“Tell me this is a lie, Loki. Fucking say this to me that it’s a lie, please,” my nose flares up
In anger, my eyes, already wet with tears.
I have hopes, even when I shouldn’t. Hopes that Loki will deny this video and tell me it’s all a setup. Hopes that he will tell me he was drunk when this madness happened. Hopes that Loki isn’t betraying me because he knows better. He knows the consequences and how broken I will be.
He knows I won’t be able to stand it or breathe properly if this is betrayal.
Just how the fuck do I punish my best friend? How do I face my pack members when the need to punish the traitor arises? Just how?
“I’m very sorry, Alpha Arthur. I’m ready to face my punishment,” the only fucking words that came out of his fucking mouth.
Fuck!!!!!!!!!!….. I roar in my head. My fist clenches tightly as I fight to control my tears from falling down my cheeks. An Alpha dares not shed tears in front of his people.
“Warriors, take Loki to the pack prison, and lock him up,” I throw my face to the side as I give my order. Finally, I let a drop of tears fall down my cheek.
“And what about your Luna, Chloe? How does she get her punishment?” Kalus’ voice comes in.
“Where is she?” My voice low, but filled with anger.
“I heard she ran away to her parent’s home. The warriors can trace her down and drag her back here. Her punishment should be greater,” his words are laced with anger. He sounded like a wounded man. I feel Chloe messed with him.
“Alpha,” I hear one of my men call out to me.
Cleaning the drop of tears on my cheek and forcing the rest of the tears to the back of my head, making sure my eyes are free of tears blur, I bring my attention in the direction of the warrior. “What is it, Ralph?”
“The Council of Elders are at the door and requests to see you.”
My lips drag as a soft sigh breaks out from them, my shoulders sagging in frustration. I know what it is and why they want to see me. They are here to lecture me about my mess and the results it created. But I can’t run away from them. I need to face it all.
I need to right all the wrongs in the pack.
“Let them in,” I respond in a calm voice.
“Ok, Alpha,” Ralph walks away.
My Council of Elders has never visited my mansion. This is the first. Whenever there was something very important to trash out, every decision was carried out in the courtroom. For a fact, they came down to my mansion, then there was a big mess.
Something bigger than I can imagine is coming for me.
The door opens and Ralph returns with them. I can hear the roaring of their wolves in rage as they all approach me. Their eyes are like a burning fire, their faces contour with anger. Their presence has already announced to me that they are not here for peace, and I have to be mindful of my words.
Even if I’m the Alpha of the Pack, I owe a big apology to the pack members whenever I get to mess up just the way I did. It’s basically not the time to put on my pride. I have to strip myself of my ego as the Alpha and own up to my shit.
“You finally return, Alpha Arthur. We heard you are back with the girl, Elara. Where is she?” The leader asks.
“Wait….. Elara? Why are you here for Elara? Thoughts you’re here to speak about me and what is going on in the Pack?” Why are they still on with their bullshit? It’s been weeks and I expected them to get to their senses.
They are the reason why I took Nova away from the pack, just to protect Elara. And they are back with this shit. (Softly scoff)…. This is the worst route to trade with me right now, and if they want a face-off with me, I’m very much ready to give it to them.
“We are here to see her, and also apologize to her for our decision to end her life. That was a wrong move by us,” the leader utters.
My brow slightly raises, ‘questioning’ as I stare right at them.
“We heard from one of our pups about the truth. The man she had sex with in that car was you, Alpha Arthur. She carries your mark, and by the Goddess’s law, she has the right to be with you,” a third leader explains.
My head slightly bends to the side. My eyes dim, staring at them. How did they find out about the truth when everyone who was involved was killed right at the scene? Well, this isn’t important.
But it’s a good thing that they acknowledged their fault and chose to atone for their mistake.
Fixing my hands in my pockets, “She is indoors having a peaceful rest. Will let her know about your visitation when she is finally awake. What about Elder Samuel? I don’t see him here.” Elder Samuel is the second leader and the most vibrant of them all.
