Chapter 11
POV: Prince Raven Pierce
“Let me guess, he didn’t listen to you.” He let out a soft chuckle at Arlan, who went to the study room where he was spending most of his time.
Prince Raven was holding a book and didn’t even bother to look at him, who forcibly plopped down to the black sofa bed while gently rubbing his injured neck.
Arlan just scoffed at the prince, making him laugh at him more.
He was close to everyone in the castle, even to Arlan his brother’s second in command. He was told that he was the one creating a balance in the castle his older brother, King Hades, being the yin, and him, being the yang.
They were the total opposite.
With all of those things, he didn’t mind it, though like how deaf his brother was it those things, too. Besides, being compared wasn’t a trending news to either of them already.
“Why wouldn’t he give me a chance? Why won’t he listen?” Arlan devastatingly reasoned it out.
“As if it was the first time. He always did that. He never listens. Besides, I think you’re the one who never listens. Stop trying to intercept his decisions. Aren’t you tired?” Prince Raven disapprovingly looked at him and raised his brow, then got back to what he was reading.
Arlan let out a deep sigh and sadly shook his head.
“I just wanted to help and to do my duties.” He gloomily whispered.
Prince Raven was indeed impressed at how loyal Arlan was to his brother too bad he just abhors anyone who gets in his way. He never listens not to anyone. He had his strong decisions and he always stood by them firmly.
Once said couldn’t be undone.
He let out a deep sigh and looked intently at him.
He saw the red mark from the fingers of the King on his neck it started to turn purple, and was close to black now.
“Just do what he wants and what he asks you to do. You knew that he could make calculations accurately for every action that he makes. Don’t worry about him.” He tried to console him.
Arlan just scoffed, “as if I had a choice. I was just worried that he would no longer gain his humanity back and be finally consumed with his animalistic side.”
Prince Raven just stayed silent as Arlan stood up with trembling knees and gently bowed his head ending their conversation while paying him respect.
“I need to go now, Prince Raven.” Arlan politely informed him and slowly walked away.
“Would you want some guards to assist you?” He teased him to ease the tense passing through the air.
Arlan just leered at him, then bid goodbye as he walked out of the room.
He heaved a deep sigh as he put down the book he was holding and stared blankly at the wall in front of him.
He wouldn’t blame his older brother for turning out this way he let out another deep sigh.
At the early age of three, both of their parents trained them to survive on their own. They leave them separately in the midst of the woods.
Fortunately, he was left on the west side. They were so kind and helped him survive amid the suffocating scary forest.
Unlike his brother, who was left on the south side, where the rogues and other ruthless and wicked creatures live.
He closed his eyes tightly trying to console his inner wolf from being restless. After a couple of minutes, he decided to go back to his room, holding his book to finish reading it there.
Prince Raven was stunned to see his brother, the King, in his room, and was standing in front of his window he was facing his back.
“To whom do I owe your presence, dear brother?” He playfully asked him still stuck on where he was standing his back facing the closed door of his room.
“Are you done with what I asked you to do?” King Hades seriously asked ignoring his mischievous words.
Prince Raven just smirked at his broad back.
“Why don’t you do it yourself?” He mocked challenging him.
King Hades turned around and faced him a derisive and ominous smile escaped from his lips.
Prince Raven narrowed his eyes into thin slits for he knew his brother too well. He knew he wouldn’t want what would come to his mouth next.
And he was right.
“Do I need to kill the other red-haired lady then.” It escaped from his lips in a mischievous manner a serious statement and not a question to be answered.
Prince Raven clenched his fist firmly as he gritted his teeth trying to control his baring canines as well as his raging emotions. Even he tried to conceal it he couldn’t for he knew his brother. He wouldn’t give any meant remarks if he couldn’t do it himself.
“Don’t you ever dare.” He darkly spoke with rare anger his inner wolf at bay now.
The King’s sarcastic laughter resonated in the entire room, making his balled fist into white.
“Well, then, I believe we already have a deal.” He scornfully looked at him before finally going out of his room.
The moment the door was closed, Prince Raven absentmindedly walked towards his bed and sat down on it.
He was left with no other choice but to follow.
He let out a deep sigh.
***
POV: Lamina Darkwood
Meanwhile, on the Dark Wood Mansion. Lamina was ecstatic to reveal the very important news, and she immediately announced it during their sumptuous dinner.
She loudly cleared her throat as she tried to get everyone’s attention, and she did all eyes were on her now.
“Leah, I need you to get ready.” She excitedly exclaimed to her daughter.
“For what, Mom?” Leah asked while her brows furrowed due to her abrupt curiosity.
“According to Elder Courdamus, they will be having a meeting today about the upcoming assessment for possible candidates who will compete for the crown as the King’s Regina.” Lamina smirked as she mentioned the elder wolf of the Dark Wood Pack who was part of the Were Elders’ Council.
