"And if you are to love,
Love as the moon does;
It does not steal the night - it only unveils the beauty of the dark."
________________________
"Why are we still here?" I asked Livius, cocking my head.
"I prefer getting all the hearings over with at once," he told me, "Zander isn't the only lawbreaker I have to deal with."
I nodded slowly, slumping in the chair.
"You know, you don't have to stay," he stated, and I quirked a brow.
"You can leave. My advisors only wanted you present for Zanders' hearing, as you are the witness. The remaining cases are of regular pack members who broke pack law, they aren't as important. Go rest, my queen," he continued, nodding towards the door and I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head.
"I can't leave you alone, you'll probably kill someone," I replied, and he rolled his eyes, lips pulling into a smile.
"Love, what are you talking about? My sense of justice is unmatchable," he retorted, and I chuckled.
"If you say so."
***********
Screw this.
What the fuck possessed me into staying behind?
I watched unamused as another prisoner was taken away, his verdict having been decided.
It was so boring.
I had interestedly paid attention to the first few cases but as the time dragged by, I had even managed to fall asleep for an hour before waking up.
Livius, having done this before, was already accustomed to the tiring flow of felons as he swiftly heard each case before issuing his response.
I watched tiredly as a guard introduced the next few wolves, and I found myself snapping up as I caught sight of Damien and the other few wolves who broke into my house about a week ago.
They all stepped forward, bowing before my mate, and Livius eyed them curiously, not recognizing them.
"Their crime?" he asked the unranked official to the right whom held all the paperwork.
"They are being charged for betraying their stations, and defying orders when on journey to a foreign nation with the King. In elaboration to my former statement, they ransacked the house of a nearby rogue, and therefore hindered the peace of the resident living in the unclaimed or in other words neutral territory," the man said, and Livius nodded in realization.
Damien gave me a pointed look before bowing his head again, and I broke out laughing, tears collecting in my eyes at the annoyed look on his face.
Livius turned to me, quirking a brow, before shaking his head. He then regarded them thoughtfully, as though unsure what to do.
"I must punish you all for your actions," he finally said, giving me a look as he stated his next sentence, "regardless of what they resulted in."
"Even if you happened to break into the house of my mate, the fact remains that you entered someone's home without consent, and with the intention to cause harm to the resident, and their property," he told them, shaking his head.
"This was an embarrassment that has not only reflected badly on you all, but on my guard. I cannot let this slide," my mate continued, eyes cold.
Livius sighed, having decided, "You are no longer my warriors. You will pack your things and leave the palace immediately," he ordered, voice ringing in finality and all of them stiffened.
"Allow me to clarify that you are not rogues. I am simply commanding you to leave my guard. You have lost your rights to be here. However, you are welcome to join any other pack in France. They will not persecute you in the same manner as a rogue," he elaborated, standing at the top of the staircase.
I wasn't laughing anymore.
Damien pressed his lips into a thin line as the other wolves hung their heads in shame, and my lips pulled into a frown.
The guard who escorted them in gestured towards the door, and they all began turning towards the exit, but I stood up, stopping them.
"Wait," I said softly, my voice low, and they looked back, hesitating in their steps.
I stared at Livius, who gave me a confused look.
"Sure, they did some stupid shit, but I think my beating was enough," I told him.
He gave me an appalled look, "are you asking me to excuse them?"
"Yeah, basically," I shrugged, and he gave me a pointed look.
"My queen they must be disciplined appropriately. I cannot simply let them go. They committed a crime," he argued.
"A crime that helped me find you," I replied, looking up at him, and he fell silent, eyes softening.
I crossed my arms, "Livius, have you ever heard of the moons mandate?"
He nodded slowly, recognition flashing in his eyes, and I continued.
"For a second, let's just assume that they were meant to break in. That it was why they were chosen to go on that trip with you. So we could meet. You told me yourself that you'd been in the area several times before and never even caught a whiff of my scent. Maybe the moon goddess sent them with you for this purpose. Everything has a reason. Let's trust the goddess, and give them the benefit of the doubt," I insisted.
"Why are you defending them?" he asked instead.
"Huh?"
"You heard me."
"I'm simply asking you to excuse them just this once," I said, staring into his deep blue eyes, and getting lost in their depth.
He thought for a moment, then:
"Nah."
"Livius."
"Alexandria, I can't just let them go, there's a reason why I'm King, and I'm sorry to say that I do not tolerate insubordination from any of my wolves. They are not leaving here without a proper verdict," he stated in finality.
I pouted up at him.
He narrowed his eyes, "don't look at me like that."
