Chapter 36

• HAERA
• I think I already expected it when Erylis spewed out Gennora's name out of fear. I might have also expected her to say something about the princess since she happened to be the closest of all the maids to the princess. She used to be the princess's personal maid before I replaced her and since I had another duty, she was back there again. And she had spewed everything she knew about that day. The day I resumed to the Alpha chambers and the day Balfour died. "That day...the day you came for me to tell me the princess requested my presence; you were there before you even entered, weren't you? You listened in on our conversation and went to tell someone. Who did you report to?" I had asked, going straight to the point. This was my reason for seeking her out and shifting to my wolf in front of her to scare her. I remember hearing footsteps retreating that day before she came in. I remember I and Balfour sighing in relief because we had thought someone was eavesdropping but I guess we relaxed too fast because someone was indeed listening and the only suspect was Erylis because she was the only one there that day. It had to be her. Well...that was what I had thought at first until the fear in her face turned into confusion at my words. "I don't know what you're talking about Haera. I was only there because I was ordered to get you. I didn't listen on anything let alone report something." She had said. "You're going to stand there and lie to me?" I growled out. She shook where she stood at the sound of my growl. Her nakedness made her look so funny in front of me while I donned her clothe on proudly. "I swear by the moon goddess that I wasn't listening in on whatever conversation you were having with the chef. That day I was going back to the quarters when I met---" "Going back to the quarters?" I had asked. "I thought you said you said you were asked to get me?" She nodded her head vigorously. "I was going back to the quarters but I met the head maid coming from the kitchen's passageway and seemed like she was in a rush. The Princess had sent her to get you but she said she had to be somewhere and so she told me to get you instead." "She was coming from the kitchen?" Erylis had nodded. It was then that it clicked. The retreating footsteps we heard before Erylis showed up was that of Gennora. Meaning she had been there and she was the one who listened in on our conversation. I then wondered what it was she did with that piece of information and who she reported it to because I was sure she couldn't just do it at her own bidding. There was someone and the only person worthy of my suspicions was the princess. The princess and Gennora had something to do with it. I had left Erylis at the lake, naked and shivering from both the harsh cold and fear but not without giving a warning of tearing her to pieces if the words got out to all of the other maids about how large my wolf was. When I left her, I had no destination in mind. I was angry but I knew I couldn't confront the princess neither could I go to Gennora. Balfour knew exactly why he died and it means there was more to it than I knew and confronting those two could make me lose my chance of finding out what really happened. I just had to observe. I've observed them for the little time I have had around them and I could already sense how close they were to each other for whatever reasons. Gennora's aura was no longer there which could only mean to things; she either lost her wolf or it's just to weak to be felt. Either one, I knew it had to do with the supposed spells that were casted. I contemplated asking Ulric about the spotting of a witch a few years ago but I didn't want to put his own life in danger too. It doesn't matter if he was her husband, I could tell that Gennora would do anything to achieve her aims. I just didn't know what her aims were and why a maid like her would even consider having such aims. I learnt one thing though; I had to be wary of her and the princess. Since there was nothing, I could do but observe for now, I knew the next thing to do was to set sail of my second plan. Stopping the mate bond ritual. I was clueless as to how to stop it. As I returned to my room that night and stared at the walls like I do every night, I thought of ways to sabotage the ritual. What if I put certain herbs that cause stomach pains into all of the snacks and meals? Well that could work but only temporarily and I might have to answer too the Alpha and the council why I fed hundreds of people with such dangerous herbs. The mate bond ritual will continue even after I get demoted from the position I just barely got. What if I kidnapped the princess? Dezra was strong and capable of such act but where would I go without being seen? Besides, kidnapping her and getting caught wouldn't end with me being demoted. I could be killed or sent out of the pack to roam outside the woodlands as a rouge without a pack. A lot more ideas and thoughts raced through my mind but none actually made sense to even me. Most of them would either end with me being killed or sent out or demoted. Then one struck me all of a sudden and made me jerk up from my bed. Alpha Zachary. My mate. What if I went to him? Surely, he could still smell my scent? Everything was there to convince him. My scent, my memories of the night we met and the words we shared. If I could just find him and convince. Then there was the