Chapter 137: Old Covenants and Ruthlessness

Adolph walked into the room where Chasel had corralled the leader of the group of rogues they’d caught near the borders and wasn’t surprised to find them still kicking up a fuss. He sat in front of the two dirty-faced and angry-looking rogues and observed them as they snarled and ranted about being captured.
The others had been a bit more reserved, near quiet as they were teetering on the edge of madness. These two were different. They were mated for one and very cognizant. It seemed these were banished werewolves. Perhaps the others were as well, but the call of madness that made true rogues had worn them down too far.
"Who are you? Why were you skulking around the border? And what have you to do with the vampire queen, Morrigan."
The man snarled, "That wench always short-changed us. And what does it matter who we are?"
Adolph lifted an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected any real answer, but the answer was intriguing.
"Short-changed you in what way?"
"She only ever paid six of ten for any capture we made telling us it was a tax for being werewolves in her lands." The man scoffed. “And she was always upping the quota!”
The woman scoffed, "If not for us, she wouldn't have any werewolves. It wasn’t like her precious generals were any good and finding them."
Adolph narrowed his eyes, "Do you know who I am?"
The woman scoffed, "The great and terrible Adolph Raymond. And?"
"You admit to capturing werewolves of my kingdom for the vampire queen's purposes?"
The man sneered, "It's not as though we have any loyalty to *your* throne."
“You had loyalty to hers then?”
The man scoffed, “We just go where we’ll be paid. Banished wolves like us don’t have a place in your pretty little kingdom.”
Adolph considered them, “Banished for what?”
“For not bowing down, of course!” The man sneered. “As if my great and noble ancestors would bow to you half-witch monstrosities!”
“Watch your tone!” Chasel snarled. “Or find yourself without your head.”
The man scoffed, “I don’t fear half-breeds.”
Adolph narrowed his eyes, “Half-breeds?”
The man snarled, “You heard me.”
Adolph considered the man. Given what he’d found out recently about Crystal castle and its connection to the Wiccan Alliance, he was inclined to question what he knew of his lineage, but he knew for certain the Raymond line was full of werewolves. There wasn’t even a human among them.
“Are you speaking of Crystal?” Adolph asked. “That means you’re from one of the packs who refused to join the kingdom.”
It would make sense. They weren’t acting as banished werewolves did. It made more sense if they were descendants of one of the packs who had been against his ancestors’ involvement with Crystal, the Wiccan. Instead of being driven insane by breaking bonds, they were being corrupted by their failing bonds.
“So, you were upset enough about how your pack was refused a place in the kingdom and decided to serve the vampire queen? That was centuries ago…”
Had they been serving her for generations upon generations? His head hurt at the thought.
“Aside from that, what did Morrigan do with her captives?”
He grinned, “Well, I’d hate to offend your….*royal* sensibilities.”
Adolph had figured as much. He had always imagined that the werewolves that she tortured had simply been captured throughout the war, not plucked from along the border and delivered to her.
“Have you no pride in yourself as a werewolf?” Chasel asked. “To… serve that woman who would just as soon kill you?”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” he cackled.
Adolph considered it. It wasn’t, exactly, a foreign concept or an unfounded one. He didn’t know the history of what made the vampire and werewolves become on such bad terms and what Morrigan’s grudge was, but it hardly mattered.
“How many others of you are?”
“Why would I tell you that?” He asked, his expression going blank.
Adolph smiled, “Do you know what happened to Morrigan?”
“Nothing,” he chuckled.
“She was killed by a half-Wiccan vampire,” Adolph said. “She’s dead.”
They froze, their eyes widened, “What?”
“Whatever… reward and protection you thought you might still have no longer exists as her lands are now *mine*.”
Their eyes widened and the woman sat forward.
“W-Well, you can’t just kill us. We’re… we’re mercenaries at best! We hold no allegiances to anyone!”
“Are we not enemies as your mate suggested?”
