His Wolfless Bride

CHAPTER 10: The Crime

It’s hard to believe the accusation of this wolf against Captain Haile. What did Captain Haile do to be labeled as such?

I turn my gaze to Umber. His lifeless-looking eyes are clinging to his falling eyelids while his weak breath and his foamy saliva gush out of his partly open mouth. Normally, if a werewolf loses most of his strength, he’ll automatically transform back to his human form. Judging from Umber’s situation, he’s absolutely drained, but Captain Haile isn’t taking over his form.

My sympathy twists together with my anger. I didn’t do anything to save Captain Haile! I just stood and watched! If only I tried to do something, he might… he might… I pause when my gaze slants to Emelia’s sprawled body. She, in her wolf form, wasn’t able to save or even stop her son. If I forced myself to help, I’d end up like her. Was doing nothing and staying alive better than doing something and dying?

The wolves around Umber start hitching the silver chains to the nearby gnarled trees. When one of the wolves comes closer to the tree beside me, that's when I recognize the emblem of our kingdom attached on their blue and gold military uniforms. These wolves aren’t from another pack just as I thought. They are from the castle who are in direct service of the King Ultima and the Queen Suprema.

After the confusing and disturbing change in Umber's behavior, none from my pack dares to fight anymore, some have even transformed back to being humans. They all gawk with fear throttling their faces and stiffness strangling their bodies.

Our attention is then transfers from Umber to Alpha Marcellus as he’s being dragged by the men in blue and gold military uniforms. There's fear in Alpha Marcellus' eyes, but he’s really good at staying calm. There's also not a single scratch on him, making me assume that he didn’t even make an effort to transform into his wolf form to fight. One thing that I find odd is the chain wrapped around his upper body. The chain looks heavy and secured, but it isn’t made out of silver, so it isn’t as painful as the ones wrapped around Umber’s body.

Following Alpha Marcellus are his officials, who are still in their wolf forms. They are chained around their necks while being dragged like frowzy and disreputable dogs. Some of them attempt to pull away, but only end up moaning in pain when the chains around their necks tighten. Running towards the scene are Luna Claudette and Alpha Naomi, who are in tears. Like Alpha Marcellus, they are also unscathed. Their satin dresses are neat and unwrinkled. But unlike him, they are free, no chains around their bodies and no castle werewolves dragging them.

“Believe me! I’m not aware of what my husband did! I only found out when he returned from his mission a few days ago!” Luna Claudette yells.

My confusion about what’s happening and why we’re being under attack has become irrepressible. I get to my feet and ask in the loudest voice I can,

“Just what the hell is going on?!”

Everyone directs their eyes at me, but I particularly look at the light-gray wolf.

“Why did you call Captain Haile a criminal? What did my pack do to be treated this way? And what kind of ‘unforgivable’ sin does Alpha Marcellus and his officials commit? Mind explaining?”

The light-gray wolf’s stare that’s almost a glare gives me chills and tingles. What’s with this wolf that’s always shaking my calmness? After a few seconds, he focuses his sight on Luna Claudette, then on Alpha Naomi and, lastly, on my packmates.

He says, “I’ll let your Luna explain what her husband did. For now, I’ll be taking Marcellus and his officials back to the castle where they will be tortured and executed.”

Gasps fill the baffling ambience.

The way he says ‘torture’ and ‘executed’ has some slight celebration to it. It’s as if he’s been waiting for this day to come his whole life.

“Anyone who’ll dare to save them will die, right here, right now,” he adds.

My packmates move back at the threat, indicating that none is willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of these inept and corrupt high-ranking officials. Smart choice, if you ask me. If our roles are reversed, our leaders wouldn’t save us either.

“Don’t kill my father!” Alpha Naomi begs.

“Should I kill you, then?” the light-gray wolf asks. His tone, low and deadly.

Alpha Naomi dips her head down and doesn’t give an answer. On the other hand, Luna Claudette trudges towards the light-gray wolf, but is immediately stopped by the other castle werewolves. Tears continue to ruin the paint on her face. The overwhelming emotions smash her pride. It bends her knees to the ground, triggering more gasps to rumble in my ears. Sure, I want to see her fall and break, but I don’t feel any satisfaction seeing her this way in this situation. I don’t pity her either. I don’t feel anything at all towards her and her family.

She says, “Don’t kill my husband. Give him a chance. He can prove his loyalty to you. Please, I beg you, Prince Ultima.”

Prince Ultima?!

My eyes crinkle and my fingers twitch.

This wolf with outlandish-looking eyes is Prince Ultima Giannis? The crown prince of our kingdom?

Prince Giannis turns to Alpha Marcellus, who’s been very quiet, and asks, “Can you prove your loyalty to me now? Will you do whatever I ask of you?”

“Anything, My Prince Ultima,” Alpha Marcellus responds.

I’m not used to seeing or hearing Alpha Marcellus act or speak without his arrogance. His arrogance is his virtue, but of course, he doesn’t need that virtue at this point, he must beg for his life for whatever he has done.

