Chapter 39: Who needs who?

_Kael_

Victim: Kira Crowley.

Age: Nineteen.

Murder weapon: A weirdly crested dagger.

Suspect: Not found.

"Three deaths and one casualty in a row, this is more than just a rogue attack Father."

We are in a meeting with the three Elders of City affairs and the Lyncs General and although Father never allows me attend such meetings, yet I had come here regardless. I was never concerned with royal matters or politics, but this one seems to be getting out of hand and I just cannot sit back and watch. Thankfully Father did not say a word when he saw me enter.

Talon's angry gaze keeps flying across the room, he hates that I am here and I do not give a damn.

"It is an undeniable fact." General Caulder agrees. "It is turning into a case of serial killings."

"You cannot come to a conclusion like that when it has only happened three times." Talon pins me down with a glare as he speaks.

"Three times is enough to take actions. Do you expect to wait until another innocent person is killed before doing something?" I shoot back at him through gritted teeth. "Besides if you understand English, you would understand that serial means when an act has been repeated more than twice."

"I still do not know why you are in this council meeting and spewing nonsense like you belong here. How about you just take back your job at Lupin since you are obviously so good at it."

My body is tight as spring and I clench and unclench my fists down simultaneously, trying as much as possible to keep my anger from surfacing just like always. If only I could let it out just once, but I don't because it would fuck things up and reveal what I am to the Elders, which also means the whole of Lycania would find out and in so doing, I will be considered a threat by every citizen. That's what Carla thinks. Till now, I still do not know why a Moon Lycan will be considered as a threat, they did not teach us about Lycans like me back in school, neither did Carla explain what it meant, and apparently there were no history books that talked about a Moon Lycan.

"Talon!" Father's reprimand brings me back to the gathering, his disapproving stare perusing both of us. "You are in the midst of Elders and yet you act out like kids!"

"Well, you should say that to Kael since he has deemed it mature to crash the council meeting that obviously has nothing to do with him."

"I deserve to be in this meeting just as much as anyone present here."

"Of course you do, which is also making me wonder why I was not invited to this meeting, aren't I one of the council elders, Alvarez?" The elders gasp at her clear dishonor of my Father's kingship title. I smile. Leave it to Carla to make a really dramatic entering. How had no one even heard her coming in? The only logical explanation would be that she had not used the door.

"How dare you call the King by his name, you witch!" Elder Basil exclaims. "Do you not know it is punishable by the law!"

"You just said it, it is his name isn't it, besides when has the law ever stopped me?" She smirks at the look of shock on everyone's faces and then winks at me. I smile again.

"What are you doing here? I stripped you of your Elder position, did I not?" Father states icily, not even hiding his obvious distaste for the witch. Since my mother's death, there has been no love lost between Carla and my Father just like me. My mother was Carla's best friend and her death hit us both like a wrecking ball, only Father was not affected by the death of his true Fated. How would he? He killed her himself, cruel bastard!

"That you did. But when an important case like this comes up, you would not argue that you need the expertise of a witch to reveal some answers that mere Lycan magic cannot unravel."

"We can always get a witch from the Signa city." The witch's city up west. Elder Lonh seems to be misinformed about our alliances with our neighbouring cities because only luck would make Signa city send help to Lycania.

"Unfortunately, after the death of Queen Lily, our relationship with Signa has gone downhills." Carla takes the words right out of my mouth, leaving Elder Lonh and the rest of the Elders speechless. The Elders obviously know nothing about the bad egg between Signa and Lycania because even Elder Priclei, Father's Vassal looks shocked. I scoff inwardly, what lies has Father been feeding them?

Father's jaw clenches and Carla smiles at his discomfort. "Do you agree now that you need me?"

"If we need you, we would let you know but for now you are dismissed." Father states.

"Actually, we do need her now." General Caulder cuts in.

"What?"

"Two things were common at the scenes.. The weapon used and the scent on the victim. The CPD is still researching the crest on the murder weapon but the witch comes in handy to help us identify the scent." And that's where I come in to track whoever the scent belongs to. I let my gaze wander to my Father, why then did he let me off the case when he knows I would be of good use? When he was also the one who suggested me to Caulder in the first place? Something is not right.

"Why can't any of you identify the scent?" Talon asks, which is a stupid question. We are not werewolves so we can only identify minor scents. As a moon Lycan though, my sense of smell is not limited like the rest of them, still I won't be able to identify the scent.

"Because the scent was masked to a Lycan's scent but the prints on the murder weapon was certainly not that of a mere Lycan's."

"Who leaves prints on a murder weapon." Elder Priclei, Father's Vassal muses out loud.

"Someone who thinks it fun to mess with the Lyncs and the Royal family." Carla half steps around the table, her eyes scanning the face of the seated council members. Is she insinuating that one of the three elders knows about the deaths? I follow her gaze but then she stops and then raises her chin at Talon. "The Crown Prince needs to understand that what is going on is not something to be taken lightly. If he does not know that then I do not think he is fit to be called the Crown Prince."

"And who the hell do you think you are to question my title!"

"A title that was not yours in the first place." Carla spits back.

"Get out Carla!" Father yells. Carls smiles at the reaction she elicits from father. She places her fingers over her mouth and then winks at me.

"General Caulder, if you need me you know where to find me." She says. "Adiós!" The wind whooshes in from the window and just like a puff of smoke, Carla takes off into thin air and it as if she was never here. I make a mental note to ho see her because I have a lot of things to ask.

"Bloody witch!" Elder Basil grumbles.

"Shall we continue the meeting?"

For some reason, I drag my gaze back to Father's and the haunted look in his eyes seems to be relaying a message.

What is going on?

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