Alpha Malik strode into the throne room, his regal figure towering over the ministers who quickly fell silent, their gazes dropping to the floor. Despite the smile on his face, his aura exuded a sense of danger that made them uneasy–Knowing the meaning whenever a smile curled up his lips.
Taking his seat on the throne, he gestured to his right-hand man, Jaguars, to bring forth the messages and petitions. As he perused them, he occasionally muttered to himself, nodding in agreement or frowning in displeasure.
Finally, he looked up and addressed the room. “Are there any matters that require my immediate attention?”
One of the ministers stepped forward, bowing deeply before addressing the king. “Your Majesty, the people are growing restless. They demand an heir from the Queen, but she has not yet borne you a child, nor have any of the concubines.”
Alpha Malik’s smile faltered, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And what do you suggest we do about it?”
The minister hesitated, knowing the king’s views on such matters. “Perhaps we could bring in two new concubines, Your Majesty?”
The king’s anger flared, and he stood up from his throne. “Is that what this is about? Your desires, rather than the good of the kingdom?”
The ministers shuffled nervously, none daring to meet his gaze.
Alpha Malik felt a deep sense of disgust toward his ministers. Despite making it clear that he had no interest in their daughters being brought in as concubines, they continued to push the issue, always wanting to bring in more even when he refused to acknowledge any of them.
Alpha Malik sighed heavily, his demeanor softening slightly. “I will consider your proposal, but it is not a priority at this time. We have more pressing matters to attend to.”
He then turned to the ministers of finance and accounting, his smile turning sinister. “Gentlemen, would you care to explain to the house why you have been stealing from the community business?”
The ministers in question paled, their guilt written plain on their faces. Jericho, the king’s brother and one of the ministers in question felt a chill run down his spine.
“We… we were only trying to help the kingdom, Your Majesty,” one of the ministers stammered.
Alpha Malik’s gaze hardened. “By stealing from our people? Your actions have caused great harm to our economy and our citizens. This betrayal will not go unpunished.”
The room fell silent, as the king’s words echoed in the minds of all present. They knew that when Alpha Malik was angry, he was not one to be trifled with. And with the revelation of the embezzlement, the stakes had just become much higher.
Jericho swallowed hard, realizing the gravity of his mistake. He had always thought he could get away with his schemes, but now he saw the error of his ways. As the king’s gaze turned towards him, he knew that he was in for a reckoning.
Alpha Malik turned to Jericho, his eyes cold and calculating. “And what do you think about this, Jericho? As one of the ministers responsible for the kingdom’s affairs, I assume you have an opinion on this matter.”
Jericho, feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, quickly tried to compose himself. He gave a small nod to the two offending ministers, signaling that he would try to find a way to help them out of this mess. Then, turning to face the king, he spoke in a confident tone.
“Your Majesty, as the minister in charge of the community’s economics, I suggest we throw the two offenders into prison immediately. However, I also propose that we conduct a thorough investigation to determine if any other ministers were involved in this sinful act.”
As soon as Jericho finished speaking, murmurs erupted among the other ministers, some in support of his proposal, while others expressed skepticism.
Alpha Malik eyed Jericho warily, unsure if he could trust his brother’s sudden change in heart. But for the moment, he decided to hear him out.
“Very well,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “We will investigate and warn you, Jericho, if I find that you were involved in any way, you will suffer the same fate as these two.”
Jericho nodded, his face set in a determined expression. He knew that he had to tread carefully if he was to emerge from this unscathed. For the moment, he would focus on clearing his name and finding a way to help his fellow ministers. The road ahead would be treacherous, but he was determined to see it through.
As the discussion continued, Alpha Malik proposed the creation of a small school to teach the illiterate members of the community how to read and write. The ministers reacted with anger, arguing that education was not something to be handed out to the lower class like charity.
They claimed that it was their education that had enabled them to attain their status and that if the poor were allowed to read and write like them, it would devalue their education.
Alpha Malik listened to their objections with a cold expression on his face. “Are you telling me that the only thing that separates you from the poor is your ability to read and write?” he asked, his voice rising in anger. “Is that all your education is worth? To differentiate you from the common man?”
The ministers looked uncomfortable, but some still tried to defend their position.
Alpha Malik shook his head in disgust and rose from his throne. “You are all too selfish,” he said. “I will not allow your narrow-mindedness to stand in the way of progress for our community.”
With that, he strode out of the throne room, his right-hand man Jaguars following close behind. The ministers were left to argue amongst themselves, their voices growing more heated by the minute.
As they made their way to the king’s chambers, Jaguars spoke up. “My lord, why do you trust your brother to handle the investigation into the embezzlement?” he asked. “Do you not fear that he may be involved?”
Alpha Malik chuckled darkly. “It is a trap,” he said. “I want to see where his loyalties lie. If he truly cares for the community, he will work to uncover the truth. If not, he will expose himself as a fraud.”
Jaguars nodded in understanding as they reached the king’s chambers. Alpha Malik dismissed his guards and collapsed onto his bed, exhausted from the long day.
“Evans” Alpha Malik called and Evans rushed in, he bowed his head as a sign of obeisance.
“Please inform the masked girl that I will see her at our usual place tonight” He uttered curtly.
“Of course, my lord,” Evans replied with a bow and a nod, eager to leave the room. However, as he turned to go, he couldn’t help but notice the king’s unsteady breathing. It was a telltale sign that Alpha Malik was struggling once again.
Realizing that the king must be finding it hard to breathe, Evans hurriedly left the room, determined to find Morena and bring her to treat the king.
As Evans left, Alpha Malik was left alone with his thoughts. It had been a trying day, and he found himself struggling with his breathing again. It had been a long time since this had happened, and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was because he had finally realized the truth about the majority of his ministers – that they were all selfish and only interested in the gain.
Despite his weariness, he found himself looking forward to the night. There was one person who could bring him the peace he so badly craved and he longed to forget about everything else and simply enjoy the company of that person– The masked girl