"How dare you, Sage?!" Beta Craig cringes at him, standing up from his seat, his gaze on Sage who was on the terrace of the hall, watching them. Everyone turned their attention and gasped at what they saw, the Beta's son? An uproar was about to start but Beta Craig's statement stopped them. "How dare you impede the king's order?!" He questioned Sage again.
Moreover, Sage was already climbing down the stairs towards the King and his associates. When he reached the front of the throne, he pushed his knees down to the altar and bent his head, ready to seek forgiveness. "I'm sorry, King Alpha, I'm so sorry." He pleaded and waited for the King to declare him up.
Meanwhile, Aurora stared shockingly at Sage. How could he stop the King's order? The worst part of it for her was sniffling the same aura she had smelled the other night. Was he the same wolf she had a chat with? The wolf that tamed her? What was he doing in the hall? Was he serious when he meant he lived in the Prime region? But who was he to stop the King's command?
"Should we kill him instead?" The King implored breaking Aurora's thought with the shrieks from the present shifters. How could the King propose something like that and why had the Beta's son stopped the King's order?
"I'm sorry Alpha, I just thought killing them_"
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up or I slice your head. You thought what?!" The Beta yelled and was about to pace towards Sage but the King held his arms, restricting him from taking any steps, he then nudged Beta Craig to take his seat which he did grumpily, his wolf snarling at Sage. Was Sage out of his mind?
"Speak!" Alpha Cowell commanded with a raspy voice and Sage knew he was referring to him.
"They could be taken in as slaves," Sage mumbled and an uproar finally filled the hall, everyone rebuking Sage's comment.
Aurora, who was happy that Sage was taking sides with her and that the rogues shouldn't be killed, pushed away the rogues on her hold and paced forward to where Sage was kneeling. She mind-linked him immediately. "You're not such a terrible liar." She told him and bowed her head to the King.
"Your highness." She started and made a slight fake cough, "I agree with him, your highness. The rogues should be spared and help us in the miles." She suggested and groans were heard again.
The groans subsided but Alpha Cowell didn't utter a word and glared skeptically at the two who were going against his order. They were both special and tough people to him, should he neglect their request? What if they were right to let the rogues help out in the miles? It would be a great idea since it was slaves from other packs that work there.
"What do I do to the two of you if they cause any trouble?"
"We'll take responsibility." Both Aurora and Sage answered, having the same thoughts. What do you expect? They were mates.
Alpha Cowell shook his head, disapprovingly, "I don't want you to take responsibility. I will give you the hardest punishment ever." Then he turned to the audience, "What way should we punish them?"
The hall was tight-lipped as no one knew what to say. What should be done to their leaders? Was there a punishment for them?
It was Beta Craig who finally spoke up. He was already pissed off with his son's attitude towards his best friend, the Alpha King. What audacity. "Inject ten wolfsbane in them wherever those idiots mess up!" He divulged and an uproar raised in the hall again but Beta Craig wasn't through with his punishment. "After they receive the wolfsbane, make them work in the miles for five days!" He added and a screech filled the entire hall. Sage and Aurora were forced to raise their heads at what their Beta had just declared.
"Done!" The King alleged.
"Was he serious with his terms?" Aurora asked Sage through the mind link.
"Totally."
"You also knew he wasn't joking, right?" She bellowed looking down at him on the ground.
"He's a hundred percent serious," Sage answered, twisted his head over his shoulder to face her and when their eyes met, his wolf reacted, growling inside his head, he quickly looked away.
"I guess we are finished." The King said and as he tried to stand up, his legs became wobbled and he fell back to his seat with Beta Craig coming to his rescue, covering him up so one would notice the discomfort in him.
"Are you okay?" Beta Craig whispered to him, patting his back and he nodded.
"I'm fine." He whispered back. "I want to leave." He told his best friend and Beta Craig moved a little for him to stand firm on his feet.
When Alpha Cowell saw he was stable and wasn't shivering again, he called upon Sage to stand up and Sage did instantly, his head still bent.
"I want you and Aurora to take on every activity going on in the miles and remember your punishment, I won't spare you two." He acknowledged.
"Yes, Alpha." The mates conceded to his statement.
"Aurora?" The King called.
"Yes, your highness."
"Gather the pack fighters, the household in the Prime region and any other region that wishes to join. Let's welcome Beta's son."
"Yes, your highness." She replied.
Sage smirked at her still not knowing who the Beta's son was. He thanked the King as he made his way through the foyer to his chambers, his father strolling beside him.
For the first time, the two spoke to each other without mind-linking, "I don't know you have such a big role in the pack and you're Sage?"
"You're Aurora?" Sage inquired and the two laughed heartily at their craziness until Aurora's smile was wiped away when she heard shifters in the hall screaming. She and Sage veered around to face them.
"Sage is back!" They chorused and hailed him, "Beta's son is back!"
Confused Aurora slowly shifted her head back to Sage who was already having a devilish grin on his countenance.
"Sage?" She called and arched her eyebrows at him, "You are the Beta's son?" She demanded an answer while Sage winked at her. He had finally gotten her. How miserable she could have felt.
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