“W-Well… Well…” her eyes flickered to her mate who seemed deeply uncomfortable. “Maybe once, but at this point, aren’t we just hired help of a fallen regime? Isn’t it the Raymond way, the temple’s way, that hired forces be spared?”
He narrowed his eyes. It was an interesting and unfortunately foolproof tactic, bringing up the old covenants established during the war between the packs.
“Perhaps, but you understand that the deck is stacked against you for your past transgressions, and I can’t very well let you continue to wander the border waiting to be… hired by another of my enemies.”
The man flinched.
“You seem like rational people,” Adolph said. “A deal.”
“A-A deal?”
“You will be taken to the border camp and lead the forces there to Ash castle. You will comply with their requests and perhaps earn yourself some leniency.”
“L-Leniency?”
“Of course,” he gave them a feral grin, “You were Morrigan’s hired help, agents of the fallen throne. By her rules, do you think you’d be spared?”
Their eyes widened and he gave them a cold smile, “Did you think because I am bound by duty to be lenient within my territory that I would turn a blind eye to the deaths you’ve caused?”
“B-But! But!”
“Take them to their cells,” Adolph said, “Give them only water.”
They cried as the guards hauled them out of their chairs.
“We are descendants of the White Oak and Red Rock packs! Y-You can’t–”
The door clanged shut behind them and Chasel let out a low whistle.
“I had wondered if marital bliss would soften you…” Chasel said. “I am not sure if I should be glad or not to see that it hasn’t.”
Adolph snorted and stood, “Let us consider my softening after we have reached a time of true peace. Have the Wiccans arrived at the border yet?”
“Yes, the general is quite happy to have them as they’re healing people who were recovering from the vampires with their potions.”
“Good, prepare a group of soldiers to take the rogues back up there and keep an eye on them. Let them know that they are authorized to kill them if they step out of line.”
He led Chasel out of the room and back up to the upper levels, “How goes the investigation against the ministers?”
Chasel winced, thinking back to everything they had uncovered to date.
“Aside from Minister Mirabelle, we have full lists of enough crimes to strip them all of their property and wealth. It will… be a difficult blow for their families, but leniency could be dangerous.”
“Do we know for certain who sent the caravan?”
“Not yet, Your majesty.”
Adolph nodded and gestured for Chasel to follow him to his office, feeling someone nearby listening to him. They entered his office in silence and Adolph closed the door behind him.
“As with everything, Chasel, I trust your judgment… Gavin will make his move against me soon.”
Chasel nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty… though…”
“What?”
“I… am unsure if it will be against you or Luna Laurel.”
“Do you believe Basil to be involved?”
Chasel shook his head, “No. I don’t, but I will keep an eye on it.”
Adolph nodded, “That is all I can ask for.”
Chasel left him alone to finish the rest of his work for the evening. He returned to his quarters with a heavy sigh only to find Laurel not there. He changed into looser clothes and went to search for her, tugging on their bond.
*Laurel?
*In the ballroom.*
His lips twitched as he walked towards the ballroom to find her staring out the window.
“An odd place to contemplate baby names,” Adolph said as he approached her. 
She turned and smiled, allowing him to pull her into his arms and lead her into a slow waltz around the room.
“Amelia,” Laurel said.
He wrinkled his nose, “That was my grandmother’s name. How about Rose?”
She chuckled, “And for a boy?”
“...Jack.”
Laurel gasped and her eyes burned, nodding, “I… I like Jack.”
“I’d like your thoughts about giving birth at the temple.”
She frowned, “What?”
“It’s a tradition… Basil is the only royal child to not be born at the temple.”
Laurel worried her lip, wondering if it had been the reason she hadn’t made it through childbirth.
“We’d go the week before the baby is due and stay.”
“You just want to walk around without shoes,” Laurel teased.
Her stomach growled and she flushed.
“I promise there will be plenty of food, too.” Adolph chuckled and turned towards the door, leading her out, “Shall we raid the kitchen before bed, my love?”
Laurel smiled and nodded, “I think I’d like to be barefoot then too.”
Adolph laughed, “Then it’s settled.”