Chapter Twelve: Suspicious
1159 Words
“Lord Bastian sent word, he wants to see you as soon as possible” Kyle stated.
“What about, what does he want?” Leila asked, surprised. They had initially agreed that Leila would remain in Dante’s packland, and carefully relocate her current pack members over there. That will definitely span for months. This was just the 2nd week after the battle, so she wondered why he was requesting her presence.
“The messenger did not share that information,”
“Is the messenger still around, or has he departed?” Leila asked.
“He is still available, awaiting your response to take him back”
“Then call him in. I would like to question him myself.”
“Ok, Alpha. I will be right back”. Kyle replied and walked away from the room.
Two minutes later, he walks back in with a vampire. He looked so pale, perhaps because he was so far away from home and had to travel by daylight.
“Lady Leila,” he curtsied as Bastian had instructed all of them as a sign of respect to Leila. ‘
“What message do you hear from your master?” Leila asked.
“He wishes to see you…”
“About what?”
“He wants details of the battle. He was not convinced about how easily it went without the loss of any life.”
“Well, truth be told, we also found it hard to believe, but I guess the moon goddess favored us. They were partying and were not expecting any opposition, hence I became easy prey for my men and I. That is the truth of the situation, you can tell Lord Bastian.”
“My Lady, he requests to see you.”
“I understand that perfectly well, but he is also aware of my plans. In fact, we discussed them together and right now it is more important that I stick to that plan, at least at this beginning stage. If I leave now, there are chances of an overthrow by his people,” Leila replied. She had no plans to go back to see Lord Bastian at that point.
Everyone in the outside world, including her, had assumed Alpha Dante was a cruel Alpha, but coming to his pack, getting to know his people, was gradually showing her that that was not the case. His people had good things to say about him and she was gradually getting weary.
Initially, she reasoned that they would be overjoyed to have someone overthrow their alpha and become their new leader. That was going to make his work easier; having the support of his people who despised him. But no one despised him here, at least she had yet to see anyone; slowly the narrative was fast becoming that he was only cruel to the outside packs but treated his own people extremely well. If she left now without first establishing her claim to his throne, then she doubted there would be a pack waiting for her when she got back.
“He’s not sure you have the right Alpha. Dante should not be so easy to take out, not at all.”
Leila rolled her eyes at him, this messenger seemed to enjoy dropping his information in bits and pieces. Whatever happened to saying the complete message once?
“You will go back and you will inform him that there is no cause for worry, I have the right Alpha locked away in his own cell/dungeon. And he is not going anywhere anytime soon. I would advise you to go along now, you don't want daylight meeting you here.” She dismissed the messenger who scampered off to deliver the message; his skin had regained its color before the end of the conversation.
***
In the Bastians court.
He was worried about how a battle with the Shadownight Pack would be so swift and easy to win. If he had known about that, he would have been attacked a long time ago. But not, as far as he was concerned, something must have happened, either that or they had the wrong Alpha, he thought .
“Unless… No. that’s not possible, she has been with me for 5 years. I never saw her use it, I doubt she even knows what it is.” he thought. He had sent out a messenger yesterday to find out what was going on and to bring Leila to him, but he had yet to arrive. Bastian wondered what could have happened to him.
“My Lord”, the messenger came in at that point.
“ Finally he returns, where’s Leila,” Bastian asks, looking behind him.
“My Lord, she said she would not be able to leave at this point in time, that she has to establish her strength there first before leaving.” the messenger reports, cursing Bastian to smile; he had indeed trained the girl well and he could not be any prouder.
“And Alpha Dante?”
“He’s locked up in the dungeon.”
“Not dead! How are they sure that is the right person, because for all we know, he might be using a doppelganger?”
“She mentioned she is sure she has the right person.”
Bastian was not satisfied. Anything was possible with werewolves and, in the truth, chances were Leila probably had the wrong person in there.
“Call me Jerry,” he responded, dismissing the messenger.
Jerry was one of Bastian’s right-hand men, he understood what was at stake and was part of the decision makers in his cabinet. He was going to send Jerry there to investigate deeper and, of course, confirm with Leila that he was the right man.
“You called for me Master”, Jerry curtsied after stepping into the room.
“I need you to do something for me. You must journey to the Shadownight pack and confirm the situation of things there. Also, I am not sure Leila has the right Alpha, unless she had help from somewhere we don’t know, that battle was not supposed to end that way. That disrupts all our plans,” Bastian orders. Jerry nods his head, understanding the assignment.
“Ok, master.”
“Good, there’s a picture of him in the war strategy room, you can take that along with you, to confirm it’s the correct person. You may leave now.”
“Will do as instructed.”
Jerry departed, first to the war strategy room where pictures of several werewolf pack leaders were arranged on the war. Dante’s picture hung high up, and linked to the other pictures, e was the main alpha to be kicked out. Leila’s picture also stood there, but in a separate corner. Hers was a beautiful picture painted by Bastian himself and he had the frame decorated with roses like a man worshipping his lovers beauty.
- Writer
