After the thorough discussion with the Elders, to ensure that the Alpha himself would pick the right option, Alpha proceeded with getting in contact with the Wesleyeian Alpha, Efraim. He sent him a greeting, and a briefing of what happened to their sent wolves. Axel then straightforwardly asked if his intention afterwards was to build a union between them.
He didn’t want to further beat around the bush. Both Conrad, and Gondol might have said it was just a speculation, but upon hearing directly from them that they were on a dangerous situation, Axel confirmed it. Why else would Efraim, send a few of his underlings here, amidst of peril that may struck them any moment?
Axel had predicted what will going to happen hereon; but as Efraim’s actual response was needed, he waited. Opportunately, Efraim’s response was a little quick. The group of wolves formed by Axel, who were in-charge of the transmission and communication with the other pack, received the Wesleyeian’s Leader reply at noon.
Triumph at winning the Wesleyeian pack for Axel’s intention, they scheduled a date of meeting for setting their rules and restriction. He left the rest for his Council to decide, and descend, to go back to his Palace.
Axel would then again be put in a pile of the Pack’s affairs. Tomorrow, he will begin the questioning with the Wesleyeian wolves. An interrogation regarding Wesleyeian’s situation. He would send them off at noon, and announce the impending alliance between them and the Wesleyeian the day after tomorrow.
Axel was also planning on contacting his men, whom he sent away for a special mission. He figured there would be no need for them to look further. With the help of Efraim, the information he sought not so long ago would be within his reach.
Axel’s reason behind his motive for forming an alliance with Efraim was not exactly the same as the Council’s. He didn’t want to be questioned, so he was careful during the discussion. Axel deemed the sought information as something so important. Something that would not just benefit him, but Sophie, and the whole pack as well.
Axel fastened his pace. The amount of time needed before he arrived at the Palace was reduced to half. He entered the portcullis at five pm. He was not only stirred to deliver his judgement, but to also finally make up with Sophie, who had been waiting for him.
Axel didn’t mean to ignore Sophie’s feelings. His actions in the past few days might have made Sophie sad. And it probably gave her more displeasing ideas. He had visitors he needed to take care of, and in the process, somehow, Axel felt like indulging to Sophie’s queries would only end up in circle.
But now that the things he had to think of had lessened, he was thinking about giving her enough time to explain himself, starting to the current situation.
Axel stopped his Limoo right in front of the entrance door of the Palace. He threw his key to the Warden guarding it, and went inside. He headed straight towards the Wesleyeian’s lair, but none of them were in it. Not even Flora, whom he personally asked to assist them.
Axel called a servant who was cleaning the vase on the first floor. He asked where his guests were, and that was how he knew Sophie took them out for a walk.
Wondering, Axel took himself on the garden, where he speculated Sophie would take them. His partner, Sophie Drie, like walking. Especially in the garden where she could see a lot of beautiful flowers. Axel evinced himself not mistaken when she he saw the Wesleyeian wolves, including Flora and Sophie, standing near the fountain.
The Palace had a garden in the west rear. In which Axel specifically chose the landscape designer himself. But Sophie didn’t seem to like the green grass dominating the area, so she planted flowers. Different flowers made the garden lively and exquisite. She became its admirer thenceforth. He would always see her with Flora around walking around the fountain. That’s how he thought Sophie might be here, and she really was.
Axel’s shoulders relaxed as he continued to watch the wolves who seemed to be casually talking. The Wesleyeian wolves, Conrad, and Gondol were even smiling while they listened to Sophie. That made Axel even curious.
Sophie was cold to their visitors. What could possibly push her to entertain their guests? Because she had no one else to talk to today, since he commanded Flora to look over the Wesleyeian’s?
Axel was closing the distance each step, but they still remained clueless about it. The wolves are too occupied on their topic that they didn’t sense the Alpha coming.
“The Alpha may seem intimidating, but I assure you, he is courteous, especially to his kind.” Sophie proudly praised the approaching Alpha.
“By ‘his kind’, do you mean his members, or his fellow wolves?” Norman scoffed.
“Both!” Sophie sounded defensive. “You sounded doubtful, Mr. Norman. Did something happen to make you think otherwise?”
Norman, who didn’t believe Sophie’s innocence, raised his brows. He had been countering Sophie’s every praise to the Alpha. He high doubted it, considering he welcomed them with his claws.
Conrad shook his head. “He is just a grumpy person, please don’t mind it.”
“Well, Ms. Sophie. Your husband almost killed us. My apologies if I sounded doubtful.” Norman, who didn’t even look sorry, apologized in a sarcastic manner.
That earned him a light slap to his stomach from his comrade, Dorrothy. They had already decided to abide with the Alpha. Bringing that up now, especially to the Alpha’s Queen, would bring them no good.
“Please, ignore what he said. We have no grudge against the Alpha––“
“Axel almost killed you?” Sophie’s brows met. “He did that?”
“You didn’t know?” Norman scrutinized her.
