Chapter 60: Special blood

**Alice’s Point of view**


The man in question bursts out laughing and looks at me, shaking his head.
"My poor Alice. I'm the one who's been following it to make sure everything goes well. Can you imagine? I'll be the Queen's grandfather. You will finally do some good after all."
I grit my teeth, trying not to let anything show. I turn to Derek who doesn't take his eyes off me.
"Why is my family tied up?"
"Long story." He says mischievously, like when we were friends.
"Start at the beginning." I insist.
He sighs and starts pacing. 
"My real name is not Derek Argent but Derek Regalis." 
Regalis. Like Benjamin Regalis and Matthew Regalis. I can't believe it! 
I turn to the Royals who glare at Derek's family.
"Do you belong to the Royal family?" I ask. 
The King answers me. "His great-grandfather Adam was the firstborn of the Royal family. But when he turned 17 and shifted for the first time, his wolf did not bear the mark of the Kings. No written record of a similar case has been found. It seemed that for the first time in history, the first Prince did not bear the mark. He was not appointed successor to the crown while waiting to see the wolves of his brothers. And they did well because two years later when the second Prince shifted, he proudly wore the mark. The Moon Goddess was clear: he was to be the future King." 
He glared again at Derek's family and continued, teeth clenched. "He was found dead the next day, completely torn apart. No evidence was found, but everyone knew that Adam was responsible. Mad with rage, the King banished him and at the request of the Queen, who loved her son despite everything, gave him a land and named him Alpha, forcing him to change his name and swear never to covet the crown again."
"And so did he." Cuts Alpha Jack. "He became Alpha Adam of the Silver Moon pack while his second brother was crowned King!" He gets angry.
"King Harry had the mark and the law is very clear. The Moon Goddess saw right away that Adam was evil and didn't deserve to be King."
"Bullshit!" Yells Alpha Vincent. "He was the eldest, it was his right!" 
"The law is clear." The King repeats calmly.
Seeing that the tension is rising, I try to change the subject.
"Okay, your great-grandfather should have been King, but what does that have to do with what's going on today?"
Derek turns to me. "It's obvious. My father should be the king and I should be the one at Benjamin's place!"
"I understand but I still don't see what this has to do with the rogue's attacks."
He sighs. "You're smart Alice. I'm sure you get it."
I nod. "It was to push us to war with the Reds to gain power. I was right all along." He nods with a smile on his face. "But you were lucky that our packs hated each other so much."
I raise an eyebrow. "You think so? What would you have done in Adam's place? How would you have managed to get your throne back?"
I think for a moment, frowning. "I would gain power, that's for sure. Annexing the neighboring territories is easier. And if they hate each other it's even easier." I shake my head, not understanding what he is getting at.
He smiles softly. "And what if they don't?"
I frown. "I don't understand."
"Since when do your two packs hate each other?"
Everyone gasp. This can't be true!
He nods. "It started with Adam. A remark here, a remark there. Your packs were pretty close and it took several decades before the mistrust took hold. It was the whole thing with Viviane and Violet that was the last straw."
"What about Alpha Thomas? Is he a part of all this?"
Derek tilts his head to the side. "What makes you think that?"
I pursed my lips, hesitant. "I know for sure that the wire transfer to the rogue’s leader was made from Alpha Thomas' pack."
He throws his head back and bursts out laughing. "Ah, Alice. You always surprise me. I'd ask how you know that, but I already know the answer. Saphira."
I gasp. He knows! 
Of course he knows. Rudy Foley must have told him that he arrested two people in town and Elliot’s red hair doesn't go unnoticed. 
I pursed my lips and wait patiently for his response.
"We asked him for a small favor, really simple. To avenge his beloved mate Viviane, he just had to make a transfer to a bank account. He didn't ask any questions and didn't hesitate for a second. That way, no one could connect us to the rogues."
A conspiracy, that's what it is! On a scale I had not imagined.
I suddenly think of the hundreds of Silver.
"Your pack, do they know? Are they all accomplices?"
He shakes his head. "Only the Alpha and his children know. The Luna go into secrecy after the heir is born."
"The Beta and the Gamma?"
"They were only told yesterday when we took the Blue and the Red territories."
Unbelievable. I can see why this secret was so well kept. Almost nobody knew about it.
I also understand why the Moon Goddess has been trying to unite our two packs all this time. She wanted us to join forces with them. Our two packs together, Derek's family could never have done all this.
I clap softly. "It's well done, well thought, but there's still one thing that bothers me. Your family has obviously been planning this for decades. Years of preparation for the big moment. So why now? Why not 10 years ago or 20 years from now?"
He smiles proudly, puffing his chest out. 
"We've been waiting."
"For what?"
"To be able to legitimately claim the throne. As the King so aptly said, the law is clear."
Everyone looks puzzled but I get it.
"It's impossible. The Moon Goddess would never do that!" I say.
He smiles even more. "You seem so sure of yourself. Yet, you've never seen it."
"Alice, what is he talking about?" Elliot asks me.
I answer him without taking my eyes off Derek. "Have you ever seen his wolf? Because I never have."
He gasps. "Impossible! Prince Benjamin is wearing the King's mark!"
"He's not the only one." Says Derek. 
And with that, he shifts.