(HERITH PACK)
Flames of anger flickered at every corner of the room. The seer, Odell had his head lowered and his forehead crinkled.
Settled in the large sofa was Alpha Denovan, his jaw was clenched and the muscles of his face tensed.
On closer look, the rapid movement of his chest would be noticed and his hands resting on the arms of the sofa were fisted.
"And you're just telling me!!" His majestic voice thundered, sending momentarily chills down Odell's spine.
"I was just informed alpha!!"
He rose furiously, stormed towards Odell, stood before him and shot a death glare at him, yet the man was unfazed, didn't spare him a look.
"How? Aren't you to see everything? The future, the past!!"
"I see only what the goddess allows me." His non-challant response was obvious.
He was fed up with his alpha's overbearing attitudes. Forcing all to dance to his music whether it was appealing to their ears or not.
He paced round furiously. "Why would Selene do this to me?"
"Alpha Denovan, mind not to speak ill of the great goddess whose thought about us, we're ignorant of!!"
Denovan shot him daggers, his face twisted in anger. "Look at your attitude, you don't even care how I feel right now!! You feel un bothered!!"
Odell sneered inwardly. Why should be bothered for an issue he had no business with.
"Odell! is there no other way?"
Odell finally looked at him. "There's one. If his first mate will willingly reject him. Do not blame him, he's looking for a solution too!!"
Denovan returned to the sofa abd slumped into it, his fingers raked his head, his thoughts messed. "He must mark her!"
Odell scoffed, then shook his head. "He's powerless just like us. He can only mate her, but can never mark her, unless the stronger bond is broken?"
Denovan's anger was almost suffocating him. How could one without a wolf have such strong mate bond even without copulation? It had never been heard of.
"As long as she isn't marked, her position as the luna would be threatened! Find a solution Odell!"
Odell locked his eyes on him. "Don't push any further alpha, I'll wait Selene for my punishment."
Such cowardly utterances shouldn't be heard in his court, especially from one he held in high esteem.
"Since when did you become a fuckin coward Odell?"
"Since I sank in fear, not for you, but for the one up there." Then he packed his things, scrambled up and left the royal court
Rage flowed through Denovan like a molten lava and ravaged his face. His daughter should be Floyd's only mate and luna. An unmarked mate was more like a mate-less werewolf.
Left alone in the court, Denovan became incredibly irritable and was lost in provocative thoughts that he didn't notice his luna, Caitronia walk in.
She stroked his hair gently and kissed his lips lightly.
"There must be a way!" Her calm, hushed voice reached his ears, but it had no effect, rather he sighed deeply in irritation then pushed her hand off his hair.
But she wasn't offended, rather rubbed his chest tenderly and settled on his laps.
"Don't let it bother you, she's his mate and his luna."
Her soft fingers brushed his beards, and the ball of comfort in him burst, decelerating his racing heartbeat.
Then he rubbed his eyes tiredly, not from physical activities but his recent mental stress.
"Not marking her makes her vulnerable to other male especially when in heat."
Imaginary images of wolves in rampage over his daughter's scent invaded his head and he shut his eyes tightly to dispel them.
Seeing his tightly shut eyes, Caitronia knew he must be suppressing so many soaring emotions.
"Alpha Floyd should be seeking for solution." Then she kissed him deeply.
"I hope so or..."
She placed a finger over his lips, forcing back the rest of his words, then got off his lap and took his hand.
"Let's take a walk, the evening is cool and refreshing."
He nodded immediately. That was exactly what he needed, the cool evening breeze to simmer down his sizzling brain, so obediently, he left the court with her.
They sauntered slowly down the track road which led to the slave quarters to supervise their works.
An alpha with the highest number of slaves in the province, yet with a growing quest for more.
Male slaves in Herith pack were responsible for all strenous jobs while the female slaves were responsible for satisfying any interested male of Herith pack and other packs who would pay a token to have and use them as they wished.
