Clara's POV
"It was Ms. Ellie, your majesty," Tia said anxiously, and we all had surprised faces. I felt Erik's aura. He released all of his aura and mixed it with killing intent. He directed it to Tia.
I bit my lip anxiously when I saw Tia on the ground, almost kissing the floor. Vincent tries to control his wolf and not move from his spot.
"YOU DARE!" Erik shouted.
"ENOUGH," I said with authority. I used my power to protect Tia and Vincent from Erik's power.
Erik looked at me furiously, and I gave him a blank look.
"Tch," Erik backed out and calmed himself.
"Guards," I called.
In a second, the guards guarding outside the throne room entered and rushed in front. "Bring me, Ellie," I ordered, and Erik gave me a surprised look.
"Seems like you are determined to use your anger in this meeting," I said, looking disappointed. I didn't wait for his response and looked at Vincent and Tia.
"Make a list of those who went out from the barrier," I ordered Tia. She bowed and gave me a sincere look.
"Your highness, only Ms. Ellie went out," Tia said, glancing at Erik anxiously. I looked at Erik, and I saw him holding his anger back. He is gripping the armchair tightly. I sighed and put my hand above his hand.
He looked at me, and I just gave him a serious look. He relaxed, and we both looked at the couple in front of us.
"Gather the members and make sure that there is no more traitor and throw Alpha Louis' beta in the dungeons," Erik ordered. "Yes, your majesty," Vincent replied, bowing his head and leaving the room.
After Vincent left, Ellie entered the room with the guards. I raised my hand, and the guards bowed before leaving the room. Ellie walked closer to us while smiling.
"What is it?" Ellie asked softly. I gave her a sad look and glanced at Erik. He was frowning, and I gripped his hand tightly. He looked at me, and I nodded at him.
"I ordered Vincent to attack the traitor's pack," Erik said calmly. He sighed and looked at his mother seriously. Ellie looked at Tia and us with a confused look. "Yes, I know. What about it, son?" Ellie asked.
"That traitor is Alpha Louis, and he got away," Erik said. The room was filled with silence until Ellie covered her mouth using both of her hands.
She looked at us, and her eyes told us she was scared. I gave her a pitied look, but we need to be firm. I closed my eyes and gathered my thoughts. "Since Luna Tia has control over the barrier, all the pack members that want to go out will come to her, and you were the only one who went out," I said with authority.
Erik tightened his grip on my hand. "Ellie Smith, I have one question for you," Erik said threateningly. "Did you or did you not come in contact with Alpha Louis?" Erik asked.
I looked at the pitiful she-wolf in front of me. Erik and I already know that she did come in contact with them since she always says she is meeting an old friend. She always changes the subject when we ask about her old friend. Now, we understand why she couldn't tell us her old friend's name since it was the traitor, Alpha Louis.
"Y-yes," Ellie said while stuttering. Erik's grip tightened again, and I glanced at him. I saw him close his eyes, trying to calm himself, but he failed.
"Why, mom?" Erik asked with a sad face. Ellie bit her lip at the saddened face of his son. "I-I didn't mean to, I promise," She said while sobbing. Her voice came out as a whisper while she was looking at her son, who was looking back at her with a distrustful face. Tia avoided her gaze, not wanting to look at the painful scene in front of her. I clenched my teeth, trying to hold back my tears from falling.
"You just endangered the pack and your unborn grandchild," Erik said softly. He clenched his teeth while looking downwards. He closed his eyes and glanced at his mother. His face looks so serious that no emotion can be seen in him.
It hurts to see Erik look at her mother like she was a criminal. I gripped Erik's hand and focused my eyes on Ellie. "Ellie Smith, you will be imprisoned in your room until further notice. We will conduct a thorough investigation regarding this matter, and when we prove that you are indeed a traitor, you will be sent to the north" I gave the verdict instead of Erik. I couldn't let Erik tell her mother the judgment, and knowing my mate, he would send her straight to the north.
Ellie kneeled on the ground, feeling hopeless. She knows how serious this is since Erik was looking forward to finishing this issue. He was also sensitive on this matter since it linked to his father and former pack member's death. Erik just looked at his mother, who was sobbing on the ground. Tia was holding herself back, and I tried my best not to cry.
"Take her away," Erik said calmly. Tia bowed at Erik and rushed to Ellie's side, supporting her to stand up, and they both left the throne room. Erik crouched forward, covering his eyes with her hands. I touched his back and caressed it.
"Can you leave me alone for a minute, babe?" Erik said with a trembling voice. I bit my lip and tried to calm myself. I do not want him to know that I am also crying. "Of course, sweetie. Mind-link me if you need anything," I said while hugging him from the side. I broke the hug and kissed his head before leaving.
