A Possible Proposal

Chapter 3

Now Alpha and at twenty five, Laurel Kris was not new to the ups and downs of ruling over her pack, to the pain of losing in battle, the smell of victory, the stab of losing a trusted warrior to an enemy pack or even the fear of attack.

She had trained herself for this, every day over the past six years since her parents' death. Standing at the balcony of her home now, Laurel wondered what it would have felt like if her parents were still here, and even more, she wondered what difference it would have made.

She would probably have been married off to a wealthy Beta or even an Alpha somewhere, or perhaps she would have married one of the court lord's sons, who would in turn have taken over the ruling of the pack after her father's demise, which would not have happened sooner.

"My Lady" The greeting from the maid brought her back to reality.

"Is all well?"

"All is well, Alpha. It’s just that you have a visitor, Lord Charles is in the hall, he wishes to speak with you."

"I'll be in shortly, you can serve him tea."

The maid bowed and left, Laurel took her time to communicate with her sister through her eyes, it was something they had gotten used to doing over the years since their parent's death. To let each other know their way about, they had gotten used to speaking in each other's head in what Kristen described as security consciousness.

If anything, Laurel appreciated the bond she had formed with her sister over the six years since their parent's death. It was one thing she was sure would never have happened if their parents were around.

Now, as an Alpha of a great pack and the commander of all, she had learnt to appreciate the little things, she had learnt to lay her life in seconds for her people, even if it meant sacrificing her own self or comfort- not like there was any.

In no time her sister was by her side, in full armor straight from the training field. Laurel smiled gratefully and pecked her sister on the cheek, another habit.

"The way you reach me at every beck and call I make should be investigated" Laurel said jokingly as she pecked her sister on the chick.

"When it's your job to protect your sister, who turns out to be the Alpha of the Sacred Moon pack, you take the job a little too seriously," Kristen replied in the same tone.

"Tell me about it," They both laughed. "So how did you get here so quickly, were you waiting for my call?"

"Maybe I was or maybe I teleported. After seeing that no good fellow with his entourage arrive the castle earlier, I figured you'll need my help"

"Kristen…"

"You are not trying to defend him, are you?"

"Of Course not, I mean you know he's Lord Gilbert's son and you know they don't take kindly to rejection. I'm beginning to wonder what they are doing here, Kristen. What if he wants me to be his Luna? What if his father… what if he's my mate?" Laurel said in quick succession.

"I don't know about Lunas, Alphas and mates but I know one thing, the moon goddess is certainly not so stupid to give you that lily-livered fellow for a husband, talk more of even a mate." Kristen said sternly as they crossed the hall into the courtyard.

Laurel breathed in the fresh air, "After all these years of carrying this weight on my shoulders, I'm beginning to think I need to find my stand too, Kris. People are beginning to talk, I need to get a man… a representative of an Alpha or something, I need a husband."

Kristen paused and turned her sister around to face her, "Laurel, I've seen you make some very tough decisions since our parent's passing. But I tell you this now, if you ever decide you need a husband, an Alpha or something here, it should be because you have seen him and you want him, not because of some stupid decision you have to make for the people."

Laurel broke her sister's hold on her hand and turned away, "You don't understand Kris, " in the last council of elders' meeting. Lord Gilbert raised the topic, I was asked when I'll bring in a man, Kris. I said soon, because… I had to say something and I've looked around this entire place, this Pack. If anything, Charles is a far better option I have for a husband here, Kris."

"And what happens to your one true mate if you decide to take the first man that asks for your hand? Are you just going to jump into conclusions and marry because the council of elders suggested you get a man?"

Laurel grunted, "I don't believe in that bullshit, Kris. At least not for me, this is my life here, to keep papa's legacy, to serve these people and give them a good life. As a good Luna and the Alpha that I'm positioned to be right now, if it means sacrificing my own happiness for this pack, I'll do it.

They paused in front of the hallway door now, Kristen gave her sister a firm look of disapproval.

