More At It

After gathering all the documents, I walk out of Ralph's office.
My thoughts are still on the conversation I just had with my cousin. It is definitely wrong what he is doing, for a King who kidnaps the mate of another wolf, there is a high penalty in the Were-laws. He might even pay for all this with his life if Alpha Jasper insists on his head at the Council and Sages. The mate bond is sacred, and the King should show respect for this. And I should be the one not to support him in this act, especially since his life is at stake.
But my Lycan warns me that there is more to this. The Sages with heightened senses should have discovered what was going on long ago. Ralph's words stick with me; he does feel the mate bond with Saray, to him, she is his fated mate. Of course, I have to qualify that as nonsense, but I also know that the Moon Goddess has pulled some curious stunts in the centuries that have passed. All was meant to save the werewolf species from ruin by their own actions or crimes. And again, I remember the feeling I get when I'm around Saray. She is special. Her wolf didn't show up at eighteen, which must be the clue. Selene is here in action.
And I must confess, seeing Ralph so happy with his mate feels so damn good.
My cousin has been lonely for decades, had a few women but never were his feelings this strong. His love for Saray runs deep, he is willing to bear all the risks just to have her. Aaahh, wouldn't I have done the same for a great mate like Saray? If complications arise, we will see how we resolve them at that time, for now, I will let the man enjoy the happiness granted to him. If eventually, Ralph has a fated mate who comes out one day, or if Alpha Jasper arrives to claim his mate or whatever may happen, we will figure out an appropriate solution. As things stand now, the situation is perfect. Ralph is happy, the Kingdom is out of their mind.
This whole soap makes me think it is time to look for a mate myself.
Now that the Princes are arriving, their secretary must also present himself. I have the choice of choosing a mate myself, as many of my ancestors did, or waiting for the Moon Goddess to send mine to me. It doesn't really matter to me, as long as she gives me a son whom I can pass the responsibilities of our bloodline, it is all good to me. The men in my heritage do not strongly feel the mate bond; we are made to dedicate our lives to the Kingdom. A mate is more for us to bear a son to continue our mission. My father also released my mother right when I was born. She did stay with him and we were a family, but the love she longed for was no longer there between them. I won't hurt my mate like that. I plan to be open and honest with her and give her a choice to reject me after knowing the truth. With a chosen mate, I will make a written agreement so that neither of us has higher expectations of the other.
I am staggered by Ivor suddenly standing in front of me.
"We need to talk. I know something is well wrong," the man declares tightly. Yes, of course, he knows. I beckon him to walk with me to my apartment. When we are inside, I close the door firmly behind me. "Investigate Alpha Jasper of Storm Forest. I want to know everything about him and his mate. Send out the scouts and report back to me as soon as possible," I order him. "Eric, do I look like an idiot to you? I've long noticed the Alpha's scent with Saray. Or shall we call her Rain?" he ridicules me. "Yes, she's actually named Rain Weiner and Alpha Jasper's mate. After the shipwreck, he searched for her at sea. Because of the ferocity of the waves, he couldn't reach the family's island and went back there a few days later anyway. But Alpha Esis had brought his entire in-laws to the mainland with Rain's help."
My mouth falls open from what I hear.
"Ivor, and you kept this information from me? How dare you?! Do you want your head cut off?" I growl
menacingly at the man in front of me. "That's not all, Eric. After he found the island and saw it was deserted, he could clearly detect Rain's scent there," Ivor continues. "His intelligence then went all over the coast to find Rain and they almost succeeded. But I instructed my guards to leave tracks as if Rain was dead. We bribed the Coast Guard to declare that Rain was swept away by the waves and drowned. The man loves Rain, he doesn't give up. We have to stay alert at all costs if we want Ralph to have her". Stiffened, I look at the man before me.
"Moon Goddess! What should we do now? If the Sages or Council know about this, Ralph is dead. No one is going to accept this, the different packs are sure to revolt and demand the severest punishment for the King. Kidnapping the mate and the pups of a high ranking is a serious offense. And Ralph knew the story before Saray's amnesia but still took her with him. He has nothing to defend himself. What was he thinking!" I whisper in panic. This information brings a different angle to Ralph's story. "Listen Eric," Ivor starts calmly. "You and I have the job of serving the King and keeping the Kingdom safe. But the highest authority lies with the Sages and the King himself. They are responsible for their own actions. The Moon Goddess will speak to the Sages during the Full Moon when they ask her about the date for the marking and installation. Let us wait and see what happens and depending on the outcome, we consult the Sages with the report we have on this matter".
I ponder this proposal.
If only my father, the former Royal Secretary, were still here to advise me! He often has more than a single suggestion from which to choose. My previously promised support for King is now shaky after knowing more than he confessed to me. But I'm also not a coward to abdicate my responsibilities and hide behind the Sages' decision. But aaahhh, time will tell. The Full Moon is in a week. That's just a short time from now....