Chapter 176

Chapter 176
Carmine

We walked straight to the pack gates, taking out the soldiers in front as there wasn't really any tight security, especially now that the alphas are locked up.

“Come on Steven, let's go in,” I said, urging him and the other soldier who was holding Vincenzo. Steven stood there for a while, staring into thin air with creased brows.

“Steven?” I called out softly, jolting him back to the present. “What's wrong?” I asked.

“My lord, you look pretty normal in your reflection. Why then did you ban the use of mirrors in the first place?” he asked, staring at my reflection in the glass gates.

I turned slowly, facing the gates, staring with a smirk on my lips, admiring myself and Ximena’s handiwork. “How about we just forget there was ever such a law, Steven? When we get back to the pack, we are going to be doing a lot of changes,” I replied.

“It was indeed permanent, Carmine. Your mate is a direct descendant of the moon; never even think of doubting her powers next time,” Jix fired at me.

“All I needed was just one final confirmation, Jix, but that's also been noted, no more doubts,” I replied softly.

“So many strange things happening lately with you,” Steven mumbled under his breath.

“What do you mean, Steven?” I asked with furrowed brows.

“Nothing, my lord,” he said sharply.

“Don't even try to lie; I heard you clearly. What do you mean by that?” I asked again.

He heaved a deep sigh before he continued. “Uhm... What I meant was, you've been smiling so much lately, asking weird questions, and now we're going to be changing laws you've had for years... What happened to you during your journey?” he asked, making me chuckle lightly.

“I found my mate, Steven; that's what happened. I found the very woman who touched me in a lot of places I never knew I could be touched, someone who birthed a new king, someone who gave me freedom,” I replied, my face plastered with a smile as I spoke.

“Okay... I think it would take quite some time to get used to this new king; maybe I liked the old king better,” he said admittedly.

“Trust me, Steven, you'd love this new king better,” I retorted.

Just then we walked forward, trying to swing open the gates of the pack house when it suddenly flung open and a familiar voice echoed in my ears...

“It's been taking too long; King Vincenzo is supposed to be back by now. Something doesn’t feel right; it's getting late. Watch the hostages while I go after him,” the voice announced.

For a moment my feet went cold as I stood, staring at the person in front of me, a feeling that immediately turned into rage the minute she mentioned ‘hostages.’

“Gamma Cassie?” Steven called out softly.

The minute she heard that, she stood frozen, her gaze darting back and forth from Steven to me and then back, like she'd just seen a ghost.

“King Carmine,” she muttered softly.

“Hey there, Cassie, or should I say Beta Cassie?” I spat out sternly with a grin on my face.

We walked slowly inside, making her take several steps backwards together with some armies of the Reflection pack. “Take positions! You strike on my command!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, making me let out a light laugh.

“Really, Cassie? Is this what your desperation for power has turned you into?” Steven asked.

“Shut up, Beta!” she sneered.

“Isn't that what you also are right now?” I fired at her, pausing for a while. “Come on now, Cassie, are you trying to mock me? You know these soldiers are nothing compared to Steven and me,” I retorted with a stern voice.

“Well... the last time I checked, king, you were cursed, which means you are still weak,” she sneered.

Steven gasped with shock in his eyes as he stared at me. “My king. You were cursed.” He spat at me, but I just ignored his words as I turned my gaze to Cassie.

“Uhm... from the look of things, Cassie, it seems you've really not been following up with the recent updates then,” I replied.

“So it's true?” Steven asked softly.

“Can we just focus on what's at hand right now, Steven?” I spat sternly at him.

“Right!” he replied, turning his gaze back to the soldiers as he took a defensive stance.

I turned my gaze to the soldiers behind her, and with a firm voice, I said, “Come on now soldiers, are you guys really going to take orders from a rogue right now?” I shot at them.

“Don't listen to him!” Cassie growled.

“Oh please, Cassie, you're making these soldiers insult their true Luna. Please don't belittle the great power this pack and my mate hold all in the name of bringing me down,” I said.

“We got the orders directly from our Alpha Vincenzo and his Luna, so I don't know which other Luna you're talking about,” one of them replied.

