Chapter 81
POV: Queen Tamara Pierce
She woke up without Hades by her side. She suddenly felt something was off, and she didn’t know why. Her gut was telling her to go out.
Tamara yawned as she got up from her bed and looked around hoping that Hades was just taking a shower like he used to do. But her forehead creased when she couldn’t feel him around.
She felt his warmth a while ago, and the proof was also in the disheveled of the bed where her husband was supposed to be. Then, she looked at the clock with her brows furrowed as it said that it was already past midnight.
“Where the heck is he?” She whispered under her breath as she got her robe and covered her revealing nightdress.
She was wide awake now as she decided to go out and look for her husband instead. He might be getting overworked again.
Ever since the Darkwoods started this conflict, she knew that he was making extra effort to guard every pack under him so they wouldn’t be attacked or be convinced to join by the Dark Wood Pack and their allies.
Tamara’s forehead creased when she saw Arlan with the sentinel wolf, he seemed to be hurt and wasn’t unable to move his feet anymore.
But before she could even take another step, to ask him what was happening, a peculiar woman sitting in the receiving area caught her attention. She was wearing an all-black fitted outfit, and half of her face was covered with a black mask. She was tying her wavy chestnut brown hair into a high messy bun. She even saw a katana just beside her.
She blinked her eyes as if she might be hallucinating, but the woman stayed in her place. It was the first time that she saw her.
Tamara moved towards where the woman was, there’s something weird about her.
“Who are you?” Tamara curiously asked as she stood in front of the woman, who was calmly sitting on the sofa.
The odd woman’s dark reddish almond-shaped eyes moved towards where she was, but she didn’t bother to answer her. She was just simply staring at her.
Dillon appeared by her side unexpectedly and bid her respect. She didn’t even feel his presence, but she didn’t mind it either, because all of her attention was focused on the masked person in front of her.
“The Queen is asking you and you should give respect, you insolent b*tch.” Dillion furiously commanded her using his above-mentioned whisper voice.
“Who is she?” She seriously inquired Dillion for she couldn’t wait for the unknown person to speak anymore.
“And where is Hades?” She further asked.
“She’s with Arlan when he arrived, Your Grace. I don’t know why she is here with Arlan, and I also didn’t know what happened to Arlan. He asked us to call the King and talk to him. I think Arlan and the King are done with their conversation, but Prince Raven, Kage, and the woman, that this masked woman is with, are still inside with the King.” Dillion seriously explained.
“So, do you have a name?” She softly asked for the last time.
She was slowly getting annoyed now, maybe because of her pregnancy. She was extra sensitive and easily irritated.
“They call me Shanaia.” The woman coldly replied.
“You b*tch, stop being insolent-”
But Tamara raised her hand to stop Dillion from saying anything anymore.
“But Your G-Grace…” Dillion hesitantly called her, but she just shot him a death glare to stop him from talking more.
“I’ll go talk to the King. Dillion will accompany you here.” She seriously said, before walking towards the Throne Room without bidding her goodbye.
Tamara entered the Throne Room unannounced.
All of the people inside were shocked. Hades even stood up because of her sudden presence, but immediately sat down the moment he realized that it was just her.
“I didn’t know that you were still here, my husband.” She squinted her eyes as she silently grunted because of their inconspicuous reaction.
But her eyes eventually widened when she saw the woman with purple eyes and purple tinted lips.
“You!” She eagerly yelled and walked swiftly towards the woman who had just given her a small smile.
“Nice to see you again, Your Grace.” Her cold voice resonated in her ears.
She couldn’t believe that she could see her here. She had seen her in her dreams well, not clearly, but her instinct was telling her that she was the one. Besides, she remembered how Kage described the one who saved her during the infiltration of the Lunar Pack.
“Are you the one that I am thinking that you are?” She wanted to be sure that she was right.
“If you’re talking about when our paths cross during the infiltration of the Lunar Pack, then, yes, Your Grace, I am.” Her voice was soft, but it was chilling and… lifeless.
Tamara remained silent for the time being. She was weighing whether to ask her about her dreams, but she decided to shrug it off. Besides, if she was willing to share it with her, then, she should just say it.
“I wanna thank you for that. Why are you here anyway?” Her forehead creased as she smiled at her.
“She will be helping us with the conflict, wife.” Hades replied as he walked towards where she was and encircled his arms around her waist.
Tamara smiled widely.
“That’s great news. By the way, sorry for being rude, I didn’t catch your name.” She kindly asked.
The woman gave her a small smile.
“I am Tamika Aibek, Your Grace. I am…” The woman introduced herself but suddenly halted as she took a swift glance at the King which made her left brow move upwards.
“She’s a salutary wolf, Tamara. She and Kage will work together.” Raven suddenly interjected.
Her smile grew wider, as she nodded her head and held Tamika’s hand.
“Is that true?” She asked for a confirmation, who instantly nodded at her.
