THE ALPHA’S ADDICTION

Emma breathed out heavily in relief, reclining her head at her bed’s board, as Prescott communicated to her that the queen was out of the clutches of death. Now she could leave, without feeling weird about doing so.

She had been scared out of her wits when the Queen had slumped to the floor after dismissing the council. She remembered the shouts and gasps from the council. It had been a flood of movements after that. The boys carrying the queen to her chambers, the elders moving in, calling out to the healer in the community, an aged woman who had been dressed in just a light wrapper, knotted at her shoulders.

The twin sisters had been in a daze, tears slipping off their eyes which they hadn’t bothered to wipe off, the twin brothers had been pacing up and down the room, Damon especially, had cursed at intervals, promising hail and thunder on Leonarya if anything should happen to his grandmother.

She had felt sorry for the family, putting herself in their shoes. She knew she might have raged the most.

Prescott had told her to wait in the room, especially after it had been discovered that the queen had been poisoned.

Whilst heeding to Prescott’s advise, she had heard some of the elders, now in the outer courts, and some others whispering and discussing on who might have done the wicked act.

She had watched the aged man with white long beards question the lady in charge of Zipfara’s tea, before telling Daniel to lead her way.

She had soughed, knowing that the lady was in trouble, for just been a server of tea.

And before she had left the courts to the pathway which led to the rooms, she had overhead Venete mention about the probability of her poisoning the queen.

But for the intervention of Lily, whom she hadn’t known had been following her, she would have gone over and slapped the elderly woman, damning the consequences.

Lily had shouted at the woman angrily, not minding her position and the rowdy environment, citing her incompetence and gossipy self, while also making a strong promise to report her misconduct to the queen if she awaked, for in her words; ‘you’re not fit to be an elder.’

She had watched the woman swallow her saliva humbly, not uttering a word to the young girl whose eyes were blazing with fury.

Smirking at the stupid woman, she had slung her hands over Lily’s shoulder, before leading her gently out of the courts.

The little girl hadn’t said a word after that till they had gotten to her room.

Immediately they had entered her room, Lily had let open the floodgates of tears. She had hugged her to her bosom, while intoning that her grandmother would be fine in no time at all. She led her to the bed, cuddling the little girl who kept crying until she had fallen asleep.

Now staring at the sleeping beauty, she smiled as she imagined the look of happiness that would shine on her face when she hears the news.

“Lily…”

She heard Leila call out in the passageway, and sighed.

Keeping her eyes trained to her door, she furrowed her eyebrows as the door opened on their own accord and the small girl bounced in.

“Emma, have you seen…” Leila was saying when she caught sight of her sister lying beside Emma on the bed, her hand hugging the latter’s waist.

“Oh I see…” She muttered, feeling jealous again about the closeness of her sister and the redhead.

When she hadn’t see her around the courts, she had thought that she had gone off to their secret hideout to cry her eyes out. And when she hadn’t seen her there, neither in her room too, she had decided to check in here to fulfill her searching eyes, not that she had actually believed that her twin would find solace here.

But it seemed that she had been wrong again. Her sister had found a new secret hideout, without her.

“Well, if she wakes up… could you tell her that the Queen is awake?” She inquired.

“Sure, I will do so.” Emma replied, feeling an ounce of pity for the girl whom she knew was jealous of her closeness to her family.

“Leila…” She called out at the last minute, as she watched the little girl turn around sullenly to walk out of the room.

“Yes.” Leila answered, turning around. Her eyes bereft of her usual haughtiness.

“Do you want to lay down? You look tired. There’s enough space here for you.” She implored, hoping that the girl won’t turn her down. She was stretching out the olive branch now to her, perhaps for the last time.

She watched as the girl shifted from one feet to the other, considering the option.

“Well…” She was saying when Prescott suddenly danced into the room, humming a funny celebratory tone. The next second, he had grabbed Leila’s hand and started trying to tango with her. The latter burst into laughter, unable to hold herself any longer, waking Lily from sleep.

“What’s the matter?” Lily asked, taking note of the light atmosphere in the room, and the smiles on each of their faces.

“Grandma is awake.” Leila replied with a huge smile which almost stretched to the far end of her cheeks.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Really…??!” Lily screamed, hugging Emma first, before rushing out of the bed to hug her twin, and then Prescott.

“Can we see her now?” She asked.

“No, not yet. But soon enough. She will call us in by herself.” Prescott stated, and she nodded, still smiling.

“We will be leaving after then right?” Emma asked, reminding the squirrel of her intended journey.

” Of course.” The squirrel responded, before jumping to her bed.

***

Same time, White Sted Pack:

“Come in.” Legardo said, after he heard triple knocks on his door. He was sure that the knocker was his second son.

“Good morning Father.” The boy greeted with a bow as he walked into the room.

“Are the troops ready?” He asked, in reply to the greeting, his eyes still stuck on the scroll he was reading.

“Yes, they are.” The boy answered.

“Any news from the witch?” He asked.

“Nothing good. She had failed in killing her mother. She had also failed in abducting the girl. She sent her apology through her owl, and promises that the third plan wouldn’t fail like the others.” The boy stated.

“What a waste of magic. Have you heard from your sister?” He asked.

“No. She hadn’t sent any news yet.” The former replied.

“Hmm. I hope she hasn’t forgotten her mission there. Call me the chief guard.” He ordered.

***

Same time; Wind Winders Pack:

“Where are you going to?” Curtis asked Penny who was approaching him with a back pack.

“I’m following you to the Moon Pack. Today is his birthday right? I haven’t gotten the opportunity to thank him for saving my life that morning. So, I’m utilizing this chance.” She said, folding her arms on her chest as she halted in her movement and stared up at him, daring him to refuse her.

“And how did you know that today is his birthday?” He asked, sure that Leo wouldn’t have told her.

“Word goes around faster here.” She replied with a smirk on her face.

Curtis heaved in deeply, cussing whatever had made his cousin and he save the girl.

The girl was going to be the death of him.

“We are ready.” He heard Leo say from behind him and nodded.

“Suit yourself then. But don’t make any trouble there.” He stated to her before turning around and walking away with Leo towards the training grounds.

Penny scoffed, as she watched the duo walk away from her.

“Oh, I hope to do just that.” She muttered, before looking up to the sky as if reading some signs off it.

***

Leonarya’s community, the same time:

“I thought I had mentioned that I didn’t want any disturbance!” Leonarya thundered that the walls of her room shook.

“I’m sorry, my Queen. But this is very important.” A voice stated, from behind her door.

“What is it? Come in.” She said, standing up from the floor.

She had been sitting on the floor since she had discovered that her mother was still alive and breathing.

Kyran opened the door, and stepped in.

Bowing his head, the disorder of the room not escaping his notice, he recited the reason why he had ventured to break her command.

“Your daughter is back.” He stated simply, knowing that she would understand.

” Freya is back?” Leonarya asked, a short smile appearing on her face.

” Yes. But she is with a vampire.” He muttered.

” A vampire?” Leonarya asked unbelieving, walking towards her wardrobe to pick a dress.

With some words of magic, she set her room in order.

She didn’t want her daughter to see her this way.

” Yes, a young male one. She had mentioned something about coming here for a mission.” He stated, gritting his teeth, which caused her to turn around and furrow her eyebrows at him.

“I see you haven’t gotten rid of your feelings for my daughter. Is the young vampire that close with her?” She asked, returning to the wardrobe and picking out a long, plain black dress from the throng of black dresses in it.

“Yes.” Kyran replied, turning around immediately he sensed that the Queen was about to get rid of her clothes.