Chapter 58 58
Alpha Knox~~
Days passed by, and my sickness was simply getting worse. To not see what I looked like through the mirror, I took out every one of them from my room. The black magic was spreading faster, and it was indeed draining my blood and damaging my systems, because I felt so dizzy most times, and my vision blurred, so I stood in one place until I regained myself.
I had picked up the bead ring that Phoebe wore each time on her smallest finger, and with how my wolf stirred, I finally agreed to the fact that she wasn't dead and was only somewhere, so I was only left to find her.
Knowing that my days were numbered, I began putting things together so it wouldn't be tough for anyone to handle after I left. And on the day I was to write my will as my attorney directed, I got the news of Drogo's visit.
‘I doubt he's here for the good, because I can't remember if he has ever visited this pack,’ Levi said in my mind, so I dismissed the attorney and fixed that we meet the next day because I didn't want to waste his time.
I got to my throne room where the man was waiting, and he stood and bowed as I stepped in and grabbed a seat opposite him. He looked so cheerful, but I doubted it was because I wasn't truly dead like everyone thought.
“Your majesty,” he bowed and sat back again. “When my chief guard announced that the pack was back, I couldn't wait behind but started coming over. The worst news was Alpha Dean staging an attack against you, and I hate that he wasn't captured like his people.”
Another reason to avoid him. If he had nothing to do with Dean, how then did he know that he wasn't captured? Even his people didn't know about this, so it was so suspicious of him to say that.
I cleared my throat and said to him, “What could have brought you here, beta?”
He smiled, nodding, as though the major part of him had been triggered. “Well, I also heard about you being consumed with black magic due to the curse bestowed on you by a priestess, and how you do not have enough time left.”
The fuck!
This was one thing I hadn't shared with anyone, so how did he come to know? Dean was able to stage an attack on my pack because he must have known of the curse and its effect. So, since Drogo knew about it too, wasn't it enough reason to believe he was a traitor?
I had to grit my teeth because I didn't want to stop him from vomiting what actually brought him up. “Then, is there a problem with that?”
He sighed and shook his head, “There could be a problem if it's not taken care of. I know you aren't scared of death, but this has to do with the affairs of the people. Don't you think leaving them behind would break them? You are their only hope.”
Of course, I was their hope, but my death wouldn't be the end of them, too. With the resources I've made, assets I've created, money left behind, and developments I created, they wouldn't lack in my absence.
“I actually want to help you find a solution. Or should I say that I already have a solution, which is getting the divine artifact that would raise the curse? But, I can't do that freely…and if people find out what you are, they would be scared and would want you dead, regardless of what you are to them.”
There was silence, because I didn't know what to say.
“Your mate would be waiting somewhere, so leaving her to die is no good. This is why you need this artifact, which I will only get if you agree to crown my daughter your luna first.”
I chuckled. He finally said his mind.
The artifact was one only my mate could find, so if he knew where it was, did it mean he had my mate under his captivity? “But you should aim that I become better before crowning your daughter. What if I still died?”
“There's no way the artifact would fail. You will be fine again after I get it,” he insisted, as though he was so sure.
I hadn't believed in that artifact until that witch doctor mentioned it. Even if I had, I wouldn't dare risk the life of my mate to have it, because the priestess mentioned that it would take her life for her to get it. So how do I risk the life of someone I was protecting?
And here this man was trying to make a fool of himself, trying to lure me into crowning his daughter, because he thought I was desperate to live for my mate. Since whoever would bring it would die, didn't he know about that, too?
I scratched my head and stood up from where I sat. I was beginning to feel dizzy again, so I mindlinked Levi to come closer before I messed up myself before Drogo.
“Alpha, you hadn't…
“I'm not interested! The artifact can be, and I don't mind dying, so save your strength,” I said to him and glanced at the empty throne. Soon, someone else would sit there. I wasn't sure who to appoint there, but if I had a Luna, I would have nothing to worry about.
Drogo stepped closer, and his once soft expression became hard. “This is about yourself and the others. It would have been worse if there was no solution, and now you're denying it just because you don't want to crown my daughter? You could dethrone her if you don't love her, but there's no other way to take payments for my kindness.”
I glared at the man with a clenched jaw, swallowing the harsh words I wanted to throw at him. The best thing I did was begin leaving, with Levi standing beside me.
Before I could even reach the door, I heard him say behind me, “If you don't change your mind, then I will have no reason to hide it from people. I will tell everyone, and I think you prefer that they see you as a demon rather than sparing yourself.”
That was a threat, a heavy one, but it did nothing to me. He was making a fake offer and thought I was so gullible as to accept such a thing. So by the time I exited the throne room, I ordered Levi, “Shoot his leg and take him to the dungeon. If his daughter comes begging, throw her in there, too. That's the only way to keep them under us.”
“Yes, alpha!” he responded, and I continued from there, going back to the palace residence.
After the sun had set, Levi came with the news that he had done as I ordered, so both Drogo and his daughter were in the dungeon.
But something still bothered me. Could I really die without finding Phoebe? What if she were under Drogo or Dean's captivity?
“Alpha, what do you plan to do? You have to write your will and choose who will replace you, but please don't choose me.” Levi uttered behind me, and I scoffed.
I wasn't even going to choose him because he always had a soft spot for people, and my pack doesn't need anyone like that. The role he was playing fit him better.
Minutes turned to hours, and I couldn't even come up with someone who would replace me when I'm gone, so my wolf suggested we find my mate and would succeed this time. “Gather your men, track Dean, and search Drogo's residence properly. Get into packs, territories, and make sure Phoebe is found. I need to crown her my luna before my demise…” I commanded, and the look Levi wore, showed how shocked he was to hear that from me.
Yet he bowed, “Yes, alpha!!”