As they took a stroll round the quarters, his gaze shifted to a caged cell and fell upon a young man darkened eyes bored through him.
That was Alpha Trevor of Devyl pack who after several attempts, he finally defeated. Trevor was a powerful alpha and his pack abutting to Herith.
Denovan had made several unsuccessful attempts to invade them until his confidant came up with a plan.
He invited Trevor and his entourage for a peace keeping feast which he refused but after several apologies which Denovan sent by himself and through his co-alpha's, Trevor accepted his invite.
That night, while they were in the hall drinking and dining happily, a large cage, concealed in the roof was hurled down on Trevor and just like that, he was captured.
Despite his struggle to free himself, including bending and twisting the metal cage, all proved abortive.
In his weakness, Denovan attack Devyl and captured all its members and since that day, Denovan had been scared to release Trevor from the cage.
"You can see the female slaves, I'll join you in a moment." He excused his wife and headed towards Trevor.
"My slave!!"
He called out to him, with the intention of provoking him but Trevor's expression remained unchanged.
"Where's is my mate Denovan!"
His voice thundered, causing Denovan's heart to jack hammers,but recalling he was in a cage, he breathed easier, then took a step forward.
"Is it that your constant confinement in a cage had destroyed your sense of reasoning?" Denovan gathered the air of arrogance around himself.
"If not, why should you ask me of your mate? Do I look like Selene?"
There was so much mockery hidden in his words and an enormous disdain in his eyes, but the man in the cage wasn't bothered by his egotism.
Trevor laughed hysterically in ridicule pulling off the arrogance on Denovan's face.
"You tricked Trevor! Can you trick Selene? You're just an irrational, foolish and distressed alpha who doesn't know when to retreat!"
His utterances roused Denovan's rage and an icy frown glinted across his forehead.
"Mind how you spray your rudeness in my pack slave!!"
His insult didn't move Trevor but knowing how feeble minded Denovan was, he shifted into his scary wolf and lurched at him, sending him into the depth of panic.
In fear, Denovan took several unsteady steps backward.
His wolf was nothing to compare to Trevor's whose rumbling growl had sent the guards sprinting for safety.
But despite how thick the twines of dread curled up in his spines were, he regained his brave composure quickly.
"You can only growl in the cage slave alpha!!"
And the growl intensified, compelled the members of Devyl pack to lay in submission where ever they were at that moment.
Having achieved his aim, he transformed into his human, grabbed one of the clothes hung on the wall and covered himself.
"Don't think I'll replace your shredded clothes when you exhaust them Trevor. You will have to remain bare."
Trevor let out a menacing chuckle. "Alpha Denovan is frail and feeble!! I challenge you to a contest!! Release me let your pack see how weak you are!! You have no physical strength only tricks!!"
Denovan wouldn't linger anymore as he sighted his people looking at him expectantly, perhaps hoping he would agree to the contest, but only him knew few punches from Trevor would send him to his ancestors.
Quickly, he left the cage before Trevor would force him to consent to the show of shame.
"Feeble alpha!! Give me my mate Denovan!! I felt her in your pack!!"
His deafening voice rang across the pack.
What Denovan did to Trevor he wouldn't dare with Floyd. Only Otto, his beta would crush him.
The only way he could make an attempt on Floyd was through his daughter Hera, that was if he successfully marked her.
The dream of becoming the only alpha werewolf in the entire Vlamwood, he wouldn't allow to be extinguished.
Quickly, he located his luna and together they left the slave quarters in hurried steps.
"Why was he screaming?"
Panic surged through her and she gripped Denovan's hand tightly as they walked through lanes filled with slaves giving them death stares which she guessed must have been set off by Trevor's outburst.
But little did she know that her alpha, the one she believed would shield her was fighting his fears which squeezed air from his lung and broke his words into stutters. "Sear...searching for his mate "
"Is his mate here?" Doubt warped her face.
"He claims so."
And in silence and deep thoughts, they returned to the royal house where they breathed easier.