“Well, then,” Prince Giannis says. “Kill your wife and your daughter… now… in front of me… in front of every member of your pack. Show them how ambitious and selfish you can be.”

The way he ordered the killing of those two crying b.itches is so calm, yet heartless. It makes me wanna consider that he’s worse than Alpha Marcellus in some way or another.

Alpha Marcellus is unresponsive, which is understandable - he can’t harm his family and can’t be loyal to the Prince Ultima. Therefore, he’ll be tortured and executed.

Prince Giannis motions his head to his men. Needless for word, Alpha Marcellus, together with his officials, is dragged towards the glass-and-metal wagons at the far-end of our territory’s open space. Luna Claudette and Alpha Naomi could do nothing, but to watch and cry even louder.

“Since not all of you are involved in the crime committed by your Main Alpha and his officials, the Queen Suprema and the Prince Ultima have decided to let you live. You can stay in this territory and retain the Crimson Crystal Pack’s name,” one of the castle wolves says. He pauses to see if there will be a violent reaction from anyone. When there’s none, but anxiety and uncertainty, he continues, “Marcellus’ wife and daughter will be stripped off of their titles. New leaders will be designated to this pack in a week or so. Those new leaders will be chosen by the Queen Suprema and the Prince Ultima themselves.”

Alpha Naomi… I mean, Naomi and Claudette’s tears stop for a moment and when they cascade again, they’re larger and more profuse. It’s nice to see that I’m not the only one who’s wasted now, the ones I hate are too.

When the castle wolf concludes his announcement, I authorize my confusion to be known again.

“Wait!” I say. “None of my questions from earlier have been answered. The Luna, I mean, the former Luna wouldn’t give me an explanation coz I’m a ‘nobody’ to her. She’ll only talk about this matter to the ones she likes.”

Glare from Claudette is shot at me. I wanna smug at her, but decide not to coz insulting her isn’t my prime concern.

The castle wolf glances at Prince Giannis for permission, but the prince remains quiet. So, he also becomes quiet.

The feeling of being ‘unnecessary’ irritates me. That irritation commands my action. Without careful consideration, I pick up a stone, then throw it at the Prince Ultima. It hits his wounded right front leg, making him hiss. The other castle wolves grunt at me, but none inch closer.

“Do you know that I’m not in the mood to play nice coz Haile is still alive?” the Prince Ultima asks while his glare aimed at me.

‘Haile is still alive’ - does that mean he’s expecting Haile to die? By how the silver chains are weakening Umber each second, he might really die and it’s scaring me. This light-gray wolf loathes Captain Haile so much. Whatever crime is committed by Captain Haile, I’m pretty sure that it’s in accordance with Alpha Marcellus’ orders. So he should be angry at Alpha Marcellus and not with Captain Haile!

“I still wanna kill and I might choose you to be my victim,” he adds.

“Oh no,” I say with confidence. “It’s not honorable to kill someone who’s just asking some valid questions. You attacked my pack. You caused chaos in our territory. You put us in uncertain situations. So I deserve to know what I’m demanding to know.”

Though Prince Giannis sounds and looks frightening at times, the fact that he gave me a pouch of gold coins before and didn’t include all of us in the crime of our leaders, means that he has a soft side in him. There’s no way he could harm me for simply being audacious.

Prince Giannis softens his glare, then says, “Fine. I’ll answer your questions for your peace of mind.”

I shift my weight as I wait for his answers.

“Your Main Alpha plotted a coup to overthrow my family from the seat of power, in an attempt to take over and lead our kingdom. Your Main Alpha wants to be king.”

Gasps and whispers engulf my ears. Wide eyes and dropped jaws swamp my vision.

It’s astonishingly shocking to know that Alpha Marcellus’ nastiness could be even worse! How dare he want an entire kingdom when he can’t even lift one pack out of poverty! His crookedness is beyond incredible!

Just when I’m about to ask about Captain Haile’s participation in the coup, Prince Giannis clenches his canines and precedes me from speaking as if he’s able to read my mind.

“And Captain Haile…,” he pauses, trying to cool down his burning anger. “He murdered the King Ultima. He took my father away from me. And that to me is the most unforgivable crime that cannot be repaid by a quick and simple death. He’ll regret being born in the kingdom I will lead.” he pauses again, but this time, to correct himself. “No, actually, he’ll regret being born at all.”

My hands fly to my mouth when a long, sharp breath escapes me. Distress foams in my chest. I remember back in the market of the neighboring pack, a newspaper vendor was shouting that the King Ultima had been murdered, but I didn’t pay attention to it coz my growling, empty stomach was my only concern at that moment.

Why? Why did Captain Haile allow Alpha Marcellus to poison his mind? For a promotion? Is that how desperate he is to be promoted? He forgets, not only his promise of protecting and loving me, but also his principles for the sake of power and authority?