“I didn’t…” Confused, Sophie looked down. “So, that was why you looked hateful…”
Conrad cleared his throat. “It was our mistake to threaten the Alpha by lingering around the Kingdom. Ms. Sophie, I hope you don’t misunderstand. We hold no grudge resentment the Alpha.”
Sophie had no idea of what had happened before they were taken to the Palace. All she knew was that they were their special guests. They might have talked a lot of things since she gave them a tour around the Palace, but they didn’t mention it, until now.
Out of four of them, it was only Norman who had been speaking with indignation. He was hateful. He gave bitter comments, and spiteful countered. She wasn’t giving it much of attention, until she heard about what Axel did.
“I apologize…” Sophie’s voice went low. “I didn’t know.”
Sophie concluded how stupid it must have sounded to boast about the Alpha’s qualities when they already had experienced his worst. Their ears must have bled hearing good things from him when he almost killed them…
Sophie looked at the Wesleyeian wolves apologetically. Flora, meanwhile, was just as surprise. She didn’t know about that. Now, upon hearing their awful occurrence with the Alpha made them feel differently. That the special treatment wasn’t because of the Alpha’s motive, but because of what he had done beforehand.
Sophie held her forehead. She didn’t know how else she could make it up to them. Sighing, she bit her lower lip and looked away, fortuitously landing her gaze at someone who was just a few meters away. She gasped by surprise.
“A-axel.” She called his name. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Since Norman said I almost killed them…” The Alpha moved in his feet. “Which was true.”
The Wesleyeian wolves, who were unaware of the Alpha’s presence, was stunned. Especially when one of them just spoke ill of him with a disrespectful tone. Gondol’s face reflected both nervousness and guiltiness. Just by hearing Axel’s footsteps made him think about the day he almost slayed them.
The four cowered in fear, including Norman himself who was just sarcastic over a minute ago.
“Greetings Alpha.” Flora bowed down her head. “I apologize for not informing you. My Lady just toured your special guests around the––“
Axel put his right hand up, stopping Flora.
“I know as much, Flora.”
Flora nodded her head.
“So, it seemed that Norman had no plan on overlooking what had happened on the first day…” Axel did not ignore what he just heard from the Wesleyeian wolf. “So, I’m going to offer you a gift.”
“A-alpha…” Conrad, who read Axel’s tone, bowed his head. “I apologize for Norman’s behavior.”
“I’m not talking to you, Conrad.”
The Alpha took a step once more, closing the distance, to reach Norman, who was standing behind Conrad. He wished to show them how he felt. He was the Alpha. His role was not to overlook but to punish those who speak ill of him. Even Rousel, who had been working for him for years was eradicated after a single mistake.
Did he think he was a saint to let his sarcastic remark pass just because he was soon to form an alliance with them?
“If you would like, Norman. I could kill you tonight. So, you, together with your resentment, can rest in peace.”
The Wesleyeian wolves looked away from the calm looking yet minacious Alpha. They didn’t have any courage to further pull Norman out of the peril he created himself. They could only indulge themselves by thinking they warned him enough not to voluntarily foment the Alpha.
The atmosphere suddenly changed, all because of his intimidating aura.
Norman, who had suddenly lost his horns upon being cognizant to the Alpha’s presence, fell silent. One more word and he was sure the Alpha would really take his life. Norman knew as much. And in spite of his resentment towards him, he knew the fear of seeing the Alpha’s cruelty still horrify him.
“Come on, don’t be like that to our guests.” Sophie, who read the room, approached the Alpha and held his wrist. “I’m sure Mr. Norman didn’t really mean it in a bad way.”
Sophie’s poor lying skills was exposed as she tried to convinced the Alpha. Though she was supposed to be ignoring him now, his entrance was a bit… domineering. Especially after she heard what he did to them. She was afraid that he’d really do it. She knew how Axel was never the kind of man who would make empty words. He proved that when he stripped off Rousel’s position after he spoke ill of him.
“Alright. Sure…” Axel didn’t sound convince, but regardless, he moved from his position to turn to Sophie, who was touching him. “I see you had a good time talking to the Wesleyeian wolves. But I’m afraid we’ll have to go in now. Dinner time was coming, yes?”
Dorrothy, who was beside Norman, breathed a sigh of relief. It was only then the four of them felt at ease. Alpha’s gazes were like spear ready to take them down any moment that they weren’t able to breathe properly. He was a very intimidating and fearful wolf, indeed. Such superior qualities that only a leader of a pack would have.
The Wesleyeian wolves made it sure to remember not to anger the Axel. They also reminded themselves to report that to their leader, Efraim.
“Oh, right…” Sophie forced a smile, before she looked back to Conrad and the others. “Shall we, Gentlemen?”
Sophie was only about to remove her hand off the Alpha, when he held it. Axel softly pulled her hand and took it to his arm. Stabling her grip on him, Axel started to walk, dragging her along in the process. He was looking in front, obviously avoiding Sophie’s eyes. Axel was subtly initiating a physical interaction, which she did not allow for days!
Sophie’s brows creased. She straightened her poise and walked along side with him. She took that opportunity to pinch him.
“You are still not forgiven. Walk straight to our lair, Axel. We will talk.”