Chapter 5 ~ “The Devil’s Confession”

{Ava’s POV}

I coughed in my reaction to the King’s utterance but then I had to comport myself when I saw he wasn’t joking. He didn’t look like he was so I restrained myself from reacting further, but then there was one who couldn’t be restrained.

“What?!” Liam voiced as he stepped forward towards his father. “What are you saying, Dad?! What do you mean you want her to train me?!” He instantly quizzed his father but then the King didn’t respond. 

I was already trembling with the growing tension but the King looked calm as he continued to speak, and this made me calm down a bit.

“This has to be some sort of joke or something.” The Prince said with a hysterical fake laugh but the Alpha King still ignored him. 

He faced me instead. “Gregon, the Warg Alpha grows stronger in the east, his Corrupt Army taking the lives of our people every day. I’m not as young and strong as I used to be but I do my best with every attack I lead against these miscreants. Nonetheless, I’ll soon step down due to my weariness for this is my son's time— his time to rule, lead the people, and fulfill his destiny by slaying that eclipse-born demon!” The Alpha King said now and I could sense how tense he was becoming just by discussing the Warg topic. 

“But facing such darkness is no small responsibility! Hence, I’ll jump at any opportunity I see that can make my son a better heir, warrior, and werewolf being in general. This is why you will train him.” He said again.

“You defeated him because you did something better than he did, so you’ll teach him everything you know, all the basics you mastered. And he’ll only graduate unless he defeats you in battle.” The King said in conclusion but then he added. 

“You’ll resume at once— tomorrow at the Royal Palace, so pack your things, you and your friend. I’ll send a messenger to your Packs informing your parents of these developments. If they want to see you, they are always welcome to the Palace for visits.” He surmised and once again, Prince Liam sprang up. 

“This is nonsense! You insult me!” He roared before the King. “Of course, I can defeat her! She..She just got lucky, plus that was just one instance, so why should she train me?! Why should a common girl be assigned to train her Prince?!” He voiced.

“Because I said so!” The King returned angrily now. “This is for your own good and it’s final!” He finally responded to the Prince, his voice more fierce. 

With his outburst, the air grew silent as Liam said nothing but glared at his father, both of them exchanging challenging scowls for a moment before Prince Liam finally looked away and the King motioned to walk away. 

I could feel the raging tension in the air. 

“I’ll go and apologize to General Greybone on your behalf since you obviously won’t do it.” The King said as he left the room with his guards. I poured out a heavy breath. 

“Come.” I heard the Alpha Queen say now and I looked to see her trying to take Prince Liam out of the room. He didn’t budge because he was heaving and glaring at me instead.

I tensed with the sight but then the Alpha Queen succeeded in leading him out of the room with Levi, leaving only Edna and me behind.

The air became silent but my thumping heart was almost loud enough to fill the silence. I instantly turned to Edna and saw the stoned expression on her face. Her mouth was gaping out the door and apparently, the gaping didn’t start now. 

She slowly turned to me now. “What just happened?!”

**

Minutes had passed and nothing had changed. 

Edna and I were still very much shocked to our bones.

I had thought being sent to the academy was the fastest course-change of my life but then I had been wrong. This exceeds that by far. 

“So what do we do now?” I asked now, breaking the silence.

“I.. I guess we will get ready for you to go to the Palace and train the Prince.” Edna responded and my heart skipped a beat. 

I still couldn’t believe all this was real. It scared me to believe it was. 

“But I’m no trainer, Edna. I’m scared, plus I might have even defeated the Prince by—”

Edna gripped me now. “Hey! Don’t say you defeated the Prince by luck ‘cause it wasn’t luck.” She cut me off seriously.

“I mean, it’s crazy that you defeated the Prince of the Werewolf Reigns that easily but then I was there and I saw it clearly.” She paused and sighed. “Listen, I don’t know how you do it, Ava, but you’re special. And this is where it has gotten you to so don’t be scared. You got this and you’ll figure this out.” She said in reassurance but then I took a heavy breath. 

“Okay, let’s say I figure something out— a training routine perhaps. But what about the Prince? He clearly doesn’t want me training him. He hates me— which is really understandable since I freaking buried his face in dirt before his people." I said with a good amount of worry.

Edna held both my shoulders now. “Then you’ll try.” She said. “It’s the least you can do. You’ll try to get him to forgive you and after that, you two will train in harmony” 

“You say it like it will be easy.” I frowned. 

“No, it will not be easy. And you’ll probably have to endure a lot of humiliation and ridicule but then you have to remind yourself that you’re doing this also as a citizen serving her nation— plus I’ll be there with you to give you every push you need.” Edna said and I finally grew a smile.

