Chapter 60

Chapter 60
Erik's POV

Surprisingly, Clara leaned into my touch when we were watching the basement burn, but she coldly left my touch after that. I couldn't understand how much Clara sank, but I knew she was barely keeping it in. I have been thinking about my next moves, I want to avoid making the same mistake twice, but this time it is hard for me to sink it in. 

"You know where that basement leads to" 

Clara's words replayed in my mind. I know what I have to do, I have respected and adored him, but now, all of it seems so fake. With Clara's face lingering in my mind, my decision is final. Even if we drifted apart, she is still my soulmate. 

The ride back to the pack house of Alpha Kyle is quiet and bumpy. Clara didn't go back with us and decided to run around. "She is keeping her distance from us after our touch," Liam said, and I agreed. I don't know if she was embarrassed or angry at herself for falling into our link, but I don't care. Feeling her lean into my touch is enough for me to think that we are still together and that will not change. 

We need to start preparing things. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. Feeling my fatigue, I sighed and decided to mind-link my most trusted subordinate. 

"Vincent" 

"Yes, your majesty?"  

"Any news on Tia?"

"She will arrive at dawn together with our warriors."

"Good, send words to Alpha Rick to march his troops to Wild Peak pack. Spread the words that we will eradicate Wild Peak and the pack of rogues once and for all." 

"Yes, your majesty." 

I am exhausted. I'm curious about what my mate is up to now. She must be running through the forest as if it was her hometown. She has always been like that, and whenever she starts running, you can't help but feel stunned at her majestic sight. Her pure white wolf has gold specs and proud and elegant movements that can surely open your mouth. I slowly opened my eyes and smiled while looking out the window, thinking about the time she ran around with our pack members around our territory. 

"I miss her," Liam said. 

"Me too," I replied and continued watching the forest outside the window. 

When we got back, I saw Clara standing outside the pack house, and when she heard the car's engine, she turned around to look at us. Looking at her furious look, I wondered what had happened and rushed towards her worryingly.

"It seems we have a visitor," Clara said while smirking. 

I calmed myself and entered the pack house. Alpha Kyle greeted us and leaned closer to my ear. "The Wild Peak Alpha has come, your majesty. He is in the library," He whispered, and I nodded. We can't start the war without all of our troops, and we need to be fully prepared if I do not want to sacrifice my subordinates in vain. 

"Don't engage. Let's first see what he's up to. We can't carelessly fight him without our warriors," I said to Vincent through the mind-linked. I looked back and saw Clara fighting back the urge to kill, and she knew that we couldn't ignite a fight inside the pack house since there were children, elders, and multiple she-wolves that could not fight here. 

I sighed and followed Alpha Kyle to the library. I entered the library and saw a familiar back I had always admired. I couldn't believe that the vast back I had been following since I lost my father would look so small now. When he felt my presence behind him, he shoved back the book he was holding inside the shelf and faced me. He smiled brightly at me, which made my blood boil. 

"How are you, your majesty," He asked and bowed to me as if mocking me. Behind those bright warm smiles of him hides a beast. 

"I am doing fine, thank you, what brings you here?" I asked, using my calm voice. 

He walked and looked around the library while smiling. "I've been worried about you," he said and looked at me sadly. "How can he smile and look someone worried? How can he act like that? I am foolish for believing this act for years," I thought. 

I didn't know that I smirked at his words, that the old man looked at me with a surprised look. "Oh, forgive me, I remembered something funny," I said and calmed myself. 

"I see. It looks like you are doing okay. I am relieved that I see you like this, your majesty," he said while smiling at me sadly. 

"You don't have to be worried about me any longer. I am stronger than before," I said with total confidence. 

"Truly, I am relieved," He replied and walked towards me. He hugged me immediately when he got close, making me stiff. I couldn't believe he dared to hug me like this. I bit my lip due to frustration and just hugged him back.

"Relieved, I couldn't have known that you were doing much better when you lost something so important," He whispered sarcastically. My eyes grew big in surprise. In these words, it is confirmed that he is the mastermind of all of this. I gritted my teeth and was about to kill him when I remembered that he had my child. 

I calmed myself and gripped his shirt from his back while hugging him. "As I've said, you no longer need to worry about me," I said. We broke the hug, and he walked past me.

"Then, until our next meeting, your majesty." 

"Yes, until then, be sure to take care of yourself, Alpha Roy," I said 

"Since I will be the one who will kill you," I thought, and he left the room. After a few minutes, I went to Alpha Kyle's office when he left.