Indecent Savages

Azalea "You had some nerve to walk right on our turf without your group of dark mages. Are you looking down on us, thinking we couldn't retaliate like the last time when you infiltrated this kingdom?" How I wished these people had kept their voices down a little bit. My head would explode at this rate even before they had the chance to burn me at the stake. Ironic, but I still didn't want to die like this, and that was why I was behaving. Keeping my head down, I mumbled, "I didn't come here with that intention in mind." Those shackles around me began to leave bruises on my skin. It hurt every time they poured water on me due to their frustration of not finding any fault in the response they received, but I often got ignored when I asked for some to drink. My throat felt like sandpaper; it didn't help how emotional I was getting because of the betrayal I faced from the people I almost considered my family. "You keep repeating the same thing to our team whenever you are asked whether you have your subordinates stationed close to our territory! Seeing how stealthily you sneaked in, they must be preparing for the attack while having you distracting us like you are here to kidn@p our children for your experiments!" The agitated investigating officer spoke with a sneer. "Am I wrong? Heh! None of you will get away from this. I am telling you now, b!tch." Not all dark mages deserve this mistreatment, but these werewolves' blinding hatred of us clouded their judgment and made them unable to see things objectively. It made things easier for these mages in this land to put their blame on us. I should have known it wouldn't end well once I got caught sneaking in by those vengeful werewolves in their kingdom. As the Great Dark Magician's disciple, I knew I would soon become their target, a natural enemy they would like to eliminate, but did that have to be this soon? What about the responsibility I have yet to take to his Highness Prince Amaury and help him to achieve his goals? I wanted to make Amaury the king, not because he saw him as my friend. He went through hell all his life in the hands of his family and his abductor, my master. Though he never liked me and left without saying goodbye, there was never a day I didn't pray for his safety. The other successor candidates might be planning to assassinate him, which made me even more worried about him, which was why I came here to become his aide, but I didn't know I would run into my family, who once sold me to the mage tower master. My parents are gone now, but they left my siblings with their debt. Technically, I was no longer anyone to them, but those children were too young to work or have enough in the bank to pay the debtor collectors their money back before the due date. After what Amaury and I went through, I couldn't let those kids suffer the same fate. No, it had nothing to do with my relationship with them. I can still remember how they didn't cry or try to stop their parents from sending me away from home. I wanted to help them only because I didn't want to ruin the future king's image and our dream to build our homeland anew. Quite unfortunately, those children turned out just like their parents. Those little imps sold me off to those werewolves before I could take out the saved-up money I had in my account. No wonder my ex-fiancé used me as a rebound, and I didn't even realize that until the very end. "We have all the spies and traitors captured, but hundreds of children and omegas still go missing every year from our kingdom. Even our witnesses said our werewolves were taken to the forbidden region on this continent, which you dark mages rule now!" This time, something in me snapped. It could be because my siblings made up a story about my character, and those council members of this werewolf kingdom kept coming and telling me harsh things to make me say something I didn't want to. That place is my home now; these people had no right to say stuff like that about the citizens I came to love and accept as my family. "Are you sure you are doing your job right?" "Excuse me?" There was a look of astonishment in that woman's eyes. She was young, probably my age, but she was not strong enough for an alpha she should be proud of. I had enough of this, and I wouldn't feel that bad to make her the target of ridicule. "The people who go missing or get sold off are the most vulnerable ones who can't protect themselves." I breathed harshly, looking deep into her eyes. "Even if you see them get abused in their home, you turn a blind eye and don't want to interfere in their family matters. You say that's not your job, don't you?" That was what everyone said and what I experienced. "And if an alpha from an affluent family forces any she-wolf to submit in the middle of the street, you choose to become bystanders and call the victim shameless." It would be the first time I talked back to someone who came for the interrogation; I always cooperated with them, even if I saw these hot-blooded individuals lose their composure. But unlike them, this woman, a mage from the council, was too reckless with her words and actions and didn't hesitate to raise her hand to smack me to shut up. The only thing I could do was to shut my eyes and wait for the impact, which never came. "Don't you dare to insult- " "That's enough." Slowly, I opened my eyes as I felt a strong presence walking in from the front door of this warehouse. But instead of looking behind me, I watched the woman and the others present closely and found it odd how they stood there like frozen mannequins. Judging by their expressions, mostly how that woman's hand halted in midair was trembling, that individual slowly approaching me from behind had to be someone with the power to challenge the council. Even the royal family had to think twice before using that tone of authority on these members, which made me wonder who he could be. I was startled by how this man suddenly sat on the table facing me, unlike the others, who kept their distance from me. I knew I wasn't as short as a woman, but before him, I felt too insignificant to even look into his eyes; so I kept my eyes everywhere but at him. "Andrei, ask everyone to leave." Even his words held superiority. He must be strong for even that arrogant woman's voice to tremble as she tried to argue with him. It was a futile effort when this man's beta talked in his alpha's stead while having the others they brought with them forcibly escort the council members out of the warehouse they found convenient to keep me locked for the past few days. "A-alpha Deon, you should know that no one can interfere in the committee's action." "That doesn't give you folks the right to run unchecked in someone else's territory. Besides, you were given enough time for your interrogation, don't you think?" His beta snarled. "And you didn't find anything useful to take this matter to the imperial court." "Will you take responsibility if anything goes wrong at our federation event? It will be only right if you hand her over to us." "Then will you be okay if one of your existing clans affiliated with your council disappears from this