“Luna Ximena, that's the one I'm talking about,” I shot back at him, cutting in sharply.

“How dare you?!” another spat.

“How dare you call upon the name of our long-lost Luna, huh?” an old lady from the castle snarled at me, rushing toward where I was and landing a resounding slap on my face. “Luna Ximena is dead! She died a long time ago and left us to suffer in the hands of Vincenzo. I don't care if you don't put some respect on that bastard’s name, but don't you dare rub mud on the name of the great Luna. I won’t take that from anyone, not even a lycan king!” she added, her voice laced with venom.

“My lord, aren't you going to do or say anything?” Steven asked with confusion in his voice.

I turned to him. “You're supposed to stop me from hurting them, Steven. What are you talking about?” I asked with creased brows, shaking my head lightly.

“Uhm... yeah... I know. But she just slapped...” he tried to speak.

“Steven!” I sneered with a thunderous voice.

“I'm sorry, my lord,” he said, bowing his head.

“You sure needed that slap,” Cassie muttered, but I just pretended not to hear her words. Not yet, I thought.

I turned my gaze to the old lady who still stood defiantly in front of me. I saw a flicker of hurt in her eyes as she said those words, a feeling of lost hope and suffering in those eyes as they bore into my soul, eyes of someone who's been longing for redemption, eyes of someone who's waited for a very long time.

“I'm so sorry, Ma'am,” I began.

“My lord, you now say sorry too?” Steven asked, but I just shot him deadly glares.

“I'm as surprised!” Cassie chimed.

“I really wish there was a better way to explain this to you, to all of you,” I continued, now staring at the great multitude that now stood behind Cassie, ready not to defend her, but to defend the name of their Luna, whom they thought was dead.

Here I was thinking I had a pack of united soldiers, but standing in front of these people, even pups, showed me that even the story of a legend that's passed from generations to generations can produce a mighty army even in their absence. Seeing Ximena’s view and recalling all the suffering she went through in the hands of my pack members made my heartbreak even more.

I hated myself for being part of the burden she carried on her shoulders, a burden she wore and carried with pride. OH, WHAT A WOMAN SHE IS. She is the true definition of a lycan and an Alpha, I thought.

“Oh great people of the Reflection pack, I promise I'm not here to raise your hopes up, or shatter them. But I'm here to erase the lie Vincenzo made you believe all these years, the lie that has blinded you all, preventing you from fighting for your freedom. The lies that have hindered you from asking questions and finding your true Luna. But I'm here to bring you out of that darkness and tell you that your Luna Ximena isn't dead, but alive and well,” I announced; gasps and murmurs filled the air.

“And to prove my words!” I continued, “I brought a gift from her to you all, a gift of freedom!” I added, turning my gaze to the soldier behind me as he threw out Vincenzo’s lifeless body in front of everyone.

Loud screams erupted as they all shifted backward, staring at his body. “This is from your Luna. She's taken care of your oppressor and taken the other wicked alphas captive,” I said.

“Don't listen to him, everyone! It's a trap. He's just here to save his people who are held hostage. There's no Luna; like you said, your Luna is dead, and the dead can never come back to life... remember?” Cassie stuttered.

“I'm sure if there's something common among werewolves, it's the fact that we never take orders from a rogue. This lady here worked hand in hand with Vincenzo, a rogue!” I cut in sharply. “You all have to believe; I have no reason to hurt you. Yes, I won’t deny the fact that I'm also here to save my people and assemble my pack back, piece by piece, as those cruel bastards, including Vincenzo, did terrible things, which isn't the joy of any alpha to hear such news. But I'm also here to tell you that your Luna Ximena—she's my mate, meaning I'm your King, and I don't have any reason whatsoever to deceive or hurt any of you,” I said reassuringly.

“I stand here on this soil under this moon to say, if you release my people and join me to journey back to my pack, if I even pluck a hair from that of any pup, kill me before we get there. Also, if we eventually get there, and you don't see your Luna in front of my chief commander of all my soldiers, I say you can kill me without their interference,” I announced.

“My lord, what are you doing?!” Steven fired at me, but I didn't move an inch. I fixed my gaze on the crowd.