Chapter 57
POV: King Hades Pierce
A loud sound from a solid punch resonated into the air as he let out one after the other.
Kage groaned in pain as the blood from his mouth spit out onto the grass where he was kneeling from. They were currently in front of the infirmary where Arlan, Dreyson, and Alpha Lorenzo were witnessing what was happening between him and Kage. Some were in a far distance from them maybe, members of the Lunar Pack but he didn’t care any less. He was mad and he needed to punish him for letting Tamara shoot with that arrow instead of him.
It was his responsibility to protect Tamara at all costs.
She is the Queen!
He gritted his teeth as he thought that those words should also be applicable to him.
His inner wolf groaned inwardly.
He could hear murmurs from the people around him and he instantly shot a glare at them.
Silence immediately filled the air as they bowed their heads.
No one dared to come and stop him.
Well, who would be in their right mind to do that?
He is the King, after all.
Besides, no one would dare to sacrifice their own life for him no matter how brilliant he was as a salutary wolf.
He didn’t know how long he had been making Kage as his punching bag. But he knew that he would pass out anytime soon. He mentally smirked at that thought.
King Hades threw another punch at him, and he coughed with blood.
He stopped for a short while to calm his nerves although he knew that he was far from trying to compose himself.
Then, he heard Kage let out a low chuckle making him to get annoyed more.
“I-Is t-that a-all t-that y-you g-got?” He stated in his low voice almost a whisper, but enough for him to hear.
He smirked at him but deep inside, he was slowly getting into his nerves now. He was still bewildered about the reason why he couldn’t smell any fear from him even after he had come to him face to face.
No one had ever shown this fearless as him well, except for Raven.
If it was for anyone, he would smell even a tiny hint of fear even from the great Lamina herself. But not to this man.
Or had he already mastered masking his true emotions? Like how he couldn’t decipher what he had been thinking all this time.
Because up until now, he couldn’t comprehend what his real intention was.
He was about to say something when Tamara’s father humbly went near him and politely called his title and name.
“I apologized for my impudent act, Your Majesty. But I don’t think killing Kage now will help us. We still need him.” He seriously stated after he bowed his head.
His forehead creased as he waited for him to continue his words.
Why would this mere salutary wolf still be needed?
It wasn’t as if he was more brilliant than Dreyson and the elder of their pack Zeparu.
What more could he ever contribute once he spared his life?
As if, he wasn’t thinking about sparing his life, though. Because no matter what like Shimuel and Dillion he needed to spare his life. Or else, Tamara would surely loathe him to the depths of hell.
And that was the last thing that he would like to happen.
“I know that you might be thinking of his skills as a salutary wolf weren’t that irreplaceable, but I wasn’t talking about it, Your Majesty.” He courteously pointed out.
Alpha Lorenzo let out a deep sigh before he continued his words.
“He witnessed the one who saved Tamara, Your Majesty and we wanted to find her. He was the only one who could recognize her. He said that the woman might also help the pack and that she might also see whoever shot Tamara. So, I am begging you to please spare his life… at least for the time being. We still need him.” Alpha Lorenzo lowly pleaded.
King Hades let out a deep sigh as he wickedly stared at Kage for a short while before his eyes moved towards the Alpha of the pack.
His jaw clenched for a while.
“Fine, but that is just for the time being that you haven’t caught who are you looking for. I will also send some sentinels and hunters to help you with your concerns.” He stoically ordered.
He, then, heard a loud thud from Kage who had already passed out in front of him. He wanted to roll his eyes, but he refrained himself from doing so. He might have used his luck now, huh? He mentally thought.
“I am truly grateful, Your Majesty.” Alpha Lorenzo sincerely replied.
He walked out from the scene without a word and moved towards where Tamara’s room was. He wanted to transfer her to the palace, but he knew that she wasn’t still in the condition to be moved from one place to another.
He didn’t want to see her in that case… again.
Seeing her lying in that hospital bed was just torturing him. He couldn’t stand her being unconscious leaving her smiles and laughs into his head and not in front of him. But he also couldn’t stand the chance not to see her or not to be able to hold her.
He gritted his teeth.
After washing his hands, he didn’t want to waste any more time to seeing Queen’s face. She was sleeping peacefully, that his heart was clenching hard in pain the moment he opened her room. He didn’t want to see her sleeping so peacefully like the moon goddess was already preparing him to take her away.
No.
He wouldn’t allow it.
Not now.
They had just met each other again from the past few years. And they were still trying to get to know each other even in between their marriage.
He didn’t want to lose her.
He let out a deep sigh as he soulfully stared at her.
He was about to touch her hand when he realized that he just couldn’t do it. He knew that deep inside him he was still blaming himself. He should be the one protecting her. He should be the one beside her. But she was here again. She was hurt again. And he was late again.
He wanted to punch something again just to let out his pure frustration or even punch himself at that, but he knew that he needed to reserve his energy on something. He needed to catch whoever that culprit was whatever happened.
