Chapter 25

• HAERA. Why? That was the first question that popped into my head once the realization hit me. It seemed far-fetched and impossible as much as it sounded like the only reasonable thing that could have happened. Why would the princess steal my sash? How would she have known about the fact that I found my mate, enough for her to even steal my sash? She wasn't even at the Imperial Pack until late at night and I don't think that gives anyone enough time to sneak into a cramped up room occupied by a dozen of maids. For all I care, princess Ilvira doesn't even know me. She knows absolutely nothing about me as much as I knew nothing about her other than the few gossips that fly around and likens her to Gennora. I've never even really crossed paths with her. When I do, my head is already bowed before she even comes close to me and she never really paid attention to me and just went on her way. I could suspect hundreds of people for stealing my sash and she wouldn't even make it into the list. Princess Ilvira was more like a myth to me. She exists but stories of her is all I've heard and nothing more. We had absolutely no connection to each other, not in anyway. And so I ruled the thought off just as it came. It couldn't be her. I was more than sure of it. "No." I finally voiced to Balfour. I knew he was thinking the same thing as me but he didn't look as convinced as I was about the situation. "Haera..." "I know what you're thinking Balfour, but it's not possible. Princess Ilvira couldn't have impersonated me. It's impossible." "What makes you think it's impossible Haera?" "She doesn't know me! I have no idea what she's really like too because I've never really met her. She wasn't even there when I found my mate, how could she have known?" I tried to make it sound as logical as I could. It sounded logical enough to my ears too even if the situation was anything but logical. I mean, what logic explains your mate claiming someone else as his mate other than the fact that he doesn't want you? Then he could have rejected me! Say it to my face that he didn't want an unruly maid like me instead of making me feel wanted only to shatter me in the end. I was more confused than ever but I was determined to stand on the fact that Princess Ilvira couldn't have impersonated me like Balfour is claiming. "But Gennora knew." He suddenly said. "Yes..yes she did and--" I paused and cocked a brow at Balfour, his look of suspicion didn't waver. "Don't tell me you think this is Gennora's doing." "Do I need to tell you about how much Gennora dotes on the Alpha Princess like she's been own freaking child? Everyone of the maids in this palace knows that. For all I know, Gennora could have told that slimy princess." Balfour spat. I shook my head. The thoughts settled in but I really didn't want to believe it. Gennora was mean and hates my guts for reasons I don't even know. She made it known to me that I couldn't have the Alpha after finding out he was my mate but it only sounded like an advice from a bitter woman who knows how the world works. I never actually thought she could do such a thing. Gennora isn't incapable of doing it but I didn't see any reason for her to actually do it. It's established that that woman hates seeing others happy but to the extent of making the princess impersonate me? Nothing has ever sounded so unreal. I shook my head again and it caused Balfour to roll his eyes "Gennora can't do that. The princess can't listen to a common maid and heed her advice. It's unheard of." "And you think that's enough reason to believe she isn't currently impersonating you? He's the Alpha of the strongest pack for crying out loud! That's enough reason for anyone to lie and want him." Balfour's tone is bitter and I could tell his dislike for the princess in the way he talked. Apart from the gossips for the maids, I've heard a few things about the princess from Balfour since he served the royal family himself and waits on them as they eat. Once, he barged into the kitchen and dumped a seven course meal into the trash in anger. "That spoilt brat always has to find something wrong when I cook!" He had said that day, "she picks at the littlest things and whines about the most unreasonable things! She said I couldn't cut vegetable into smaller pieces because my fingers are so big. She told me to lose some weight! Can you believe that?" He had been so mad about the situation and I didn't know what to say than to just watch him rant and rage. There have been a few more times when he returns from the Alpha's dining in anger all because of something the princess said so I could understand why he could point accusing fingers at her so easily. "What if it's not her fault? He knows my scent for heaven's sake! He knows my scent. He could not have been deceived by just the sash and maybe a uniform!" Balfour paused as if trying to remember something. From the look in his eyes, I knew he wasn't ready to let it go. I knew he believed the princess was impersonating me but I needed more proof than that. Nothing adds up. All I wanted to make myself believe was that the Alpha didn't want me and couldn't reject me to my face. Was he so embarrassed of me that he couldn't even reject me in front of others? Balfour was out of my line of sight before I could figure out what he was doing. He strode over to the door and looked down the hallway, obviously checking to see if anyone was coming our way. He then proceeded to lock the windows before striding back to stand in front of me. The look on his face turned serious. "Haera look, I know there are a lot of possible ways in which this can be explained. I trust you and believe you're telling the truth but there are somethings you need to get straight, you said you felt the sincerity of your mate and yet you doubt him now." He was now talking in a whisper. "I--" He shushed me. "What