As the King conferred with his officials, their worried expressions confirmed that this matter was more significant than I had initially thought. It became clear that their decision to involve me was not without reason.
While the King's stature and my own interest in him could have influenced my judgment, I would never allow my men to sacrifice their lives due to a single lapse in intelligence. Each of them was precious to me, and their safety was paramount.
"Follow us," the King commanded.
I stood up, and my companions patted me on the shoulder, expressing their gratitude. "Thank you, Captain," they said. "For looking out for us."
I smiled at them and removed their hands from my shoulder, squeezing them gently with mine. "I'll see you later."
I followed the officials into another room, where the King settled himself on a Chesterfield couch, crossing his legs. I timidly sat on a chair and clasped my fingers together, feeling the tension in the room grow.
He cleared his throat, and the officials bowed their heads, indicating that the King wanted to address me directly.
"As I mentioned earlier, the North has been infested by wolves," he began.
"If you're referring to the werewolves, there are only fifteen registered hunters capable of taking them down, including myself," I interjected. "In total, Crimson Cloaks have sixty elite hunters, but then again, only a few are qualified to slay a Were."
"Ah, yes, werewolves," the King corrected himself. "Their influence is spreading."
"Is there a team specifically assigned to the Northern region?" he asked, his eyes filled with worry and doubt.
I nodded. "Yes, there is. However, they may be occupied at the moment, considering the increase in numbers, as you mentioned. There are only three qualified werewolf hunters assigned in the north out of 15. I can quickly reassign them there though, as long as I have your blessing. The Knights guarding the Northern gates are hot on us, Hunters. They don't like us very much."
"Is this true?" the King turned to his Generals, who had become pale at my mention. "Didn't I make it clear that I want no discrimination in Arcanthal?"
I smirk for a little bit. Hell yeah, I am dragging them along with me.
"The Knights are the number one protectors of Arcanthal, Your Majesty." the Captain of the Knights told him. "We lose our purpose if the Crimson Cloaks become abundant in the North."
"You will lose even more purpose if the entire people in the North are wiped out." I crossed my arms. "Did you ever think that, Captain?"
"From now on, you may deploy as many men as you can to the North." the King said after glaring at the Knight. "If you require any assistance, I will gladly provide you the help of other elite groups in the city."
"I believe my men are capable of handling the situation, Your Majesty," I assured him. "We are more trained than ever. Those wolves will become meat to grill in our stoves."
"That's not what concerns me, Captain Red," the King replied, glancing at the people around the room. He raised his finger, and one by one, the officials left, leaving us alone. My heart raced as the door closed behind them, and I tried to regain my composure.
"Now, where were we?" he asked.
"The reason why you sought my assistance despite already having a team in place," I reminded him.
He sighed heavily, leaning against the soft cushions of the maroon lounge. "I believe the werewolves are plotting something."
His voice grew cold and stern, causing my body to tense. Summoning my strength, I met his gaze and nodded. "Plotting? What makes you think that?"
"I believe their leader is attempting to expand their territory by killing and infecting villagers to join their forces," he explained. "Have you ever encountered a pack, Captain?"
"Of course I have," I replied. "Every time I go out, it's either a rogue or a pack that I kill."
"Have you heard of the Moonfyres?" he inquired.
I narrowed my eyes. "I have. But I have to be honest. I don't know much about them."
"They are the most notorious pack around," he informed me. "They roam the mountains of Mount Boreas and are known to be at the top of the food chain."
"Pioneers?" I raised an eyebrow. "If they cross paths with me, they won't hold that title for long."
A gentle smile escaped the King's lips, causing my heart to skip a beat. "It reassures me to have you, Miss Vermillion."
The King's presence had a way of making me feel both disarrayed and determined. As my cheeks flushed, I looked away and instinctively tucked a few stray strands of hair behind my ears. "I have sworn my loyalty to you, after all."
"So, will you be taking on this quest?" he inquired.
Caught in a mix of his charm and the weight of his words, I stuttered, "O-Of course." His intimidating presence made it difficult to maintain composure. "But please, tell me more about this Moonfyre pack. I need more information."
The King placed an index finger below his chin, contemplating for a moment. "They are vicious and ferocious. I believe their pack is highly intelligent, and they can shift whenever they like."
I was taken aback. "They can shift whenever they want? I thought they could only shift during the full moon."
"That's what makes the Moonfyres so dangerous," he explained. "They can shift at will, anytime and anywhere. Nothing can stop them."
I clenched my fist, a smirk forming on my face as I furrowed my brows. "Yesterday was a full moon, and I managed to capture three highly intelligent ones. The effects of the full moon should be wearing off now, but not to a greater extent. It's rare to find intelligent werewolves. The common ones go mad during the transformation."
"I believe you can handle the common ones," the King assured me. "Your skills are unmatched."
"I appreciate the compliment, Your Highness, but I'm still puzzled. Since you've placed your faith in my skills, shouldn't you be more confident?" I questioned.
The King stared at me for what felt like an eternity, and in those moments, worry gleamed in his eyes. "I am quite worried, for you, of course."
"How so? I can guarantee that I'll be able to do as you please," I assured him.
"Ah, that's not the issue. Dealing with the common Weres should be relatively straightforward for you, but their leader is a different challenge altogether," he revealed.
A smirk played on my lips. "How so?"
"Have you ever slain an Alpha?" he asked.
An Alpha—the leader of those scoundrel packs. I crossed my arms and nodded. "I have. But I won't lie, it wasn't easy."
"Well, you've got yourself another challenger," he informed me. "The Alpha of the Moonfyre pack is not to be underestimated. Lately, he has been dispatching his disgusting wolves to harass the North. And if I am not careful, he might call upon other packs to surround Arcanthal."
"So you want me to slay their Alpha?" I clarified.
"Can you?" he asked.
"I'm not sure, but you can convince me."
The King chuckled, appreciating my tenacity and mischievousness. "I like your spirit, Captain Red. Very well, I will reward you generously upon your return. You will not be disappointed."
"I like the sound of rewards," I replied, my eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"I have sent an official letter to the Moonfyres for a peace treaty. I will be sending you and a diplomat of mine to the North. There is only one day for this, so you have to be efficient."
He then takes an intricate bottle of vial from his pocket and then hands it to me.
"This is a special solution that is going to kill him. It is more potent when you mix it with his food, but if that proves to be impossible, then you can lace it on your blade."
I take the vial and keep it. "When will be the peace treaty?"
"They go at earliest dawn." he said. "Once you slay their Alpha, the rest of the wolves around him should be weakened. You will have time to escape."
"Understood."
"Now then..." the King clasped his fingers and smiled at me. "...show them the wrath of humans, Nyxerion Vermillion. Through this mission, I pray it grants you satisfaction for the doom they have caused your Father."
I clenched my fists.
"Affirmative, Your Majesty."