloyal packs to cause potential safety issues for the rest of the kingdom. While I’ll leave your pack alone as I promised, you’ll also be monitored heavily for security reasons.”
I paused for a second and continued, “Of course, you always have the option to collect your belongings and leave my kingdom peacefully and settle in another place. Luther, if he is such a benevolent and great leader, should have plenty of space in his own land for his followers.”
“This pack territory has been in my family for generations! That’s... that’s unfair!” David protested.
I leaned closer to him and stared him right in the eye. “Alpha David, then tell what is fair? I could’ve killed most of your warriors and ordered you to obey , or expel your entire pack by force, but I chose not to. In my opinion, I’m being more than fair.”
“Are you threatening ?” David said, shaking his head. His shoulders sagged.
“No. I’m here to offer peace. Oh, one last thing,” I added, “While I don’t like to kill, it doesn’t an that I’m afraid to. I’ll give you ti and freedom to make your choice, but my generosity can only go so far.”
The Alpha’s eyes widened and he swallowed audibly, taking a step back.
After another mont, he went down on one knee in front of . The rest of his family and guards did the sa.
“I swear by the Moon Goddess that we remain loyal to the sovereignty of the Dark King and all the protection and prosperity he provides,” David said.
I put my hand on his head and nodded.
“Very well. Rise. You remain under my protection and can stay on your pack territory,” I said. “I will have my officials here to finalize this oath.”
Without more words, I headed outside while others helped wrap up things here.
Jake followed outside. “Alpha, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“You kind of rushed through that. He didn’t give a very good promise of loyalty,” Jake pointed out. “Are you worried about Ciana?”
I admitted that I was distracted. Seeing that woman earlier made think of the most precious person in my heart and I wanted to know she was okay.
“I wonder what she’s doing. I should go see her,” I muttered.
Jake’s eyes bulged and his tone was hurried, “Alpha! Please reconsider it! We barely settled down here, and we have three more packs to go. You can’t—”
I raised a hand to interrupt him and sighed, “I know. I wasn’t really going to. Any news from Greg or Sherry?”
Jake shook his head and then added, “Alpha, no news is good news.”
#
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