region overnight?" Their argument sent chills down my spine. I wasn't that kind of person, but no one here would believe me, even if I said a thousand times that I hated violence. It hurts getting judged by them, but I had no way of knowing that the beta guy wasn't talking about me, but his alpha who was silently watching me. This kingdom was founded around that time; they celebrate this event with foreign delegates and the clans outside this kingdom. I chose this time to come here, believing Amaury wouldn't have many eyes on him, and I could get the time to convince him to take me as his aide. I had that qualification and had my fake documents ready with someone on this side's help. It was my fault for getting distracted like this after running into my younger siblings. If, by any chance, my presence was revealed, my friend would be charged with terrorism, as they see me and my people as one, and Amaury may lose his right in the succession battle. The seeds of distrust couldn't be easily erased unless he had something that would help him to regain his position in his citizen's hearts again. Everyone in that room left quietly except for that man, but I was too tense to notice that change. I didn't want to die like that, but I also couldn't bring his name to get out of this situation, just like how I hadn't used my magic since I was brought here as a criminal. I would rather die than use my power on this land unless I have Amaury and his citizens he cherishes to save. "You are just Azalea Schulhoff, you say?" I blinked and came out of my daze, feeling his breath over my forehead. "...yes." Most of the people I encountered recognized who I was and kept their distance immediately, which was the case even for Amaury when he was brought in after the abduction. It was inevitable since my master and his fellow mages had been on the news for quite a while before they went around causing trouble and ruining their image at a level that we disciples had left nowhere to go. "And you were born and raised in the Forest of Dungeons with the other dark mages." "...that's more like it." His deep gaze was too intense, but I still didn't glance in his way for once. I had a bad feeling about how he was interrogating me while pressing on the words that sounded overly cynical; as if he knew something the council didn't. "Though the Summer family traded this valuable information of yours for their debt exemption, I am still sending the boy to the ocean and the girl to the dark alley I control. Neither the royals nor the council can interfere in my business because it's related to a debt they won't pay off on behalf of others." My heart dropped in the pit of my stomach. "Clashing with me would be the last thing they would want now, but I am surprised how quickly I got the permission granted from the fourth prince to settle the current issue of my domain as quietly as possible without revealing anything about the presence of the dark mage." So, he knows I am here. I felt emotional, but a sudden foreboding feeling washed over me that made me raise my gaze at him. "Well, of course, it didn't come for free; I had to give away the information about his brother who had been gathering the nobles for rebellion against him." The tip of my fingers turned cold seeing him smile. "He also ordered me to escort you out of this empire." For Amaury to have someone to do dirty work for him who had so much power to challenge even the council members whom even the royals wouldn't want to go against them, should not be angered no matter what. This man could be his ally, but he might change his mind after feeling me out. I had to do everything to keep him by my friend's side, even if he turned out dangerous; someone I needed to keep my distance from. Not to mention, just like the rest of the werewolves, he was showing open hostility towards me. "I... won't be leaving any time soon." Cautiously, I let him know my answer without wasting a second to wonder about what I had just heard from him. "I am not planning to." His instant response made me jump in my place as his gaze narrowed. "It isn't just because of how much you made me lose in a day, or for my grudges against you dark mages. Many things about you keep piquing my interest, like that magic-blocking handcuff..." I swallowed thickly as he eyed the shackles they put around me, and how sharp his senses were to tell what the others didn't realize until now. "I don't know about you much, but you could easily break them and hurt us Weres, yet you didn't, even after staying locked up here for over two weeks under this harsh surveillance." "That's a relief." I let out a breath with an easy smile. At least, someone noticed I was trying to gain their trust. Now that I was aware of both of their sides to keep my presence a secret, I needed to use this opportunity to have this man at my side and make him lower his guard a little. "You are free to take any precautionary measures; I have no issue with that. If you want, I can compensate you for the trouble I put you through with his highness, Prince Amaury, and pay the debt for my- " Stopping for a while, I cleared my throat to hide what was about to escape my lips. " -I mean for those unfortunate kids who lost their parents not long ago." I felt something off about everything he said, but I brushed my thoughts aside and chose to be honest with him, instead. "Just leave the girl out of your plans. Her mate or anyone she falls for may not accept her once she gets tainted." Although trading wasn't my specialty, I had an idea of how to make him more interested in me. He says he sells information, right? He was also a loan shark at the same time. This led me to realize that he would put money before everything else and might also have a connection with the members of the underworld auction house. It wasn't for my ungrateful siblings, of course. I wasn't a good person, so I wouldn't pretend to be one. I could do this for everyone's sake, making sure not to be obvious that I was willing to go this far for Amaury. These people might also realize that dark mages have no malicious intentions against them. "Very well then." He stood up and brushed off the dust on his coat over his shoulders, making me wonder how they never fell off when they didn't have their arms in the sleeves; I was envious as I couldn't carry mine like him. It was a relief that he didn't look angry anymore and showed his crafty side as he spoke with eagerness, "I hope you won't make me wait for long." "Don't worry about it, sir. In three days, I'll bring you something- " I didn't know what happened next, but I sure lost consciousness right after feeling a piercing pain in my neck. That's so rude! I wanted to celebrate this moment when I had a proper conversation with another wolf in my lifetime. Like seriously? We weren't even done talking, for heaven's sake! There were so many things left to discuss with him, too. Couldn't he see how exhausted I looked from not having a proper meal in the last few days I was imprisoned? I would have fallen asleep, and it wouldn't have been a hassle for them to move me somewhere else. I was a heavy sleeper, for crying out loud!