Chapter 99

• HAERA
• The next day that I dreaded yesterday was today. How I wished the night could be longer so it could save me from the terror that today held. Alpha Zachary was still confused about the whole situation and I was holding myself back from lashing at him but even if I wanted to, I was too weak to perform that perfectly. Plus, how could I be thinking of the mess my mate had created when I had to face the werewolf council today? "You are all ready to go, princess Haera." Opaline announced as she walked away from me. I took a look at my face in the mirror, hoping that I wouldn't wear my sickness on my face like a second skin. I didn't want to appear like a weakling to the council and I could afford to let them see through me. Opaline returned to my side with the tonic that the old physician gave me yesterday and I reluctantly took it from her but I didn't drink it though. "What's wrong, Princess Haera? You've to drink it to strengthen yourself." Opaline pointed out the obvious. I had reasons for holding back. For one, I hoped that if I did things slowly, the time for the meeting wouldn't drift further away from me. I was scared of what the outcome of the meeting would be. I was really scared but I gulped the tonic regardless. Going to the meeting without drinking the tonic was like giving my killers more reason to slay me. The werewolf council was the killer that I was trying to escape. This was his fault. It was all Zachary's fault! I'd told Alan to take him away for the day because I didn't trust myself not to be mean to him. It was time to go... Opaline flashed a reassuring smile my way but I didn't feel the assurance in my gut. Instead, I felt fear, trouble, and loneliness. Opaline guided me out of the room because she was scared I would collapse before I reached the throne room. I was thankful she accompanied me though but at the same time, I hated it because she walked way too fast for my liking, ruining my plan of slowing things down. "You can't go further, Opaline. Their strong aura might drive you insane." I murmured to the closest person I could call my friend. She hesitated but I dismissed her for her sake. The werewolf council wasn't to be underestimated when it comes to rank and strength. "Please, take care inside there." Opaline said before leaving. "Let's do this!" Dezra encouraged and with that I pushed the door open, composing my Alpha aura. "Ahh, Princess Haera of the moonstone pack, we were beginning to think you were not attending the meeting." Jared, the spokesperson of the council, said to me as soon as I entered the throne room. He had a cruel smirk on his face but I didn't allow him to see through me. I hardened my facial expression as I immediately went to sit on the Luna throne without waiting for him to tell me like the last time we held a meeting. "Hello to you too, Jared. Sorry for keeping y'all waiting. I had to take care of some urgent matters before joining you. Allow me to welcome you and thank you for calling me into your wise gathering today. It's an honor." I responded calmly. The smirk on Jared's face fell with immediate effect and I thought I heard the rest of the council grumble due to my manner of approach. Were they expecting me to be shaking in their presence? Yes, I was shaking internally but letting them see that would be the best way to mud my father's name. I couldn't be a disappointment to my parents. I just couldn't. "Pardon my manners, Princess Haera. Welcome to the midst of the wisest and thank you for joining us despite the rumor we heard." Jared spoke. "A rumor? If you are referring to the state of my health, then I must clarify that it isn't just a rumor. I'm indeed sick." I corrected Jared because I knew they were trying to play on my intelligence by beating around the bush. They were the wisest but I wasn't the most stupid person alive. Jared didn't act like he was surprised I came out clean. "I assumed it was a rumor because you didn't care to inform the pack or the council about it and I must say, you didn't appear sick when you came in." Jared announced. He was obviously pulling my legs but I decided to take it as a compliment rather than react the way they wanted me to. "Thank you for the compliment and I must apologize for the manner in which y'all heard about the state of health. My mate was being dramatic but at the same time, I couldn't have announced my sickness beforehand because it wasn't serious, and also didn't want to worry the pack." I blurted. It was at that moment that I realized that I was feeling weak which meant, the tonic I drank before leaving the chambers was effective. I still felt sick but not like yesterday and I silently hoped that the effect of the tonic wouldn't run out before the meeting ended. Could he stop acting like he cared about my health and just get straight to the point? "I would have said that was thoughtful of you if we were pleased with this new development. You must know that the council doesn't appreciate deceit." Jared