"Like what?" I asked, biting my lip, and I held back a laugh when his eyes caught the movement, before he fully looked away.
"Why are you doing this?" he sighed.
"Damien is my friend," I replied, pointing at the man, and Livius' eyes drifted to him.
"Your friend?"
"Yeah."
"When did this happen?"
"We met in the library while you were at the Altair pack," I answered.
"Yea, now he's definitely leaving."
Damien shot me a look that said, "just shut the fuck up, you're making it worse."
"I'm also friends with Jayden, are you gonna send him away too?" I asked, and my mate rolled his eyes.
I watched as his gaze drifted back and forth from me to the wolves, a torn expression on his face, before he waved his hand, "If you insist they stay, then fine. But one more stunt and they're out," he grumbled, displeased.
I clapped my hands happily, beaming up at him, and he let out a quiet chuckle, hand coming up to stroke the top of my head.
Bowing one last time, they all shot me a grateful look before turning away, but Livius' voice stopped Damien.
"One more thing," he began, staring down at him, and the wolf turned back towards us.
"Since you and my queen seem to be 'friends' then I doubt it'd be a problem if I were to assign you as her personal guard. Consider it your first steps towards redeeming yourself," my mate stated casually, and my jaw dropped.
"What? A guard?! Are you fuckin' kidding me?" I exclaimed.
Livius gave me a look that would have any wolf baring their neck in submission, "Language, my love, besides I assumed you wouldn't have a problem with this little arrangement, you are 'friends' after all, unless of course, I misinterpreted your use of the word."
This cunning son of a bitch.
Okay that wasn't really much of an insult since his mother was a wolf but like...
Damien blinked, "this is an honor, your highness, really, but I simply cannot accept," he said, shaking his head.
"You're refusing the honor of guarding your king's mate?"Livius asked, arching a brow.
Damien hesitated, unsure if he should say what he was about to, before shrugging, "With all due respect your highness, I just don't think it possible for one to be able to guard such an unsophisticated, disorderly, and impulsive loudmouth such as this woman."
My jaw dropped.
Friend my ass.
"Kick him out," I snarled, turning away, and Livius chuckled.
"I am simply saying that you cannot expect anyone to be capable of watching over someone so defiant, stubborn, and boisterous as this she-wolf," he continued, gesturing to me.
"One more word, Damien, one more word and I swear to the goddess I'm going to throttle you and throw you in the woods at night, so the vampires can suck your blood out, and leave you to dry in the sun like a little tortilla chip, you goddamn idiot!" I threatened, and he scoffed, his overbearing ego returning.
"And to think I defended you," I huffed, sitting back down on the throne as Livius merely watched in amusement.
"Thank you for that, but I'm merely saying what is true," he retorted.
"So you will not assume the role," Livius asked, cocking his head, mirth dancing in his eyes.
Damien thought for a moment, before inclining his head,"I will do my best, your highness."
Livius nodded, "my beta will send you the paperwork with the details of your new position. For now you are dismissed."
I watched silently as Damien bowed, and offered me a cheeky look, which I responded to by sticking out my tongue. He smiled at me before stepping out of the grand hall, and following the footsteps of the other wolves, he left Livius and I behind, the door clicking shut.
Livius regarded the unranked official who read each case, "we're done for the day, am I correct?" he asked, and the man nodded.
My mate waved his hand in dismissal, and I watched as the wolf collected his papers, before bowing and scurrying out, leaving us alone.
"Were done?" I asked disbelievingly, and Livius nodded, stepping down the stairs.
"They were the last case," he responded, extending a hand for me to take, and I also walked down the stairs, but I stopped on the last few, staring at Livius with hesitation.
My feet hurt.
I took him by surprise when I jumped into his arms, my legs wrapping around his torso, as my arms came around his neck, my head shoved into his shoulder. Livius instinctively caught me, his muscled arms coming around my waist as he held me against him.
"Is this what we're doing now?" he chuckled, and heat rushed to my cheeks.
"You can put me down if you want," I offered, a slight wave of disappointment passing through me, which was replaced with happiness when he only tightened his grip on me.
"I like carrying you," he said instead, and I sighed against him, melting in his arms.
I felt him walk out of the throne room, heading down the hall, and I hid my head in his neck as we passed a few pack members.
"Aw is my Alexandria shy?" Livius teased, and I internally rolled my eyes.
"Leave me alone," I mumbled, my voice muffled, as I inhaled his deep scent of lilac, and freshly fallen snow.
"Never."
*****************
Short chapter. Sorry, I was rushing.
Anyway, here's another (few) image(s) of Damien. You can thank me later.
-Aida