Chapter 18

"What did you say?" Bella barked at the elders again.

No one spoke, she looked from one elder to the next, giving them a daring glare. Each elder looked from one to another, afraid of what would happen next.

"No one is going to speak up, right?" No one spoke still.

"Fine," Bella smiled, she turned and made for the door, she could hear the elders sigh in relief. "Guards!" Bella stopped abruptly at the door and yelled, dashing the hope of the elders.

The guards came running in, "My Lady" They all chorused.

"Take all these elders and give them twelve strokes of the whip each until they confess who spoke about that witch"

"I will talk!" It was a female elder who finally spoke up, she was visibly shaken.

"I bet you will" Bella smiled, she took a seat on the Alpha seat that she had conquered, "I suppose a little violence does it for you huh?"

No one spoke. The silence only annoyed Bella more, she looked from one elder to the next and then back to the female elder.

"Are you willing to talk?"

"Yes My Lady" the old lady whispered

"Start talking, who said it?"

The woman looked frightened, her gaze landed on an old man with white hair who was whimpering and shaking like a child.

"Lord Asbury," The old woman whispered.

Bella let out an evil laugh, she laughed hysterically when she finally stopped laughing, she stood up from the seat and made for the door, on getting to the door she paused and turned to the elders again.

"Guards, take Lord Asbury and make him understand why he shouldn't compare me with a witch, hard labor!" She paused for a second and looked around the table,

"For the rest of you, I would have loved to teach you a little lesson but I will allow Lord Asbury to serve as a deterrent for you all '' She looked around one last time before she turned and walked out of the courtroom.

Bella sat in the bath in her room sulking, she didn't understand why those old wretched elders could still compare her to that Nellie, her whole life she had lived under Nellie's shadow as the 'best friend' she scoffed again thinking about her. She had sworn she was going to make sure Nellie doesn't smell the walls of this castle again, she was not going to let all she had worked for go in vain.

She glanced over at her shoulders, Lily was waiting in the bedroom for her, she was forever grateful to Lily and her late dad for their unwavering support in helping her take what rightfully belongs to her. She only wished he was here now, to see that she had accomplished what they had always dreamt off.

"Lily, do you know if the guards have meted out punishment to that old dog?" Bella called out from the bath.

"My lady, the last time I passed by there Lord Asbury was screaming out his lungs.

"Serves him just right," Bella smiled.

"My Lady, you know, as an old wolf his wounds would likely heal in no time" Lily observed

"That is why they should make the injuries as deep as it can get, the bigger and deeper the injuries, the longer and painful it takes to heal"

"Of Course My Lady" Lily bowed.

"Where is Piere?"

"He retired to his chambers immediately after you left the courtroom,"

"Typical of him, I can tell he has the heart of a chicken. Too bad he has to be my Beta, but not to worry, I'll make him into what I want him to be" Bella took a sip from the wine that Lily held out for her.

"Your dad must be proud of you wherever he is"

Bella's eyes closed, her mind traveled to her dad, the only person she had genuinely loved. He had died in that bloody battle defending this pack as an Omega. And all Nellie's father could do was give the pack over to his low witted daughter as his successor. Bella scoffed, she was here now and she was going to take everything.

"Lily, have you heard anything about Nellie?" Bella suddenly asked.

"She is still with the Blood pack, My Lady"

"Just how long before those Rogues can kill her!"

"Patience, My lady. A little patience"

In the distance, the horrific cry torture was heard, Bella smiled and relaxed in the bath.
••••••••••••••

"You can't possibly do that," Charlie said in disbelief.

"Why not?" Earl merely spared him a glance.

"She's a Lady, you can't bathe her," Charlie reminded.

"Clean her" Earl corrected

"Makes no difference" Charlie said "We will leave the Ariel to clean her up, that's why she is her personal maid"

Earl moved closer to Charlie and said in low tone "What if we leave and the Rogues come in and finish her off? Or better still take her?"

"That won't happen, My Lord, I have surrounded guards all around the castle now"

"That's the same thing you said the last time" Earl scoffed.

"Are you doubting my abilities as your Beta now?"

Earl barely rolled his eyes and kept his gaze fixed on Nellie's sleeping figure on his bed.

"I'm beginning to think there is more to your over protective attitude of your captive" Charlie taunted.

"What the fuck are you insinuating" Earl growled.

"Language brother, there is a lady here. Now if you may, let's head outside so the lady can do her work"

Charlie laughed at Earl which only increased his temper, taking Earl by the hand, he led him out of the room. Passing by Ariel, he flashed her a smile which she returned shyly.

"Is that you flirting with Nellie's maid, My Lord?" Earl eyed Charlie suspiciously.

Charlie let out a throaty laugh "She is a pretty one, that maid" Was all he said.

"And what the fuck were you trying to do back there?" Earl paused and sent Charlie a daring glare.

"Pointing out the obvious dear friend, you care for that 'captive' more than you are willing to admit" Charlie smirked.

"You are just being silly, I am only trying to make sure nothing happens to Nellie because she is the only key in my plot of fishing out Tony and Ina" Earl stated.

