The Alpha’s Bald Luna

Secret meeting

~ KELANI ~

The next morning, I was ready to leave for the laboratory - as ready as one can be to be a lab rat. It felt humiliating especially as I had no say in the decision. I felt like an actual rat.

After last night’s discovery, I didn’t want to face the princess so I left without informing her. The laboratory couldn’t be too far from the palace and it was daytime; I would find my way.

I easily made it out of the palace grounds, a few greetings to the guards here and there. Seeing them reminded me of just how difficult it would be to get to King Aries and cut his head off. I would probably be a porcupine of arrows before my weapon reached the king. And even if I managed to get to him before they got me, what happens after? This was why I had to be patient. An opportunity would present itself. It always does.

Once outside the Grand Opal, I followed the same road I walked with the princess yesterday. It led to the busy hub of the kingdom. Where next?

I tried to ask for directions from the friendliest looking Shana male I saw but he hit me with a “F*ck you, boy. Do I look like a map or what?”

So I went to one who looked like he wouldn’t even smile back at a baby. “Hail Shana. Please, what’s the way to the laboratory?”

He looked at my bald head for at least five seconds longer than necessary. “Go left.”

I took the next left turn I saw and continued on a narrow footpath. High grasses flanked me on both sides and I had to use my hands to keep them out of my way. Going by one of my father’s favorite proverbs - a busy road has no grass, the road to the lab was certain not a busy one.

I stopped abruptly when I saw a group of Shana males. Warriors, actually. I recognized their uniform from the night I was captured. They seemed to be in a meeting of some sorts, one that was meant to be a secret given the odd location and hushed tones.

Ooops. Wrong way. I made a quick swerve to retreat and take another path but it was too late.

“Kelani!” The voice was dripping with hostility.

I turned around and my body tensed as I recognized him. Lord Yuso, the Shana male who led the warriors that captured me. My interactions with him on the journey here were nothing short of terrible and I was not surprised to learn he was King Aries’s brother. Birds of a feather.

But what was he doing here?

“Hail Shana.” I greeted, my eyes stuck to my feet.

“Save that for a day you are not trespassing.” he replied flatly.

“I wasn’t trespassing, Lord Yuso. I lost my way. I was-“

“You must think I was born yesterday, swine,” he seethed, grabbing me by my collar and forcing me to look up at his mean face, “What did you hear?”

“I swear, I heard nothing.” I cried.

“We know werewolves have advanced hearing. He must have heard something. We must kill him at once before he says something to someone.” one suggested.

“Yes. Just cut his throat and get it done with. It’s not worth the risk.” another agreed.

My heart raced. “Please, don’t kill me. I heard nothing at all-“

The loud neigh of a horse interrupted my pleading and Lord Yuso’s eyes dilated at the sound. “The king's horse. Disperse!”

He let go of me like a hot plate and disappeared into the bushes. The warriors also darted in different directions. In a few seconds, I was alone with my pounding heart.

The neighs and hoofbeats got closer and soon, a magnificent horse was standing in front of me. It was chalky white and I fought the urge to run my hand through its shiny fur coat. The seal of the king was on the saddle’s fender.

“What are you doing here?” The rider’s tone was impatient, like he had better things to do than talk to me.

“I’m trying to find my way to the laboratory.” I muttered, hoping I wasn’t about to go from frying pan to fire.

He looked at me like he was deciding if I was lying before giving me a curt nod. “I’m going in that direction. Would you mind joining me?

I was relieved. At least, there was one good person in Shanakoi. “I would be honoured, Sir.”

“Aye, let’s go.”

He spurred the horse and it started trotting forward. I blinked in shock at the scene playing out. Was I the crazy one for expecting to join him on the horse or was he the crazy one for expecting me to run after a horse on foot?

When he noticed I wasn’t following, he halted the horse and turned to me. “Is there a problem?”

I forced my agape mouth to reply. “No… no, I’m right behind you.”

I ran to meet the horse and continued to run after the horse all the way to the laboratory. I didn’t have a choice. Lord Yuso and his group were probably still lurking in the bushes, waiting for the king’s rider to pass so they could decide the best way to kill me in order to keep whatever the motive of their meeting was secret.

By the time we reached the lab, I was dusty, sweaty and had mastered the hindquarters of a horse so well, I could draw it from memory. To the rider’s credit, he kept the horse’s pace manageable; I knew a horse that brawny could run three times faster than it did.

“Over there.” He pointed at a building that looked in desperate need of renovation - the first of its kind I had seen in Shanakoi.

I tried to say “Thank you” but the words wouldn’t leave my mouth. He didn’t deserve it. I simply nodded to him and he rode away while I accepted that I was yet to meet a good Shana.

Alpha Mardeo was sitting on a stool when I entered the lab, his brows nearly touching as he concentrated hard on releasing a bluish liquid into a conical flask that held another dark liquid.

I found it fascinating. The same hands that so carelessly threw punches were now carefully working with his alchemical tools.

I felt him tense as I reached him and his nose twitched like he was sniffing. Was it me or was it it the mixture he was trying to perceive?

“Greetings.” I said.

He offered a single nod, his eyes fixed on his project.

I took a walk around as I waited for him to finish whatever he was doing. The laboratory was airy and spacious with floor to ceiling tiles that would have to swear they were once any other colour but deep brown. I wondered just how old the building was.

There was a long sturdy table in the middle separating the room into two aisles. On it were varying sizes of crucibles, mortars with pestles, cauldrons, tongs, and other equipment I couldn’t recognize. A few stools were placed under the table.

Far ahead at the end of the room was a furnace. On both sides of it were closed cupboards and a long bookshelf with ancient looking scrolls was suspended on the left wall.

“This shelf looks like it’s about to fall.” I commented before I could stop myself.

“It’s looked like that for decades. Still hasn’t fallen.” he answered, still not looking up at me.

His voice was really deep and gravelly. When I read stories about powerful Alphas that had changed the trajectory of the werewolf realm, this was what I imagined they sounded like. The kind of voice that didn’t need to be raised to be commanding. Soulful. And a little sinful.

I looked at him now, really looked at him, trying to see how much of him I could figure out just from his appearance. I looked at his dark hair that seemed like it could use some jojoba oil (years of caring for and obsessing over my now lost hair had turned me into something of a hair doctor), his honey brown eyes that pulled like a magnet, his angular jaw that was sporting a bold stubble, his broad shoulders that were a perfect fit for the rest of his sculpted body.

Was he born in Shanakoi? Since he wasn’t a captive like me, what was he doing here? I refused to believe any sane person would come to live here willingly.

“You’re a werewolf.” I started.

“I thought the Alpha title would give it away.” he replied distractedly.

“So what are you doing here?”

“Titrating this compound.”

I rolled my eyes. “No, I don’t mean the lab. I mean the kingdom. What are you doing in Shanakoi?”