Damon knew Harper needed rest. Even after drinking the healing tea, her body would feel tired and exhausted. The tea would only heal the outside signs of the attack but the feeling that it brought would cost her days to recover from.
After letting her rest for another half hour, Damon convinced Harper to get out of the room to see what was outside and to meet the people under his command.
She changed her clothes first with a loose white gown that one of the guards handed her. It was knee-length and has long sleeves. While Wolford Damon stood at the door, she combed her long hair as well. When she was done, she climbed down of the bed. She wobbled for a bit, but her feet found her balance quickly, like a child rediscovering how to walk.
“I’m ready, my king.” – she said and Damon turned.
For a moment, his eyes found her to be beautiful. Now looking presentable for some of his pack to meet, she stood beside him and let him hold her forearm to guide her out.
As soon as the door opened, she squinted her eyes. She didn’t expect it to be bright outside.
The moon was crescent and it was a large area in the middle of the woods. Aside from that, the pack also used torches placed on tree branches to help with the illumination. It worked, giving the camp an orange and red hue that came with the fire and the moonlight combined.
When she stepped out, everyone turned. This was the girl their king told them about.
She looked around and noticed that there were multiple tents set up. It’s like a camp in the middle of the forest. However, she was certain this one’s unknown. And far from people and other wolves.
For a moment her heart drummed. What if… what if Brayden finds her here?
She gulped, drowning her worries at the base of her throat. Damon left her side for a while and greeted some of the men who were outside. In less than a minute, they were all gathered on a wide circle, waiting for an order or an announcement that was sure to come.
They were whispering or pointing to the girl their king just brought to the camp.
Finally, Wolford Damon spoke up, gaining everyone’s attention.
“It is a beautiful night, my brothers and sisters of the moon. As you heard, yesterday, I and the white guards rescued a maiden from the grasp of the brutal wolves. Here she is now, and I, as your king, would like you all to know that I am claiming her as my mate. My wolf queen, Harper Redmayne.”
There was a mixture of reactions from everyone. Half were glad because finally, their beloved king has found his queen. Others were confused on the who this new member of the pack was. Her last name sounded familiar but everyone knows that lineage has long disappeared. For what reason? No one knows why.
“Hail!” – one of the men shouted and the rest followed
“Hail! Hail! Hail!”
Harper couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. It’s as if her entire life got twisted in one snap. She was running for her life one day from the Red Blood’s alpha who wanted nothing but to use her for his selfish sexual desires. On her venture back in the city, she checked in on a hotel and got drunk. She couldn’t remember the rest of that evening but she knew there was someone else with her on the bed. There was a man.
She blinked twice, as if that would make the memories disappear.
She gave the wolves her smile. Damon was grinning beside her. A long introduction of the members of the pack followed, and then she was brought back to the room.
“How’s that?” – Damon asked
Still confused, she shrugged.
“It’s… nice. But are you sure about this?”
He nodded. He waited too long to find her. He sure hell this is something he needed and wanted.
“I am.”
He said, and remembered there is something else he needed to tell her. She might not have remembered it well because of the state she was in, but it happened. That is how he found her.
“How did you know me, my king?” – Harper asked, sitting down on one of the chairs inside the common room
“I’ve been stalking you for a long time now. Since you were living with your grandmother in that small cabin.”
Her eyes dilated, remembering something.
“Ah! Grandma! How can I forget?! She wasn’t there when I came. Where is she?”
He looked away.
“Somewhere. Don’t worry about her.”
How could she, she thought. Her Grandma Laura was the only family she knew growing up. Everything that she is now and all that has happened was because her grandma cared for her.
Despite that hesitation, she gave him her nod. As much as trust was the biggest word to her now, she knew being her is better than being chased down by the black wolves.
“You should rest, Harper. I have something to tell you when you’re properly rested.”
The man said and turned his back. He wasn’t aware that she was looking at his retreating back. A multitude of questions ravaged her mind as she did so. His identity, this place, the wolves under his command, his rather vague and sketchy story of how he knew her. She knew deep down her guts, she has her own share of hesitations and doubts.
All that prophecy crap.
Upon closing the door, Damon called one of his white guards. The man came jogging and stopped in front of his king. He bowed and when acknowledged, spoke.
“The black alpha has gone back to their camp, my king. I believe everyone in the Red Blood Pack now knows what happened.”
He nodded. It was actually a part of his elaborate plan.
“Good. That didn’t take him long.”
“Is there anything else you want me to do, my king?”
Damon looked around, careful not to let anyone hear what he was about to say. Especially Harper. In a low voice, he signaled for the man to lean in closer. There was no one around, but one has to be careful. To make sure no one’s within earshot.
“Have you found the grandma?”
The man shook his head. Disappointing, Damon thought.
“Find her. Don’t stop until you do.”
“Why, my king?”
“Let’s just say there’s something about her that I need.”
The man nodded twice and was dismissed.
Wolford Damon turned to his left, hearing something from the trees. A slight movement. A rustling of twigs and dried leaves over shoes.
The hair behind his neck rose. He knew there was something in there.
Or someone. Perhaps.
He cracked his neck and crossed his arms across his chest. With concentration, he managed to changed the form of his eyes. From brown to burning red. With it, his vision intensified. He could see even the smallest colony of ants at a great distance. He looked at the place where the rustling came from.
