Chapter 4 4. The Encounter

"Who is there?" came the bold question from Healer Freya.

With trembling feet, Baka walked the rest of the distance slowly and stood at the entrance of the small shop.

"It's Baka." Her voice sounded feeble even to her.

"Come in, Baka," Freya ordered, her voice changing tones expertly into a warm welcome. Yet Baka noticed the slight tremor in it.

As she took a step in, she noticed a dark, cloaked figure standing on the other side of the room. He made no sound, but Baka could feel the energy exuding off him in her very core. It was almost magnetic.

He stood in the shadows, the hood covering his face, stopping at the bridge of his lips which were pressed into a thin, hard line.

She let her gaze fall on Freya's brown eyes, trying not to let her fear get the better of her.

"Forgive the interruption," Baka began, sounding braver than she felt.

"What do you want?"

Freya was human, short and stout in build. The werewolves found out she had more knowledge of herbs than their own people. So she had been made to work for them.

Baka heard rumours that she sold out her own people. She had moved ranks and forgotten about their suffering.

Regardless, it was clear that whatever she was into with this cloaked figure, she was in too deep.

Baka could feel the cloaked figure's gaze fixed on her. She swallowed as she tried her hardest not to glance at him, convinced that the strange feeling she felt was his fault.

"Bessia is... hurt. She needs some herbs to heal and get back on her feet."

Freya was flippant. "Did you bring money?"

She had only two dalsis which wasn't nearly enough.

"Time is currency, Girl. If you don't have any money, leave."

"What if we could make a trade?"

"I'm listening."

"What if I could top my dalsis with this?" she said as she reached into her bag and presented the rat.

Freya's shrill laugh filled the room. "You can't be serious."

"Please, Healer Freya. Bessia really needs those herbs. And this rat is bigger than usual."

Freya looked from her to the cloaked figure who hadn't uttered a word but seemed to say everything all at the same time.

"I have no use for a rodent."

"Even for food?"

Her laugh was harsh. "Did I tell you I was starving? What makes you think I would ever wa-"

"Give her the damn herbs." The cloaked figure finally spoke and Freya jolted into action. She skimmed around her shop filled with rows and rows of jars and flower pots as she plucked one herb at a time.

Baka didn't move, aware that the cloaked figure had his gaze fixed upon her. He never once took it off.

When Freya had bundled up the herbs, she shoved them into Baka's hand. "I believe your mother knows what to do with those."

"Thank you," Baka replied as she started heading for the door.

"Take your rat with you," the cloaked figure ordered and her blood chilled as she stuffed the rat in her bag.

As soon as she stepped out of the shop, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

* * *

The Luna queen's funeral was everything Baka expected it would be -long and impersonal. No one cried. At least none that she could see. They all stood silently as the body of their beloved queen burned atop the wooden logs.

There were three tents. Trinitarians filled the first, Wesleyans and Aethelites the second and third.

Baka stood beside her mistress, Luna Amie of Aethelite pack. Her mate, Alpha Aziz was seated next to her, slowly sipping wine.

They too were bereft of tears.

Were werewolves completely incapable of compassion? One would think they were burying a stranger.

The other two Alphas and Lunas were sitting under other tents, each with their own human servants, male and female.

Not long after, heavy smoke permeated the atmosphere. It was so thick and lethal that Baka couldn't help the coughing spasms that overcame her.

"Quiet, Girl!" Luna Amie warned, her green eyes flashing with cruel intensity.

Besides her, Alpha Aziz chuckled.

"Imagine being made powerless by something as harmless as smoke. Humans are a pathetic race."

"Indeed," Luna Amie agreed. "Should've wiped them all out. Bunch of weaklings. Why do we keep them?"

"To work for us, my dear."

She tsked. "That's the only thing they're good for anyway."

"Not bad in bed either," Alpha Aziz added with a nasty grin, openly eyeing Baka.

Luna Amie's lips became a thin line.

Alphas were allowed to find pleasure in their human slaves except those given to their lunas. And though the Lunas clearly hated it, they couldn't do anything to stop it.

Luna Amie glared at Baka. "Bring me some water, Girl."

"Yes, my lady."

As Baka did as she was told, conversation went on as normal.

"How much longer?" Luna Amie asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"A couple more hours, give or take," her mate replied with an air of boredom.

"I wonder when the king will announce a date for the Selection Festival," Luna Amie stated.

"It depends, of course. But it shouldn't take more than a month. That's tradition."

"I believe Wesley pack would select Wonjo as their Luna candidate," Amie continued. "She and the Alpha King used to be very close before he wedded Tia. In fact, I was quite shocked when he chose Tia to be his mate."

Baka gave her mistress the glass of water and stood rigidly next to her. Her throat was perched by all the smoke and her eyes were a little teary. But she fought hard against the urge to cough.

"That wasn't shocking, my dear. What was shocking was him taking the throne as Alpha King at all. We all thought it would be his brother. Alpha Takoda is the oldest after all."

"But not an offspring of the late king's true mate."

Baka knew the story. The former Alpha king needed to find a mate blessed by the moon goddess to make him the most powerful Alpha amongst all others. He had an arranged marriage with the chosen Luna in order to secure his title as Alpha king. They had mated and she had borne him a son, Takoda. But shortly after, he met his true mate and the current king was born.

A small cough burst out of Baka's mouth before she could stop it.

Luna Amie's eyes turned red. "One more sound from you and I will cut your tongue and feed it to the wild dogs."

Baka stiffened. "I'm sorry, Mistress."

"Regardless, " Alpha Aziz went on as though nothing had transpired, "he was too young when he took over. Imagine having to be under the rulership of a seventeen year old. I doubt he even had his first shift."

"He did. Luna Tania said so. Also, that was over five years ago. He's certainly no child now."

"No. Now he's a king without a Luna."

There was silence after that. It was a while still before the smoke started clearing.

"I'm dying to know who he'll choose," Luna Amie confessed, breaking the silence.

"All hints point to Tamara of Trinity Pack. She's got the strength, capability, and history of her pack to make her irrevocably eligible."

Luna Amie sneered. "Must all Alphas' Luna Queen come from that cursed pack? For once there ought to be a Luna Queen from our pack."

"Hush, my darling. You speak treason."

Baka looked over at her male companion, Baja. He stood silently beside Alpha Aziz like a statue. There was no emotion on his face, if he had thoughts he wasn't showing any.

Her mother told her of werewolves who were able to speak through their thoughts. She had said it was a gift their moon goddess bestowed upon true mates. If that were true, Luna Amie and Alpha Aziz did not have such gifts otherwise they would utilise it.

"Since they're putting their best girl forward, we'll have to match in kind."

Alpha Azis's lips curved in a smile. "Who do you have in mind?"

"Well, Aisha, of course. What she lacks in strength and history, she more than makes up for in looks."

"I leave it to your capable hands then."