Everyone in the pack had their own thing to do. Warriors were busy developing their strength. Healers were fixated on flourishing their ability. The Alphas were immersed in their own work. All were occupied on becoming better to win the war.
The Wesleyeians were led by Axel. Men and Women. Young, and Adult. All of Efraim’s wolves will be fully trained by Axel. In exchange, he promised to take the responsibility. Edward, however, was given an assignment by Axel himself, to use all the means possible to figure out the formula of the drug the Human scientist made. To counter it. To know how it could be stopped.
Efraim, meanwhile, was still deciphering what they read in the book to trigger the special ability. And whilst the whole Kingdom, and the Wesleyeians, were engrossed in their own endeavor, Rebecca, whose plan fell to ruin when Sophie got pregnant, was creating another ploy behind closed doors.
“You cannot involve the witches in this…” Rousel, Rebecca’s other informant, responded in diasgreement.
“Then, how do you suppose I could kill Sophie’s unborn child?” Rebecca asked in a desperate tone.
For the past days, she had been thinking about it. While the whole Kingdom was struggling to reach the victory, she was in the house Edward bought, locking herself whenever Edward’s away, conducting a plan that could satisfy her ego. She fell in the darkness’ bait. Now, she can no longer go back.
She was hopelessly crawling, blinded by defeat. Filled with insecurity and wickedness, she was tricked by her own viciousness. She was corrupt, and she was more than willing to continue. To justify her actions by not giving up.
“Witches are far evil than you imagine, Your Grace. There are other ways.” Rousel continued to expressed his disaccord.
“Besides, you already talked to the Wesleyeian’s leader. Did you not say the last time he know a certain way?”
She did.
Two days after the night of the celebration in the Capital, Rebecca talked to Efraim. Only he wasn’t sure to help her. She tried to use Axel’s name, but he wasn’t taking the bait. Efraim did not believe Axel would use another wolf to contact him about something personal that they could just discuss privately.
Hence, she wanted to try another way by involving the witches.
But Rousel was right. Witches weren’t easy to deal with. They were obnoxious, and arrogant. The Witches had always believed they were better than any creature. Which was why the wolves never associated themselves to their kind. It wasn’t an easy feat. But if the witches could help her, what would stop her from doing so?
“Let me remind you of your standing, Rousel. You’re just a damn wolf I took when you were helpless. I picked you up, when Axel stripped you off your position. And in exchange, you pledged to work for me…” Rebecca stepped forward to close the gap, not looking away from her informant’s eyes. Her determined eyes were piercing. “Or would you rather let your family starve?”
Both Flora and Rousel’s fate were in Rebecca’s palm. Because of her ability to manipulate their weak heart, they had been trapped, not knowing Rebecca was even monstrous that their Alpha, Axel. In terms of evilness, that was.
Now, together with Rebecca, they were heading to a path more darker than they had accepted to take. It was only either they follow, or turn themselves in.
But that would mean death. And escaping death with death will be a useless attempt. Except they would gain their dignity back before their last breath.
“I know, Your Grace.” Rousel looked down. “But please, let us do it another way. We can execute the plan without involving the witches.”
“What method?” Using her finger, Rebecca lifted Rousel’s chin to meet his eyes. “What method do you have in mind, Rousel?”
“Four days from now, Axel, Edward, and Efraim, together with the wolves in this Kingdom would head out to the battlefield.” Rousel started to lure Rebecca in. “Sophie will stay here. The Alpha will not let Sophie leave the Palace. That will be our chance.”
“You said so yourself, the Alpha will not allow his Luna to be harmed in any way.” Rebecca countered. “Hugo’s returning. I’m certain the Alpha would assign him to look after Sophie.”
“He’ll be needed in the battlefield. He’s one of the strongest warrior Axel has.”
“And what if you’re wrong?”
“Then I will have to do something about him. I know him, Your Grace. We’ve been together for long years. I’ve seen him fight. I know how he fight.”
“You will take him on?” A mocking smile crept in Rebecca’s lips, before she let go of Rousel to turned around. “Don’t underestimate Hugo.”
“I am not, Your Grace. Hugo might be stronger, but I’m confident I can get him.”
“Get him?” Rebecca chuckled. “How will you do that, then?”
“Give me at least a day to plan it. What’s important is during that time, you will be free to execute the plan to kill Sophie’s unborn child.”
“That’s not easy. Even if I manage to kill the baby, if I show myself to Sophie, Axel will find out. He will kill us both, Rousel.”
“Not if you won’t show yourself.”
Rebecca stopped on her track. “What do you mean, not show myself?”
“We can poison the Luna.”
Poison?
Rebecca squinted her eyes, analyzing the risky plan Rousel proposed.
Rebecca, then, thought about it. After the short argument with Rousel regarding their next move, Rebecca had given it a thought. Indeed. The war was a good opportunity to execute her plan. Not only Sophie will be alone, but no high ranked, not even the Council can stop her from her plan.
Especially… when she have a spy inside the Palace.
Flora.
The same day, Hugo returned to the Western Border. Axel took him to the Palace, together with the high ranked wolves who came with him, to discuss and update them regarding the war, and the recent shocking events. Although he had already informed him about the alliances.
“Sophie is pregnant, Hugo. So I’m assigning you to look after your Queen, while I am away.” Axel gave Hugo his new assignment.
“Pregnant?” Hugo’s brows met. “The Luna’s pregnant?”
“That’s a good news. After all that’s happening. It is a good riddance.” Terrance shared his reaction. “But why Hugo, Alpha? If this is an all out war, Hugo will be needed in the battlefield.”
“Hugo is strong, Terrance. Which is why I want him to look after Sophie. Not because the war is important, does not mean I will turn a blind eye to any possible danger. I want Sophie to be safe. She, and our baby.”
Whilst Hugo was indeed needed in the battlefield, Sophie’s health mattered more to him. Sophie, and the baby inside her womb. The future of the leader is within Sophie, so he needed to make sure there will be nothing that could harm his Luna.
Thenece, his decision to assign Hugo, to protect Sophie while he was away with the other wolves.
He cannot look away at the smallest possibility of danger. Especially when Teresa had already warned him.
“I accept, Alpha.”