The Devil’s Lessons

Chapter 5

After waiting anxiously for Earl without any sight of him, Kristen, who had been pacing the length of the large parlor where she and Laurel were ushered in by the maids turned to her sister.

Throwing caution to the wind, she had known that coming here was a waste of time and she had not failed to point it out, but according to Laurel, everything was worth trying so here they were, waiting for hours for the Alpha of the New Knight Pack, who they had not seen or met before.

The possibility of them getting any help from these people was very slim and she knew it, but she had been trying not to shatter her sister's hope.

"What if he doesn't come?" Kristen finally voiced her fear.

Laurel sighed weakly, "We have to be optimistic, and it has not even been up to three hours since we have been here." She said despite herself, she was equally afraid that they might not get the help they came for, but someone had to be strong.

"How sure are we that the cure is even here, Laurel? Where did you say you got this information from again?"

Laurel turned to her sister with pleading eyes,"Two locals were discussing it in the courtyard yesterday. I was not supposed to hear but I couldn't help eavesdropping, they said they were scared to come to me with the news because they didn't think I would believe them. I made sure we came as soon as we could, Kris, it's better to try than watch everyone die one after the other."

Kristen had advised against coming here to have a peace talk with these people in the first place. She had proposed that they come in with their armies and weapons to fight off and find out if the cure was there, and if it was, then she would have preferred that they took it and went back home without making themselves vulnerable in the eyes of these people.

But how were they supposed to solve a problem by creating another one? The last thing Laurel wanted was another bloodshed.

Kristen walked around to Laurel and said in a low but firm voice, "There were three men at the gate and there are four in here, I can take down the ones at the door while you take down one and hold one as hostage for me. I say we go in there, since you want fair play, we can make a bargain with one if the soldier's lives and trust me we will get a peaceful trade, cure for the soldier and we are out of here."

"I already told you, there will be no violence, we came in peace and we won't go or leave any one here in pieces, do you understand?"

"Laurel! This people are wasting our time here!" The guard at the door raised an eyebrow at them and Kristen lowered her voice."Do you realize that people are dying at home with each minute we spend here? If we do this my way and if they cooperate, we'll be out of here before anyone gets hurt."

"If! What if they don't cooperate? What if they don't mind losing one of their men as long as they hold us down and lock us up or better still kill us? Do you realize that we will loose on both ends here?"

"Then we can take two. Two of their men, one for me and one for you, they will both serve as a shield and as a good trade, before they can arm us, their three men at the gate will run in to same their Alpha and our own men will come in to save us, it would be a fair fight."

Laurel shook her head repeatedly, "You should have stayed at home and let Rick come with me, don't do anything to put us in more trouble than we already have on our hands, Kris."

"That is my problem with you! When will you understand that life isn't always going to be fair, Laurel? You are the Alpha now, you have to start making choices and decisions as one!"

With a flash of rage, Laurel turned to Kris and growled, "You think I don't know that? You fucking think I don't know that? I have been doing that for the past six years of my life! From the very moment Father breathed his last, I've had that entire pack on my shoulders, making every decision with them as priority, you know why? Do you fucking know why? Because I don't want to fucking loose another person, you included."

"Laurel…"

"And you, what have you been doing? Hiding away behind that sword and taking a class from the devil on how to be heartless.” She paused to laugh, a ugly sorrowful laugh that broke her own heart, "You are not a man, Kris. And you'll never be, if you think this is the way, I tell you you are ruining yourself."

Kristen was going to say something when they heard footsteps approaching, they both looked up to see who it was. Laurel saw Kristen's hands on her sword before she could even move, she shook her head silently before the door opened and two people entered.

For a moment, when she saw the men in front of them, she was surprised and then the surprise turned to anger. She had not heard much about Earl Malory from the woman who had given her the direction to this place and she had not thought to find out.

Naturally, she had expected that the Alpha of New Knight Pack would be an old man or a middle aged man like her father, but what she had not expected was to find two handsome men staring down at her.

