CHAPTER 12
She clutched onto her necklace instinctively as she shouted for help. Just as the wolf was about to reach her, it halted. It stared at her for a while before turning back. Charlotte watched the white wolf walk back into its cage as if nothing happened. Charlotte pushed the door once more, and it finally opened. She rushed out of the door, his face already drained of color.
At the dark edge of the room, the wolf's cage was devoid of light. Slowly, the outline of a figure began to blur, like a mirage dissipating in the mist. It became translucent, the form fading like the waning moon as wisps of mist encircled the figure. Koda watched the scenario play out as it sat in a superhero position with its forearms crossed before curling up to rest.
Charlotte had been planning on how to make paper for her writing. After a lot of brainstorming, she finally came up with an idea. She mixed mulberry bark, hemp, and rags with water, mashed it into pulp, pressed out the liquid, and hung the thin mat to dry in the sun. It was the closest thing to paper that was easy to make. The result was splendid, and she could finally start writing! She was determined to improve her drawing and painting skills to engage her readers. She decided to go with nonfiction first. She is quite passionate about the relative modernity of humans, so she was trying to propagate that. How werewolves can think in their capacity and make their lives easier at a faster pace. Ella is now her manager, helping her plan how the business will run.
Her life was getting hectic as she was also training at night. Ella was worried about her and told her to take it easy. She was getting better in her strikes and her precision was improving.
Madame Rueda was a silent minister. She only goes to the palace once in a while and hibernates for a long time. She suddenly appeared at the castle one morning without notice and headed to Alpha Aurelius' chamber.
Maybe because she nursed him all by herself, she didn't find anything bad in entering his room, it's not like he would be doing anything awkward to watch in his room.
"She comes to his room very often. "Madame Rueda said as she flung the doors open and scanned around the room.
"Beta Kaden. Get all the female nobles that have entered this castle this week." Beta Kaden raced to the gates and got the records. The house of each noble and minister who had a daughter that went to the palace was in disarray as they dressed the werewolves and arranged gifts as soon as they were summoned as if they had been waiting for the day, all their lives. After an hour, all of them were present already, looking delicate and pretty.
Madame Rueda stood up close to each one, looking at them straight in the eyes while she inhaled their body scents.
As she was getting to the end of the line, her excited expression slowly changed into fury, and her lips turned downward.
"Is this all of them?" She barked.
"Yes, Madame Rueda."
"You are all dismissed."
The poor werewolves felt as if a bucket of ice water was poured on them. They dressed so elegantly just to be sniffed by Madame Rueda. They didn't even get to see the alpha king. They thought it was the Alpha Luna election process. Even if it was, then they have all been disqualified, judging Madame Rueda's reaction. If the alpha king was any of them, mate, they would have known at first sight.
Madame Rueda decided to scour the whole palace; it was the best time to do that as the Alpha king wasn't around. There was an ensuite castle in the castle, and that was where Aurelius stayed. Only trusted servants were allowed there. There was only one room there, and that was Aurelius' room. There were guest rooms in the main castle, and there is always a detailed record of people who lodged there, hence making Charlotte stay there would have drawn attention, and Madame Rueda should have found out about her easily because he'd go to see her there, consciously or unconsciously.
Madame Rueda visited all the guest rooms, and when she didn't find the werewolf that matched the scent in Aurelius' room, she went towards the servant's quarters. She sensed the scent there, but she thought that it would be quite absurd for the alpha Luna to be a servant. Now the only place left to search was the maid's quarters. The maids were assembled, and still, no one matched the scent.
"Beta Kaden, and you also say you don't know where she is too?" she said with a pleading gaze.
" I do not know, ma'am. I'll leave now, I am quite busy since the alpha King went to perform a duty outside the palace."
Beta Kaden heaved a sigh as he called away. Keeping a straight face and a steady heartbeat was a tough one.