“That’s great, then. I have met your friend Shanaia. Do you have room now? Where are you going to stay?” Tamara inquired using her friendly voice, but no one answered.
“If you don’t have anywhere to stay, then, you can stay here. There are lots of guest rooms here. And I bet Kage still needs to stay here, too. You can work together here.” She suggestively told everyone.
“I can stay in the Lunar Pack Mansion.” Kage instantly contradicted her making her left brow shot upwards.
He seemed not to like Tamika which was a bit odd because she even saved her life their lives, to be exact.
“You need to stay here for now, Kage. Raven…” The King’s voice resonated in the entire room before he looked at his brother.
“Show them to their room. And Kage picked any room you want but I suggest you stay near them and away from ours.” He menacingly added before he softly looked at her.
“My wife and I need to take a rest for now.” He continued before they bid their goodbye and walked out of the room.
She took a swift glance at Tamika and gave her a small smile as he walked side by side with the King.
***
POV: Lamina Darkwood
“How is everything going?” She seriously inquired.
She went into Aeron’s laboratory, so she could inspect her son’s invention. She wanted to use this opportunity to state that the King was not planning any surprise attacks for the time being. She believed that they were still rooting for the peace talk that they were asking for through a letter yesterday.
Well, too bad for them, their plans were already close to perfection. She was planning a surprise attack.
“The elixir is working fine, Mother. Except that it isn’t staying that long. Some of the rogues couldn’t last for at least two hours, and they instantly died after.” Aeron seriously explained as he was removing his surgical gloves and his transparent safety goggles.
“How is the effect?” She continuously inquired.
Aeron seriously stared at her.
“Well, I am still working on that, Mother. They are disoriented for about thirty minutes to an hour before the elixir can fully take control of their bodies. Their sense and abilities can increase five times more than an average wolf.” Her son simply explained while Lamina just listened to him.
“But some of the rogues have different effects, some instantly burst after the elixir is injected, but some of them turn into a lycan form, and they can also stay in that form for a couple of days five at most.” He seriously added.
“So, for now, the effects shown are just so different. But can be effective and is showing good improvement.” He continued.
But Lamina was slightly unconvinced.
“Are they enough for the war? How long can they keep it up? I need a concrete and possible range of time, Aeron.” Lamina stated.
She knew that her son was being pressured now because of her questions. But she needed to push him more. She needed the results as soon as possible.
But before Aeron could even answer her, a loud knock on the door interrupted them.
Merelos was with a man who was wearing a black hood.
“Good thing that you are here now.” She viciously smiled at him.
The man looked at her, and Aeron’s mouth turned agape while his eyes bulged from their sockets.
“What the hell?” Aeron whispered under his breath full of shock and disbelief.
“What is he doing here, Mother?” He incredulously asked.
But she just smirked at her son’s reaction.
“We’ll talk some other time, Aeron. I need to speak with him.” She plainly replied.
“But Mom, he’s one of the King’s-”
“Shut it, Aeron. Just stay focused on your experiments, and I will need that. We need that. For now, don’t let anyone know about him.” She said those words with finality.
Aeron bowed his head down.
“Y-Yes, Mother.” He finally replied before she walked towards her own office.
The man wearing a hood followed her, and she comfortably sat on her swivel chair.
“So, how’s the castle?” She seriously inquired.
“I bet you have already received the invitation. What are you going to do with that?” He asked her instead.
Lamina’s right brow raised as she slowly poured herself a glass of wine.
“You are not here to question me, right? Just tell me what is happening in the castle. You don’t need to know everything.” She ruthlessly answered.
The man let out a deep sigh.
“Arlan arrived a while ago. We are not informed as to where he goes to. But he is full of bruises and wounds behind him. Did you hostage or attack him?” He inquired.
Her forehead creased.
“Of course not. Why will I do that?” She retorted back.
“But the odder thing is, he isn’t alone when he came back.” He added.
“What do you mean?” Lamina inquired.
“He arrived with two mysterious and strange women. And I don’t know who they are but based on the King’s decision to allow them to stay in the castle, they might be working hand in hand with the King.” He plainly explained.
Lamina let out a hearty chuckle.
“That’s a lame thing, you know! What can they do? Cook? Served them?” She sardonically stated.
“They must be the ones who tended Arlan’s wounds. Don’t be overly dramatic and just tell me what their plans are.” Lamina immediately became serious in response to her own question.
“I still don’t have any idea, but they are still pushing with the peace talk. They don’t want anyone to get hurt.” The man in the black hood simply responded.
“Good then, that’s buying us more time. For now, continue spying on them and always use Aeron’s invention in doing so. The King’s senses are still superb, so they shouldn’t catch you. No, not yet. I still need you inside the castle.” Lamina mercilessly told him before she dismissed the man, who silently walked out of the room.
She smilingly smelled the scent of the wine before sipping it from her glass.