nagging feeling again. What if he doesn't believe me? What if he thinks I'm nothing but a liar? To top it all, this idea also had the potential of ending with me being killed, sent out or punished some other way for trying to deceive the Alpha of the imperial pack. But it was the only idea that wouldn't be temporary if it works. The ritual surely won't go on when the Alpha finds out that the princess isn't his true mate. I was close to the point of craziness just thinking about everything. I could risk my life on this. Wasn't it better to risk my life and die trying rather than to die weak because my mate chose someone else? It was better to at least give it a try instead of sitting around for nothing. At least to respect Balfour's last words that stated clearly that I had to stop the mate bond ritual. After deciding that really, I had nothing to lose. I sat up from my bed and prepared to go and see Alpha Zachary. The Alpha and his family already ate their dinner about and hour ago and so I was sure that they have all retired to their room. I knew that was my chance. I had to evade been caught and I would be fine. I left my room and made for the Alpha's chambers that was right beside it. It was being guarded by two hefty and mean looking guards. When they saw me, they recognized me and let me in. I was halfway in when one of them called me back. My heart almost left out my chest. "Chef? Why are you on the maid's uniform?" Shit. I forgot that I bullied Erylis into giving me her own clothe after I shed mine while shifting but there was no way I was telling the guards that. I forced a smile at them. "Oh...this? It's nothing. My uniform got wet while I was in the kitchen. I borrowed this from a friend." Everyone knew my former maid clothes were thrice if not four times my size unlike Erylis own that fitted me perfectly but I guess the guards didn't know that as they just nodded and let me in without asking anymore questions. Not even questioning me about why I was there that late. I could tell them I was there to feed the Alpha dessert and they would take my words for it. Once inside, there were no other guards who could stop me from going wherever I wanted but I knew I had to be careful not to get sotted by anyone. The hallways were dimly lit by the burning fires hung on the walls and they were empty and I tiptoed quietly in search of Alpha Zachary's room. I didn't know his room but I employed my nose in sniffing his scent out. From where I stood, his scent was faint and I knew his room was close. His scent was both overwhelming and delicious the closer I got. There were rooms on both sides of this particular side of the hallway and it had to be one of them. The scent got closer and closer. I could already sense it was the fifth door on the left. I could already sense that I was close to getting to him when I heard footsteps and saw a shadow come out from the fifth door. The person turned his back to shut the door well and I used the opportunity to turn back, running on tippy toes to find a spot to hide. I saw the perfect spot behind a statue at a corner and I stayed there. Waiting for the footsteps to descend and disappear. The sound of the footsteps soon died down and I knew I was clear to go back to my search. I stood up from the spot I was crouched on but I didn't make it far. Someone pressed something cold I recognized as a silver knife right on my neck and I froze on the spot. "Going somewhere?" The feeling of déjà vu washed over me like a bucket of cold water because of course, I've been in this situation before and I have heard that voice before. "Alan..." I whispered after taking a few gulps of saliva. He must be the one who exited the room just now and I should have known he was smarter than that. A beta's job is to be at alert and to protect his Alpha at all cost. "You remember my name? I'm flattered." He Whispered back into my ear before turning me swiftly around to meet that familiar handsome face. He still held the knife closely to my neck. "Some habits never really die hard, do they?" I sneered at him referring to him placing a knife on my neck. He merely shrugged. I could tell he recognized me more than I imagined he would too. He was the only man at the tower that day who saw my face and knew I was the one who delivered the Alpha's food. He could come to my rescue but he probably doesn't know I was the true mate of the Alpha. "The saying is bad habits. Now tell me, what are you doing snooping around the Alpha's chambers? Surely, it can't be to serve meals, right?" "what do you think?" I taunted. The knife on my neck had already been moved slightly enough not to cut me and kill me right there. There was no way I was telling him I came here in search of his Alpha. I had thought it would have been easy for me to slip into the Alpha's room. I didn't know I would meet his Beta and he would try to kill me for the second time since we met days ago at the Imperial pack. "why did it take you so long?" I gazed into his brown eyes in confusion. "excuse me?" "Why did it take you so long to come find him?" he asked again this time. He didn't bother to hide the fact that he knew what it was saying. We were both whispering and I think it took a second or two before I was able to grasp what he meant and when I did, I stared back at him, wide-eyed. "You knew?" "That you're the Alpha's real mate? Yes. I knew long before we arrived this pack." Alan knew? How?