Chapter 13
1744 Words
POV: Abel
Time had gone before I was told of Christoff’s arrival. “Sir, Christoff is here” one of the guards called out to me walking in the room with Christoff matching behind him.
“Your highness” Christoff took a very deliberate bow the moment he came close to where I sat.
“Well, Hello, my friend” I answered him. “Leave us” and as commanded, every soul in the room left leaving just I and my old friend, Christoff.
“To what do I owe this pleasure? The last time I checked you don’t seem to need me anymore. Not even when it’s an official business” Christoff sounded hostile. I can’t blame him, I deserve that.
“As for the official business, you are part of the parliamentary team, aren’t you? And o asked the parliament to get back to me in regards to the war waging, why the f**k haven’t anyone of you and your cohorts gotten back to me?”
“They are as frightened as you are, Alpha. None of us have seen or heard from each other since, but hopefully we would soon”, I really wasn’t satisfied with his answer but I went on from it.
“Christoff, asides your brain, smart mouth, brutal nature and your agility as man, I had you on my parliament cos you are my friend first. Why are you disappointing me?”
“Okay, do you want me to talk to you as a friend or as your subject?” Christoff asked with both hands held up as though he was surrendering. Just as he’s always done since we were young boys when he wants to say something serious to me.
I miss my friend, I must admit. We’ve not been in a good place lately. We’re were once inseparable now we can’t spend an hour in a room without getting on each others nerve. Mr Perfect felt I was too unserious with my life. I’m alpha, and I won’t let any peasant talk down on me even on the grounds of friendship. I put him in his place, of course. But now I needed his honest opinion even though there’s a high chance that I’m not ready for it. I went for it anyways.
“What advice would you give your friend?”
Immediately Christoff got into character. He dragged the chair to be near to me as he got comfortable even without being offered. That was how our friendship was.
“Right now, the people are scared. Rumors about the war have spread across and the people know that with the little to no allies that we have, facing the Shadow pack is suicide note. People are even leaving the north for safety entirely. I’m sorry to say this, but their faith in you is at the verge of dying if not dead already. And the worst part of it is that, nobody can tell you this due to how you react with anger or nonchalance towards their worries”, Christoff said the bitter truth to me literally in the most vulnerable way I have seen him.
That was something about how he was politely honest with me when I allow him to talk. Even with the little age difference, he respects me like I’m different from his younger brother.
Another thing about him is how he genuinely care for others. He is the man of the people. Maybe that’s why I feel threatened by him. I know the people prefer him to me. He’s diplomatic, he is political, he is serious, he gets the job done. The only thing is I am the one with the royal blood, not him.
“Might I suggest something that may work if you allow me? As a friend of course…” he asked with a smirk.
It was heartbreaking to watch my friend loose trust, faith and love for me. He doesn’t just not like how I run my affairs, he doesn’t even trust me to get anything right. This used to my biggest supporter. Anyways, Right now, I needed all hands on deck. I am open to ideas so I can at least save my people. I was almost brought to the verge of begging but I am alpha for a reason so instead, I said
“Indulge me, Christie. This is why you’re here!” I leaned forward towards him with my hand wedging my chin to listen to what he had to say. I looked sarcastic but in all honesty, I was seriously paying attention to what this smart man was about to say.
“I would suggest we seek for allies. I think you should reach out to packs even across Mystic Ville. Across the whole of Transdanubia, dammit! We need all the help we can get. If it means you going all the way, you should. But you can as well write them first to see who says yes on the go and those who may need a little persuasion” Christoff said confidently. He never disappoints me with his ideas.
“You have to do this with immediate effect. Time is against us. The people waging war with us are not just stronger, but they’ve been preparing to invade the Shadow pack and take over its leadership in the North. We need allies sooner than later”, he never disappoints me with his problem-solving abilities too.
“What went wrong between us, Christie”
“You still call me that name”
“We were like brothers, inseparable. The next thing I know, this is the longest conversation with had in years”, to be honest, I didn’t even know when I said that. But I realized I miss the way things used to be before I became Alpha.
“Oh come on! Don’t do this now”
“I’m serious Christie, what happened?”
“Abel, are you seriously gonna act like you don’t know?”
“I might have an idea, I need you point of view to add up my story. So what happened between us? Is it royalty?”
I think Christie realized when he paused to give me that look that I wasn’t joking, and behind this veined face of mine that has my eyebrows arched in a dangerous way, I am just harmlessly asking of a genuine answer.
“Okay. You know what, why don’t we send out these letters first and then if you’re still up for it, we talk about it over beer?” Christoff found his way to bring my mind back to business at hand. His problem-solving skills makes him too boring for me but he wasn’t wrong. There were more serious things ahead other than our bromance.
“Absolutely. Please send for the guards so I can get my pen, paper, seal, wax and everything stationary I will need. We are gonna be writing a lot. You know what? YOU are gonna be writing a lot” the idea to give this job to Christoff, knowing he’s so savvy at this and likes to do such stuff just clicked in.
He tried protesting but accepted reluctantly when I described how terribly I would do the job. He could not stand it. He was too professional, too disciplined for a haphazard job.
He already knew what to write, how to address it, whom to address it to. I’m glad that I could still have need for him either as a friend or as subject. I’m even more glad he answered, what would I have done without him?
“Know you may wanna hang around but you will be more of a distraction while I do this” he told me bluntly.
This motherfucker ordered me out my goddamn house. But that’s my friend for you. This is the man I used to know. I was at the door when I turned to him, already taking positions, melting the wax and setting down to start writing, I realized this is one person that cared for me genuinely. I didn’t know when I said
“Thanks for doing this, Christie”
He smiled and gave me a nod.
****
POV: Christoff
What the f**k just happened? What in gods name was that conversation? Who was that? Where is Abel and what has ‘that’ done to him?
The last time he was this calm and collected was eons ago. Of course we all went through teenage fever and youthful exuberances, but Abel refused to grow up. Worst part, he forgot how much we were friends since his father died. Since he was named Alpha, I became a peasant to him.
I’m not asking to be treated as good as he is but I thought our friendship and brotherhood could conquer walls and barriers, except I was wrong. Our friendship couldn’t conquer the wall of pride, arrogance and power that came with being the Alpha. Didn’t he learn anything from me?
Memories of how we grew randomly flashes my mind, remembering how we grew together from children and then boys and then men. Doesn’t he even remember that sometimes?
How dare he say he doesnt know what went wrong when I vividly remember. To think a wife, wonderful lady at that, was married for him with the hopes that he could be loved and that could tame him but she suffered most of his abuse of power. Nobody dares call him to order. ‘I am alpha’ was the drive behind is impulsive decision every goddamn time.
Memories of how we went hunting, fishing, pack riding, and wooing girls. Even on nights of the full moon where we transition into our wolves and hoot till morning while riding at full speed through the night.
These memories keep coming in and I ended up feeling sorry for Abel. He had such potential.
The smell of wax drew my attention to the letters I was writing. I was done writing them, I needed to address them properly.
“To The General Council Of The Moonstone Pack
Mystic Ville, Transdanubia.”
I wrote delicately in Front of the envelope, then turned to pour the melted wax at the back, sealing it the stamp of the Alpha, then stacking it with the other letter. Meanwhile, all that was going through my mind was
“What the hell is going on with that boy?”
- Writer
