Chapter 116
“H– Hold your fire!” The commander said with a shaky voice, his body shaking with fear.
Well, that was quick.
I watched as the soldiers who surrounded me slowly lowered their weapons, glancing at each other as if they were trying to contemplate if this was a good decision.
Meanwhile, my council members stood up slowly from the ground which they were hiding, their faces filled with hesitation at first.
However, Gamma Zane’s expression soon turned into a scowl as he pointed at the humans.
“You despicable insects! You dare attack us while we’re trying to help you?” He asked with a growl, seeming like he was about to tear them down.
I watched as the humans around me tensed up, staring at him wearily.
At this point, I’ve had enough.
I fixed my gaze on my uncle and released my Alpha King aura in full force. To humans and witches, it might not be all that noticeable, but to werewolves and even animals, it was a suffocating invisible force that carried the will of my bloodline.
I watched as Gamma Zane gasped in shock, clutching his chest slowly as he stared at me in disbelief. My gaze was cold even as he fell to his knees, groveling and struggling for breath.
“I have had enough of your insolence! Stay down, Gamma!” I growled with a thundering voice, glaring at him despite the distance.
His body shook but I showed pity, withdrawing my aura and giving him space to breathe. Birds flew into the air, searching for safety away from my terrifying aura.
The humans weren’t affected but they all still stared at me with fear in their eyes. Like I was a monster.
But I ignored all that and focused my attention back on the commander.
“Now, I’m sorry for your loss and all but you have to realize that we are not your enemy. I hope that we become allies.” I said in a soft tone, trying to be friendly.
But I watched as the grown man shook his head repeatedly before breaking down in tears. “W– Why wouldn’t you monsters leave us alone? Our little town has stayed clear of your never-ending war with the witches, yet we don’t know rest.”
He paused, sniffling repeatedly as I slowly released my grip on him. I watched as he fell to the ground, lowering his head in shame as he cried and his body shook.
His men all stood in silence, none of them daring to even breathe too hard as their commander wept his soul out.
“Annabelle and her sister are all I have. Just last night, her sister, Matilda, was raped by these so-called rogues and then dumped at our borders.”
Oh… Hold on.
I parted my lips to speak when suddenly, a familiar voice spoke up away from the soldiers.
“Father?”
I turned my gaze in that direction and was surprised to see the human girl who Odessa and I rescued last night walking toward us. Her eyes darted around with fear and nervousness but it was clear that she was trying hard to push it down and ignore it.
However, when her eyes met mine, she paused in her tracks, staring at me with complicated emotions, her chest rising and falling with each heavy breath she took.
“It’s… It’s you She whispered in a stunned voice, her body frozen against her will.
I felt bad and was about to say something to her when the commander raised his head and stared at her.
“M– Matilda. Please, go back into the town.” He stuttered but made sure his voice was firm and reassuring.
She stood there with confusion in her eyes as her lips slowly parted and she spoke. “But dad, what’s happening? T– This is the man who saved me last night. He and that witch with the deafening scream.”
My eyes widened in a panic. She was referencing Odessa’s sonic howl!
I glanced back at Marcellus and the others, and fortunately, they seemed clueless, although Marcellus had a curious expression on his face.
It was becoming a burden keeping so many things a secret.
Meanwhile, the commander raised an eyebrow after hearing his daughter’s words, his gaze slowly going to me.
“Is that true?” He asked, sniffling and seemingly getting a hold of his emotions.
I looked down at him, not knowing how to answer that. It would seem like bragging if I admitted to saving his daughter.
“Annabelle?” Matilda suddenly muttered with shock, walking forward as her gaze locked on her sister’s body lying close to Marcellus’ feet.
She pushed past the soldiers, running like her life depended on it until she got in front of the body.
She ignored the stares from Marcellus, the Gamma, and the Delta and knelt. However, she didn’t cry but stretched her hands forward, touching her face with slouched shoulders.
I watched this with emotions swirling in me that I couldn’t quite understand. Guilt? Why should I feel guilty?
Perhaps because these rogues were still werewolves in my territory and as the Alpha king, I still had some responsibility for their actions.
Closing my eyes, I drew in a heavy breath before I brought my gaze back to the human commander who slowly began standing up, dusting his knees and wiping off the tears on his face.
“I’m… I’m sorry for attacking you.” He muttered to me, lowering his head at first before he kept a serious expression.
To my surprise, he stretched his right hand forward, offering to shake me. I glanced around at his soldiers at first before I reciprocated and shook his hand. This text is hosted at.net
“I understand your pain and your plight. But I want to assure you that my desire for peace in this continent and beyond is real. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make it work out.” I said reassuringly, maintaining eye contact.
He smiled wryly as he withdrew his hand, nodding with understanding. “Our town has your back in this truce and the fight against these… Rogues. You can be assured of that.”
With that, he went ahead to pick up his daughter’s body and take her into the town for a proper burial.
I watched this silently, my hands balling into fists beside my body.
“We still need to figure out where these rogues come from,” I spoke with a low voice to Beta Marcellus as we watched the commander drive into the town with his daughter’s body. “And also, what their connection is with the true Lord of the North.”
And most importantly… their intentions for Odessa.