Hayley's POV
His back is turn to me as I am pushed into the room.
My guards take away my handcuffs and silently leave the room without saying a word to the King. I gently massage my wrists, finally free of the handcuffs. Feeling uncomfortable in the silent, I say the first thing that is on my mind.
"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?" I ask him impatient.
"Are you that in a hurry to die?" he asks strongly and direct. He had an accent of some kind. European I think.
"Are you saying you're going to kill me?" I ask him instead, the fear squeezing my heart a little bit.
"It is yet to be decided." he says turning around, finally allowing me to have a good look at him, and wow, it was not what I was expecting. He was a handsome man, that's for sure but there was a coldness in him that brought shivers down my spine.
"Not what you were expecting?" he asks coming closer and taking a seat in one of the chairs available, he motions for me to do the same.
"You're younger than I thought." I admit honestly, there was no point in lying about that. "I kind of expected to see someone older, you know, grey hair, a few wrinkles, maybe even a crown on your head, all the works."
"Ah yes, the crown. I'm afraid I had to have it polished, I apologize for the disappointment." he says so seriously that he kind of had me wondering if he was really joking with me or actually telling the truth. "Now Miss McKenna, you are a complication I had not anticipated having." he says his hands folded on his lap. He looks the complete picture of a relaxed nobleman, but I knew it was only just a front he portrayed.
"Sorry?" I apologize uncertain.
"Earlier today, Beta Hughes delivered us a pen drive with information about a possible hidden hunter cell in my pack. Now discover my surprise when my technicians tell me that the pen drive is heavily encrypted and it will take days to be able to access it and read its contents."
"That's terrible." I tell him playing innocent.
"Don't play coy with me Miss McKenna, I know you encrypted it."
"Can't really blame a girl for playing all the cards in her sleeve, right? I had to ensure my survival somehow. "I tell him, no bothering with denying it.
"But you had to know we would eventually be able to crack it. What then?"
"That is why I encrypted the pen drive in a way that if someone other than me opens it, all the information would be deleted automatically, and you would be left with nothing." I inform him, a little big smugly.
"That is quite clever Miss McKenna, I'll give you that." he says with praise "But not even that would have been enough to save you."
"Julius..."
"Ah yes...Mr. Hughes, I am aware you are his mate, but not even that could save you in the end."
"Alright, what does that mean? I'm sick of hearing that bloody word, and nobody tells me what it actually means!" I ask him feeling incredibly frustrated. He was already the third person to call me Julius mate, and I don't know why that is significant with their kind, because in my world that is just slang.
"That is not of importance right now, Miss McKenna."
"Just call me Hayley" I interrupt him feeling tired of hearing him say my last name all the time.
"Miss McKenna!" he calls out, and I could tell he was not finding me very amusing. In fact, if I had to guess, I would say he was close to showing his anger. "Clearly you have no regard with your own life."
"I never said that. I simply know exactly where I stand, I either got two options, 1: You kill me after failing to convince me to have me decrypt the pen drive; number 2: We work some kind of arrangement, where you get all your information, and I get my freedom and be out of your lives for good." I tell him very serious "Or...there is always option number 3: We work together to find your hidden hunters, I'll give you access to the hunters' data base and you can hunt down all the rats, and all I ask in return is simple. I get to be the one who kills my father. Oh, and I want to be able to visit my nephew."
"Your nephew?" he asks raising his eyebrow.
"Yes. My brother was married with one of your...wolves. They had a kid, which I just learn the existence of and I quite like to be in his life. But of course, you already knew that, didn't you, your majesty? In fact, I bet you even knew my brother. You had to of course, one of your wolves was married to him, that must have raised some red flags in the beginning. Tell me, how did he convince you not to kill him?"
The King doesn't say anything. He just stares at me, contemplating me. I knew I was not what he was expecting. But then again I can be very observant myself.
"You had him spy for you, didn't you?" I suddenly realise. "That's why my father called him a traitor. He was spying on the hunters for you."
"Your brother was a very clever man. So are you, as it seems." he says calmly. "It's true I did meet with your brother a couple of times. Like yourself he had to prove his loyalty to the pack, and he was in a position we were able to exploit."
"Same way you want to do with me. Only I no longer can go back to the hunters, they'll kill me the second they see me, so...you need me for something else. What is it? It can't only be to hack into the hunters' data base, I have a feeling you have more than enough people who are capable of doing that for you."
"You have a very observant mind Miss Mckenna." he says watching me attentive
"I know. It comes from being ignored as a child. I learn to take in anything that was of relevance, let that be verbal information, or non-verbal." I confess "I just learned to put all the pieces of the puzzle together."
"Before your brother's death, he sent in a message saying he had found information about a possible attack on the pack." he informs me "He said he had names of people inside the pack, that were helping information get out to them, but that he couldn't say it over the phone. Obviously he died before he could give us this information. I want you to find who those people were."
"You think those people and the hidden hunters are the same?" I ask him
"That is something you are going to have to find out." he says serious
"And my terms?"
"You get me those people's names, I'll give your freedom and the liberty to visit your nephew anytime you want." he agrees "But who knows...maybe you'll find you like it here too much to leave. Your brother did."
"Yeah, that seems unlikely to happen."
"Perhaps it's the Montague pack you prefer? Beta Hughes is from there, I believe."
"You're really not going to tell me what being mates means, are you?" I ask him tired
"No, I'm not." he says with what almost looked like an amused smile "But it will prove to be amusing how you will react when you find out."
I grind my teeth in frustration. I swear to God the first thing I would do when I'm face to face with Julius is asking him what the fuck does that word mean and how is it related to us.
"Will I be working from my prison cell? Can't really find anyone if I don't see anyone." I ask him logically.
"Arrangements are being made so that you will have a place to stay that is not in a security cell, but do not confuse your lack of bars for freedom, Miss McKenna. You will have a team of some of our best, that will help you in your endeavour. Put a single foot out of place, and they have permission to subdue you or kill you if the situation calls for it, and our deal would be terminated effective immediately with no chance to renegotiate again. You will be constantly watched by a member of your team.
"Will I be able to pee alone, or do I have to have someone watch me do that too?" I ask sarcastically.
"Don't confuse me not killing you for mercy, Miss McKenna. Betray me and you will feel the full range of my wrath. No one or nothing would be able to save you then." he threatens.
I nod with my head, telling him I understood.
"You'll be moved first thing tomorrow." he says getting up now "Guards!"
The three guards that brought me here come in immediately.
"Bring her back. Miss McKenna and I have discussed everything we needed today." he informs then the turns to me again, looking me straight in the eyes when he says "Don't disappoint me. I'll be watching."
And that was how my meeting with the King of all werewolves go. I was still breathing and still had all the members of my body intact, so I guess I could say it was successful. Now I just had to find a hidden cell full of an unknown number of unidentified members that has probably been here for the last decades. Easy.
Another chapter done! Poor Hayley. no one wants to tell her what's so speacial about being "mates" with Julius. I can't wait to write her reaction. An not only that, Hayley came to an agreedment with the king to earn back her freedom! Fingers crossed!
Don't Forget!
VOTE ⭐
COMMENT ✍️
SHARE 💌