Chapter 18 - The truth spell.

BY THE TIME THE COUNCIL ARRIVED early the next morning, Alaric was up and he was feeling rested for the first time in a long time. He woke up sometime during the night still on the couch and decided to stay there. As he turned around he caught a whiff of his father’s cigar and for a moment it felt as if his father was right there with him as he fell asleep.

His dreams were filled with memories of happier days and when he woke up in the early hours of the morning he felt really good. He didn’t know if it was because of his dreams or the fact that he had a good night's rest for once, and he wasn’t going to dwell on it. He felt as if he had direction again. He had made a choice and today they were going to find out if the damn witch had put a spell on him somehow.

The council arrived in their old-fashioned horse-drawn carriages and Alaric couldn’t help but smile. They were living in the twenty-first century, yet the council still insisted on being carted around like that! A young man jumped off the back of the carriage and rushed around to open the door while Alaric held out his hand for the old man.

He wondered if anybody had any idea how old the old man really was as a grey, pale, wrinkled old hand slipped into his and he could feel the weight pressing down softly for support.

“Welcome, your excellency.” Alaric smiled as brightly as he could and Councillor Argus smiled back.

“Got yourself in a bit of a mess, did ya?” Argus laughed as they walked inside and Alaric couldn’t help it when the laughter just burst out of him.

“I guess you could say that.” They walked to his office while Max took care of the rest of their visitors. When Alaric spoke to Argus the night before, he was given strict instructions about exactly what they would need to be able to find out what the witch had done, and Max and Alaric spent all morning preparing one of the conference rooms. Alaric could feel the pack moving about the pack house, but he gave strict instructions that nobody was to come to this side of the pack house until after everything was completed. Until they had answers, he didn’t want anything or anybody interfering. The two men sat down and talked about the procedure and that Argus’s people needed to see the witch first before speaking to Alaric.

“Look, son. There is going to be some magic involved and it’s going to be painful, but when we are done we will know if she put you under a spell or not.” Argus sighed and Alaric nodded.

“Well, there was magic involved in creating the first wolf.” Alaric shrugged. It was a well-known fact that the first wolf was created by a witch, but there was something Argus had to tell Alaric and he wasn’t entirely sure if he should. It was a secret he had been keeping close to his heart since the day he found out and he had no idea if anybody else knew.

“Alaric, I have to tell you something …” Argus frowned, but just as he was about to say something, Max interrupted to inform them that they were ready to begin. Alaric told Max they would be there soon, but when he turned to hear what Argus wanted to tell him, the old man pretended that he had forgotten. Alaric knew that was a lie. Argus might be old, but he was still as sharp as the tip of his blade. He frowned but when Argus insisted it was nothing, they left Alaric’s office.

LENA HAD BEEN TAKING A NAP, which was all she seemed to do these days, when she heard the door being unlocked. She didn’t want to look at whoever was coming in, but the change in atmosphere and the feeling of power that flooded the room made her sit up.

The sight of the old man told her that the day had finally come. She remembered him from that awful day at their festival! He was one of the people of their stupid council. Alaric must have gotten them involved so he could kill her without feeling guilty.

“Good morning,” The old man frowned. “I’m master Argus. I am head of the supernatural council and I’m here today to find out if you put a love spell on Alpha Alaric.” Lena gaped at the old man. What?! When was she supposed to have put a damn spell on him and why the fuck would she? She hated Alaric! She hated all of them!

“And when you find out?” Lena sighed, trying her best to look disinterested, but inside of her a storm was racing. “Are you going to finally kill me? I mean, that is what you are here for, isn’t it?” She sighed, pretending to study her nails. They did look awful!

“No, someone had pleaded for leniency on your behalf.” Argus leaned both his hands on his silly walking stick and when Lena looked up, she saw utter shock in Alaric’s eyes. Wow! Didn’t he know about it?

“Oh, hell! Sure. Yeah. I’m going to believe you after everything you lot put me and my coven through.” Lena spat out before she could stop herself. “And what would that damn leniency mean huh?” She glared at them as fury started to burn inside her. “I will spend the rest of my life chained to a table to do someone’s dishes? Oh, no wait! I will be someone’s slave! I know it won’t be a sex slave because then you would run the damn risk of creating more of me!” She shouted as her fury boiled over. She was tired and she was in pain and actually, she no longer gave a damn what the hell they did to her!

“Well, I can see being a prisoner hasn’t dampened this one's spirits.” Argus laughed as he looked at Alaric! “Why don’t we get started.” He nodded at two men near the door and they came to unlock the cage. The men were wearing robes like Argus and Lena could feel the magic radiating from them. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to figure out where the hell the beasts were, but the two men were almost carrying her.

The chains had injured her so badly the second time around that she could hardly walk anymore. She didn’t recognize the room they were going into and she could just imagine a torture chamber as they walked in, but she was pleasantly surprised. It was an office just like any other, but this one had incense burning and an altar had been set up in one of the corners. The scent of herbs was so strong that Alaric sneezed and Argus told him that it would be best if he left.

Alaric gave Lena one last look before closing the door. Lena was placed on a chair in the middle of a circle and two female witches started doing a spell. Lena recognized it as the truth spell and she sighed. What did these people think they were going to get out of her? Secret plans to kill the supernaturals? Some plot to make Alaric fall in love with her so she could have half-breed children?

The room started to spin slightly and everything looked really strange. Then she heard Argus’s voice inside her head instructing her to tell the truth. Did she put a love spell on Alaric? She shook her head to try and clear it. She was feeling so damn sick! Did she put a love spell on Alaric? The question came again and she shouted that she didn’t. Argus asked if she knew anything about the plans to kill Alaric’s parents and she shook her head.

She told them that she didn’t even know who Alaric was until after he captured her. She had no idea how long they were in that damn room, but after so many questions, they finally picked her up and took her back to her little cage. The room was spinning and all she could think about doing was to sleep it off. It felt as if she had fallen into a tub of wine and drank her way out!

ALARIC RUSHED INTO THE CONFERENCE room, straight after Lena was safely locked up again. He knew they wouldn’t have any answers just yet, but he still asked. Argus just shook his head as he pointed to the chair in the middle of the room and Alaric took a seat. The incense made him sneeze as two young witches stood on either side of him and started to chant.

Within seconds, Alaric’s vision started to blur and the world around him started to spin. His wolf tried to fight the feeling, but Alaric knew if they were going to get to the truth, they had to push through this. They had to give in and let the magic flow through them and do what it was supposed to.