"If you say so," Charlie remarked dryly."Tristan and his army are waiting in the inner court"

Earl scoffed and continued walking, his mind kept going back to what Charlie had said, did he really care so much for Nellie? He could not deny the way his heart raised when he found out she was in danger, he knew he felt a very strong urge to keep her safe and protect her but he dismissed it as a normal feeling.

"How long before the Witchers finish the antidote?" Earl asked as they made their way to the inner court.

"I have sent Kayel to make findings from him again, it's just a matter of time before he gets back" Charlie replied.

In the inner court room, the Blood pack Army were gathered in four formations. Immediately Earl and Charlie stepped in, a soldier called out for them to be saluted.

"Hail the Alpha!" Omega Tristan called out.

"Live long and conquer all, Alpha Earl!" The army saluted.

"Earl the Beta!" Tristan commanded again.

"Live long in wisdom, Beta Charlie!"

Earl and Charlie stepped forward and saluted the army in return. Tristan bowed.

"My Lord, It's an honor to see you again" Tristan was the Omega of the pack and as an Omega, he was in charge of the army. He was a tall, huge, handsome wolf with golden red hair. One of the few lucky ones to have found his mate. Tristan had fought in the army for as early as he was 17, his dad, who was the former Omega of the pack before his death in the Rogues invasion had made sure of that.

It was only normal for Earl to pass the title down to the man when he became the Alpha. The same way he had picked Charlie, his best and only friend to succeed his father as the Beta.

"It is no news that Ina, the Luna, has absconded with the Rogues from Raphael Doglar's son, Tony's pack" Earl began "If we begin from history, I'm sure most of us here has lost either one or two family member or loved ones in the Rogues invasion" He paused to scan the faces of the soldiers.

"Your Omega, Tristan here lost his father, the then Omega in that Invasion. Your Beta, Charlie here lost his father and Uncle in that Invasion. Myself as your Alpha, you all know I lost my entire family in that same Rogue Invasion" Earl was yelling at the top of his voice now, the anger and the pain swelling up.

"Do you know why the Rogues of Doglar's pack conquered and killed so many people from our pack then?" Earl was standing in front of a soldier now. "Do you know?" He repeated the question, this time nodding at the straight-faced soldier to answer.

"No, My Lord!" The soldier screamed his reply and bowed.

"I'll tell you, it was not because the army then was not strong, it was because they were not prepared!"

"Yes My Lord" The army roared.

"That is why I'm here to urge you all to always be prepared for anything. Nothing should take you unaware because we might have to face the Rogues anytime from now. I believe you all know we have been battling the Rogues in their numbers recently, the last sighting was just last night"

Earl scanned the faces before him, he listened to their heart beats and read their thoughts, this was his way of sensing fear or a divided mind among the soldiers. The shaky breathing of one soldier led him to where he stood, Earl maintained eye contact with him and continued;

"The Alpha of the Moon pack is here in this castle, as my Captive. It is our duty to protect and keep her safe against all odds, her life is under threat from her own people and I intend to keep her here until she is safe"

Earl paused again, the soldier was visibly shaking now, Earl could tell he was quite young. He maintained eye contact with the young soldier and continued.

"This only means that the Moon pack might come for war if they find out their condemned Alpha is alive and here. I need you all to be prepared for war at all times! Remember, you have two possible enemies: the Moon pack and the Rogues" Earl turned to scan their faces again, satisfied, he added, "That would be all for now, I'm sure you all know what to do"

"Long live the Alpha!" The army chorused.

"What is your name?" Earl asked, referring to the young soldier.

"Oliver, My Lord" His voice was as shaky as his heart beat.

"How old are you?" Earl asked again.

"Twenty one, My Lord"

"Come with me"

The boy followed sheepishly, the fear was obvious from the way his body shook. When Earl got to Tristan he said;

"I'll take the boy and I'll train him myself, you might want to look for someone else to fill his place"

Tristan bowed. Earl motioned for Charlie to lead the way back to his chambers. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Charlie finally spoke.

"Why did you take the boy?"

"My intuition told me to, I'll train him myself" Earl simply replied.

"As a soldier?" Charlie was clearly bemused.

Earl sent him one of his daring glares which had him laughing out loud.

"You are too grumpy, old man. Loosen up a bit" This time Charlie was laughing rather too much. Oliver watched the two in awe.

"You are older than I am" Earl pointed out flatly, Charlie was two years older than Earl. His comment only reminded him that Nellie had told him the same thing a few weeks back.

"In age, yes. But in character, you are an old man" Charlie said again.

This time, Oliver smiled secretly, he was surprised that the Alpha and his Beta were this close, one could tell they were friends.

Earl scoffed and made to open his room door.
"Get lost" He told Charlie simply.

"Don't forget your sleeping beauty, you don't want to disturb her" Charlie taunted again.

Earl sighed in frustration "Have a guard show Oliver to a room, I'll speak with him tomorrow" With that he went into the room without another glance at Charlie.

His heart beat pulsated when he stepped into the room.