The next day
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Luna Percy was with her eldest son in his grand study. Alpha Dahmer had received a missive from the king of Illyria, informing him of his visit to their pack. After reading the missive, Alpha Dahmer was confused and worried, because the purpose behind his visit was not stated in the letter.
He was uncertain whether the king's visit portended trouble or if it was merely a courtesy call.
The Therondia pack have always maintained a cordial relationship with the king of werewolves, and they have grown more attached since the last campaign. Fully aware of the need to maintain peace and show respect to the king, Dahmer began preparation in earnest.
He turned to his beta who stood beside the chair where he sat, and he issued his command. "You understand your duties, correct? Ensure that everyone is on their best behavior, and instruct the servants to prepare the chamber for the king's stay. Everything must be done promptly with no mistakes, for the king arrives tonight."
His beta nodded and turned to leave the room. When he opened the door, Alpha Rhyne was standing at the threshold, and he walked in before the beta could take his leave. He approached the Alpha and gave a respectable bow to Luna Percy before taking his seat on the vacant chair beside her.
Warm sunlight spilled into the room through the opened window, illuminating his credible features, and he could hear the sweet melodies of birds chirping on the trees outside.
Alpha Dahmer massaged the space between his eyebrows before gazing at Rhyne, who appeared indifferent as usual. "What brings you to my study at this time of the day, Alpha Rhyne?"
"I depart on the morrow," he said, reclining against the chair. "My work here is done. I must return to my own pack as there are other matters that demand my attention. If you don't mind, I'd like to take your sister, Esmeray, with me as well." He made the request that had been hanging at the tip of his tongue for a while, and knowing the kind of relationship Dahmer had with his sister, he was sure Dahmer wouldn't refute him.
Meanwhile, Alpha Dahmer was busy arranging the parchment on his table, hating how disorganized it looked since he had been dealing with many paperworks. However, he halted upon hearing Alpha Rhyne's last request.
"You want to take Esmeray with you to your pack." Alpha Dahmer chuckled and shook his head. "Please tell me that what you said was only a joke, cause you and I know that's not possible." His dismissive tone made Alpha Rhyne frown in confusion. Certainly, he did not expect Dahmer's blatant rejection.
"Why? What do you mean?"
"What do you think I mean? What you are asking would disrupt the flow of my plan, and I'll tell you why." He placed the parchment aside and looked into Alpha Rhyne's eyes with equal seriousness. "If you take Esme to your pack, she'll learn the truth about what we've done. If she finds out that you were never truly her real mate, that the drama at the moon ceremony was orchestrated by you, me and my mother, things will go downhill. Although I'm willing to let her go, I can't and won't let her go to you. You can't make a bargain out of her."
He relaxed in his seat and added. "I shall send a contingent of my warriors to escort you safely tomorrow. It was a pleasure having you as our guest." he managed a subtle smile, and Alpha Rhyne could do nothing but return the smile with a hint of feigned appreciation. He couldn't risk pushing the matter to the point of Alpha Dahmer's suspicion and left it at that.
Luna Percy chose the right moment to interject as she said, "it is fortuitous that you leave tomorrow and not tonight. You will have the chance to see the King in person when he arrives."
She didn't hesitate to share the good news with him with a hint of pride, catching Alpha Rhyne off-guard. Alpha Dahmer on the other hand, remained indecisive in regards to whether the king's arrival would indeed be a cause for celebration.
"The King is coming here?" Rhyne turned his gaze to Dahmer, who ran a finger through his dark curls. "That's amazing news. If he's coming tonight, then he must have commenced the long journey two days back. It would be an honor to be in his presence."
"But why is he coming here?" Only Alpha Dahmer seemed to harbor negative thoughts towards Alpha Rhyne and Luna Percy's optimism. "If he wanted to see me, he should have requested my presence in the palace. I don't desire his presence here, not with the troubles plaguing the pack as of late." He sighed frustratedly.
Luna Percy's gaze lingered on her son's disturbed countenance, and she inquired. "Is this about Esmeray? Can you believe she's already up on her feet after that beating you gave her in front of everyone."
Alpha Dahmer nodded to his mother's understandable shock. "Something about her changed after we thought she died. I threatened the healer for lying to me about it, but he said he was super sure that Esme had no pulse, not even a heartbeat. Her skin was cold. It doesn't even make sense that a dead person would come back to life, and I don't know if I should believe his theory or not."
"We can always confine her to chambers so she doesn't come out and disgrace the family before the king." Luna Percy simply suggested this as though it were a routine measure. "Esme is not the type to speak before others and we all know she hates crowds. She's likely invisible to the world. I wager the King himself won't notice her absence."
Dahmer seemed to process his mother's words, and he agreed to go along with it.
"During the King's stay, Esme will be locked in her chambers till he leaves. I honestly don't know what to do with her anymore." The resentment in his voice was palpable, but the two Montague's failed to notice the displeased look on Rhyne's face as they kept down talking Esme.
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"The king is coming?" Esme blinked in surprise at the news. She looked up at Luna Percy who had disturbed her peace in the library, and she closed the book she was reading.
"Yes." replied Luna Percy with a frown. "During his stay, you are not allowed to leave your chamber. The King arrives tonight as we have been informed, so make sure your servant attends to whatever requirements you might need without you leaving your room. Should he catch sight of you and your repulsive presence, who knows what he might do."
After eyeing Esme with a look of pure disdain, she exited the library with her maids flanking behind her. In her absence, Esme glanced at Vivienne who had opened a book to read, and the two of them exchanged puzzled glances, as if they both shared the same unspoken question.
"Why is the King coming here?" Esme asked no one in particular, practically pondering on the answer herself. Her servant didn't dwell on it and was in fact glad that her lady doesn't have to be there with them, because her lady would be safer in her chambers than being out there with those people.
"Perhaps he has matters to discuss with Alpha Dahmer," Vivienne speculated. "But we should not concern ourselves with that, Milady. Let's focus on the medicine you wanted to learn about. You mentioned an interest in healing salves, did you not?"
"Yes, Finnian sustained an injury during his training." Esme sighed as her mind drifted to when Finnian was brought to her with a hand swollen and inflamed. "Turns out he overworked himself during his training and ended up throwing his wooden sword in the bushes filled with poisonous flora. If it wasn't for the salve I had prepared for my own wounds, it would have been difficult to treat him."
Esme was still upset that the guards and servants in charge of the garden did nothing to stop Finnian from going near the poisonous bush. For the first time in her life, she had reprimanded the servants for their carelessness.
"I just need to gather the ingredients here and we can get the necessary tools from the kitchen before Luna Percy notices my presence."
Vivienne nodded in agreement and simply proposed. "Milady, with your skills in creating medicinal herbs, shouldn't you also learn to make poisons, just in case?" She handed Esme a thick book with a dark amethyst cover, "I found this on the shelf. It details varieties of poisonous herbs, their ingredients and the procedures to make them. I couldn't put it away and considered showing it to you."
"Poison?" Esme gazed at the book in her hand, a concept she hadn't considered before. "I suppose I could give it a try. But let's start with the healing salve first."
"Does her lady need any assistance?" Said a voice that made Esme freeze in place. She turned her head to the side and was met with a pair of green eyes watching her.
"Alpha Rhyne?"
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A/N: The book is contracted now! <3 I really really appreciate the unconditional support from everyone!