Chapter 13: Corrupt

Adolph rose with the sun, mounted his horse, roused his retinue, and rode into the Golden River to deal with the Golden River pack’s alpha. He’d subdued Daniel for the time being, but his actions spoke to a greater problem that Adolph had to deal with before reaching the Imperial City. Daniel was still being treated for the loss of his fingers, so there was no one around to try to stall for time as he ordered for all the records of the pack’s economic movement, taxes, and every piece of paper detailing Daniel’s policies.
It took all of an hour to find proof of Daniel’s greed and corruption: bribery, tax evasion, illegal slave trade, etc. If there was something an alpha should not do, it seemed that Daniel had done it.
“Go out among the people and find an honest man to take his place,” Adolph said. “And restrain Daniel for formal sentencing. He is not fit to be alpha.”
Soldiers jumped to his command. Chasel busied himself organizing all the records that would need closer attention and fixing. Adolph sat to review the items and glared at the documents, seeing the excess of exports to the Imperial City of things that were far too frivolous to be of any use to the war efforts: fine silks, bejeweled clothing, spices, and rich wines.
“Is there anything that I have left behind that has not been corrupted?” Adolph huffed. What had his son been doing in all these years?
“Your Majesty, the villagers have nominated a man named Adam,” a soldier said, inclining his head.
Adolph stood and followed the man outside the alpha’s house. Adam was tall, broad-shouldered. He looked as though he had once been a soldier in his youth. He leaned on his cane, but he didn’t seem weak.
“The villagers have nominated you to become the next alpha,” Adolph said. Adam’s eyes widened in shock. “They say you are an honest man, so henceforth, you will be in charge of the Golden River pack and getting it up to my standards. Do you understand?”
Someone nearby gasped in horror, trembling. Adam paled a bit and his hand clenched around his cane.
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty. I understand.”
“IT’s a start.” Adolph turned and led Adam inside back to where Chasel was sorting through paperwork.
“Your Majesty, it is much worse than we thought.”
“How could no one notice so much corruption and incompetence? Where was all of this going?”
“I don’t know.” Chasel shook his head, “You left the internal affairs to Prince Basil. I thought he married?”
“Y-Your Majesty?” Adam spoke up, “If I may?”
“You have an answer?” Adolph asked.
“Yes… All of the excesses were sent to Prince Basil,” Adam said.
Adolph crushed a sheet of paper in his hand. His anger boiled, “What?”
“He would send tribute to the Imperial City often. The former luna, Laura, would send it back until he started to send it directly to Basil through secret means… She was very strict about such things.”
Adolph shook his head, “My son married a good woman, even if he is an idiot.”
Adam lowered his gaze, his expression seemed solemn.
“Is there something I should know?”
“T-The former luna died in an accident.” Adam said, “Prince Basil is already set to be married again.”
Adolph couldn’t believe his ears. He wanted to call the man a liar but Chasel groaned.
“The letter, Your Majesty. The one from Prince Basil was about his new wedding. He was hoping you would come back for it.”
Adolph groaned, rubbing his forehead. He remembered, but he thought he was speaking of coming back for his first marriage.
“His luna dies and so soon after he gets married again? How could he be so stupid at this age? What are the nobles in the Imperial City doing, letting him make such rash decisions?”
Chasel couldn’t answer that. The only hope he had was to get back to the Imperial City. He pointed Adam in the direction of the important issues and gave him a list of priorities before heading back to the camp with Chasel.
“I’ll need to know exactly what the former luna was like and what she’s done since being luna.”
“All of those answers will be among the people and back at the Imperial City. “
He sighed as they reached the camp and Laurel’s scent drifted towards him, making him smile as he dismounted and went to search for her.
“...the hell have you been? I searched for you last night, but I couldn’t find you. It’s obvious you weren’t doing your job, so where have you been?”
Adolph smirked, hearing the fire and calm in her voice and walking towards her voice. There was a crowd and the scent of blood. They parted easily and he looked at her, kneeling beside Sam as he was curled up, sobbing to himself as she stroked his hair.
It was strange to realize she was furious, yet her voice seemed more like singing to him, calming and keeping the little flecks of red light at bay. She was so beautiful and spirited, glaring at the nearby soldiers and the doctor while keeping Sam calm.
Jealousy stirred at the sight, seeing her so close to Sam, touching him so casually, but she released Sam’s hand as the doctor drew closer.
Chasel came closer and grinned at him.
“How’d she…” He shook his head. “She’s going to be a perfect luna. The goddess is raining blessings upon you… and the kingdom.”
Adolph agreed, but the thought gave him pause. How could an ordinary seventeen-year-old woman born on the border know how to calm a werewolf on the edge of turning rogue? Perhaps she had inherited her father’s bravery to approach the man, but the elegance and ease she had were strange. There was a sophistication to her approach and confidence that made no sense.
He wanted to ask Chasel if she had always been that way, but a soldier bared his teeth and snarled at Laura.
“And who are you to talk to us like that?”
Adolph stepped forward.
“She has every right to.” She gasped as Adolph placed his hand on her shoulder. The soldiers and the doctor shrunk back.
“Y-Your Majesty?”
“She is my mate. Her will is my will. Am I clear?”
“Y-Yes--”
“How dare you question her! Was there a single thing she said that was opposed to your training? I trained you to be ruthless to the enemy, not your comrades!”
“Y-Yes, of course, Your Majesty--”
“You’ll be attending private training for the next week and your wages will be cut,” Adolph glared at each of them. “You are to take Sam to his tent and look after him until we reach the Imperial City.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Two of the men jumped forward to lift Sam from the ground and carry him away. The third leaned on the doctor and followed after, half-blinded by the blood running into his eyes.
It was sheer luck that Laurel had been able to calm him down. Same was one of his best generals: calm, sensible, brave, and loyal. Adolph had hoped to keep him in service for as long as possible. He had hoped that Sam might meet his second mate when they reached the Imperial City.
To think the replacement doctor had jeopardized that by shirking his duties… He’d have to get to the bottom of that some other time.
He turned his gaze to Laurel and felt his fury ease and a smile spread on his face. She stood and dusted off her dress.
“Thank you for saving them,” Adolph said.
She flushed prettily and shuffled her feet, “I-I… I was just doing my duty.”
Her lips turned down and she frowned as if something had upset her. She nodded her head stiffly.
“If you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty.”
Before he could stop her, she hurried away from him. Adolph watched her escape, confused. Why would she run away from him now? He winced.
Maybe she was afraid of him, or was she jealous of those women Daniel brought? It was ridiculous. She was his mate, there would be no one who could draw his attention away from her. He knew that, but perhaps she had never learned what it meant for them to be fated mates? Jack had been on the front line for the past four years. If he remembered correctly, most spoke about the implications of finding their mates around the time their children turned fourteen.
It had been around then that he’d spoken to Basil about it.
Their bond wasn’t fully established, and he had no way of knowing if she could feel his emotions yet, or could even recognize them. Through their bond, he could only feel vague negativity coming from her. Fear and jealousy were his best guesses.
Adolph clenched his hand, trying to retain the warmth and scent of Laurel there, "I’ll let you go this time, Laurel," he murmured and smiled. “But you won’t get away from me."