DUSK'S POV
"It's so nice to see you painting once more, but aren't you tired? It has been quite stressful," Seline said. I raised a hand to my head and nodded.
"I do have a headache, I think I'm going to be sick," I said as I felt a dull ache in my forehead.
"Have you seen the Alpha today?" Seline asked, and I nodded.
"I went to his room earlier to check on him, but he's still asleep. I just needed to see if he was okay," I said, and Seline smiled.
"Still not decided?" She asked, and I looked at her.
"On what?" I asked, and she brought her toes in.
"Becoming our Luna. You don't have to do it for the pack; it's..." She was saying, and I interrupted.
"One, there's no way I'll be Luna and won't have to deal with those Elders who have no reason to despise me but still do, and two, Lucius might be my mate, but I do not feel anything for him."
"There you go again, Dusk. How sure are you that you don't love him?" She asked, and I looked at her.
"I feel pity for him sometimes, but he's not someone I can love," I said, and she sighed.
~
LUCIUS' POV
"Take?" I asked, but she smiled wickedly and fell back into the water with a heavy splash.
The next morning, I awoke and rubbed my eyes.
"Stress," I said and swung my feet to the floor.
Stress was always the reason for weird dreams. How could a rabbit I killed a long time ago cause me problems?
I took my bath, dressed up, and went to my study.
In a while, I was going to have a meeting with Alpha Craig because I had told him the previous night that I could not have any business-related discussion since the whole town was in celebration.
"Arya," I called, and my standby maid came to me bowing.
"I need you to locate Marcus, tell him to round up all the people who fought in the war and bring them to me," I said, and she bowed and left.
In a few minutes, they were all in my study, and I smiled.
"This is a nice strategy; none of Roland's men lived, but we all did. I'm happy to see all your faces. So tell me, I'm willing to grant a request from you all individually; you can ask for one request from me, and I'll grant it," I said, and they all smiled.
"Well then, Alpha, I need more materials for my potion making. There have been some potions I have been unable to make due to a lack of proper ingredients I have been unable to access. That is my request," Seline said, and I passed her a blank paper.
"Write it in there," I said, and Wayne, one of the warriors, said.
"My family. I want them to live in the castle. If you can give them positions as maids, I will be grateful," he said, looking at me with hope in his eyes.
Just then, Arya walked in and bowed.
"Alpha Craig is here," she announced.
"Oh, bring him in," I said, and she nodded.
"So what will be done right now is, you'll all write your requests down on sheets, and I'll read them all and grant them," I said, and they all nodded.
As they prepared to walk out, Alpha Craig came in and watched them as they left.
"You may have your seat," I said, and he sat.
"Lucius..."
"It's Alpha Lucius; I am Alpha now," I said, and I saw a look of disapproval on his face, but he still corrected himself.
"Alpha Lucius."
"Yes, Alpha Craig, what is the reason you have rushed to my Kingdom suddenly?" I asked, and he narrowed his eyes.
"You turned your back on an ally; you killed all their men. That isn't what an ally does. In case you don't know how to handle these things properly, that is not how your father handled them. Your father handles allies as..."
"Are you trying to tell me I'm incompetent? I'll take that as an offense. My father taught me everything he knew, long before he died. Right now, you are telling an Alpha he is unfit to rule; I will not take that," I said, and he looked confused.
"Has the power gotten to you?" he asked.
"I was always like this. In case you didn't know, most of the war cases were handled by me and my father. I'm especially disappointed in you, Alpha Craig. What did Alpha Roland tell you? I doubt he told you the truth," I said, and he gave a frustrated sigh.
"What truth? You waged war on an ally Kingdom."
"Did you ask him where the war was waged? In my Kingdom. Or are you saying I dragged his men all the way from their Kingdom with all their weaponry to slay them in mine? They attacked first; they planned to take over my Kingdom, and I happened to find out about it," I said, but he still looked confused.
"You are telling me he sent his men with weapons to take over your Kingdom?" he asked.
"When you leave, Alpha Craig, be sure to leave my message. Tell him I'm not to be messed with. If anything, I am fiercer than my father was, and messing with me will only bring grave consequences," I said, and I could see the little fear that crossed Alpha Craig's face before he maintained his composure once more.
"Very well, I have seen what your father has been working on for years. A weapon for his Kingdom, and he has it already," he said and left.
They were all beginning to recognize it.
The fact that my father had trained me up like a tool, not as a son.
~
That night, when I went to sleep, I was surprised to have that dream once more.
The lady was standing over the water, and she was smiling.
"I will not waste many words. I am only here to inform you that my girl will attack very soon because I have given a life to her. Who do you think I gave to her?" She asked with a malicious smile.