Chapter 2 One Last Sip

The door to the chambers opened as Dranco entered dressed in a cotton white shirt, pants and fighting boots. He expected, not to say the least, a knife swooshing past his cheeks. But he was met with the most unusual atmosphere.

"He's here, your highness." Shmoore, the commander in chief announced.

Franco sat beside his father or what seemed to be like him. King Cyrus was now a plopped-up or squished version of himself casually thrown onto the throne. His brother held their father for support while his sister stood behind, looking worried.

"What happened?"

He woke up from his usual nap looking like this." Francisca, his sister would say.

"What? How?"

It did great damage to Dranco seeing his all-mighty father, Alpha Cyrus in this state. A part of him shattered like a glass. He was afraid picking the remnants would result in greater damage.

"Has anyone called the royal physician?!" Dranco barked but no one moved.

"A witch from Woodscrew has been summoned. Hopefully, she prefers a solution." Franco who had been dead silent since he arrived spoke up. "And don't act like you care now, Dranco. You had all the time to show up, but you have only chosen now to come."

"I swear I didn't mean to."

"You will be King..." Franco stuttered. "Soon, you will be the Alpha and I am already afraid of what will become of Reeds."

"You talk like you're certain of Father's death."

"Because I think ahead!"

"Enough!" Turaq snapped, his eyes moving from one brother to the other. "Enough with the bickering. This is a time for you to stand together and make sure your father gets well."

Dranco moved closer to his father, his heart further searing.

"How long will it take for the healer to get here?'

"At most, by sunset." One of the elders answered.

"Have her come to my section after she must have checked up on my father. He must get well soon." Dranco ordered and turned to leave while the elders murmured behind him.

"This is absurd!" Shmoore yelled.

"Ridiculous!" Matteo chipped in.

"Preposterous!"

"He's not even the Alpha yet and he orders us around like chickens. For goodness sake, I can't get over the fact that the Moon Goddess chose him over a well-behaved Prince." Shmoore rapped again, his face filled with worry.

♤

The sun was still high in the sky when Diane gathered her things in a sack. A portly man in his forties came outside and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Be careful, sweetheart."

"I'll be back soon, Ryan. I just need to find out what is wrong with the Alpha." She muttered but it seemed like Lyla had been listening all along because she jumped into the conversation.

"You can try to tell the King about our predicament. Hopefully, he is generous enough to have mercy." Lyla chipped.

Diane rolled her eyes, irritation painting the lines on her forehead. "There will be no discussion about Woodscrew. From what I heard, I'm not sure the King can hear or speak anything." She moved closer to Lyla, eyes lowering to intimidate her daughter who doesn't do as much as flinch.

"Don't you think it's thoughtless of me to table such matters before him?"

"I...I didn't know."

"Yeah, right." Walking past her Ryan, she muttered discreetly. "Never let her out your sight."

"Valid!"

Lyla stared at her mom who walked down the arena, sacks plopped on her shoulder. Diane is the best healer in Woodscrew, there is no doubt about that. Being that their kind of Wolves emerged from the lycans and Omicrons many centuries ago, they had very significant powers such as visions, healing and speed. Now that the King is sick and on the brink of death, their expertise is needed. This is going to be a great opportunity for them only if they know to utilize it.

Nighttime arrived and Diane was yet to come back. Lyla had been working on the field with the other teenagers awaiting her mom. The sky was already darkening by the time the teenagers were done with their work. Except they still had something else to do.

"Hey, freak!" One of the big boys, Sanjo, walked up to where she crouched picking nuts. "Now that your mum isn't here to defend you, I wonder how you're gonna survive." Lyla refused to give them audience. "You don't have the nerve to speak back now, uh?" Her hands were getting shaky and it was visible, giving them an upper hand.

"She's shaking, guys! Are you scared?" Sanjo grabbed Lyla by the hair and pulled her up. "Fight back now, bitch." Lyla's eyes burned as she heard that word. But Sanjo was stronger and everyone in Woodscrew knew that.

"You know very well that I'm going to marry you eventually. You're such a good-for-nothing wolf with no special powers. Except for your sharp mouth that will one day kill us, you have nothing to offer."

He pushed her to the ground and the others laughed.

"At least, I can stand up for what's right." She retorted, not minding what Sanjo could do to her.

"I don't pee my pants at the arrival of the Reeds elders!"

A smack sent her spinning. That was all she remembered before blacking out. By the time her eyes would flutter open, the sky was red. Or, the blood dripping from her head only covered her eyes. And, her ears picked up an unusual sound from the square. Her head throbbed as she managed to stand but she pushed herself out of the field. Sanjo was a bastard and she was already accustomed to his bullying. He wouldn't stop anyway, no matter what she did.

By the low chirping of the crickets and the increasing singing of the birds, she knew she was out until morning.

"What will become of us?" A woman asked on the verge of tears.

"Honestly, I don't know." Diane sat perched on the edge of the table, surrounded by the people. "We are at the mercy of the next Alpha or the elders."

The people gasped and cried.

"Mom?" Diane looked up at Lyla, eyes glassy. "What happened?"

"What happened?" They both chorused but Diane pursed her lips before speaking. "The Alpha couldn't make it. From what I could deduce, he just had a cerebral issue but...yes, I couldn't save him." She hesitated and ushered Lyla in. "Tell me how you got this on your head and why you're just coming from the field."

Slowly but totally, the people dispersed, except Evans and Sanjo. Ryan joined them at the dinner table as well as they speak while Diane tended to her head.

"I hit my head while I was coming and passed out." Diane's hand stopped as if she didn't believe her story but quickly brushed it off.

"I don't believe the King had cerebral whatever it is you called it, Diane," Evan spoke up first.

"I'm glad you're catching up. From my findings, the King was poisoned. Not just from any food but his favourite ale and it was laced with a silver pearl seed." The rest of them gasped except Lyla.

"And the elders asked you to cover it up?" She asked.

"And how would you know?" Sanjo tackled. "You didn't go with her, did you?"

Diane cleared her throat. "She's right. The elders threatened to throw us out if words get out about the real cause of death."

"But why?" Evans questioned, his forehead creased. "Why would they need to cover it up instead of finding the culprits?"

"Because they are the culprit."

Silence dawned on them as the morning sun rose slowly by the window, slowly seeping in and granting them warmth.