He’s always available at every event or meeting. It’s strange he isn’t here.
“Alpha, that is our second reason for coming here. He is dead. Your Luna ordered his execution because he decided to speak the truth. She used him as the scapegoat to shut the rest of us up,” the leader inform me, and my hands clench into fists right inside my pockets. Anger washes over me.
Chloe!!!!! Chloe!!!! She did it again. I promise she won’t survive this. I need to fall into action with her.
“As of this day. I, Alpha Arthur Rulzandar, strips Chloe of the position of Luna. She is now seen as a murderer and must face the consequences of taking a life. It’s time to pay her father’s house a visit.”
Snapping my gaze to look at Ralph, “Get a few men ready right now, we need to go down to Chloe’s house.”
“Alpha, you don’t need to go through the stress of coming with us. We will capture her and bring her before you,” Ralph utters.
“I appointed her as Luna, and I have a responsibility to drag her down here myself and make her face her punishment. Go get the men ready,” I ordered once again. At this rate, and how my heart keeps beating uncontrollably in anger, I pray I don’t break Chloe’s neck the moment I set my eyes on her.
I fucking pray!!!
“Alright, Alpha,” Ralph bows his head and storms away to carry out my order.
“I want to go with you, Alpha. It will make it easier to locate my father’s house,” Elara’s weak voice floods my head from behind us.
Hurriedly, I turned around to face her. She looks pale, and sick. “You are awake,” a little surprised that she is here. “You can’t join us, Elara. Allow me carry out my duties alone,” my voice sounds very soft. Can’t believe just the presence of Elara can soothe my anger.
“Please, Alpha,” she softly breathes.
“I think it’s best she tags along, Alpha, since none of the Elders are coming with you. She alone knows the way to her Father’s house and it will be easy and fast for everyone,” the leader of the elders cuts in.
Keeping mute for some moments, just looking at Elara. After a few more minutes, I decide to break the silence when Ralph returns to inform me everything is ready. “Elara, let’s go,” and with that, I storm away.
Elara follows behind me. The same with Kalus and Ralph. We get to the cars already prepared by Ralph and storms in. Elara was with some of my men in the car that led the rest of the cars.
After a few hour’s drive, we arrived at our destination. Everyone steps out of the cars. Ralph and the other men rush inside the building. I, Elara, and Kalus join them.
“The house is empty, Alpha. No one is here,” Ralph announces as I step into the living room.
My brow raises. My lips twist in a nasty faint smile. They knew we were coming. Someone informed them. But they can’t free the pack. Never.
“Ralph, mind link the warriors at the borders. I want all borders shut immediately,” my nose flares in anger at the fact Chloe and the rest of her household are trying to play smart with me.
Pushing my head backward and trying to sense any lingering scent. Probably someone is hiding somewhere. My feet stop dead in my tracks as my eyes meet a picture frame of a woman hanging on the wall. Slowly moving closer to take a better look at the picture, it’s her.
The woman who used to come to that quiet garden years back with her daughter. The lady I heard was dead alongside her daughter whom I fell in love with as a boy. But why was the lady’s picture here in Chloe’s home?
Hanging perfectly on this wall.
“She is beautiful, right?” Elara’s voice comes from behind. Her feet stop beside me.
“Why is she here?” I managed to find my voice. Still trying to believe the fact I’m seeing right.
“Because this is her home, Alpha Arthur. She is my mother. She was murdered when I was still a little girl,” Elara explains, and my head snaps in her direction.
I swallow hard, trying to take in the information and the fact this woman is connected to Elara. “Does she have another child who died with her that day?”
“No, Alpha Arthur. I’m the only child of my mother,” she confirms, and the realization hits me.
“Elara!!” The only word that proceeds from my lips as I stand, looking at her in shock.
Elara was the girl. The child I fell in love with as a boy. My first love.