With him in their pack, she was able to be updated with news from the palace.
She saw how her daughter’s eyes gleamed with delight and she knew she resembled her elated joy.
Finally, their plan was working flawlessly now. The moon was really on their side, and she would definitely conquer more power and authority once her daughter became the Alpha Queen of All Wolf Borne.
“Good, dear. You must really get ready, Leah.” Cessair seconded his Luna.
“I will definitely support you with that.” Aeron said convincingly.
“I will definitely win, Mom, Dad, Aeron. I surely will, and no one can compete with me for that title.” Leah declared full of eagerness and determination as a cunning smirk escaped from her lips.
This was her dream, after all.
And they would do everything in their power to attain that.
***
POV: Arlan
It was the meeting that the King asked him to prepare the agenda that he despised, but he had no other choice but to obey.
He went to the meeting room and all of them were already there.
Prince Raven together with Shimuel sat on the left side of the long table while the Were Elders sat on the right.
Arlan smirked inwardly.
The Were Elders’ Council was composed of the six oldest elder wolves from the different packs. A bunch of worthless idiots in his eyes because they were supposed to be guiding and be a role model to their pack, but they turned out into thirsty old wolves who wanted great wealth and power well, almost. But not all of them.
Arlan cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention and he did. All of them were throwing curious look at him.
“Good day everyone, on behalf of the King, as you may already know, we are all here to discuss the process of the competition for the possible candidates to be the crowned Queen.” Arlan coldly stated as the meeting began.
He had this stoic and blank look on his face.
All of the people in the room were intently listening to him.
“All of the sixty-nine packs will be having a representative, and as part of the Were Elders’ Council, you were tasked to be divided to screen them. From sixty-nine representatives down to ten possible candidates who will move on with the first real competition.” Arlan clearly explained his face was passive and void of any emotions.
“How are we going to be divided?” Elder Courdamus immediately asked while his tobacco pipe was in between his index and middle fingers.
Arlan mentally smirked.
“Prince Raven will assign you to which pack you are going to assess on the same day the screening will start, so I won’t announce it today but the day after tomorrow.” Arlan secretly grinned as he saw their clenching jaws.
He knew what they were planning, but he knew better he beamed at that thought.
“There would be three parts of the screening process for the ten chosen candidates. As for the theme, it will be announced on the same day of the competition. Prince Raven will be the sole presenter of the subject which was carefully and deliberately chosen from their great ancestors in assessing a new ‘Regina.'” He plainly explained his voice was laced with seriousness and intimidation.
“So, are you saying that our words in this meeting are futile now?” Elder Courdamus leeringly asked, and some of the Elders nodded their heads in agreement.
Prince Raven cleared his throat and looked seriously at the Were Elders.
“Why? Are you afraid that competition wouldn’t be fair? Our ancestors gave us all the information we had in choosing the next Regina and I believe it was all fair and square. We were just dividing the labor of the screening process, which is your duty as part of the Were Elders’ Council. Do you have any problem with that?” Prince Raven coherently asked his voice was deeper than usual, making everyone get the message that he doesn’t need any room for discussion.
“If it was all for the fairness of the competition, then I agree with the decision. I believe it is one of the most important things, right?” Elder Zeparu, an elder wolf from the West Side, earnestly said while nodding his head making each of the council members kept their silence.
“Very well, then. If you don’t have any further questions, see you on the screening process. Meeting adjourned,” Arlan finally exclaimed.
He met Prince Raven’s eyes as he walked out of the room and they both shared a knowing look.
They wouldn’t be fooled by these old scheming creatures.
Not now not ever.
They both let out a concealed smirk.
***
POV: Lorenzo Vikesh
In the intervening time, in the Lunar Mansion, the Vikesh family were on the veranda and taking their afternoon tea.
Shahara and Tamara had just finished training for that day, and the latter went to her room to rest while Shahara went to her parents to report her progress.
“How is she doing?” He keenly asked Shahara about Tamara.
“She was progressing faster than the average wolf, Dad. She was quick to adapt. Even I, was quite amazed with it. Most especially that it wasn’t full moon, yet.” Shahara simply said and shot her parents a knowing look.
“You think she’ll be ready by that time, Lorenzo?” Luna Rania nervously asked her husband.
She was quite nervous about what would happen to her next, but she was also hoping that she would overcome everything.
“She will be. It was already written in the moon’s fate even a long time ago.” Alpha Lorenzo answered and sipped his tea.
Every one of them kept silent for they all knew what he meant by that.
Tamara was destined to be where she is right now. It wasn’t an accident nor a plan it was already written in the stars and fated by the moon itself.
He was just hoping everything would be fine though he knew, it wasn’t an easy path to take.