Meanwhile, Charlotte was struggling against a young werewolf taking her far into the forest. It was Gamma Thorne. After running for a long distance, he dropped her gently and gave a small bow as an apology. "It was Beta Kaden's order. He said to take you far away from the palace and stay in the forest till he sends a guard."
"Why would he do that?" Charlotte was perplexed.
They sat under a tree till dusk, none saying a word to the other. Soon they spotted a figure running toward them, and the werewolf wasn't in a guard outfit. Gamma Thorne stood up quickly, ready to face whoever it was. Alpha Aurelius's focus was only on the little maid who was standing calmly behind Thorne, holding onto her dagger. It seems like she is already confident with her skills.
"My king," Gamma Thorne said with a bow.
"Are you fine?" He said to her ignoring Thorne.
"Why are you here?" she refuted.
"You can go now," Aurelius said to Thorne.
"You cannot leave. You can't leave me with him all alone in the forest. So this was your plan all along?"
"How dare you talk to our source that way, you lowly maid."
"You shouldn't talk like that when we're not alone. You'll cause strife and resentment that way. Don't worry, I won't hurt you, ever." He said with a soft and sincere gaze that stirred Charlotte's heart.
Thorne was perplexed by the alpha king's response. What was his relationship with the maid? Why was his king being soft-spoken with her?
"If you insist, you should go together with Gamma Thorne."
He hurried to the forest when he heard what happened at the castle in his absence.
"You cannot go to the palace now, for the next few days."
"You're doing that thing again. Why are you keeping me, and what are you keeping me from?" Even Aurelius himself was getting confused. He can't continue this hide-and-seek for long.
"I'll sort it out very soon, and you'll understand soon," he breathed. It wasn't something he could sort out if he was being honest with himself. It was no longer about his celibacy; Charlotte was just too weak at the moment.
Making Charlotte Luna now is like a loophole. She could be killed in the smallest attack. He heard of a secret alliance going on in some states, and they were planning treason. Maybe the prophecy won't happen at his time. Charlotte didn't look like she could rule the country, but he knew the prophecy had yet to be fulfilled. His mother didn't even fulfill a line of it. His guards were still up against Charlotte, but keeping her safe at the moment would be a wise thing to do.
"Gamma Thorne, take her to the inn by the brook," Aurelius ordered him. "Take this and show it to the housekeeper," he said, offering Charlotte the special artifact that he always kept on him all the time. Thorne took her to a secluded inn. It was cozy and well-furnished. The housekeeper welcomed them fondly. Gamma Thorne was to stay there till the alpha king sent a guard, most likely Joe.
"What would you like to eat, my lady?"
"You don't have to bother about formalities. I'm just a servant," she said matter-of-factly. "First, I don't judge people by their attire or status. All my guests are kings and queens. Besides, no one comes here without the king's knowledge. You have his brooch with you, unlike the pass that others use; hence, he must cherish you a lot. Allow me to take good care of you, my lady." "Oh." That was all Charlotte could say.
She had a bath, the second she would be having since she arrived at Fristia; only nobles bathed once a week, and only the alphas bathed daily. She got a new set of clothes; it wasn't made of an expensive material, but it was comfortable and lovely, unlike the bland brown dress she had been wearing for so long.
"Who are you?" Gamma said as she stepped out of the inn, draping a coat around him.
"You can't question me." Gamma didn't press on because she seemed important to the king, hence he had to give her respect.
Omega Joe came later in the night, and Gamma Thorne set to leave. "Wait, Gamma Thorne. Please give this to Omega Ella, she's a servant like me." Gamma Thorne looked at the bold little werewolf; other maids kept their gaze low around him, yet she was looking him straight in the eye and even gave him an order. He took the little piece of cloth from him and bolted off. He went straight to the maid's quarters and had the chief stewardess summon the maid named Ella. Ella went out of the gate, hoping the gamma wanted to relay the information about Charlotte's whereabouts to her. She spotted him and walked towards him. Just as their eyes met, Gamma Throne gave a low growl. "So it was you all along," he grunted.