The Compromise

“You know what, don't bother answering. I'm going to behead you by morning which will serve as a warning to others who ventured into my territory unannounced and uninvited” Aedon announced gently, raking his hands through his head as he signals to Bryan to take her away. Even after saying that, he felt guilty like he had just committed the greatest sin.

Why should he be feeling this? This wasn't the first time he was beheading a spy in his palace. Why is this woman different? Aedon questioned himself as he avoided her eyes.

“But_________” She turned to protest, screaming loudly as they led her away from him, silencing her protest with a slap. He wanted to kill all of them. All of those hands that touched her, he wanted to cut them off. She wasn't to be touched by anyone except him.

Aedon was about doing just that when he felt a hand tapped his shoulder lightly. He turned slowly to behold his sister watching him with concern. He schooled his expression back to neutral and signal for her to speak.

“Are you sure it's alright?” Milena asked him with gentleness in her voice. She didn't want to provoke him again as he was a ticking time bomb which could explode any second. 

She rushed to explain herself as soon as she saw Aedon clenched his fist in anger“ I mean, she did say she was lost. I think we need to let her explain herself, so we could help her to find her people” Milena corrected herself as she waited for his response. She doesn't know why she is defending the girl but in the short time, she has met her. She felt she was the only one that could tame Aedon Walia.

Aedon frowned. He didn't know why the thought of sending her back to her people was making him feel empty.  What's wrong with him? He needed to kill the girl, ever since she had set her foot into his territory, he was starting to feel compassion for her. A feeling he wasn't capable of feeling before.

He turned to see Bryan strolling to meet them. He was returning from the dungeon“ Have you put two guards outside her door?” Aedon asked Bryan who nodded in affirmation.

“But what kind is she? I try to sniff her earlier but she  wasn't_______”

“ You did what?” Aedon growled as he used his wolf speed to grasp Bryan by his shirt and push him up the wall. His eyes blazing gold and orange as he was angry. His voice when he speaks bellow across the hallway causing Bryan and Milena to bowed in fear as he was using his alpha voice.

“ Nobody gets to sniff her except me, understand?” Aedon snarled at him causing Bryan to cower from fear as he nodded lost for words. He couldn't understand why Aedon was acting this way.

“Relax brother. You are behaving like she's your mate” Milena replied, shrugging as she tried to free Bryan from Aedon's powerful grasp.

Aedon let go of Bryan and turned to walk back into his study without saying anything to the both of them. What his sister had mentioned earlier got to him as Aedon blocked his mind l**k so his pack wouldn't know his thoughts.

Milena was right, he sure was behaving like she was his mate, Aedon thought to himself. Why was behaving like this? He should be mourning his mate right now not feeling attracted to a girl he barely knows anything about.

Aedon stood up from his chair, he walked closer to the window, and gazed out into the mountain. He has always cherished his throne and inheritance. He still remembered when he was ten years old, he had first shifted. His father was happy that he threw a party for him. That was when he knew he was going to be the king of Lycaon.

Aedon walked back to his chair, he took his coat, and stepped out of his study with a lot of muddled thoughts on his mind, he climbed up the stairs to his chamber where he retired for the night thinking of the girl in the dungeon.

Aedon arose the next morning panting breathlessly. He quickly stood up to gulp down a glass of water, as he was thirsty. All through the night, he has been battling with the nightmare that he has always had. One about his uncle trying to take his throne from him. 

He was content with just the nightmare but this morning right before he woke up_ he had dreamed of her again. Why was she doing this to him? Was she trying to punish him for not looking for her? 

He was frustrated as he strolled into the bathroom to shower. Today was the day he was going to behead the woman but just like his sister had mentioned, he's going to interview her before sending her off to be beheaded.

As today was an official day where he will need to sit on his throne, Aedon chose one of his official regalia which includes a well-embellished tunic with gold work and a surcoat where the emblem of the moon goddess was on it. Aedon took his royal staff of authority and stepped out of the door. He took the stairs down to the throne room where the meeting was supposed to take place.

As Aedon stepped into the throne room, everyone rose to welcome him including his sister who was already on her seat beside him. She was also dressed in her official attire just like Aedon. Aedon has mind_linked his beta earlier to gather his people here today, he wanted them to watch how he treats spy in his kingdom.

“ Get the spy!” Aedon growled to his beta and guards who rushed out of the room to carry out his order while Aedon made himself comfortable on his seat. His people were all seated as soon as they saw that he had sat down.

Some minutes later, the girl was dragged on the fall until they got to Aedon. They had chained her hands, so she wouldn't be able to escape. Aedon gritted his teeth, his wolf wasn't happy with the way she was treated.

