Sometimes, bosses being too nosy isn’t a good thing. Even the onlookers can get tired of it.
“You can take Luna back to the room, and you two can talk about everything that’s happened during this time. Thomas and I can handle things here,” Aldrich suggested.
“By the way, remember to give Elizabeth two days off,” Thomas reminded. “She’s been taking care of Luna these past few days and hasn’t had much rest.”
Maggie looked gratefully at Elizabeth, saying, “Beth, thank you.”
Elizabeth returned the gratitude with a gentle smile, “Luna being okay is the greatest comfort to me.”
After they left, Charlie heaved a sigh of relief, “This is probably the only thing worth celebrating in this period.”
Back in the room, Aldrich insisted on thoroughly checking Maggie for any injuries. Maggie couldn’t quite tell if he was genuinely concerned or using the examination as an excuse to touch her. To be honest, during the time she was unconscious, she had missed Aldrich’s touch on her body and lips. In her opinion, there was no shame in enjoying intimacy.
“Are you being a little too forward?” she questioned him, but her tone didn’t carry much complaint, just a hint of teasing.
Aldrich, always the protector, took her question seriously, “I’m just making sure there’s no external injury that caused your unconsciousness.”
He had a tendency to be overprotective, Maggie thought. Being responsible was a good thing, but sometimes being too rigid could be off-putting. Nevertheless, she loved everything about him, even his overly cautious nature.
“I really don’t have any external injuries. I’m sure the doctor confirmed that multiple times,” she playfully chided. “You’re starting to sound just like Alisa now.”
Aldrich didn’t comment on that, “Sometimes a bit of control is not a big problem if it’s for your safety.”
He used to dislike Alisa, thinking she had ill intentions. But when he understood her protective instincts toward Maggie and reevaluated himself, he realized that he wasn’t fundamentally different from her. Anything that was good for Maggie, even if it drew resentment, he would do.
Maggie rolled her eyes, unsure how this man managed to absorb all of Alisa’s faults through a single conversation. Was it true what old folks said, that you could spend twenty years learning and ruin it in an instant?
“Let’s talk business. How are things on the High Council’s side? Any progress?”
Whenever he mentioned the Council of Elders, Aldrich felt a throbbing headache. “The High Elder’s condition remains unresolved. The doctors are powerless against his injuries. Earlier, we discussed the possibility of seeking help from a high priest of another clan. This priest is said to have the magic to heal even the most complicated illnesses. The problem is, he left the clan many years ago for a pilgrimage, and we have no way of knowing his whereabouts.”
Maggie contemplated for a moment. “Does the Blue Moon Pack have a high priest?”
“Of course they do,” Aldrich replied, surprised by her sudden question. “Are you interested in learning about the history of the Blue Moon Pack?”
“No, I want to use my powers to save the High Elder,” she asserted. “But before that, I want to know what the experts in the field think.”
Aldrich pondered, realizing that now, even without a mind-link, they seemed to understand each other perfectly.
“I plan to have you start using the Energy Orb for your practice again. Your energy is extremely rare for the entire werewolf community. But the only problem we face right now is the Council of Elders,” he shrugged, “They haven’t been able to elect a new person to lead.”
Each time he sat in the audience, the most respected elder would give him a helpless look.
The Council of Elders pursued democracy, but too much democracy resulted in extreme inefficiency. There were those on the side of black, and those on the side of white, but they couldn’t agree on someone to make decisions. Aldrich had privately asked the elder why, given his seniority, they couldn’t just elect him as the next leader of the Council.
The elder explained that he wasn’t suited for making the final decisions, he was too moderate, and many radicals within the council didn’t support him.
“Furthermore, even if they elected me, there are many procedures to follow. It’s not something that can be concluded in a short time.”
Aldrich wanted to raise his head and question the deity who wouldn’t respond to him: Why won’t you show up when the werewolves truly need you?
Of course, the deity wouldn’t respond, and he could only drag his disappointment and exhaustion back home.
Maggie widened her eyes, “I’ve been asleep for several days?”
“Five days.”
“Why haven’t they decided yet?”
This level of efficiency would have led to overthrow in any government agency in any human country.
“They’re pursuing democracy.”
Maggie was left speechless, and after a long while, she slowly came back to her senses, “Okay.”
With the channel for strength cultivation currently unavailable, she had to focus her attention on something else.
“Can I meet the Blue Moon Pack’s High Priest first?”
“I’ll take you.”
High Priests didn’t live with their clanspeople; it was probably a common idea among those with special abilities or privileges. Only by being unconventional could they emphasize their uniqueness.
The house was built at the foot of another small hill, with banana and palm trees planted at the entrance, and animal bones and teeth hung from the eaves as long decorations. Maggie thought they might be wind chimes. She had seen similar decorations when she went to a fortune teller’s shop in the past.
It seemed that wind chimes were a symbol of some kind of precognitive ability.
Aldrich knocked on the door, “Urania, are you in?”
A young woman came out, her head adorned with star-shaped gemstones, wearing coffee-colored bell-bottom pants with tassels on the pant legs and intricate patterns stitched between the fabric strips. She looked even more like a gypsy, Maggie thought.
She just hadn’t expected the High Priest to be so young.
Urania could tell at a glance what was on the mind of the young girl Aldrich had brought with him. Her concerns were all written on her face, but she didn’t intend to pay attention to them.
“Aldrich, it’s rare for you to come and see me. Is there something you need?”
“Let me introduce you first, Maggie. My partner, soon-to-be mother of two twins, and the future Luna of the Blue Moon Pack. Maggie, this is Urania, our clan’s High Priestess.”
Urania nodded slightly, “Maggie, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I brought her here mainly because she possesses the power of the Moon Goddess. Right now, we don’t know if this power originates from Maggie herself or from the child in her belly. Moreover, she often has dreams that seem like they predict the future, and she has no understanding of this. I hope you can help.”
After listening to this, Urania began to carefully examine the girl in front of her. She was very pretty but didn’t quite fit the werewolves’ aesthetics, looking more like a human. Could such an ordinary young lady possess the Moon Goddess’s blessing?
She held a skeptical attitude for the time being. However, she was the clan’s High Priestess, and besides her usual work of observing celestial omens and peering into the future, helping alphas with their troubles was also part of her duties.
“You can both come in with me.”