pointed out. I would have apologized if I wasn't so mad that he was acting like a saint. I wondered if they really cared about the pack's welfare or if they were just being selfish and allying with Tybalt. When Jared realized that I wasn't going to respond, he continued talking like the chatterbox he was meant to be. A spokesperson? More like a talkative if you ask me. "Which brings us back to the conclusion of our last meeting. You agreed to make Alpha Zachary well again if we gave you time. But with the latest development, we are afraid that the conclusion no longer stands. The council members have decided to-" "Excuse you? Does our agreement no longer stand? On what basis and why don't I have a say in what happens to our agreement?" I cut Jared off, asking questions that I already answered in my head. This was all my mate's fault. What should I do? Jared was quiet for some seconds as he spoke to other members of the council through their special mindlink. I awaited their response but I was becoming impatient due to my fading strength. "The recent development shows that whatever measures you have been taking to treat Alpha Zachary aren't working and what he did yesterday has done more damage than you can imagine or handle. The pack may be attacked by rogues if we don't act fast." Jared declared. His words made a lot of sense but I couldn't agree to just give up on my mate and his pack. "Your explanation doesn't answer my questions, Jared and what do you mean by acting fast?" I countered. It was getting intense and the energy in the room was shifting rapidly which made me assume the council members didn't appreciate my questions. Was I supposed to say yes to everything they throw at me? "Princess Haera, we are ending the agreement for the betterment of the pack and the council members came to this conclusion for the same reason. The pack affair comes first." Jared finally answered after several minutes had passed. "Yes, of course, the pack comes first but are you saying I don't have a say in whatever happens in and with the pack? I mean, I'm handling the affairs so well. So what is the issue?" I was trying to keep myself in check so I wouldn't say the wrong words and end up in bigger problems. "The issue is that you aren't fit to run the pack. Your health has deteriorated and you aren't capabl-" "I'm more than capable of handling the affairs and wellbeing of the pack. Alpha blood runs through me in case you forget!" I was out of my seat when I suddenly lost control of my tongue and anger as I fired at the council. Jared wasted no time before he countered my point with the same energy I used. "Yes you're an Alpha but the truth is, you're still a woman who was destined to be a Luna! To rule alongside a mentally stable Alpha!" "Are you saying I'm weak and that your Alpha is mad?" I yelled. "I dare not talk ill of my Alpha. I was merely pointing out the truth." Jared responded respectfully... a respect that I knew was definitely fake. I sat back on the Luna throne as I tried to catch my breath and plan what my next words would be. I was being drained and I didn't know how long the argument would continue. "So this meeting was called to nullify our agreement, to discuss my mate's dethronement and the eventual coronation of his brother, isn't it? I questioned calmly. I was done shouting. Shouting wasn't resolving the issue so I chose to act instead of arguing with Jared and his group of betrayals. "Were pained to take this action but for the betterment of the pack, we will have to summon the Alpha Prince Tybalt. Your cooperation will be appreciated, Princes Haera." Jared answered. "You mean to say, the council will appreciate it if I give up on my mate, his Alpha position, and his people." I stated blankly even though I was crumbling within. "I wouldn't put it-" "Why do I perceive deceit, dishonesty, and disloyalty? That bastard that you want to crown shouldn't be allowed to see the light of the day after you get him. Shouldn't you be avenging your Alpha?" The energy that filled the throne room after my outburst and accusation was choking me but I stood my ground despite the killer migraine that suddenly attacked my head. The council members were trying to kill me by suffocating me with their strong aura and they would have succeeded if I hadn't survived several situations that were more dangerous than their aura. "I'd advise you to watch the words you say. The fact that we are putting the pack first doesn't make us betrayals nor does it make us unloyal subjects of Alpha Zachary." Jared replied on behalf of the entire council while I snorted to show them that I didn't believe his words and I didn't trust their intentions. "Let's keep to our previous agreement and if I fail to keep my part of the deal, then you can go ahead and do whatever you deem fit." I put forward, hoping that my accusations would make them agree to let the three blue moon ultimatum elapse before they summon Tybalt. Jared didn't respond immediately and I