“I will find justice for you, My Queen. And I promise to protect you at all costs. I am sorry for not being with you at that time. Now, please calm my entire being. Stop making me worry and please get well as soon as possible. Because I don’t know how long I could ever get hold of myself when all I could see was you lying in this damn bed. You need to calm my other side. You need to tame the monster in me.” He emotionally whispered as his vision slightly blurred making his eyes slightly bloodshot.
But as the King of All Wolf Borne, he wouldn’t let the pain, nor the tears fell from his eyes.
He swallowed hard as he balled his fists until it had already turned paperwhite as if he was trying to stop himself from turning into the monster that he had been keeping inside him for years.
***
POV: Lamina Darkwood
“Is everything settled?” She seriously inquired.
“Yes, Milady. Everything is ready. The allies had been waiting for you.” Merelos politely replied as his head was still bowed down.
Lamina arrogantly stood up from her chair as she moved gracefully towards the secret room.
Everything needed to be done discreetly especially that she had called their allies for a meeting. One thing that the King had ordered to be a treacherous act for the meantime. But given the situation that they were in it is a must to meet them.
Because whether she liked it or not, Elder Courdamus was right. She might lose some of her allies.
“Mother…” Aeron seriously called her, and she just raised her brow waiting for her son to talk.
“They are ready.” He continued his words when he realized that she was just waiting for his report.
“Good. Because I might be needing them. Hopefully not but I am sure, I will.” She mockingly stated making Aeron’s forehead crease.
Leah, on the other hand, just stayed silent beside her brother’s side. Lamina was just still mad at her that she was still giving her the cold treatment. She might have been her daughter, but the disappointment she had caused their family was such a huge blow not just for the clan but for the entire pack they were leading into.
The huge wooden door burst open by Merelos. Elder Courdamus and Cessair were already inside. Aeron and Leah sat beside their father’s as she took the center chair.
Her legs crossed as her face remained stoic and unreadable.
Someone cleared his throat loudly trying to get her attention. It was Elder Mondar from the Night Walker Pack. She mentally smirked.
“As you all know, I don’t think this is a good idea, Luna Lamina. Calling a meeting might endanger every one of us here.” He seriously commented.
A lot of the people inside the room instantly nodded their heads in agreement.
“Is that the reason why a lot of the allies that we had didn’t attend this meeting?” She coldly told them making everyone filled with deep silence.
“Don’t you think I am stupid not to know what you are doing behind my back?” Her rage intensified as she felt her canines bared.
“We are just being careful, Luna Lamina. This alliance isn’t just for the benefit of your clan nor your pack. It should be beneficial to every one of us here.” Elder Nord from the Black Blood Pack commented.
She gritted her teeth in annoyance.
“Really? You’re using that statement from me. So, what do you suggest, then?” She sarcastically inquired, but no one dared to open their mouths for they knew that her aura was becoming more and more threatening and livid.
“Do you think I would let this pass? I didn’t care whether or not you agreed with my terms, but I am the leader of this alliance, and you all signed with my father’s conditions. And now, you are walking away from that responsibility.” She scoffed and clenched her jaw.
“I wouldn’t let that happen!” She furiously spat.
“Well, if Leah here just won the competition, our alliance wouldn’t be at stake, Luna Lamina.” One of the betas bravely spoke and she instantly stood up.
If she wasn’t mistaken, it was one of Elder Nord’s cousin-in-law. A very cunning and greedy man like him.
“Stop creating excuses! I wouldn’t allow you to find faults and blame it on my family.” She wrathfully contradicted.
“So, is that meant that we are just your subordinates, then? I wouldn’t-”
Before that beta could even finish his sentence, she had already pierced his heart with her elongated nails. Blood splattered around the meeting room and even Elder Nord was full of blood in his shirt because he was beside the beta.
He was just so shocked that he couldn’t even move an inch. Lamina watched as everyone gasped in pure terror.
She was merciless, and it wasn’t just hearsay.
“I wouldn’t allow anyone to contradict my words, and I hope I have already made a point about that. Everything was already done, and we couldn’t bring back anything even your life, for example. Once I got it, it wouldn’t be undone. Now, this alliance just meant one thing. Follow my orders. Simple and as easy as that.” She sardonically stated in between her gritted teeth.
Merelos and the other omegas carried the body of the limping beta and opened a black curtain in the corner of the meeting room.
A low and eerie growl suddenly filled the four corners of the room making everyone scared out of their wits. Glistening red eyes from the darkness of that particular cell could make anyone shiver down to their spine.
Then, a loud and scary pleading from the beta resonated with the loud snarling and hungry growling of the rouges inside the cell.
“Now, I believe I have already made myself clear.” Luna Lamina sardonically stated as she heard everyone agreed to her terms.
From that very moment, she had already laid the plans that she had been contemplating for for the past decades of her life.