RIVER'S REDEMPTION

CHAPTER TWO

Morina

After the chaotic council meeting, I made a decision on my own. I was going to go to the enemy camp outside the castle’s gates and meet with Alpha River to put an end to this war myself.

Though it was night time already, I was still donning a black cloak, and my face was covered with a hood. I sneaked out of the castle using a secret passageway and found myself in the dense forest outside of it.

I could already see many lights and tents hitched within the forest. Though hundreds of people were fighting to break down the castle’s gates right now, thousands were patiently waiting here, enjoying the night.

Fuck. We were really doomed.

It was easy to tell which one of the tents belonged to Alpha River after discreetly eavesdropping on the relaxed soldiers around the place. But the tent was heavily guarded with people walking in and out of it.

The only thing I could do was reveal myself and go in undisguised.

So, I marched to the entrance of the tent with my face still slightly covered. Before I could enter, I was stopped by one of the guards.

“Identify yourself,” his deep voice sounded.

I pulled off my hood and puffed out my chest as I said with a bold voice, “Morina Benoit, the sun of the Vinory Empire and Crown Princess.”

The night became silent for a moment. The moment didn’t last for long as everyone pointed their weapons at me.

“You dare not attack me,” I said, confidently. I activated an unspoken illusionary spell to exert the dominance aura of an Alpha wolf.

“I wish to see Alpha River Sinclair. Let me in.”

“You will not—” One of the guards began saying but was cut off by a deep voice that came from the inside of the tent.

“Who is causing a ruckus in my territory?”

The owner of the voice walked out of the tent. It was a tall, muscular man with tan skin. He had deep green eyes and an angular jawline. His silky brown hair lengthed to his shoulders.

His rough features depicted he had a strong and unrefined character.

“I am Morina Benoit. I wish to speak with you.”

As soon as I said those words, his lips curled into a sinister smile.

“I have been waiting for you. Come in.”

I wasn’t the only one stunned by those words as one of the guards spluttered over his words.

“A-Alpha, are you sure?”

“Hm,”

After humming, Alpha River disappeared back into his tent. I took that as a cue to enter, glaring at the people who had been pointing their weapons at me previously.

I saw that Alpha River had already settled down on a wooden chair behind a desk covered with clutter. I didn’t want to sit down on the chair across from him. So, I stopped a few feet away from his desk and began speaking.

“You said you have been waiting for me, so I can assume that you are ready to discuss the terms of ending this war and drawing peace, correct?”

I still hadn’t stopped using my illusionary spell to exert dominance. It was all so I could appear unintimidated, even though I was secretly frightened by this man in front of me.

“Peace, you say? How ridiculous. And also, hasn’t the war already come to an end? What are you here to talk about?” Alpha River said.

As soon as he said those words, the ground beneath our feet shook violently as a loud sound echoed from a distance. My heart skipped a beat.

That was the sound the castle’s strong gates made when it was let down. No, no, no, no. It couldn’t be…

“By now, my soldiers should have rounded up the people within the castle. The Empire is now mine.” Alpha River stood up from his chair and began making his way towards me, slowly.

That should be impossible.

The gates could only be opened from the inside. Which meant that someone from the inside betrayed the Empire.

“Who did it?” I asked, trying to mask the fear that was creeping up inside me as my eyes strayed downwards.

“Guess,” Alpha River said as two of his fingers connected with my chin. Then he lifted it up so that I could look directly into his piercing eyes.

There were only two people on my mind, but I didn’t dare say their names out loud.

“It’s not too late. We can still come to an agreement. The throne can only accept those who bear moon-blessed wolves. You can’t—”

“I can’t what? Take over the throne because of some lie your family spun to protect your disgusting selves?” Alpha River spat.

“How dare you…” were the only words that could come out of my mouth.

He tightened his grip on my chin as he let out a scoff. “The reign of the Benoits is over. And with it, the lies made up by your family. By tomorrow, I’ll make sure that the entire Empire knows that there is no such thing as a ‘moon-blessed wolf.’

“They’ll also know that the Crown Princess they had such high hopes on doesn’t even have a wolf. How ridiculously tragic.” Alpha River laughed icily after that and let go of my chin.

“H-How do you know that?” My voice didn’t come out as strong as I wanted it to.

“Your little sister and your mate were gracious enough to spare me from stressing my soldiers too much. Your sister offered me a very interesting deal. In exchange for letting down the castle’s gates and handing over the throne, I would get you.”

“Me?”

“Of course, don’t you think you’re worth it? The entire Empire is now in my hands because of you.” Alpha River said.

I was still trying to wrap my head around his words when soldiers flooded the tent. Someone kicked the back of my knees, and I was forced to crash on the ground.

“Seize her.” Alpha River ordered with a detached tone. “When we get to the castle, throw her inside a dungeon.”

The strength to struggle as the soldiers began dragging me out from the tent left my body as the thought of Ciara betraying both me and Vinory weighed on my mind.

How could she do such a thing?

***

A dungeon cell was a place that I had never been on the outside. Though I had frequently come down here to interrogate prisoners, never would I have ever thought that one day, I, myself, would become a prisoner.

And outside of this cold and dark dungeon, a coronation ceremony was going on to crown Alpha River Sinclair the Werewolf Emperor of Vinory.

While I, the rightful heir to the throne, was locked inside a dungeon cell.

After that thought crossed my mind, I heard the sound of footsteps. I quickly stood up from the cement floor and grabbed the bars of the cell to see who it was.

As the person came close enough, I realised that it was someone that I would never have expected to be here.

“Hello, Morina.”