"Your cat is just like you, Luna," Daniel said snarkily. I shuddered at the title.
"Just call me Ash," I said.
"Sure, Luna Ash." He cackled. I glared at Daniel. Ah, the urge to let Mika at him.
"Enough bickering. I called you all here to report to me. Ashley will be privy to everything about the happenings too," Zak said, making the atmosphere in the room sombre.
We all took a seat around the large round marble table in the middle of the room. I sat in between Zak and Darren with Mika on my lap. Ryker sat beside Zak and Daniel beside Darren.
"Where's Sierra?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"She is with Alpha Enya's pack members at the moment," Ryker replied. I nodded, relieved that she was safe.
"Darren, how did the Beta of Wolfsbane respond?" Zak asked.
"He affirmed what Luna Ash said. He is indeed planning to make his daughter the next Beta, and he is at odds with Alpha Heir Jared. Beta Laurent requested our help in persuading Alpha Wilbur," Darren answered.
Zak thought about it.
"Rafayel will handle it, since this is his territory. I have already conveyed the matter to him," Just as he said that, a knock sounded on the door once again.
Daniel went to get it as Zak sighed, as if he knew who was on the other side of the door. In came a fuming Rafayel.
"Zak, what do you mean one of my packs is trying to go to war with you?"
Rafayel marched into the room, pushing Daniel aside unknowingly. Ryker and Darren stood up halfway to greet him, but he motioned for them to sit.
"Hello, Miss Ashley, it seems you are involved in this mess too," He shot me a tired smile. He also waved a bit to Mika politely. My lovely cat turned up his nose at the greeting.
"It happened somehow," I said, finding camaraderie with him.
Rafayel gave Zak a nod and took the empty seat between Daniel and Ryker. The Wolfsbane Pack came under Alpha Superior Rafayel's rule, so he was technically my Alpha Superior right now since I still hadn't transferred packs.
"So you are finally listening to me," Zak said to Rafayel dryly.
Rafayel groaned.
"I didn't expect that a brat who's still wet behind the ears would cause this much trouble, Zak."
"Have you figured out his motive yet?" Zak asked. Rafayel shook his head.
"I'm thinking that someone else is behind this and he just was the best choice to act through. There's no way a nineteen-year-old Alpha Heir who is colossally arrogant enough to leave his pack seal on letters of harassment has such a clean record on his own."
"That is what I believe, too. But I'm not liking the other options. It would mean that another Alpha Superior is involved, or other shifter races are trying to cause internal strife. I do not want to entertain the third possibility, which is more likely," Zak said with a grim face.
Rafayel gulped.
"You don't mean…" He trailed off.
"Alpha, is it starting again?" Ryker asked, his voice full of anger and a bit of fear.
I looked at them incredulously. Who in the world were two Alpha Superiors hesitating to mention? They were walking around it like it was thin ice.
"Oh, stop with the vagueness and tell me who it is. You're hesitating as if the Lycan Royals themselves are involved," I demanded. Zak's gaze hardened and Rafayel looked away. Darren, Ryker, and Daniel remained silent.
'No way…'
I blinked fast, and my hands trembled.
"Are you being serious?" I asked in a shaky voice. Even with two Alpha Superiors on our side, weren't we way in over our heads against the Lycan Royalty?
"It's just a possibility," Zak said. I sighed in relief. "A very sure one," he added. I clenched my fist in anger. I had gone against the Lycan Prince head on and faced that guy's wrath and knew firsthand just how powerful those Royal Lycans were with their elemental powers.
My life was ruined by them.
And now the Royal family was provoking my mate. What were they trying to achieve now? Was crippling the Alpha Heir of Southern Lands not enough? Did exiling me from my pack not satisfy them? What did they want by causing a rift between the Western and Northern Lands?
I couldn't possibly leave my mate to handle this on his own. I had to stick around at least until this was solved.
"But what could their motive be? Why are they trying to cause internal strife between their own people?" I asked, my heart in turmoil.
All of them remained silent. Daniel shifted awkwardly, Rafayel and Ryker ignored my gaze, Darren stared at Zak curiously and Zak, the man I had directed my question to, ignored me. He ignored me! For asking a perfectly sensible question!
"You know, if you're not going to answer my questions, I might as well leave the room so that you all can freely discuss," I pointed out dryly.
"I am not answering because this might not be the safest place to answer this question, not even with a sound barrier," Zak answered me. I never noticed the sound barrier, but now that he said it, I could feel the quiet thrum of his mana, the energy used to cast magic spells, surrounding the room.
"Then what can you tell me? I'm involved in this too, so I have a right to know something at least," I demanded.
Zak pondered. As if he was thinking about what to tell me.
"All you need to know is that the Royal Family is most likely behind Jared at the moment, and now that you are my mate, you will be their next target. So the safest place is beside me, and you should not attempt to escape," He said finally, in a tone that brooked no arguments.
'This arrogant son of a-' Seriously? He didn't trust me one bit, did he? Well, it's not like I trusted him either much either. And given my trach record...