you felt isn't just because you could see it in his eyes, it's because he is your mate. I know you have every reason to doubt him but you also have every reason to know that a few things could have gone wrong. As a child, growing up, I heard stories of dark magic used decades ago from the older wolves." "Dark magic? Of course, I heard stories too it too but it was associated with witches and witches got casted out of the werewolf communities decades ago as well." Dark magic was something peculiar to a particular supernatural breed, the witches. But no one has seen them in ages. Witches used to live alongside Wolves years ago. They were more friendly neighbors than the Vampires whom the werewolves considered vile for their bloodsucking nature. The witches were normal asides from the fact that they were powerful beings with supernatural Powers. Many wolves turned to them for help in difficult situations,for future predictions, fate and prophecy reads. They used their powers for the good of all and lived peacefully with the Wolves, bearing their own children and multiplying. On rare occasions, some witches even got mated to Wolves, giving birth to a new breed called hybrids. It only made the peaceful coexistence stronger. But somehow, some witches began to use their powers for evil. They got paid by greedy and vile Wolves to cast evil spells. To take over kingdoms and to rule tyrannically. The witches, as I heard, could severe mate bonds, make poisons that can kill even the most immortal of all the wolves, hide scents, mismatch mates and even synchronize the scent of a wolf to another. Terrible things became so rampant and disrupted the peace of the packs. When the leaders couldn't take it anymore, they came together and worked together to chase the witches as well as Hybrids out of the werewolf community. The stories never really specified what happened to the witches and Hybrid wolves after that but the werewolf community hasn't heard about them for decades and so we assumed they didn't survive alone, out of the packs. But Balfour sounded like he was onto something by mentioning them. "If you heard of them, then you must know how powerful they are. Witches are powerful enough to replace scents and make them smell familiar even when they're not using dark magic." I held myself back from scoffing. Balfour sounded like he would do anything to convince me that the princess is bad news. "I don't want to assume that you're thinking Princess Ilvira made use of a witch to replace her scent with mine? You mean the same supernatural beings that seem like they have been wiped off the face of the earth? For all I care Balfour,they might not even exist and might just be some sort of myth to keep us up at night." "No Haera. That's not enough to prove my claims. But a few months ago, Ulric talked about sighting of a witch on the borders that separates our pack and the Imperial pack. The stories say you can tell them apart from others by their red eyes. Ulric saw it and alerted the Alpha. They doubled the defence at the borders after that. He has told no one except me and for some reason, I'm inclined to believe that there's more of them and more to this." "So the Princess could really have made use of dark magic?" He nodded. I wanted to believe him so bad. I wanted to accept it as the reason for all that was happening but I couldn't come to a conclusion based on those words alone. The thought of witches and the power they hold made me shudder. What if it's true? What if the Princess made use of dark magic to synchronize our scents? Maybe I really did underestimate the relationship between Gennora and the princess. Gennora is the only one who could have told the princess about it as much as I didn't want to believe it. The involvement of witches, dark magic and scent replacements spells is driving me crazy and not even what I expected. For once, can I not have anything simple in my life? My shoulders slumped just as I slumped on a chair in the kitchen too. "What should I do Balfour? I'm confused." Balfour sighed and took another seat beside me. "I don't Know what you should do but I know what you can do. You're not the type to let something like this weigh you down or make you give up. You have to at least find a way. I know you can. You just have to find a way to get close to the Alpha Princess or maybe milk something out of Gennora." I opened my mouth to speak so I could refute his claims and tell him I felt like giving up this time because it was beyond me but I heard retreating footsteps. I stared at Balfour in horror. Did someone listen in on our conversation? Balfour looked somewhat terrified too but it soon drained when someone appeared by the door. I guess it was approaching footsteps we heard and not retreating once. Erylis, the maid in charge of my room and one of the top ten people who hates and bullies me, was the one standing by the door. Erylis is one of the maids that tends to the princess and spreads the gossips. Standing by the door, she looked pissed about something. "The Alpha Princess has requested for you." It was until she spoke that I could now tell the reason for the pissed look on her face. She looked angry that she had to deliver the message to me. Meanwhile, my mouth hung open. "The--the princess?" I stuttered. "You heard me. Be at her Chambers in five minutes or you'll be sorry you didn't." She turned and left after that without any sort of explanation as to why the princess wanted to see me. I turned to Balfour and he only had a cocky expression on his face. "I guess finding a way came sooner than you thought. This is your chance." Maybe this really is my chance to find out what's really happening. But my gut feelings tells me it wasn't going to be easy or maybe it was just Dezra feeling restless as a warning that something was about to happen. And it definitely isn't good.