It's hard to rule, I managed to give her a verdict, but it was painful for me to do so. Surely, after calming himself, Erik will go and have a talk to his mother as her son, not as her king.
Erik's POV
After Clara left, I slumped in my chair and looked at the ceiling. "What should I do now?" I whispered to myself.
Seeing my mother's face, I know she unintentionally leaked our plans, but she knew I was suspecting Alpha Louis, so why would she tell him things that should stay inside the territory? The attack on Alpha Louis is kept secret. Only the high-ranking official knew about the plan. I only told her I gave Vincent a task and would attack some pack.
I will not get anywhere by asking myself if I should go and talk to mom. "Can I talk to her without getting angry?" I asked myself. I sighed and stood from my seat.
I kept thinking about what I should ask my mother on my way to her room. When I arrived at her doorstep, the guards guarding her outside her room bowed to me. I nodded at them. "Leave, come back after an hour," I ordered, and they bowed again before leaving.
I entered the room and saw my mother sitting on the chair beside her window. She looked at me, and I frowned at her. I walked towards her and sat in the chair in front of her. We were silent for a few minutes until I decided to talk to her. "Why, mom?" I asked softly.
"I didn't know," She said, and I smirked at her. "Didn't know? You knew that I suspected Alpha Louis, and you still had a meeting with him? Not only that, but you even told him things you shouldn't," I said.
"It was just a friendly meeting! I swear to the moon goddess that I did not intentionally leak some information!" She exclaimed, her voice sounding desperate.
"What did you tell him?" I asked while gritting my teeth with anger. "He only asked what was new in our pack. That was it! I only told him some stories that happened here, not the important ones! I am not that stupid, okay!" She said and started to cry.
"Did you also know that Clara was pregnant?" I asked her and gave her a look of distrust. She thought for a while, and her eyes grew big, realizing something. She gasped and looked at me with regret.
"I told him that Clara was acting strange, that I thought she was pregnant," She whispered.
"And after the incident, you didn't even think it was Alpha Louis?" I said while laughing in between my words.
"It's just that I didn't even think that he could betray us," She said and covered her face with her hands while crying.
"I told you, mom, I told you that I am suspecting him. You couldn't even trust your own son's words." I said with a trembling voice.
"I'm sorry, son, I'm sorry," She sobbed. I shook my head in disbelief. "He was also part of dad's death," I said and stood. She looked at me with a surprised look, and I frowned at her. "I'm sorry, but you will be imprisoned here. You endangered the life of Clara and the pack," I said and headed straight to the door. "Wait!" She said, and I heard her chair falling to the floor.
I glanced at her from behind, "W-what did you mean?" She said with a trembling voice. "You don't have the right to know," I replied with a threatening voice. She walked toward me, but I immediately left the room.
As I left the room, I saw Clara standing outside the room. When our eyes locked, she smiled at me sadly. I smiled back at her and offered my hand. She gladly took my arm, and we walked to our room quietly to rest.
~~~~~~
Clara and I went to bed without talking about what had happened last night. I am in my office with Vincent and Tia, planning our next step. Vincent ordered Ian to look around the country and gather information about Alpha Louis.
"I think there's another traitor," I said, looking at Vincent and Tia.
"Yes, someone else is hiding him and the Alpha of rogues," Tia replied while touching her chin.
"They couldn't hide that long unless another Alpha hid them," Vincent said.
"Or their hideout is not on the surface," Clara said. She was standing at the door, and when we all looked at her, she smiled. She walked towards the sofa and sat. Tia served her some tea since she could not drink coffee because of her pregnancy. I stood and walked closer to her to kiss her on her forehead.
"Underground, huh," Tia said while thinking deeply. "That wouldn't be too hard for them since they have Merlin," Clara said calmly.
"Yes, that would also be the case," Vincent said, agreeing with what Clara said.
"Make sure that all the packs residing in the country are clean," Erik ordered at Vincent.
"Yes, your majesty, what should we do with Alpha Louis's beta?" Vincent asked.
"Right, I almost forgot about him. I will be interrogating him myself," I replied to him. He bowed and left the room. I continued reading the reports regarding different events inside the country by countless Alpha.
"You are two months long," Tia said. I glanced at her and saw her sitting beside Clara on the sofa, touching her belly.
"I see," Clara said, smiling brightly while touching her stomach. I smiled at the sight of her and continued reading the reports.
I have a pup on the way, and I should finish reconstructing the country as fast as I can and finish everything regarding my father's death and Klaus. I don't want to endanger the lives of my own family since Clara will get weaker as her baby bump gets big.
This fight with the rogues has gone too long. I need to ensure that if my pup gets born, there won't be any more threats in the country. I also don't want to be so busy when my child is born. If possible, I want to give my child all my attention and focus since Vincent is good and fast in his work.
I slumped my back onto my chair and smiled at the peaceful future I was thinking about for my family.