The Moon Goddess' Chosen

He didn’t sit in the office to do paperwork on this joyous day. He sat in his office to clear his head. Sandra had recounted the events upon their arrival between one of the beta’s daughters and Katie. It wasn’t a good look for the Royals and Katie had disappeared since then along with the Lycaon boy.

“You should stop stressing yourself, you know,” Martha spoke up, walking into the office in a white flowing dress. She’d been known to wear a lot of white, but only because of her husband’s love for the way it made her comparable to an angel in his eyes. She walked up to him and put her arms around him to help calm his nerves.

“I know,” he agreed, sighing, “What did beta Raymond say about his daughter’s violation?”

“Well, he hasn’t said much on the matter. So I invited him here so that we might talk to him together,” she replied. The phone at the royal’s desk started to ring almost immediately. Checking the caller, he answered and turned the speaker on.

“Alpha, Beta Raymond is here to see you,” Jackson’s voice came through.

“Let him in. Thank you, Jackson,” the king wasn’t a great fan of the man that was being brought to him for a number of reasons, but necessity called for this meeting. Royals had to be careful with everything they did... even the way they spoke simply because it was very easy for them to compel other werewolves to do their bidding. It was still unknown to them whether Katie had done it as a mistake or whether she had intended... However, they were ready to keep this matter away from her.

A tall man came into the office only moments later dressed in a suit as though he was just from a business meeting, “Did we interrupt your programs, Beta Raymond?”

“Oh, don’t mind that. I was only leaving my workplace when I received this information. Welcome back, Alpha Davin... Luna Martha,” he greeted them before casually taking a seat in front of them.

.....

“Thank you for the warm welcome. I hope nothing bad happened during our leave,” Martha added warmly. She started rubbing circles into her husband’s shoulders, passing the gesture off as a nervous tick meant to calm the alpha down. She knew of the friction between the two and couldn’t bear to screw up the discussion.

“Everything was just fine, Luna. I had no idea there was still a Royal who was not aware of the rules,” he began.

“Yeah, there is one that’s still unaware of the powers of a Royal and we are doing our best to give her the proper training,” Davin said, tensing upon hearing the phrasing of man’s questions.

“Oh, it was Lina. I’m surprised she would do such a thing. Isn’t she good friends with...”

“It wasn’t Lina. It was Katie...” the queen stopped him. The man paused for a moment processing the words that had just reached his ears.

“My King, I was among the pack warriors that risked their lives to defend your daughter eighteen years ago. You mentioned she’d been killed in that rogue attack. I’ve been hearing whispers of her return. Would you care to explain what that’s all about?” he asked, trying his best to control his temper.

“That’s what we’d gone to confirm when we left. The child was rescued that night and she was taken far away and hidden. She’s been raised by hunters the past eighteen years,” Davin explained.

“And where might this girl be?” he asked, folding his hands across his chest.

“Well, she went out with Cole Lycaon. I don’t know of their current whereabouts. They will come back when they feel like it,” Davin answered, his forehead gaining a few more creases from worry.

“Don’t worry, honey. She will be here by nightfall,” Martha tried.

“I know she won’t leave. She shows that much courage. I can’t blame her for lashing out after everything that’s happened, but I do wish there was something more we could do to make her stay here a better one,” Davin said, going off into his thoughts.

“You lost me when you said Cole Lycaon,” Beta Raymond interjected, “What might he be doing here?”

“Have you already forgotten the story of the Moon goddess’ chosen Royals,” she asked him.

“Oh, you mean the ones that will strip all Royals and alphas of their power to turn humans into werewolves?” he inquired, drawing on the memory from eighteen months ago.

“Yes, that one. Isn’t it wonderful? The rogues will no longer be able to multiply,” Martha squealed, “The war will finally reach a foreseeable close.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” the Beta said. There was no excitement in his voice and the good news didn’t appease him, “I’m only voicing my concerns when I say this. And I ask that you don’t take any offence in the matter. For years, the hunters have been working with the Royals to stop the Rogue King. This has always provided you with a common enemy compared to the beginning when you were both enemies. With the Royals’ power gone and the rogues dwindling, who do you think the hunters will turn their bows too?” he asked.

“That’s a pessimistic point of view, I see. If that were to happen, the hunters would be split into many factions since not all of them would agree to put down werewolves once the rogues are dead,” Martha argued.

“Your optimism makes you blind, my queen. I have only given my opinion on the matter. With regards to the use of the Royal tone on my daughter, I will turn a blind eye just this once. It mustn’t happen again. I also expect an apology,” he said to them before standing up to take his leave.

“Hey, Beta Raymond,” the king called back to the man’s retreating form.

“I remember you saying something about taking your daughter on a tour to search for her mate. How’s that working out for her?” the man asked.

“I would say she doesn’t have long until she’s realised who her mate is,” the man replied with a proud smirk on his face. Davin returned the smile in kind, making sure to leave no holes in his faked expression. The two waited until they could no longer hear the man’s footsteps even through their enhanced hearing senses.

“That man gives me chills,” the king spoke up first.

“Oh, you worry a lot. I do get chills from his daughter though. I remember the incident at the Royal games five years ago,” the woman said.

“And to think Cole doesn’t remember her. I would have loved this to be one of those relaxing family reunions,” the king sighed.

“What makes you think it won’t be?” she said, giving him a peck, “Now come out for some fresh air. The paperwork will wait. This is simple enough that you can even have Jackson or Dalton look through it,” giving up on complaining, the man let the office be and walked out with his wife. There was much to prepare.

..........................

Cole was now wondering how long they still had to get to the castle. Having walked for thirty minutes without any sign of the place, he couldn’t help, but wonder how he’d gotten that deep in the forest. He looked to his guide and saw that she didn’t falter in the direction she was leading him, “How much longer do we have until we get there?”

“I don’t know. I just know that we are very far out. Probably a few more...”

“Can we shift then and make it there faster?” he groaned, getting a feel of what King Davin was going through earlier that day, “Were you able to get a feel of the place to soothe... your mojo?”

“Cole, how much do you remember from that moment?” she asked, finally tired of his somewhat erratic behaviour.

“Well, it’s all a mess. I was with you at the river and then that’s it. I want to ask what happened next, but I feel like I don’t need to. I don’t even know why I’m not freaking out about you walking normally. What’s up with that?”

“Well, I’ve overcome my trauma... I can walk just fine now,” she boasted.

“That’s amazing. Can you run like you used to? Who else knows? How long was I out?”

“How can we fix whatever is going on with your head first? You must have been hit pretty hard...” it was only then that she realised a faint glow in the werewolf’s eyes. She took a step closer to him and watched him reluctantly take one back.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“I honestly... don’t know,” he resigned settling down, “I know something happened, but my mind’s a mess. What happened?”

“Well, we were attacked by someone I’m pretty sure is associated with the moon goddess,” she replied. A moment of silence went through the two of them...

“What...” was all he could say after an explanation that vague...