Rhode and Wales sat on his center table for what felt like hours plotting his infiltration of the great East.
“I heard that it is the Luna who is responsible for their strong presence in the world right now.” Brian said.“How so?”“The Luna, Megan Brighton trained for the position since she was just five years old!”“So did most women who were betrothed from a young age.” Rhode replied, unsure of what Brian was getting at.“You don’t understand, Rhode. The reason the former Luna of the Jared clan picked Megan Brighton and not her niece was because Megan was an incredibly bright child!”“She was five and was reading and writing exceptionally! Acing everyone in her class and even her seniors! Word is, the Eastern empire transitioned into a kingdom so smoothly because of her.”“So Richardson is just a figurehead.” Rhode said.“A dumb one, at that! Some of my men in the East reported that Richardson and Aspen Bridget, Megan’s childRhode remembered watching her retreat. She walked so light on her steps you could hardly hear her foot steps. Her scent was caught up in his nose. He had had enough of the castle for the day.When the coast looked clear enough, he returned back to the hole he used to get into the garden. He headed right back to him and Brian’s rendezvous point.“Rhode?!” Brian asked, shocked that he was back so early. Rhode transformed back to his human form and wore his trouser and his tunic.“That was really fast. Did something happen?!”Rhode shook his head. Brian would definitely have a field day if he said the reason he returned so early was because he was stunned by the Luna’s beauty.Brian had put so much emphasis on her brains and genius and didn’t once mention how beautiful she was. In a captivating way that felt good.What shook Rhode was the fact that he was never moved by women in particular. So much so that the rumor among members of his council was that he secretly liked men. Rhode never
Chapter 23The rest of the week went by quickly. Megan and Rhode didn’t see much of themselves that week. Megan was busy finishing up what was left of her duties and Luna. Rhode was communicating with his clan who were on his neck about returning and marrying Mirabel Fulher.Megan still had not told Brianna or Rosetta about her plans to marry Rhode Wales and leave the East. The only people who knew she was leaving were her parents and brother who were in great support despite what people would surely think and say.Megan was sitting in her greenhouse for the last time. It had been years of her life pouring into her kingdom, her people, her husband.It was all taken from her and by the man she loved the most. She hated that she never had a choice in the matter.She would’ve done anything for Richardson. Anything. Her dream of a happily ever after now felt like a fool’s dream.She was grateful for Rhode Wales and he picked her interest a lot, however, he wasn’t the one she had spent her
Megan and Richardson got married in the summer, some five years ago. As soon as they got married they were thrusted into a world of political and kingdom duties, something they trained for, yes but their extensive classes did not compare to the weight of their new lives. The young couple felt the heat to say the least. Young Richardson speed-walked through the halls, heading for his usual stop, Megan’s office. It was a place he retreated to quite often, and by often; everyday. The young king and new alpha found solace in the arms of his wife and Luna, Megan.Though trained for his position since his birth, the sudden death of his father the king and former alpha of his pack threw him head first into a tub of responsibilities he only knew of in theory. Megan, however, handled it like a natural. She blended right into her new position and took the bull by it’s horn, shocking her subordinates and members of the court.None of the past lunas were ever involved in official duties, all the
Megan snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on her door. The three women snapped their heads towards the door. "Who could it be?" Brianna asked. No one knocked on the queen's door except Richardson and he didn't wait before he entered. Could it be? Megan got up and hurried for the door yanking it open to reveal Aspen leaning on the door frame. "Hi!" Aspen said in a very fake high pitched voice. Megan heard her ladies gasping rather dramatically behind her, "what do you want, Aspen?" Megan asked her ex bestfriend, patience already thin. Aspen smiled, "Did you hear? I'm now in a room quite close to yours! Does it not bring back fond memories?" a sour taste formed in Megan's mouth but she ignored it. Megan gave her a small smile, "of course. I'm sure our play room is still standing back at my family house." Her response visibly shocked Aspen. Aspen was never good at hiding her emotions unlike Megan who had every reason to lash out, show her justified rage and anger. H
Rhode got up quickly, knocking up the table in front of him along with the documents. “What do you mean by the queen is here?” Rhode asked, slightly pissed and Brian for lying to him. “She is sitting right on the patio, your majesty.” Brian said uninterestedly. Rhode left the room hurriedly, not minding that he was wearing just a loose tunic and pants with leather boots, Brian decided not to mention his choice of clothing to go see his bride to be. Rhode left his room and walked down the hallway to the patio, he was met with Megan sitting on one of the chairs. Brian wasn’t joking. “My queen,” he said as he bowed to Megan. Her eyes lit up when she took notice of his presence. She gave him a warm smile. “Please, there is hardly any need to bow to me, considering I will be one of your subjects soon.” Megan said, getting up to stand with him. Rhode smiled, “my wife is not my subject but my equal. I bow to you because you are my queen." Megan blushed. He always said the most absurd t