"I've seen you make decisions that will not interest you, Laurel, but this one is a top tier one. If by chance what that Charles man has to say is about marriage or a proposal, you need time to think through it. Don't give a hasty reply, this is your life till the rest of your days, you marry the wrong man, you are selling yourself to bondage for the rest of your days."

Laurel sighed tiredly, "I understand, Kris. Thank you for always being there, I'll try."

"All this is just an assumption anyways. Remember, I'm just outside here in case you need me. And don't forget, if you marry the wrong person, it will be very hard for your true mate to locate you."

Laurel rolled her eyes at her sister and went into the hall, she honestly didn't believe in happy endings. Especially not for her, whatever it was that lay outside the gates of these walls were certainly not for her.

To her, living meant existing. And seeing to it that the rest of her pack existed was top most on that list, if marrying a powerful Lord's son was going to help protect her pack, then she'll do just that.

It was her responsibility, her role, her reason for existence as an Alpha's daughter and of course, as the Luna that fate had made her.

Lord Charles Gilbert was waiting patiently by the time Laurel arrived at the hall. Seated comfortably on a golden chair, a glass of wine in hand and one feet placed carelessly on the table in front of him.

His eyes scanned the woman that approached him, Alpha of the Sacred Moon Pack, Laurel Kris. The only woman he had ever wished for himself even as a child when he first escorted his father to the palace for the council of elders meeting.

He had always known she would be his own eventually, and together they will achieve what his father struggled for and couldn't achieve in his years- the position as the Alpha of the Sacred Moon Pack, the only thing he could kill for right now.

"Lord Charles, I was informed you were here to see me," The Luna created.

Charles rose to his feet and took her hand in his possessively, he kissed it first before ushering him to a seat, "My Lady. Indeed I came to see you, what better way of spending a good evening other than being with a pretty woman like yourself?"

Laurel flashed him a beautiful smile, "You flatter me, My Lord. I see you made yourself comfortable already."

Charles raised a glass to that effect and poured Laurel a glass from the bottle on the table, "To a great future!"

Laurel took a sip, "So, to what do I owe this visit?" She asked casually.

"Oh, I've come to discuss matters of interest, my father informed me of a sensitive matter that was discussed in the meeting yesterday, I know this is a sensitive matter, Lady Laurel. But I am proposing that you marry me."

"What?" She sat up in the chair and looked at him to be sure. "What did you say?" Laurel asked again.

"I want us to marry, I want to make you my Luna."

She opened her mouth to say something but just then, the door burst open and a maid ran in, panting. Beside the maid, Kristen followed in a speed of light, sword in hand ready to battle.

"Laurel are you alright? She wouldn't tell me what is wrong, she just requested to see you immediately" Kristen said in one breath.

The maid was panting and tried to speak in one breath, "My lady … the flu, it's out again… the same flu that killed your father. The men from the river were fishing and then… they just fell into the water with blood in their mouths, some of them managed to get to the healer."

Laurel staggered back and nearly lost her balance in the process. "How bad is it, Lucia? How bad is it?"

"I'm sorry my Lady, so far we have recorded five deaths… we still have a host of them in the healer's place… they think it's working through the water"

Even as she spoke, Laurel saw the blood in Lucia's mouth, a scream escaped her lips.

_______

Earl woke up with a splitting headache, was he not supposed to feel relieved at least after taking a nap? He sighed and got out of the bed. How was he supposed to have peace when his wolf was so hungry and mad at him? He made his way into the bathroom to freshen up, he was disturbed and troubled.

Sleeping was as difficult, nightmares. When he stepped out of the bathroom, his head felt better, he had made sure to soak it in water, as if begging his wolf to calm down. Thankfully he was feeling refreshed, he donned a shirt and picked his armor and sword and put them in place.

Gregg was probably waiting for him in the courtyard; they had arranged a duel to help them forget the pain for a while, and to help Earl think. When he reached the courtyard, as expected, Gregg was already waiting there for him, he appeared to be in a very deep thought as well.

