CHAPTER 28
LOGAN’S POV
As we walked down to the dinning hall for dinner, I couldn’t help the rush of energy I felt within me. Why did I feel like I was going to receive information that would change a lot of things in the nearest future?
The moment we stepped into the hall, I was surprised to see a great number of people in there. Inside the very large hall, were several long dinning tables and chairs around each, and just at the edge of the hall, was a much smaller dinning table, with a few people on it. There, I could see Ryan, Ralia, a familiar looking man, and an unfamiliar looking woman.
“They eat as a pack? I’m confused.” He whispered to me, who simply managed a smile, trying not to let the people realize they were our topic of discussion.
“Your highness.” Ryan walked over to us, and gestured towards their table. We walked with him, while our guards settled in some other table where some pack members sat. The maids who had done the honours of leading us down to the dinning hall from our bedrooms, gave a bow and walked away.
“Thank you.” I smiled and made myself comfortable on a chair.
“Let me introduce you to my Beta. Phillip Randall.” Ryan said to me, gesturing towards the familiar looking man. “You must have met him once before.”
“I thought so.” I nodded. “I did think he was familiar.”
“You’re welcome to our pack, your highness, Beta Justin.” He gave a slight bow.
“Thank you, Philip.”
“Thank you.” Uncle Justin gave a small smile.
“And that is his mate, Lily.” Ryan pointed at the unfamiliar lady seated beside Philip. “She was previously a member of the blood moon pack, before she found her mate.”
“Really?” I asked in happy surprise. “That is my mate’s pack as well. You should know her.” I addressed Lily, and she nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. She is the daughter of Alpha Dean and Luna Marion. An extremely strong she-wolf, never seen another as such as her.” She said in absolute adoration, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“You sound like you’re so fond of her.” I commented.
“No! Not at all.” She rushed out, still managing to retain her smile. “You see, Audrey wasn’t the sort who had a lot of friends or acquaintances. She loved to be on her own. I guess her only friend was her cousin; Denver. It’s safe to say that he was her best friend.”Property © NôvelDrama.Org.
She suddenly stopped speaking, like she was being controlled by a remote. I knew there were a lot more important things to be discussed tonight, but listening to these gists about my mate didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Go on.” I found myself saying. She gave a small smile and continued.
“A lot of people thought she was stuck up and proud, but I just felt like they never really got her kind of person.” She shrugged. Why did I feel like Lily was blindly in love with Audrey?
“And you did?”
“Sorry?” She chuckled.
“You understood her kind of person?”
“I cannot be sure.” Her smile seemed a bit uneasy now. “But one thing is certain. She is a kind lady who puts up a facade of toughness.”
“And you think so, because?” I asked.
“Because she once saved my life.” She muttered, and I could see the tears in her eyes. “At the detriment of hers.” She quickly blinked them back.
“What happened?” This time, it was Phil who asked, looking quite surprised. He was clearly hearing his mate telling this particular story for the first time. She released a nervous chuckle.
“I hope you don’t mind if I say that I really do not want to talk about it?” She asked, a look of plea in her eyes. No one had to tell me it was a very touchy subject.
“Of course not.” I shook my head, unable think of anything else, than the things she had just said.
“You know, she had always hoped to be Alpha.” Lily suddenly said.
“What?” I asked in confusion. Just then, some maids walked to our table and dropped various bowls of dishes before us.
“Your mate.” She nodded, take the spatula in the salad bowl and scooping some salad onto her plate.
“She did?” I squinted my eyes in confusion. “But I thought she has an older bro…”
“Yes, she does.” Lily nodded. “Andrew. A few members of the blood moon pack did think she had more potentials than he did. And she really tried her best to show it.” She nodded in agreement with her own words, as she took her napkin and fixed it into the neck line of her blouse.
“Your highness, you should eat.” Uncle Justin nudged me by the arm, and I nodded in agreement half mindedly.
“So?” I pressed on.
“So a lot of other people thought she was just excessively power hungry. To them, it was unfair to want to outrun her older brother, who was also trying his best to prove his relevance.”
“And what was it to you?” I asked, wanting to know her own opinion about it all. She seemed like a good judge of character.
“Well…” She sighed, taking a spoonful of salad into her mouth. “I did think she was overly ambitious.” She nodded, making me try my best to not show my disappointment. I didn’t know why, but I never wanted anyone to think bad of Audrey.