Megan’s heart palpitated in her chest. She was not supposed to be here, she was still married to Richardson and even if she was not, a woman was not to see a man unchaperoned. It was sure to result in a great scandal. Megan wanted to keep a low profile until the divorce. If she was caught, she had no reason for why she was there.Why was Rhode so calm in the situation? He shrugged and said, “You can wait in my bedroom.” and got up. Brian came and said, “this way, Luna” directing her with an outstretched arm. Megan looked up at her ladies and followed Brian. Rosetta and Brianna being there would not raise suspicion because they went everywhere on the castle grounds.Megan followed Brian down the hallway passing a door left slightly ajar. It looked like an office. The queen had never been in the guest quarters before. Brian stopped in front of a big, antique door and put in the key, turning the door knob.“You can wait here.” He said and handed her the key, “lock yourself in if you wan
Rhode closed the drawer and turned to face Megan, “can I sit?” he asked her, referring to the space beside her. “Oh, of course.” She said, slightly flushed that he asked. It was his bed after all. “Thank you.” He said as he sat down beside her, “he wanted to speak about our standing as nations, our diplomatic relationship.” Rhode said. “That is strange. Our relationship is fine right?” Megan asked, confused. “You mean the relationship between the East and the West. It’s not quite ‘our’ anymore.” He said and it struck Megan. In less than 72 hours she technically will not be a citizen of the Eastern Kingdom, though once their loved and revered queen. It did not quite sting as before. She was glad. “You’re right." She adjusted, "I just do not think that there is any reason for Richardson to seek you out. What did he say in particular?” “Well, he actually apologized.” Rhode started. Megan furrowed her eyebrows, “why? What for?” Rhode looked at his future wife interestingly, women ba
“I have not the slightest idea as to whatever it is you speak of.” Brian said, finally looking at Rhode.Rhode laughed and said, “do you really not? Because I remember leaving you two together as the lady wanted to use the loo whilst the other lady waited in your room,”Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Rhode laughed some more, “seriously, man, what happened? The lady looked uncomfortable. Did something happen? It could not have been that bad, you two should have been gone for max five minutes.” Brian got up from the chair and arranged the sheets of paper he was writing or doodling on. He cleared his throat and said, “nothing of importance happened, Rhode, it was just an extreme air of awkwardness.” Brian started, “and… words unsaid.”His choice of words sent Rhode laughing hysterically, “man… since when are you a poet? Jokes aside, Brian, both ladies are coming with the queen back home with us, so if anything that could jeopardize their comfortability happened, it would do
Rhode stared at the happy faces of his men under the moonlight. They were all at home right then, even if they were miles away from their families and loved ones. Being civilized was the price they all had to pay for the life they had, but at times they were all overcome by a deep and dark sense of nostalgia that urged them to throw everything away and become one with the moon and the untamed creature within.It was something every wolf experienced as they were often forced to suppress their primal nature in order to live as civilized men. But it was more prevalent in men, so he knew every man under the sound of his voice could feel what he felt.He turned to look at Brian and noticed the light finally coming back to his features after days and weeks of endless court intrigues.He could only hope that Megan was alright back in the palace. He felt selfish for enjoying such a feeling of freedom without her but knew that he shouldn't. It was not what she would want, he could tell.He had
Rhode was already exhausted as he could feel his thighs chapping with every move of the horse he was on. He was not a novice rider by any chance, in fact he had learned how to handle a saddle before he could even shift into the creature that resided inside of him, but even the most seasoned horse rider would have gotten sick of being on top of the beast by now.He knew that if he was feeling this tired, and yet shockingly restless, then his men must be having it worse. They had been on the saddle for three days and three nights with no breaks in between after all.“How are you holding up?” Rhode turned to ask the surprisingly young man that rode by his left hand side. The young man was responsible for holding on to his armor, and by rights should not be able to keep up with his men, but Rhode was shocked by the dogged determination the boy had been exhibiting.“I am alright, alpha.” The boy answered, his voice tight with strain, and Rhode had to smile at this. They could converse now
Richardson could not help but gloat at the sight of the left state counselor's triumphant face. The man believed he had won, believing that with a few well placed strikes he had managed to disarm Richardson, which almost caused the alpha to gloat at his beady face.“We are going to squash the Faes!” Right stare counselor yelled, his eyes alight with a fierce light, and Richardson could not help but grin at the sight before him.He knew why they were so happy, knew that it had nothing to do with submerging the Faes and everything to do with the planned coup they planned on carrying out against him, and he could not help but grin bitterly.“Alpha, this could only mean one thing.” His trusted advisor Roderick murmured in his ear. But Richardson was unmoved, Roderick was not telling him anything he did not already know, so it kind of dampened the whole dramatics.“It will be alright.” Richardson shrugged, his expression carefully blank, trying to give nothing away.He knew that any slight