thought of what I would do if they refused to listen to me. "The council thinks it's too late for that. We're summoning the Alpha Prince after this meeting. We can't keep the pack open to invaders and attackers any longer, Princess Haera." Jared said. They probably saw through me... "What if I disagree?" I asked. "Disagreeing with the council's decision wouldn't change anything. All we need to carry out the plan is the Alpha Prince's appearance and the support of the two other Alpha's in the woodlands" Jared replied and my heart sank. After everything I had endured for the pack, my mate would still be dethroned for the benefit of the same pack. saying I was angry was an understatement and somehow, I was more angry that my life had to be difficult because of the choices these people made. I was a maid because of Gennora's choice. I was mateless due to Alpha Zachary's choice and now, I was about to lose the pack I'd been struggling to keep in order because of the werewolf council's decision. When would I start making my decisions that affect me more than other people's choices? "I do not agree nor do I support your decision. I'm not sorry for choosing not to give up and if you would excuse me, I've important things to do." I didn't wait to get a response from Jared before walking towards the same door I came in through. Jared voiced out their opinions though and as much as I wanted to act nonchalant< his word affected me. "The council is relieved that you rejected our offer to crown you Luna because we would have regretted the decision greatly if we had crowned you. Lunas don't make selfish decisions as you do. You are an Alpha born by blood alone, Princess Haera." Those were Jared's final words and they did a number on me. Would my father think highly of me when he learned that I had fought, argued, and disrespected the werewolf council? Was I being considered a weak Alpha Born in everyone's mind? What would Zachary say to me when he regained his memories or should I say if? Regaining his memories to realize that he was no longer an Alpha would certainly break his whole being. Yet, the fact remained that what just happened in the throne room was my mate's fault, not mine. If the council was going to summon my Papa, then I should send words to him first. I wondered if his response would be about how he was disappointed in me or how ashamed he was to call me his daughter... his NAMIA. Yet, I made up my mind to send words to him as I wobbled back towards the chambers. I couldn't wait to fall asleep. Maybe I would wake up to realize that everything was a dream. Maybe I was watching all of this unfold in a vision and I would soon wake up to a beautiful reality. Dezra wasn't talking and I presumed she was tired from helping me stay strong in the throne room. The guards at the entrance of Alpha Zachary's chambers bowed in respect as I walked past them to enter the inner chamber just so I could get some sleep but my plan was destroyed by my mate who had been sitting patiently in the room. He was probably waiting for my return. Alpha Zachary's face held worry for me but I could feel anger rising within me. It was all his fault. If only he had remained quiet as I told him to, I wouldn't be going through this hell..it was a different version of hell and I was mad at him for that. Why wasn't he thinking about how he was too huge to be ten years old? Why was he not observing the events of the past few days? One of those things could have triggered his memory if he wasn't being a mummy's boy. "Mum, I've been worried about you. You left me with Alan since this morning. Don't you miss me, mum? There he goes again with the word that had begun to annoy me more than ever. I was still stressed about the meeting and its outcome but there he goes again with his whins. He wasn't a kid and I was tired of being considerate because it was becoming harder to bear these burdens...day after day I felt the weight crushing my soul. "Are you okay, Mum-" "Leave me alone, Zachary!!!" I barked at him even though my head was protesting against my loud voice. "But mum-" "Don't call me that and grow up like the adult you are!!!" I shouted again and my mate stepped away from me...slowly. "You ruined everything still yet, you keep hiding away from the messes with this annoying facade that you have created in your head and your mind. When will I get to enjoy you for who you are meant to be with and for me? Don't you see that I'm suffering? Can't you see how much I need you to come to your senses? Think Zachary... think!!!" I grabbed his shoulders as I tried to shake some senses into his damaged brain. I was tired and he needed to know about it. He couldn't keep being selfish by living as a ten year old boy while I struggled to perform his duties. "You're...scaring me...m-mum." My mate cried. Where was the man I knew him to be? I needed him to be a man right now, not a scared baby boy. "THINK, ZACHARY, OR LEAVE ME ALONE!" I scrambled and he ran. He ran away to escape me...