Zade’s POV
Victoria was already awake when I returned to the palace. She was pacing around the bedroom with both hands on her waist. I had a moment of panic thinking that my child would be born at a tumultuous time like this.
“You should be in bed,” I said, stilling her movement by placing my hands on her shoulders.
“You were gone for so long,” she grumbled and I mentally rolled my eyes. I had been gone for barely an hour.
I thought about the hospital again and I felt depressed. I had already thought about the pack I wanted to turn to for help. The Alpha and I had parted ways on a sour note but I was certain he was going to help me for old times sake.
“Did something happen?” She asked. “And what’s that smell?”
She leaned forward and gave my shirt a sniff.
I sighed deeply. “The hospital has been burned to the ground. Fortunately, there were no casualties,” I explained.
I watched with mild alarm as her features paled and led her back to the bed.
“What are we going to do now?” She whispered. “I don’t want to have my baby in this situation.”
I nodded in agreement. “I’m working on it. There’ll be a solution soon,” I said, trying to inject as much faith as I could into my words.
I waited until she fell asleep again and gently removed my arm from underneath her head. I expertly replaced it with a pillow and stared at her for a while to see if she would stir.
I gently rolled out of bed to prepare for the day ahead. It was necessary that I spoke with the people and tried to reassure them that a solution was on its way.
I had already asked Tommy to make sure that everyone knew about the meeting that was scheduled for that afternoon.
Victoria was still fast asleep when I left the room. I went into my study and a few minutes later, a maid came to see if I wanted my breakfast. I had no appetite so I told her I was going to ring the kitchen when I was ready.
Tommy came into my study with a sour look on his face. “What now?” I asked, thinking that there had been another attack on one of our buildings.”
He plopped down on the chair opposite me and sighed. “The Riverdale Pack wants to pull out of the business deal. They’re not sure we’d be able to pull through with the crisis we have on our hands.”
“Fuck,” I yelled, banging my desk with both hands. I was so frustrated at that point. “Is there any way we can convince them not to pull out?” I asked.
“I think you should have a heart-to-heart talk with the Alpha. It might help,” he suggested.
I snorted. Heart to heart indeed. An Alpha does not make decisions based on sentiments but logic.
I raked my fingers through my hair. Having a discussion wouldn’t hurt though. I’d just try to dangle an offer in front of him that he wouldn’t be able to resist.
“How’s the reconstruction of the building going?” I asked.
“The workers want to be paid upfront,” he answered.
I nodded. “Let them be paid then,” I said.
Tommy shook his head. “What if they decide to stop halfway and leave the pack for fear of their lives?” He queried and I sighed.
“It’s my duty to make sure that they feel safe enough so that they wouldn’t think of leaving. Besides, what other choice do we have? The hospital is really important. We have to rebuild it.”
“In the meantime though, we’d have to use that empty building on the outskirts of our town. We’d replace some of the medical equipment. I believe not all of them were damaged. So we have to move the intact ones there.”
Tommy nodded. “I’ll get the workers on it.” He bowed and left but not before reminding me to eat.
Elder Zelda entered not a minute later. I mentally rolled my eyes. She didn’t bother with pleasantries and just went straight to the point. Not that I minded anyway.
“We haven’t found Malia, so what’s the plan?” She asked.
“To bring in help. We’d have to seek the assistance of another pack. They might be able to see what we have failed to see and proffer a solution. But we’re not going to give up on searching for Malia.
She snorted. “Your father would have handled this situation better than you’re doing right now,” she said.
Her words hit me hard and I closed my eyes to beg the Moon Goddess for self-control because I definitely felt like wringing her neck.
She ended up leaving when I didn’t respond to her. I got up immediately after she left and made my way to my father’s drawing room.
I stared at his portrait for several minutes wishing he’d somehow appear and provide me with the solution to this mess.
My stomach growled and I sensed my wolf’s amusement. “It’s amazing how you can still feel hungry,” he said.
I ignored him and kept on staring at my father’s picture until my stomach cramped painfully in hunger.
My wolf chuckled as I left the room to return to my study. I had to eat for strength to face this crisis anyway. Or what good was a weak Alpha?
I had already passed the room before my brain registered Lily’s voice.
I paused and then turned around. I knew it was beneath me but I just felt the irresistible urge to know what she and Victoria were talking about.
I was curious about this new friendship.
“But you really should call mom. She’s quite worried about you,” I heard Lily say.
Veronica snorted. “You know she’s not. She just wants to benefit from my new position as Luna. Nothing more.”
My lips parted in shock. Maybe it wasn’t what I was thinking. Maybe I was hearing wrong.
“Do you remember that time when she made you seduce the Alpha of Riverdale Pack?” Lily asked and my wife scoffed.
“How can I forget how I ended up making a fool of myself? The way he looked at me like I was nothing.”
I heard Lily burst into laughter. “Just please call her so she would quit bothering me. It seems you’re the favourite daughter now.”
“Whatever. I’m just so glad I was able to get Zade to fall in love with me again. I’m just so pissed that he has to search for that wench.”
“It was so difficult being friends with her. Her niceness was nauseating to me. Helping her escape was one of the most satisfying things I had ever done.
A part of me wishes that she’s never found. It’s just so unfortunate that we need her for the Pack to continue its existence,” Lily said.
I stood rooted to the spot in shock for a while not sure what to make of what I had just heard.
I spotted my beta coming towards me. He opened his mouth to say something and I motioned for him to be quiet.
I walked towards him and together we headed to my study.
“What was that about?” He asked as soon as I shut the door behind me.
I paced for a while, numerous thoughts running through my mind.
“Zade, you have to say something. I don’t read minds,” he urged.
I sighed. “I cannot believe that I have been so stupid. They fooled me,” I spat out.
Tommy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Who are they?”
“Lily and Victoria are sisters,” I answered and he gasped in shock.
“Lily was the one who helped Malia escape and she did it on purpose. I bet she even planted that idea in her head so that her sister could become the new Luna. And poor Malia thought she had a best friend.”
I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration.
“What are you going to do about it?” He asked. “Because the only reason they’d keep the fact that they’re siblings from everyone is if they have ulterior motives.”
“I guess they’ve already gotten what they wanted. Malia is gone and it’s all my fault,” I replied, settling myself on my chair.
“I don’t think so. If I were you, I’d keep them close just in case. They might even know where Malia is,” he said.
I nodded just as my stomach growled loudly for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.
Tommy’s lips quirked in amusement but he wisely refrained from commenting.
I rang the kitchen and a maid appeared almost immediately. I watched with interest as I noticed them glancing at each other surreptitiously.
“Tommy,” I said, wiggling my brow as soon as she left.
“What?” He asked and I saw that he was trying not to smile.
“Is there something you’d like to share with me?” I queried.
“No,” he replied in a tone that told me he didn’t want to talk about it.
But I was the Alpha, I thought with a smile. He had to talk about it just because I wanted him to. Besides he was my best friend too.
“I saw you and the maid exchanging glances filled with a lot of…..”
I cleared my throat and grinned. “I’m listening.”