There was something behind the wide trunk of an old oak tree. And then there was nothing. It was only for a split second that he heard something coming from it.
Damon exhaled, quite disheartened.
Not until his gaze shifted on the small uprooted fern plant at the bottom of the tree.
There was blood on it. The question is, who’s?
“Alpha Draco requests your presence, sir.”The messenger talked in a slow fashion, careful that the Virgo Alpha would hear it properly. Marion just finished settling on an old room inside the common room. It looked like it belonged to a royal she-wolf, based on the expensive paintings on the wall and the hand-sewn dresses inside the closet. “Tell him I’ll be there shortly.”“He said it’s urgent, sir.”Marion nodded. There’s no excuses with the Great Alpha. Besides, he’s not in his territory. He’s at the Red Blood’s, the first time he got out of the roundhouse and housed in a different setting actually. The messenger left the door open. Marion put down the third pillow case he packed with him and followed the former to the main room of the common room. Inside, Alpha Draco was waiting. He’s sipping jasmine tea from a small teacup. A lady in waiting was at his side, holding the kettle by its handle. With a plain breakable plate placed under it.“You called for me, Great Alpha?”He lo
“I… I don’t understand. What do you mean, officer?”Harper was biting the edges of her nails in anxious anticipation. Surely, there’s nothing good that will come out from the end of this conversation. To mention the word “victim” mid-sentence doesn’t constitute good news. “You have no idea, do you?”Harper shook her head… then realized that the person she’s talking to is on the other end of the line. So, her nodding of head is not counted as a response.“I have no idea of what this is about. Please, just-“Harper couldn’t finish her sentence. She’s not even sure if she wants to. what has been unfolded before her eyes the entire day are facts - quickly given facts that either surprise her or catch her in the moment. And these facts aren’t even good news at all. “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t think you are clueless about what happened in this house. It’s all over the news this past week.”What is?, she thought. But then, it’s Mrs. Keevah’s house. There’s no one else in the house that cou
In front of them were the men, the woman and the little baby that they all hated: the ones they denominated as “rebels”. They were on the front of Marion and Alpha Draco.“We meet again…” – said Damon.Harper and the rest of the group stood behind their alpha. The men were carrying their own choice of weapons, their own poison against the enemy. They stood gleaming at the site of fresh dead bodies on the floor. Proudly. The look on Alpha Draco’s face says it all. He wanted the war to be over. He wanted the war to begin as soon as it can. Right in this moment. Right in this spot. “Finally… I’m tired of chasing after your tail, Damon. You and Brayden can come here and let’s finish this once and for all. I’m tired of chasing and of canceling this to another schedule.”Damon licked his chapped lips. He has the same ideas. He didn’t come here to visit his father. He didn’t come here for peace. None of them believes in peace anymore. “I cannot agree more. Later, then. Once and for all.
Just when the silence stretched between Harper and Brayden, Damon got up from his sleep and pulled Harper closer from the waist.Brayden’s eyes followed where Damon’s hands were and gulped. In a moment, he turned to the other side and tried to forget what he has seen. He managed to turn and keep his eyes and body that way.“You’re up early…” – muttered Damon with a raspy voice.“Yeah… my body clock’s messed up these days.” – replied HarperThat was a lie. Her body clock has nothing to do with it. It’s always her thoughts that keep on saying something to her. It feeds her negative ones instead of empowering her to think of solutions. And of course, the place and the ambience did help with the thoughts. It even made the way for it. It even made her feel worse.“Is that because of the war?”“No, something else.”Harper looked at the ring that’s still on her finger. If Anthony didn’t cause a distraction, would that scary man really cut off her finger? For the sake of proving a point?Are
“Elias! You wouldn’t believe it!”Elias was cleaning the Great Alpha’s office when one of the guards from the office went to approach him. The guard was panting, his sweat rolling down his temples down to his neck and chest area. These droplets of sweat blurs his vision as they get past his eyes. “Do you have some news?” – Elias already has some expectations in his head. Hopefully, this is going to be good news. And hopefully, this is about the Great Alpha too. “Yes. you should go outside to see what’s up.”Elias nodded and then he got up to check if there’s really someone inside waiting for him. As it turned out, there’s a small crowd gathered outside over something. The question is, what’s the cause? Who is there that everyone seemed to be alarmed?“Is that…”The rest of the sentence got drowned in the air. the guard who brought Elias the news did not even let him finish. Whether it was excitement or worry, none of them can tell. However, it’s clear from the circumstances that the
“…and here we are!”Everyone of them looked around, expecting a tavern or a cabin in the woods. None of those things were present. They were only surrounded by different trees and the dark moon above them. “Here?” – Anthony repeated, confused“Yes. Over there.”Brayden pointed on the cavern behind him. The boys walked closer to see what he’s pointing to. Then, Harper followed. She already knows what it is, she only got closer so the others won’t speculate. They cannot know she’s been here before. “This is where your safe place is?” – Asher asked with a huge question mark on his face.“Yes. This is what I meant by that.”They all didn’t look impressed. But then again, they’re hiding from Marion and their men. Anything safe that they can use will do. Just not to be caught. Anything. Just not that. They cannot be captured. Not this time. With Brayden leading them, they approached the mouth of the cave and got inside one by one. Among them, only Hector seemed to be enjoying the show.“H