At The Central Nation Of The Moon Pack
The City, once showered with glossy Sunlight was now covered with darkened sky as the moon was yet to rise.
Before the arrival of Alpha Harlan, the Imperial Event Hall had started pulsating with melodious music indicating the starting of the Ball Party for the arrival of their Luna as instructed by their Alpha.
Meanwhile, Alpha Harlan was sad about the journey. It was obvious that his expectation was ruined. His aura filled with fury enveloping the living room. As soon as he entered, Queen Morgana and Queen Anara, the mated wife of Alpha Zephyr, waited to welcome their Luna.
"Our Lordship, welcome back." They greeted
Rather, Alpha Harlan went straight to his seat, he looked more than exhausted and arduous.
The moment they noticed his anger, they all hesitated to pester him about his journey. This made the atmosphere embrace his aura as silence filled the living room.
Having kept quiet for a while, Queen Anara broke the silence, mumbling to him with an inquisitive voice,
"Your Lordship, do you fight with your brother again?"
Although everyone knew he naturally maintained a stern face which made it difficult to differentiate his angry mood from when he had a free mind, however, both Queens understand him better that he usually doesn't make an awkward anger unless he had a misunderstanding with his close relatives.
Therefore, seeing him exhibiting such awkwardness when he had left the City with happiness made both Queens worried about what could have happened to him.
"Nothing like such, my Queen." Alpha Harlan replied but his facial expression showed otherwise, it was as hard as a stone.
"That is a relief." Queen Morgana said, having breath out a relieving sigh.
Queen Anara who was full of anticipation about Alpha Harlan's major reason for traveling, immediately asked about the outcome.
"What about our Luna? Where is she?" She asked, knowing it was not just him that was anticipated but also Royal Mother and everyone in the Kingdom had been waiting for the arrival of the Kingdom's Luna.
As the question sunk into Alpha Harlan's head, he shut his eyes, tightening them together like someone who tasted a sour lemon.
Perhaps, he wouldn't have been infuriated up to this level if Elara hadn't counterattacked his order. As he sat, the flashback of how Elara treated him in front of his brother played at the back of his mind.
It was a dirty face-slap on King Gathrick as Alpha Harlan made his statement clear without bargain with them. This was shocking and left them confused that the King of Alphas would come from his kingdom purposely for such a being.
As soon as they left the hall, Elara yanked her hand from Alpha Harlan, halting on her track, and mumbled confidently to him.
"I can't come with you."
Alpha Harlan turned to her with very narrow eyes, full of surprises, "What?"
Elara, having known who he was and the authority he carried, curtised to him humbly but her tone was too sharp and blunt, "I don't mean to be rude to you but I have a master who already bought me."
Surprise didn't leave his face. He averted his gaze as the thudding feet of Alpha Vesper approached them from the hallway. While Alpha Vesper took a slow pace, his hearings were heightened enough to hear their conversation. He paused at some feet to them, crossing his arms, and relaxed confidently against the railings as though he didn't hear their conversations. —Contentment played on his face as he watched them conversing.
Alpha Harlan couldn't believe his ears, her statement had a hand-imprinted slap on his face. Looking down at the little one who boldly tilted her head up to him, made him ask her, "Don't you know who I am?" He was astounded and never expected her to say a word to him throughout the journey.
Elara had a stained frown on her face, then, replied to him simply, "I don't care as long as you are not my master."
Right as her words hit him, his gaze went directly to Alpha Vesper who met him with a nonchalant raising of his eyebrow and a shrugged shoulder.
Alpha Harlan whipped his head down to see her again, sounding stunned as he gasped, "What?"
"Yes, I don't care who you are." She replied bluntly and continued, "If you need me, ask for his approval first, otherwise I can't follow you." Her gaze went towards Alpha Vesper as she referred to him.
Alpha Vesper walked closer to them. He bore a satisfactory smile while interlocking eyes with Alpha Harlan. Simply because Elara's statement gave him an upper hand.
Normally Alpha Vesper dared not challenge Alpha Harlan's authority on any decision he made but as he heard Elara questioning him, Alpha Vesper interfered in their conversation.
"Brother, she is my slave and she listens only to me. My bad." He mumbled and scratched his forehead pompously.
At the speed of light, Alpha Harlan approached him. His moves embedded his anger as he pressed his forearm upon Alpha Vesper's neck and pulled him against the wall forcefully.
"If I hear that f*cking word from you again, I will bash your teeth out of your mouth." He groaned, making his cocky voice sink into Alpha Vesper's ears.
Elara's eyes blinked severally. It happened too fast for her body to absorb the scene quickly.
Alpha Vesper sighed with closed eyes and surrendered his hands up, "Relax!" He breathed out.
Elara coughed and seemed hijacked by hiccups. As Alpha Harlan heard her cough, his ferocious breath subsided. He released his grip and quietly stepped away from his brother.
Alpha Vesper simply calmed his pulse and propped away from him but having taken some steps, he reversed as though he remembered something to say,
"Mind you, brother. I didn't challenge you... It was her choice to follow me and I'm taking her." He said, giving no face to his brother and immediately heaved Elara closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he walked away.
Upon standing inched from Alpha Harlan, he murmured to him arrogantly, "I didn't buy her with the Pack's money therefore I own her. She is my slave."
A light devious smile filled his face afterward and rendered a gesturing head-bow, "We will leave first, My Lordship."
Alpha Harlan was so embarrassed for being taunted. As he was recalling the moment, he became more infuriated.
Just as he wanted to reply to Queen Anara, Queen Morgana asked, "My son, did something terrible happen? Was she not the same girl you were looking for? The party will start once the moon comes out, we can adjourn it since it did not go as planned."
Hearing his mother, Alpha Harlan shut his eyes tightly closed again. He ruminated on the step to take —Whether to come clean and tell them about Elara's status or to keep quiet and let them find out who the mate they had been wanting to meet was.
From the depth of his disdained heart, he answered Queen Morgana, "The party will surely commence!"