It felt like Aspen had been travelling on the rocky roads for days. Some days they strayed towards civilization, but her scruffy companion for some reason insisted that they kept closer to the swamp. A fact that never failed to rouse Aspen’s ire. She was with child, and more filthy and disgusting than she had ever been, and what was worse? She was expected to be okay with it! She had once tried to voice her concerns, but her scruffy companion simply stared at her with beady unsympathetic eyes that were void of any true desire to make her life more comfortable.“Wait! Slow down you bumble head!” Aspen yelled out raspily. Her voice was gone from serious dehydration. At this point she was seriously beginning to fear for the health of her poor baby.“Look, you could dawdle here all you want and wait for our captors to catch up with you, but I'm not going to do that with you, so I think we should part ways here.” Rudolph said firmly, his eyes unwavering, and Aspen gulped. She had no idea
Megan watched as Rhode and his army of about five hundred soldiers mount their horses they were intending to ride to the west. A lot of petitions were made for him to increase the number of warriors going with him, especially from Megan herself, but he did not take heed. Megan knew he did not wish to leave her defenseless so he was going without the appropriate amount of protection, and her love for him grew.Be safe out there.She nodded as he turned to find her in the crowd, he heard her, and he showed her by returning her firm nod.I will.It was an exchange of trust, so Megan tried to bite down on her anxiety as she wished she was not pregnant at the moment. It rendered her vulnerable, and Vulnerability was not entertained in the East.“He is really leaving.” Brianna whispered from where she stood behind Megan, and Rosetta nodded, her face lacking its usual cheer and awash with somberity.Megan could not help but wonder what caused such expression to overcome someone like Rosetta
Rhode glanced at Brian sideways, and he was immediately suspicious. There was a grin his friend was now sporting a glow that he did not have on a few hours ago. But he could say the same thing for himself, he thought, as he looked at Megan standing beside him, her back straight and her eyes firmly set on the Council members below. He could not be sure if he was putting her at risk by doing what he was doing, but he knew that it was a risk he had to take. He could not leave her and the rest of his family powerless. He had to protect Brianna as well, Brian was counting on him, so Rhode straightened his back as well.“As you all were previously informed, Lord Rosebud is going to be acting as regent in my absence, but there have been a few changes.” Rhode announced, and the entire council shuffled, not liking what they were hearing, but he couldn't care less. Rosebud was on board and that was all that mattered to Rhode.“What's this change about, alpha?” Lord Aldrien asked, his eyes shi
Aspen frowned as she was led outside to do her routine for the thousandth time since her kidnapping. It was the baby pressing on her bladder, and she tried to make that fact known, but they were not only not listening but were also rapidly losing patience with her.“May I request a female guard?” She murmured for the hundredth time since she got into their capture. She knew they had female guards, but for some reason she was constantly surrounded by males.“No. Move.” Was the eloquent reply she got as she was roughly prodded forward from behind, and Aspen frowned. She could not believe she was being forced to endure such indignities during her pregnancy with an Alpha.“I can take it from here.” Aspen muttered stiffly as they neared the approaching bush. She had to swallow down the approaching bile down her throat.“She said she'll take it from here.” The pack leader grunted, and Aspen turned her nose forward as she marched towards the bush with all the dignity she could muster.As soo
Brian hurried through the palace in his futile search for Brianna, but no matter how much he tried, he just could not find her. She was not with Megan in the sun drawing room, nor was she with Rosetta as he watched the bubbly woman interact with some maids, not even caring that they were below her station. The sight almost made him smile before he cleared his throat abruptly, and the room full of women turned towards him. Immediately he could see them straighten out their hair and clothes, and a few even did a quick swipe of lipstick across their lips at the sight of him, and Brian frowned as he wondered if they found his presence that imposing and unpleasant, so he hurried towards Rosetta.“I need to talk to you.” He told her urgently, before spurning on his heels to stride out, but as he left, he heard what sounded like protests behind and frowned. Women, he just could not understand them.“Sir Brian?” Rosetta gasped as she finally caught up to his uneasy figure pacing underneath
“Why did you take this decision without informing me about it?” Brian asked angrily as he bursted into Rhode's office, his wolf almost rising to the surface as he snarled, but Rhode simply smiled. He was expecting Brian after all, he knew that after his announcement in the council meeting about his decision to personally oversee the mission to the west, Brian would barge in on him, demanding an explanation.Everyone had been shocked when he dropped the bomb and announced his decision to follow the soldiers to the rescue of his rival, the western alpha, but he was determined.He knew the council were trying to domesticate him, he could sense it in the way they tried their best to put a stop to every and any activity that warranted leaving the four walls of his kingdom. They were trying to drive him insane with longing and rage, then introduce Lord Fuhler to him as a savior. He could see right through them that it was almost hilarious. Almost.But he would not be Rhode If he allowed t