It was easy to tell Earl Malory apart from his friend, she knew he was the Alpha the moment she saw him, with his raven black hair and the rich velvet clothes he wore, his elegance spoke royalty. For some seconds, she was spellbound, staring at him made her forget about the reason she was here.

"Lady Kris, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

It was the other man that spoke, not the Alpha. Laurel figured he might be his Beta, this one too was handsome but he had not gone through the trouble of adorning himself with fine materials.

Like Kristen, he was simply dressed in his full armor, one hand on the shield of his sword, the another hand stretched out for a handshake, whatever it was he wanted.

"Thank you." Laurel said, stretching out her hand for him, he took it to his lips and gave it a quick peck before dropping it. "I am Laurel Kris of the Sacred Moon Pack, I suppose you already know that."

"Yes, My Lady. We are most honored to host you. I am Gregg, the Beta here." He turned to Kristen and put out his hand for her to place his, "Sir, you are…"

"Another Lady Kris, Miss Gregg. Keeping two ladies waiting is not a good quality of a gentleman."

"Kris…" Laurel started to say in a warning tone.

"I get it, and I'm sorry, My Lady. I suppose I must also apologize for the mix up in your gender, it's just that we don't see a lady dressed in full armor everyday around here."

She glared at him, "There is always a first time."

Laurel cleared her throat, "We are here for a purpose, remember?"

"Ofcourse, My Lady. This way."

________

A few minutes later, Gregg ushered Earl and Laurel into his library while he wautdd outside with Kristen, who did not seem to like the idea.

"I am Earl Malory."

"I know."

"So, to what did I owe this visit?"

Earl asked as he took a seat across from Laurel. He had taken the time to observe her while they were in the parlor, trying to know if she was going to be easy to come by.

But so far he had had no luck, reading her mind was not working either, it was either she did a very good job at hiding her thoughts or she was simply not accessible to him, but either way that was dangerous for him.

It would be better if he could know what she was thinking before he presented his proposal, but there was one thing though, she was a woman in desperation and that could work to his advantage.

"The flu."

Laurel kept her eyes on his face, she was scared he might decide not to help. If that was the case, she might have to go on with Kristen's plans after all. But how on earth was she supposed to know what he was thinking when even his face showed no emotions?

He was a hard man, a man of few words. That was bad, those kinds of people barely go back on their words, if he decides not to help, then it would even be harder for them, even with Kristen's plans because like her, she was sure he would do anything to protect his pack.

Even if somehow, they came across the cure of they have to apply Kristen's idea, there was no way they could identify it. Everyone in the Pack depended on her, and the cure to the plague depended on the next few minutes she was going to spend talking to this man right sitting in front of her with those eyes that looked like he could see through her soul.

"What about the flu?"

"It was taken by my parents six years ago. Both of them, right before me."

"I am awfully sorry about that." Earl said in feigned ignorance.

"That's almost forgotten. The thing is this same flu is back to destroy my entire pack. As we speak everyone I know is dying by the minute. And I hear…"

"You hear you can only get the cure here." Earl finished for her, a smile on his face now.

Laurel tried to ignore the dimple that that smile revealed, or the white dentition behind those lips, she nodded. "So… I guess it's true."

"The Munsil leaves are grown here and have been around since I was just a few moons old, even before that. I guess it's our own share of the Moon Godess's blessings, if you are thinking of stealing it or taking it by force, perish the idea."

Laurel's brows creased in confusion and surprise, had he read her mind? "I don't think there will be a need for that. " She paused, watching him and I. A skeptical voice, she added, "Will there?"

Earl smiled again, "That will totally depend on you."

Now she was really confused, he took a cup from the bottle of wine on the table and poured himself a glass of wine, then he leaned over and poured another one for Laurel.

"I think drinking during a conversation is a great booster, go ahead, drink up."