I had also used to think she was such a stone cold woman during the first few weeks of knowing her. But that was until I realized that there was still some warmth in there, after all. She wasn’t exactly the best of humans, but I believed she could be. She still acted indifferent towards me atimes, but I figured it would definitely take time for her to behave differently from the cold way she was used to. Lily’s revelation of her lack of friends pretty much explained it all.
“But then again, nothing’s so wrong with being ambitious.” Ralia suddenly spoke up.
“Same thing I thought.” Lily managed a smile. “I figured powerful people such as herself, could make great changes when they come in contact with power. And that was why I was so happy when I heard that you were her mate. She would finally have access to all she’s ever wanted in a much bigger way.”
“That, she would.” I found myself smiling.
“You know, for a moment, there was some sort of speculation. It was a totally crazy rumour.”
“What about?”
“Oh?!” She raised her brows. “You know, some people were thinking she was mated to prince Sebastian. Thankfully, it turned out to be you.”
Just then, Ryan cleared his throat. That was an obvious way of telling her that she was speaking too much. I was quite fine with it, though it may have hurt a little when she talked about Sebastian, because it sure as hell wasn’t a lie. They had indeed wanted to be mated, but then I came into the picture.
“Your highness, please go on and have your meal.” Uncle Justin softly chastised. “You haven’t had anything solid to eat all day. The sooner you eat, the sooner we get to the bottom of the unusual things that had taken place earlier on.” He was right, so I nodded in agreement. What I just hadn’t expected was for Ryan to say what he said next.
“Certainly, my prince. I would tell you everything you ought to know, when we are done with dinner.”
“Creepy.” Uncle Justin muttered.
“That’s a vampire thing. He’s a hybrid after all. Half wolf, and half vampire.” I whispered to Uncle Justin, sure Ryan could still hear me.
“Might I ask why the entire pack are having dinner? Is this the normal way you eat?”
“Not exactly.” Ralia said. “This is something we used to do annually, before Ryan… got into isolation.” She paused, as if reminiscing the good old days. “We eat and drink in honour of every lost soul of the cold moon pack.”
“That’s…. thoughtful.” I commended.
“Hmmm…” She nodded. “That, it is. It’s the first we are having in 5 years.” That meant they hadn’t observed the ritual since what happened to Ryan.
I finally focused on the meal before me, and started eating. I had barely gotten to the fifth spoon of food when I suddenly started to hear a lot of whispers in the hall. Instinctively, I looked back at the rest of the hall, to see a huge dark skinned man walking towards our table, looking somewhat sombre.
“Desmond!” I heard a someone yell out, and turned to see it was Ralia. By then, she had already gotten up from her seat, and began running towards him.
I heard Ryan release an angry grunt, before hitting the table in anger. I hadn’t seen that coming. Who was this ‘Desmond’ man?
“What are you doing here?!!” Ryan roared, standing up to his feet instantly. I looked back to see Ralia in a tight embrace with the strange man. After a few seconds, he pulled away from her, took her hand in his, and kissed the back of her palms. That was when it occured to me. This was Alpha Desmond of the silver heights pack, Ralia’s mate. “I said, what the hell are you doing here?!!” Ryan growled angrily once more, making his way to the other Alpha who currently seemed to be scared.
I was more surprised when Ralia quickly stood before him, shielding him from her angry brother’s supposed plan to attack.
“Calm down!” Alpha Desmond yelled out from the back of his mate. “I’m here to tell you that I have realized my mistakes! I’m sorry.” At his statement, Ralia turned to look at him in surprise. I was confused at this point. Ryan’s steps slowed down, and he queried the man.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I told them I wasn’t interested anymore.”
“What?” Ryan said in disbelief.
“My mate and my growing family means more to me.” Alpha Desmond sighed, stepping out of his wife’s back. “I am sorry I made such a foolish decision initially.”
“Desmond.” Ralia whispered in relief.
“And you think I’d just believe you and welcome you back with open arms?” Ryan sneered.
“I have no reason to lie.”
“And they just let you go?”
“Yes. According to them, I had always seemed to be unstable. And Prince Sebastian doesn’t want that kind of support.” What? Did I just hear ‘Prince Sebastian’? What the hell was going on?