XERXES KNIGHT
My study was empty and cold except for the two beings facing each other, separated by the large wooden table.
Zues swirled the brown liquid in his glass, his eyes focused on the movement of the whisky before gulping the whole liquid. While my glass reminded on the table, untouched.
"You aren't going to join me." It wasn't a question but a statement. He knew me well, and knew I was not much of a drinker not that the alcohol had any effect on us- werewolves.
"I'm not going to get drunk anyway." I pointed out before taking my glass in hand and gulping the whole content.
Just the sharp of the whiskey remained nothing else.
"That's all the more reason to drink." Zues commented filling my glass before his.
Unlike the rest of us, Zues loved to indulge himself into alcohol and enjoy the taste.
But drowning ourselves in alcohol was not the reason why I wanted to talk with him alone. And I had no reason to delay the talk.
"I called you here because I wanted to talk with you about something."
Zues put the bottle of whiskey back on the table and gave me his undivided attention.
"What did you see?" I didn't explained further because he was a man of wit and knew what i was talking about.
Zues, who always had better control over his emotions made a slip as soon as he heard my question. His eyes widen just a little but it didn't miss my eye.
Zues took a sip from his glass, his eyes moving onto the surface of the table, looking slightly disturbed.
His reaction proved my doubts and I was certain he had seen something, even a glimpse about Meryl's past.
His abilities to see the past was complicated. It wasn't voluntary but forceful, unlike ours. He couldn't chose whose past he wants to see but was shown the past of the people with or without his will.
Over the centuries, Zues had learned to control his abilities but it still wasn't perfect. Despite his strong resistance, sometimes he couldn't dodge the will of his abilities and end up losing and giving in or in other times, he ends up winning yet getting a glimpse of their past.
He haven't used his ability for over two centuries but I still remember the times he struggled when it pushes forward and tries to break his resistance. His self control pushed to its limit.
"Nothing." He answered monotonously, his eyes meeting mine, not dating to look away.
Certainty rang in his voice, but I was still dubious.
I couldn't be wrong, not when I witnessed it with my own eyes. Zues would go rigid whenever Meryl was around, his fist would form in a fist and his jaw grows taunt. I also didn't miss the occasional cold stare he threw her way without Meryl's knowledge.
There was only two possibilities- he had either seen her past or he wasn't in favor of her.
Whatever the reason, I had to find out because It was related to my mate.
"You know the consequences of lying to an Alpha King. Brother or not, you wouldn't be spared if I find out you were lying." I reminded him calmly. I wasn't bluffing when I said there would be punishment because there would be- death.
"I know." Zues bowed in head instinctively in respect. "But what I say is true. I did see nothing, Alpha King."
Despite his strong stance and confident words, I couldn't shake of the feeling that he knew something about Meryl which he was hiding from everyone.
"It'd like to excuse myself." He was courteously, getting to his feet.
He started walking towards the direction of the door but the dominant part of me wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"Wait."
Zues automatically halted in his tracks and faced me. "Yes?" He patiently waited for me to say something.
"What did you see about Meryl?" I asked again. Keeping aside for pride and ego for a second, I added. "I am not asking this as an Alpha King but as your brother and as Meryl's mate. I need to know."
Zues stood silently, his eyes meeting mine, unmoving and blank.
I was still wary of what the future holds with Meryl by my side. Would she drag me down? Would she be strong enough to face the challenges that comes with her being an Alpha King's mate? Would I be able to keep her save from every danger?
So many questions revolved around me, the ones I never had before.
I had never wished or had expected a mate. My hands were covered in the blood of thousands of werewolves which would never wash off but she was pure, fragile and innocent.
Untainted.
Despite the unforeseen ill events that would come our way later, I at least was certain about one thing.
I wanted her, I needed her with every fiber in my being.
I realised what my dream actually meant when I lost her, when she ran away from my pack.
'That will cost you,
Your heart and your empire.'
I was haunted by these words and believed that having her beside me would be the reason for me losing my empire and as for my heart, my very life but I was wrong.
One mistake from me and I lost her then I realised how much I yearned for her and her presence.
She was slowly growing onto me.
I would do anything to keep her save, use my power and forces to keep her from any harm. I'd make sure to keep her save and with me at all cost.
So it was important for me to know anything that relates to Meryl. If there was something or someone that would or could harm her, I would kill them first before they even were able to utter her name.
The long stretched of silence further added to my fury and angst, I was worried he indeed had seen something terrible.
