The members of the cabinet watched anxiously, as the king closed the scroll in one clap.
An unsettling gaze settled on his face, and they needed no one to tell them; the scroll didn't hold much of a good news.
After some moments of deafening silence, the Beta spoke up.
"Your Majesty, is anything the matter?" He asked cautiously.
The king seemed to be lost in thought as he neither acknowledged the quest nor replied.
The Beta cleared his throat, and called again with a slightly higher tone "Your Majesty,"
That seemed to do the trick, as the Alpha jolted out of his thoughts. "Your Majesty, you've been quiet ever since you collected the scroll. Is there anything wrong?" The gamma talked this time, and Alpha Kaden took in a deep breath before speaking; his deep voice cutting through the silence in the throne room.
"It's nothing. This court is dismissed" He said with a tone of finality. The looks on the elders face showed their disapproval, but they dare not grumble. He's the Alpha after all; and his word is key.
The members of the royal cabinet dissipated, leaving only the king and Luna Elsa.
"You should go too, Elsa" He said, not sparing her a glance. The queen's face was distorted, her brows arched.
"Kaden, what's going on? Why didn't you let everyone know what's in the scroll?" She asked, but he didn't answer.
"Does it hold a bad news?" She searched his face for answers, but got none. Her brain seemed to be doing some thinking, then like a snap, she turned to the king; her face morphed with fear.
"Are my pups going to die?" She asked with trepidation, and the Alpha sighed. He knew she won't stop bugging him if he didn't give her a solid reply. However, he can't tell her or anyone what's in the scroll yet, till he deciphers the exact meaning of the words.
He had to invite the seer personally. This message holds more weight than he thinks.
"Can we talk later, Elsa?" He asked, finally looking at her.
"Talk later?" She asked, then slowed down, her eyes dilating. "Is one of my pups really going to die?"
"No one is dying, woman!" He snapped, and quickly softened his gaze. "I'm sorry for raising my voice at you" He apologized and she smiled thinly.
"I'm not mad at you. I'm only mad that you're hiding my pups' fate from me. If one of them is bad, let us know quickly, so we'll perform the necessary rites and rituals."
"The seer spoke in coded words. It's not direct at all. And until I figure out the true meaning of his words; I can't allow anyone have an idea of what's in this scroll. I'm trying to avoid anything that can cause misunderstanding or a division in the palace" He said firmly, and the queen sighed with resignation.
She looked at the two pups in her hand, and stared a little longer at Axel; then she turned to the king again.
"I've been meaning to ask. I don't know much about Axel's mother—your late mistress..." She began, and watched as Kaden's face contorted slightly.
She continued, "But Axel's eyes...are they normal? I don't think his mother's eyes were golden" She said.
"There's nothing wrong with his eyes. His is just a special one" He answered, and she smiled. "Of course. His eyes looks really cute" She said, looking at the babe again.
*
THE QUEEN'S CHAMBER,
"Your Majesty, the Beta awaits you in your chamber" Elsa's maid reported as she made her way to the chamber.
Elsa nodded, and continued walking with her rows of maids. Axel and Darius were held by two different maids, and they all followed her.
"Put the both of them in the nursery. I'll check on them soon. And i don't have to remind you that I don't want to hear any careless talks. You can dare me" She said sternly, and the maids all said in unison, "We dare not, your Majesty"
Their heads were all uniformly bowed, and Elsa twitched her lips. "Good. You can leave" She said to them, and they all walked away from the chamber orderly. All except Elsa's personal maid—Vyra.
As the queen entered the chamber, Vyra stayed outside, just by the door.
Luna Elsa smiled as she saw the Beta. "It's been a while since you visited"
"I'm sorry, your Majesty. It has indeed been a while. I haven't visited personally since the day of your delivery."
"Such a caring brother," She said, her voice tinged with sarcasm, and he chuckled.
From outside, Vyra spoke. "Coming in with tea, your Majesty"
Some seconds after she spoke, she entered with honey tea. It was the Queen's favourite.
A junior maid also followed with another bowl of Lemon tea, and placed it in front of the beta.
Beta Orion's eyes lingered on the junior maid as she poured the tea. "Your maids are indeed stunning" He said, and the queen chuckled, dismissing the maids with a wave of her hand
"You've not changed your womanizer ways" She shook her head and he laughed.
His expression suddenly changed to a more serious one, his smile disappearing from his face. "The scroll. Do you have any idea what's in it?"
Luna Elsa's lashes flickered.
"I don't. It's unheard of for the king to hide such important message, and it's bugging me really bad" She answered.
"I tried asking him, but he left no clue. He only maintained that he didn't want to cause any misunderstanding." She added.
"No matter the misunderstanding, he should have read it out. Such a thing isn't meant to be kept a secret" Beta Orion replied, his hand stroking his jaw.
"You are his Beta. Maybe he'll let you in on what's going on."
"If he couldn't tell you, his Luna; you think he'll let me know"
"It might not be a woman's thing, you know" She shrugged, and he nodded in agreement.
"But, Elsa...is there something you aren't telling me too?" He suddenly asked, and she raised her brows.
"Something I'm not telling you?"
"Yes... about that bastard. Why are you taking him under your wings?"
"Bastard? Axel's not a bastard" She frowned defensively.
"See? Why are you taking his place? The king cheated on you and brought another woman's baby into the palace, and you accepted it? Just like that?" He asked skeptically, and she rolled her eyes.
"The heavens decided to console you by killing the prostitute, and yet you still accepted her baby? Taking care of him like he's your pup? What's going on?"
"There's nothing going on anywhere, brother. The little child shouldn't suffer for what he knows nothing about. He's just an innocent little pup."
"Innocent? He might just be a baby, but nothing looks innocent about that child. His eyes looks nothing like a young wolf. He gives a very strange aura"
"A baby? Giving a strange aura? There's nothing wrong with Axel, I'll take care of him the same way I'll take care of Darius" She said adamantly and he stared at her with disbelief.
"I don't know what got into you, Elsa. But one thing is sure, that thing you call a baby wouldn't last long in this palace. You can trust me"