On the conference room, where Axel and Edward’s talk was currently taking place, was the Alpha, the Council, and their important ally, Edward.
They were to discuss regarding Axel’s favor about the Wesleyeian wolves. But for Edward to fully understand the situation, Axel had to go through the effort of telling Edward what happened, though there was a possibility that he already knew about Axel and Efraim’s alliance.
“Edward, is there any way to know if another pack is to join the Crimson Red with their fight with the Wesleyeian wolves?” Axel asked. “I have to make sure. Right now, I have chosen five hundred of my men to participate. If we are to add it with the number of warriors the Wesleyeian have, it would be quite a lot. The only problem that would put us in a disadvantage is if August would bring an ally.”
“Do you think there is a pack brave enough to help August, when their enemy is you?” A lop-sided grin curved in Edward’s lips. “You’re the Alpha of the Western Border. I don’t see any reason for you to fret.”
Axel’s brows puckered. “I am not fretting, Edward. I am anticipating the slighest chance of our victory getting stolen.”
Though, Axel was helping Efraim in any way possible, he was still wary of the possibility of them losing. They can’t turned a blind eye even in the most smallest thing, if they want victory. They had to go patch up any flaw there was.
“So, you’re admitting that there is a chance for you to lose?” Edward asked with a mirth.
Edward clearly looked amused even with the seriousness of Axel, and the Council’s face. He found their dicussion entertaining, as it was the first time the great Alpha of the Western Border asked for help. He was known as a leader who never asked for any help; let alone lend a hand. So, hearing about what had happened in the past days shook him to the core.
Afterall, he viewed him and his pack as secluded and untouchable.
“Edward, I just said I’m anticipating it.” Axel’s lips pursed.
Edward’s remark was starting to get through his forced composure. Axel had romised himself a ceasefire with Edward. But he was no master of holding back his temper. He knew he’d expload if Edward would keep on throwing irrelevant questions.
“Please, take this seriously.”
Upon noticing Axel’s tone. Ernesto felt the need to speak to restrict Edward’s foolish statements. It was already a miracle that Axel would ask a favor to Edward, whom he disliked. No. Everything that was happening was beyond miracle. Axel was fully supporting the Wesleyeian, completely fullfiling his role, like he didn’t keep himself and the pack away from any alliance for long years. It was as if Axel was slowly changing.
“This is an important matter,” said one of the Council.
“Pardon me.” Edward raised his brows and clasp his hands which were placed on top of the table. He sat properly to face the Council, like he was ready to commit himself in Alpha’s concern. “As per your concern, Alpha of the Western Border. I’ll contact my informant to spy.”
Rodolfo, Rogelio, and Ernesto, the three council, looked at each other upon hearing the word spy.
“Spy?” Rodolfo repeated. “Do you plan on infiltrating his Kingdom?”
“Not infiltration, must I say.” Edward had to clear Rodolfo’s question. “One of my strongest female wolf, is a mistress of August’s brother.”
“You allowed one of your own to be a mistress?” Axel, who started to get interested to what Edward was saying, asked. His eyes graced perplexity as he stared at Edward.
As they all knew, Edward was one of the most friendly Alpha there was. He had a lot of allies, and connection. The other pack viewed him as a generous and kind Alpha, whose kingdom was a place where positivity foster. Axel thought the same, so he was surprise to hear that his informant, who was also from his pack, was a shameful mistress.
But what they didn’t know was that it was just the other side of the coin. Realistically, Edward was no saint. Beneath his reputation lied a leader who had committed evil deeds for his Kingdom’s gain. And allowing one of his own, Seraphine, to be a mistress, was just one of the many things.
Right now, he was yet to commit another one.
“Do not worry. August is aware.” Edward brought his eyes to the Alpha who looked taken aback to what he just said.
“Besides, her connetion with the Crimson Red had helped me and the pack many times before. It was like an unofficial allince.”
“Who is this wolf you speak of?” Axel asked. “Do you mind telling her name?”
“Seraphine.” Replied, Edward. “August’s brother, Argus’ wife in the shadows.”
“Won’t Argus get suspiscious if this Seraphine asks?” Axel threw another question.
The solution that Edward brought up sounded promising. However, they can not resort to it easily. They should closed
any hole, for their victory to be inevitable. Moreover, instead of using just one method, Axel was thinking about using two to further raise the chance of its accuracy.
“No, because she will not ask. She’s my informant for a reason.” Edward grinned. “And she does not fail.”