"I'm not thirsty, Earl. Hope you don't mind my use of your first name? I actually came here for something more important, I'm sure you have figured that out already."

He gave another one of those disconcerting smiles, "You need my help." He said, taking a sip from the glass with his unusually black eyes trained on her face.

"And as soon as possible, just give me the cure please. That's all I ask, if we waste another minute I might not even have a home to go back to."

"Is it really that bad?" Earl asked curiously.

"Worse than you imagine."

"I see. Well, I will help you, Lady Laurel."

Laurel could not believe her ears, she almost screamed in excitement but she held her tongue, composure was one of those things she had mastered over the years but still she said excitedly, "I can't believe it! Kris was convinced you wouldn't help or you would ask for something in return but I told her…"

"Actually, there is a little something you are going to give in return, Lady Alpha. But before then, permit me to tell you that I will not only give you the cure but I will give you my best healers to take care of your sick ones. The moment we reach an agreement, there will be no more death in your pack, I'll make sure of it." He took another sip from the glass and set it down.

Laurel stopped smiling, this didn't sound good, the smile on his face was enough to tell her that. "That will be asking for too much, Earl. We only need the cure and we would be on our way, but if you have a request as you said, let's hear it. The earlier I leave here, the better."

"Ofcourse."

Laurel clenched her fists tightly underneath the table, already tensed. Somehow she knew it was not going to be just something small. She should have known he would not help her for free,good things didn't come that easily. She has almost forgotten that silver rule of life.

"I am willing to do anything." She got out the words praying silently it was true.

"Fair enough." He picked a neatly folded paper and stared at it for a moment, his eyes returned to her face, "The condition is simple, you have to step down from being the Alpha of your Pack and make me your Alpha while you rule as my Beta." he said slowly.

To Laurel, she simply thought he was sick, or maybe he was the devil himself . The words rang in her ears after he had said them and even after minutes of utter silence, those words still threatened to burst her eardrums, they wouldn't stop ringing in her head. She was sure he would ask for something in return for helping her, but what he didn't know was that he would ask for the impossible.

"You are either sick in the head or you are a clown, but if you are none of those, I tell you Mr Alpha, you are the devil himself!" She slammed her hands on the hard table with a force that had her flinching back.

"Calm down, Lady. I only said my term, you can either accept or reject the offer, but think of all there is to lose though, life." He winked.

"You are sick and heartless, what a good way to start." She stood up immediately and leaned insi that her face was only inches away from his own,"To hell with you and your leaves!" And then she stormed towards the door angrily.

"Wait!"

"With one hand on the door handle, Laurel turned to him, her heart beating loudly against her chest. "What now, greedy bastard?"

"You are a Lady, I think you have the worst vocabulary for a lady, Miss."

"Did you stop me to tell me about my vocabulary?" Laurel asked in renewed anger.

"Be my Luna." Earl said immediately, like he was forcing the words out of his own mouth.

This time, Laurel burst into a very fitting laughter, she laughed so hard that Earl began to think she was losing her mind. But when he went over to where she stood by the door and raised her head up to face him, he saw a thin line of tear streaking down both sides of her eyes.

He immediately retreated his hand, because at that moment, he felt a flash of lightning pass through his hand, it was like he had never experienced before, maybe because she was angry?

"You are the devil himself." Laurel said quietly.

"It is the only way I can help you, Laurel. You either make me your Alpha or marry me and it is a choice you have to make as possible considering how many lives are at stake."

"I will never do either of them!" She opened the door to the library this time, "You can keep your medicine, Earl Malory."

He nodded, "One last thing, you can only find the cure here so don't waste your time going to other places or you might wander into the Rogues territory, trust me it's not something you want to experience. And don't even think about coming to steal the leaves, it's the worst because the leaves won't work."

Laurel gave him one final look of disgust, "Damn you to hell!"

She stalked out of the room angrily and Earl stared after her with mixed feelings.