Chapter 4

• Randall frowned in displeasure, “who is outside?”
• "Alpha," Klara greeted, "Meeting is ready, everyone is waiting for your."
• He picked up his tunic and wore it over his leather and walked out of the house.
• Klara was the head of the Blood Crescent white witches. She's been the one in charge of making the Alpha's sleeping potion for years now.
• "Alpha," she greeted with a bow, "here is the new potion ready for you."
• "Klara, these potions don't work. I already told you," he walked towards the table, picked up the phial, and casually emptied its content in his mouth.
• "I am working on something stronger, Alpha," she assured him.
• "How long, Klara?" He silently staring blankly at the sky.
• Klara didn't feel the need to answer that question because she knew exactly what he meant. All she could do right now was to pray to the moon Goddess to take this torment away from her Alpha.
• "When will it all go away?"
• ***
• The grand hall was bathed in the soft glow of morning light that filtered through the narrow windows. Its stone walls were adorned with ancient tapestries, while torches flickered in iron sconces, casting dancing shadows across the chamber.
• Alpha Randall sat at the head of the long oak table, his long hair, the color of midnight, hung loosely around his broad shoulders.
• "Alpha Randall?" From a very far distance, he heard someone calling out his name and that was when he jerked back to reality.
• "Yes?" He responded, trying to mask his emotions.
• "Are we on the same page?" Elder Zar, the oldest one in the council asked, looking a bit concerned.
• Since the meeting began, Alpha Randall hadn't exactly been participating. He'd been very distant, lost in his own thoughts.
• "Yes, Zar," Randall replied, putting in effort to concentrate on the meeting in front of him.
• No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the image of those enchanting eyes off his mind. Those were the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen in his entire life.
• The way she stared at him made him feel something he'd never felt before. But, of course, he knew what was going on. The Moon Goddess was never going to get him on this. Damn, the mate bond.
• Ever since the incident of last night, Keir had retreated to the far end of his mind in anger. He didn't like the way their mate was treated by Randall. But who cares?
• "Since we are on the same page, we can go ahead with the preparation," Elder Troy said, looking around to see if everyone was in support of what he said.
• "What preparations, Troy?" Randall asked in his usual neutral tone, totally lost as to what they were talking about.
• The council of elders consisted of older wolves and witches who saw the affairs of every pack in the South and West. They made sure to keep every pack and every region in check, maintaining the traditions, morals, and values of their kind.
• "The coronation, Alpha Randall," Elder Zar replied, wondering what was going on with the Alpha. He'd never been this confused before.
• "What?" Randall questioned, "What coronation? Who are you crowing?" His quizzical stare made everyone shift uncomfortably in their seats.
• "Your Luna, of course. Haven't you been listening to a thing we've been saying?" Elder Zar who was now growing annoyed, replied in frustration. He was the only one who dared to speak to the Alpha that way, and that's because he was the oldest in the council and he was a friend of Randall's late father.
• "I never said I wanted her as my Luna. She is just my mate, and nothing more. Visha is the one I want as my Luna, not Reyana," He calmly made them know his intentions, hoping no one would question it.
• "It doesn't work that way, Alpha. This isn't about what you want or do not want. As long as you've found your fated mate, there is no need to choose another mate. You know the consequences of that, don't you?" Elder Troy warned.
• "You also know that your pack is the envy of other packs. This will give your pack a bad reputation," Elder Edgar added.
• "And most importantly, as soon as word of you rejecting your mate gets out to the enemy packs, you know they'll use that as an opportunity to strike, knowing how weak you'll be after going through a rejection," Elder Asher said.
• "Alpha Randall, don't let your love for Visha bring about your downfall and that of your pack. Do the right thing," Elder Zar added in conclusion. "And, where is Aldric? Why isn't he in the meeting?"
• It was at that point Randall realized he hadn't seen Aldric anywhere around the meeting hall. He immediately tried to mind-link him but he couldn't.
• "Where is Aldric?" He asked Kellan who was standing beside him, his thoughts running wild but he tried to steady his emotions.
• "He said he wasn't feeling too well earlier today, Alpha. I saw him walking toward the South wing," Kellan replied.
• Randall furrowed his brows. The physician's chamber was on the East wing. What was he... "Fuck!" He growled, clenching his left fist as he stood up abruptly, his eyes glowing with a bright shade of red as he hurried out of the hall.
• Within a few seconds, he was standing face-to-face with Reyana door.
• Randall flung the small wooden door open with a dangerous urgency as he barged into her chamber.
• "Alpha Randall?" Reyana who was dying of shame and embarrassment as his scrutinizing stare made her skin heat up with a feeling she wasn't used to, managed to call out, hoping it would bring him out of whatever trance he was in.
• "Where is he?" He asked coldly, his eyes darting around the small room.
• "Who could that be, Alpha?" Her tender voice asked, avoiding his glare. She tried so hard to stop her heart from beating so loudly, but it wasn't working
• "Do not test my patience, Reyana!" He charged towards her, pulling her harshly by her long, Ebony hair.
• "Where is Aldric!"