“If she won’t ask, then, I’m afraid that’s indeed infiltrating.” Rogelio asserted. “And if she get caught, I just want to be clear that we won’t get involved with that.”
“Not ask, Rogelio. Because she will double cross both Argus and August by pretending she will participate in a war in my behalf.”
What Edward had in mind was to let August know that Seraphine would join the war as Edward’s representative. It would not matter if it’s only her, since Seraphine was worth a general. But to avoid breaking the connection of Argus and Seraphine, he planned to have her got involved in a faked ambush.
“I see…” Rogelio trailed off. “But that is quite dangerous.”
“So is the war.” Edward countered, before he turned his eyes to Axel again. “Is there anything you want me to do?”
“What if August don’t bit it?”
“What?”
“What if August don’t fall for it? He’s smart, Edward. If he knew about our alliance, and mine with Efraim, he would easily see through Seraphine.”
“Seraphine is a warrior, and she had been Argus’ mistress for four rough years. They trust her.” Edward fought head-on Axel’s doubts.
Edward trust Seraphine. She had been Edward’s informant, not only in Crimson Red but to the other pack as well. She was a good actress, and a great spy. She was smart, and she had been continuously outsmarting Argus and the other wolves. Edward had never seen such capable woman, except his woman, Rebecca, of course, other than Seraphine.
“It’s not that I don’t trust this Seraphine, Edward. I just don’t want to commit a mistake by underestimating August.” Axel explained the reason behind his thorough question.
“Are you not that confident in winning?”
“It’s not confidence that will help us win, but capability, Edward. And I don’t only want to help the Wesleyeian. I also want them to bring the victory back to the mountain.”
“Why?” Edward’s brows furrowed. “Why do you feel so inclined in helping the Wesleyeian when you’ve been refusing alliance your entire regime?”
It was the question that bugged Edward the second he heard about Axel and Efraim’s alliance. Axel sending his men to guard Efraim’s pack, choosing five hundred of his men, and several of his high-ranked healers to fully back the Wesleyeian in the battlefield. The efforts were uncalled for, especially when Axel was only after the benefit he’d get in return.
In addition to that, he hated getting involved in other pack’s affairs. So, what was the cause of this sudden change of heart?
“Because I hate losing, Edward.” Axel responded casually. “And I have been longing for war. That’s all there is to it.”
“That’s all there is to it?” Edward repeated.
Although Axel’s response made sense, Edward felt like there was more to it. The way Axel was carefully planning and preparing for the upcomming clash with the Crimson Red was more attentive. Was he always this passionate about war?
What was he, Ares?
“So, if I am to be in the same situation, you would help me?” Edward asked once again. “Would you?”
Axel raised a brow. “Beg me.”
––
After Sophie and Flora was warmly welcomed by the chosen healers who would support in the battlefield, she listened to their practices, in hope to learn something.
Sophie, as one who was not raised with wolves who would teach her how to enhance her healing prowess, she only knew how to use it. So, when she heard Ms. Monique mentioned about the difference of light depending of the healer’s capability, she was pummeled with excitement.
“All of you are already aware with the basic, so we’ll skip to identifying the limit of your magic.” Ms. Monique continued as she walked pass by the lined up healers. “Turn to the animals on the table. Each of it has different sickness, and chronic illness. Use your healing prowess and save it.”
There was a ten long table inside. Each one has ten straightly lined-up wolves on the right. On top of the table were ten different species of animals. It was brought up by Ms. Monique’s assistant. Sophie guessed those were what they call test subjects. Animals that were either from the Human world, or outside the Kingdom.
“I’ll give you exactly one minute.”
Sophie’s brows sloped inward. One minute was absurd! If she was to put herself in healers’ shoe, she would need at least five. Wouldn’t they need to know first the illness before healing it? Sophie knew that was how healing ability worked. One must see the wound, or identify the illness, before healing it. Otherwise, it would not work.
For Sophie, the given time was too short. But to her surprise, none of them seemed to disliked it. Ms. Monique nodded her head, and pointed her pointing finger to the clock. Sophie’s eyes went on it to see the time. And as soon as the bigger hand of the wall clock reached the twelve, the healers started moving with movement she can not follow.
Different light appeared on the healers’ hands out of nowhere, some are even alike to the kind of color Sophie had. She tried to attentively watch how the healers’ would pull the trick. But they worked with the miracle. It hasn’t only been thirty seconds, but three of them had already finished! All with the animals moving again like it wasn’t sick nor injured. It was truly magnificent.
“Wow…” Sophie gasped. “This is amazing, Flora.”