But his response was the same as before. "I really didn't see anything." Zues let out a sigh, before shaking his head slightly. "But whatever her past is, it wasn't pleasant, that I can assure." He added, his tone lack sympathy.
"Why, can you say?" Instinctively my hands were formed in a fist. My wolf restless learning that his mate had a terrible past. His instinct to protect her surfacing.
Zues' furrowed his eyes as if deep in thought. "Despite my resistance, it keeps coming back whenever I see her or is near her." He started to say, putting his emotions in words. "I get this terrible ache in my heart, blurry images of a dark room and a voice resonate in my ears whenever her past was forced into my head." He explained further, his forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"Whose voice was it?" I asked.
"I don't know." He answered honestly.
"Is that all?" I wanted to know more but I knew I wouldn't be right of me to let him to accept Meryl's past only to lost his eyesight later.
As a brother, I couldn't do this to him.
"That's all I saw and that's all I let into my head." Zues walked to me and kept a hand over my shoulder. "I am sorry, brother." He apologized understanding me well.
He took centuries to fights with his abilities and had gained some control over it, I couldn't let him break his defense for my sake.
I would have to find out what had happened to Meryl in the last by my own self.
I nodded my head at him and pushed his hand away before turning around to walk to my chair. "You're dismissed." I said sitting down the chair.
"Alpha King." Zues bowed his head and walked out of the room.
My elbows rested on the table and hands joined each other as I rested my forehead on it.
I need to find out what had happened with Meryl in the past and that too soon. It must be serious and also the reason for her weak link with her wolf.
I could feel the connection of her and her wolf getting stronger slowly day by day after my mark, but it still was taking longer than expected.
Mating, probably would accelerate the process and fully link her with her wolf. But she was still not ready, I was scared to hurt her and hurting her was the last time I would do to her.
On top of that, the issue with the Lisa's case was keeping us on our toes. She turned out to be a part of the conspiring faction- The revolutionists as the called themselves, whose aim was to overthrow the Royals and take control of the entire werewolves.
She used Meryl to weaken me and had plans to attack but it failed when her true identity was revealed before she went into hiding.
Not only Lisa's involvement in making Meryl run away but also the dead werewolf found on the border of my pack was suspected to be their doing.
We claimed him to be a rouge wolf but he was not, he was likely to be one of members of the investigating squad from the faction, he was killed before he could make any move. If we had known he was a part of the faction, we'd have never killed him but I doubt he would have any vital information to give as he was of a lowly rank.
The head, the mastermind and the person behind the actions of the group was still unknown and a mystery to us. All we know was that the leader was a he.
Regarding the actions of the Revolutionists the leader of the faction wouldn't be a mere werewolf but someone with authority.
He ought to be someone powerful, someone who have his insight in the Gordon, someone who knew the workings of the Royals and their code, someone who had some authority.
He might be someone from the Gordon, a member of the Royal court or one of the elders or someone from my own family- one of my brothers.
He might be anyone or he might be a they- more than one.
Zues and Armenes were the only ones whom I trust amongst the Royals, and as for Roman and Nickolai I was still wary of their true intentions and motives.
Their abilities were terrorizing and if put to wrong use could be very dangerous for the whole of the werewolves. Roman always had a grudge against me, for receiving the thing he wanted the most- The title of an The Alpha King.
As for Nickolai, he was mysterious and unpredictable, someone whose actions I couldn't even comprehend. He was the only one who makes me nervous.
Roman was already under my roof and I could keep an eye on him, as for Nickolai he was arriving the next day, I need to be aware of his every move.
The reason for them being in my pack was partly because of the ritual we do in our parents dead anniversary but also because of the Revolutionists.
It was a gamble to bring the two person I was suspicious of in my pack, my house and discuss with them the plans and share the reports of our search till date but the risk was worth taking.
We had a plan and for the success of it, it was necessary to have them all under one roof.
No one was aware of the plan except some few high ranking Alphas and Damien who were also a part of the anti- revolutionists.
We have to uncover the leader and their real motives before it was too late and they do something terrible which would cost us forever.
For that, I need to be prepared in every possible way.
***
HOLA!
I hope you enjoyed the update, though its short and in XERXES' POV.
I bet you enjoyed getting into his head and what he was planning or what his feelings are for Meryl.
And about the faction- who do you have your suspicion on?
Comment down below the name(s) you believe would be the head.
Also do share what your thoughts are on the chapter and the story so far.
VOTE, COMMENT & SHARE.