With his back to him, Gregg was dressed in a simple shirt, trouser and shirt, his sharp blonde hair was glistering and flying with the wing.

Earl thought Gregg looked very beautiful standing there, it was a wolf blood thing, something to do with his wolf regularly being fed. Unlike Earl, Gregg enjoyed taking new women every day. For Earl, women came when the need arose, and that was often once in a while,

"You look so worried standing there, no woman today?" Earl asked his friend in a playful tone.

Gregg turned around slowly, he looked Earl over like he was just seeing him for the first time in a long while, he regarded him for only a few minutes before shaking his head slightly with a chuckle.

"You came fully prepared for war, should I say my last prayers already?" Gregg said jokingly.

"It wouldn't be so bad to kill you now, would it?" Earl returned.

"Let me see you try" Gregg replied with a smirk and they both laughed.

"So, why are you so bothered? What is wrong?" Earl asked again.

Gregg regarded his friend for a while, "Something is going to happen, Earl. I feel it, something more than this whole Rogue thing, I feel like an energy shift will take place and it will…"

"You worry too much Gregg, I'll send out letters tomorrow, I just need time to process the whole thing. The Rogues, they won't get in here… we are definitely not dying if that's what you are afraid of."

Gregg grunted and drew his sword. "For a Alpha, I think you play too much"

Earl laughed and drew his own sword too, "Most times you complain that I don't speak at all"

"Tell me about it," Gregg shouted as he made the first strike with his sword, Earl dodged of course.

They continued with the duel for a while. Indeed, it made them forget. Earl and Gregg never really got along when they first met, probably because of Earl's controlling and authoritative aura, Earl being used to always being in control and Gregg who was born with his protective instincts as a pure breed.

When they first met, they both spent the next three years fighting to get along because their parents forced them to, existing in the same palace did not leave them much choice but when they finally got along, they became inseparable.

"So, what do you think about Lasik's marriage suggestion, found a mate yet?" Gregg asked carefully.

"You don't think I need that sort of distraction now, do you?" Earl eyed his friend.

"On the contrary, I think that might be just what we need to get us out of this whole Rogue mess" Gregg said seriously now, dropping his sword.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Earl asked with no emotion in his voice.

"You said something about reaching out to the neighboring Packs, I have been doing some research and some serious thinking. The Sacred Moon pack is closest to us, the most powerful of them I could pick, their armies are superb, trained by the late Alpha's daughter herself, the younger Lady Kristen Kris."

"So, where is this headed?" Earl asked with a little interest in his voice now.

"Good. After the death of the former Alpha, the pack is now ruled by his first daughter, Lady Laurel Kris herself. You won't believe what killed their parents, Earl."

"I'm not going to play your guessing game, Gregg, spit it out already."

Gregg made a low grunt, "Well, the Lumphic flu did!"

Earl's jaw dropped open, "But that can be cured with the leaves and we have it grown everywhere around here, how come they didn't know that?"

"Well, I like to think it was fate. The good news is this same flu is back and is threatening to wipe off the entire Pack, having been there for a little over five days already."

"That is not very good news." Earl stated frankly.

"Well, you can say that. But we can use this to our advantage, that is why it is good news."

"Hmmm. How exactly do you intend to do this?"

"My sources tell me they have been trying to contain the flu with medicines and whatever…"

"Your sources, why do I feel like you know more than you are telling?" Earl asked curiously.

"Well, you might be right. But there's no time to explain, Lady Laurel Kris will be here any moment from now… for the cure. This is an opportunity to form an alliance between two powerful packs, do you know what I mean?"

"I don't know what you mean," Earl said firmly.

"Come on Earl. We have been doing this long enough, it's time to get serious"

Earl shook his head in rejection, "What are you proposing?"

"A pact, a contract or whatever you chose to call it, dear Alpha. An alliance, marriage. Healing in exchange for power."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I am saying that you will ask the lady for something in return for the healing she needs, this will help us with the alliance we need against the Rogues."

"So in essence?”

"You will either propose marriage to the lady or ask her for an alliance."

"What?"