Chapter 101
King Braedon POV
"If you lose her or she manages to slip away from you, I swear I'll have your heads" I threatened the two warriors through the mind-link and heard them gulp in response. I cut it off, satisfied they would keep a close eye on Blair and her friends, and settled back in my seat, staring down at my desk and then sighing deeply. James gave a smirk, sitting down opposite me. "You know she'll be fine."
She'd better be I thought, or the two warriors, brothers, would find themselves in the dungeon faster than they could blink. I did not deal with failure lightly. Especially when
I just glowered at him "Do you have any information in regards to that dead cat?" I asked grimly.
came to the safety of my mate.
The poor thing had been just a stray that everyone in the castle had shown kindness to but Blair had had a soft spot for it. I could still see the horrified look in her eyes and the tears she had shed over the poor creature. What angered me was that I had heard nothing during the night. This meant the intruder couldn't have snuck through the bedroom but had managed to somehow do it from the outside of the pack house. A remarkable feat, when all was said and done.
James gave a grimace, looking slightly nauseous. "It was stabbed to death and its throat slit as you assumed," he said confirming what I already knew.
"So it suffered then," Isaid heavily.
The poor creature had not deserved such a violent death and I felt a pang thinking about how it had died.
James just nodded tightly. "Whoever did it must have been filled with rage" he also added darkly "There was no need for them to stab the poor animal as much as they did."
"You know that this means it's somebody from inside the pack house," I said tightly "and they are showing rage towards Blair. Who do you think could be capable of such a thing towards the future Luna Queen?" I said in disgust.
My pack was loyal to me and I had surmised they would be loyal to Blair as well, but I had underestimated there being a traitor in my midst. Or had I overestimated the loyalty the pack would show towards my mate?
James hesitated. "Well to be honest..." he trailed off and my head turned as my eyes bored into him.
There was something he was trying to hold back from me and my eyes narrowed as I stared defiantly at him as he winced. Whatever it was, he better tell me, no matter how much it displeased me.
"Speak," I said in a chilling voice that had him wriggling uncomfortably in his seat.
"The majority of the pack members love Blair" he assured me and I relaxed slightly, although my eyes remained fixated on him, certain he was about to divulge some information certain to make me angry "But there are some that are displeased that the future Luna Queen is a shifter that is wolfless. They feel that it is a disgrace to the title of Luna Queen and that she is undeserving to be considered as your mate. They have been particularly vocal about the necessity of you rejecting her and taking a chosen mate as was your initial plan" he said regretfully.
I exhaled and fought to maintain my self-control. My wolf was raging.
Find out who these people are and teach them exactly what it means to go against the Alpha King. Who dares question who we take as our mate? The mate bond is sacred and never to be rejected without just cause!
Calm down. We knew that not everyone would accept Blair as our mate and we prepared for that. We can't go around killing everybody who voices their opinion.
We can show them what happens if they dare attempt to question our authority and speak badly of our mate. You cannot let this fester. It could prove dangerous to Blair! Her safety is paramount!
"Who?" I asked with a clenched jaw "Who has been causing trouble in the pack?" I demanded hoarsely.
I would have their heads if they so much as dared lay a hand on Blair.
James gave a resigned sigh. "Liandra and her mate seem to be causing the most trouble, but there are a few others and Sierra was one of them, although she seems to have changed her tune" he mused with a bit of a smile on his face "I guess having spent time with Blair has managed to change her mind about her assumptions about her."
Somehow I wasn't surprised about Liandra. I had known that woman was going to be trouble when I was forced to agree to her staying here. I gritted my teeth. I would be keeping a close eye on her and prepare to intervene if this nonsense continued. "What about the breeding program?" I asked him, needing to take my mind off of the situation and wanting to confirm that the abolishment of the law was going ahead as planned and packs were agreeing to do as I had outlawed.
I needed a distraction and some welcome news.
James, noting the change in my mood, looked serious. "There have been reports of a few packs that have failed to acknowledge the change in laws. Either, they didn't receive the missives we sent or they are intentionally ignoring the law and continuing to do what they wish regardless of the consequences."
I eyed him stonily. I suspected it was the latter and so did he, but James was too polite to say it. He never liked to say anything badly about other packs but this was serious and would require intervention from both of us. "Have we resent missives to these so-called packs?" I asked him grimly.
James nodded "They were sent out a week ago. I have men being sent out with them. They will confirm for themselves that the Alphas have received the missives personally and stay hidden afterward to determine if they abide by the law."
I had a feeling that they wouldn't. It made me angry. The thought of women being forced to breed and carry children for shifter males, primarily Alpha's who otherwise might not be able to have children made me sick to my stomach. It was one thing if the woman had volunteered to be a surrogate, but to be forced was something else entirely and I wouldn't allow it to go on any longer in the packs. It was primitive and a low act that was more human in nature than shifter. We were better than that. We needed to strive tobe better than that. "What Packs?" I asked, grabbing my laptop.
James bit his lip. "James," I said, looking at him moodily "I want to know for myself how many packs are still going against my instructions."
My voice was filled with rage. I had something to focus on besides the traitor in our midst which I knew James was investigating meticulously. This was making me feel less helpless and angry. I glowered at my Beta.
He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "There are reports that the Silver Fog Pack, Misty River Pack, and Crimson Shadows Pack are still continuing the breeding program.
All of them were large packs with old-fashioned Alpha males in charge I thought absently. They were more likely to ignore the laws than to willingly choose to change with modern times. "Is that all?" I asked.
In all honesty, three packs weren't as bad as I imagined. James winced. He hung his head. "Actually those are just the closest packs, I thought you would like to start with them."