He wanted to cut the chain off her feet and hands but he held himself back. He didn't want everyone to look at him like he was getting soft, he wanted them to fear him and know that his words were orders.

“ Are you really going to behead me? How can you be heartless” Alena screamed at him, forcing back tears from her eyes. She wanted to cry but she didn't want to give this heartless man the satisfaction that he could break her. She was strong, she was able to fight through when she found out her mother had cancer. She can also fight through this.

Aedon raised his eyebrows at her shock at her tone of voice. No one dares to raise their voice at him. He was the alpha and his words were their command which is why he never backed down on anything he said.

“ Yes. I'm only going to behead you if I find out that you are indeed a spy. My people are here to watch and learn from your mistake” Aedon's bellowed across the room causing Alena to whimper. She doesn't know what she has done wrong, she has only let her curiosity side get the best of her.

“ Start the questioning” Aedon commanded his beta who nodded and moved to stand in front of Alena. Unlike Aedon and Milena who were officially dressed, Bryan was in a simple trouser and a white shirt, a big sword was at his waist as he took out a book to read out the questions. He was used to it as this wasn't the first time this has happened...

“ What is your name?” Was the first question Alena was asked but she couldn't answer as her eyes were fixed on the sword at the waist of the man questioning her. She didn't want to imagine what that sword could do to her...

“Answer the question, woman” Aedon growled, getting frustrated, there's a limit to how long he could contain his wolf as he was getting weak by the sight of her.

“ Alena Ramos” She whimpered in response, a lone tear escaped her eyes as she turned to look at Aedon.

Time stopped for Aedon as he sucked in breath. Why does that name sound familiar? Aedon wondered in his heart, he was getting hot. No, it can be that? Surely, there's a lot of women with that kind of name, right? 

No one was conscious of the battle going on in their King's mind as he had blocked them from his thoughts. 

Bryan continued his questioning“ Where are you from?”

“ Arcadia” Alena replied, her eyes still locked on the king, she never imagined he was the same person she had met earlier and was happy that he was a human just like her but here he was treating her like an animal. She forced her eyes away from the king when she heard gasps around her.

“ What did you just say?” Bryan asked her as he was shocked. He hoped it wasn't what he was thinking. He knew there were two Arcadias. One in this world and the other in the human's world, where his mate was.

“ I mean I'm from Arcadia in California but I came to visit my grandmother from the countryside and stumbled upon that weird cave that brought me here” Alena clarified, she felt a surging hope that somehow, someone was going to help her out of here alive.

“ A cave? Can you describe the cave?” Bryan asked her again. The questionnaire was completely abandoned in his hands. He was convinced that she was a human and knowing Aedon, he had just found another excuse to behead her.

“I don't know but it looks just like a tree,” Alena replied, chuckling slowly. 

“ I mean Max and I were seeing different things”  Alena answered. She rushed to explain when she saw the confused look on the man's face, she didn't know why they had asked her to describe a foolish cave which was the cause of her predicament.

Alena stepped back when she saw the murderous look on the King's eyes who was matching over to her. She kept moving until she came to a dead end_ the wall. Alena gasped when he placed both of his hands on both sides of her head while gazing at her. His looks softened a fraction more when he glimpsed her lips, Alena sucked in breath as she was getting hotter. What was he doing to her?

Aedon shakes his head to rid himself of the direction of his thoughts. He can't believe he wants to kiss her even after she had impersonated his dead mate by taking her name and now she's claiming that she's from his kingdom. How dare she play with his intelligence?

“ Are you human?” Aedon asked the one question that has been on his mind ever since he heard Arcadia. He should know there were two as their world was a parallel world. He has a firm in Arcadia which was in the human world and he has traveled over there from time to time but he has never come across the woman but Aedon was hoping just hoping that she wasn't a ____.

“ Yes. And so are you?” Alena answered smiling, she didn't notice the anger in Aedon's eyes.

“ Thank God, I'm so happy that you are finally realizing it now,” Alena exclaimed excitedly. She turned to look at everyone in the room with a broad smile on her face. She knew they would let her go after knowing that she was human just like them but the only thing she didn't get was their dressing.

“ Behead her now!” Aedon's voice bellowed across the room causing his chief warrior and his assistant to come and drag Alena to the rope where she was to be hanged and beheaded.

“ Why am I getting beheaded? I thought I was free” Alena's fear betrayed her brave face when she saw the man sharpening the sword which was to be used in killing her.

“ Because you are a human” The man's sister exclaimed with a hint of sadness on her face“ Adieu, Alena” She whispered and turned to give the signal to the men who raised their sword and swung it.

“Stop” Alena turned in time to behold the person who had saved her on time while wondering who she was.