She was always the one good thing to take out of everything worrisome happening to me.

“Thank you, Edna.” I said and attempted to hug her but just then, we were both startled.

“Ava.” A voice said, causing Edna and me to tremble… but then it was worth it.

My face lit up at once when I turned in the voice’s direction. “Dylan!” I chirped as I started towards the loveliness who had just walked into the room.

Due to my excitement, words just came pouring out of my mouth in quick succession as I scuttled towards my boyfriend. 

“You came visiting already! You missed me already?… but don’t worry, I missed you too and I have a lot to tell you about— goodness, I don’t even know where to start from but I..I—”

“I’m breaking up with you, Ava.” 

These words pierced their way into my ears and I stopped dead in my tracks as I had heard them come out of Dylan’s mouth. 

“W-What?” I muttered, not believing that I had heard him clearly. 

“I’m breaking up with you.”

**

~ Later That Evening ~

{Revna’s POV}

There’s nothing better than a humid evening and quietness.

I was on the garden bench at the back of the Alpha House— my father’s house, and I was reading a book. Racheal and Zelda, my two close friends were some paces away talking about boys but I didn’t join them.

I don’t talk about love or relationships. I—

“Revna.” A voice called me now, interrupting my train of thought. I sighed and looked up from my book to glare at the figure. 

“I have done it.” The figure said and I raised a brow. 

“You have done what?” I asked.

“I have broken up with her.” Dylan responded, his tone emotionally low. 

“So?”

“Will I…” He trailed off. “Will you let me graduate to become a Pack Warrior and not tell your father to kick me off the team?” He asked and I returned my gaze back to the book I was reading. He wasn’t worth my attention. 

“Revna?” He called again and I threw my gaze back up to him. 

“Maybe if you take your useless self out of my sight, I will!” I retorted and he tensed a bit before strolling away. I stared at him with disgust as he went and when he was out of sight, I continued reading. 

As I was saying before the interruption; I don’t talk about love or relationships. I ruin them…

Two days ago, my mother sent that Bitch to Moonspire Academy instead of me. Yes, my mother fed me with the whole you’ll-go-specially-when-we-are-ready promise and made it clear that Ava was going to the Academy to suffer, but I’m not buying that.  

I’ll make her suffer my own way. I’ll hasten the process of her wretched self getting thrown back here!… and I’ve just begun this scheme by ruining her irritating secret relationship with Dylan

Their atrocity was unknown to me before now but then fortunately, I had followed after Ava the morning she was supposed to leave for the Academy. I had done this so that I could attack her and give her a little scarring injury to remind her of her miserable roots before she left but then I had strangely seen her meet up with Dylan so I hid behind a wall. From there, I was able to discover that they had been dating, and even planned on getting marked together. 

I didn’t end up soiling Ava up that day, as I decided to do what I do best— manipulation and blackmail. So now that it’s done, I can rest, knowing that that Wretch will be spending tonight leaking out tears.

On the other hand, I can’t believe I used to associate myself with that low-standard Asshole Dylan. 

Fool!

I heard a horse Carriage stop at a distance away now and I thought it was my imagination until I looked up and saw that a carriage was truly there. We didn’t have a horse carriage in our Pack so this was surprising… and it became even more surprising when a man came out of the carriage wearing the vest of a Messager— the royal Messager.

He caught my attention, coupled with the fact that he was now headed towards our house. I closed my book.

I got up to my feet and dismissed Zelda and the others to go talk about sex somewhere else as I followed this Messenger. 

The guards let him in and I went in with them as they led him to the meeting Chamber where my father was. Politics is not my thing but then I needed to know what this was about so I persisted until the Messenger got to my parents and made his presence known.

They had just finished a pack meeting so the Pack wolves left the Chamber now, leaving my Dad, Mom, and our dumb maid, who was cleaning, with the Messenger.

I folded my arms and hung by the door as I didn’t need to go in to get a scope of what they wanted to talk about but then as the messenger started to speak, I felt the need to get closer.

“Good day, Alpha and Luna of DarkClaw. This is a direct message from the Alpha King himself who wishes to inform you that a member from this Pack who goes by the name, Ava, has been given the royal assignment of assisting the Prince in training. Henceforth. She will be staying at the Palace nonetheless, her family is welcome to visit her anytime— Order by the King.” He concluded and made a signifying gesture… but then nobody was able to respond to him as we were all stoned with shock. 

My father stood like he had lost the ability to move while my mother’s mouth was gaping. 

My reaction was a mixture of both. 

I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. 

Why is that when I plot something and think I’m succeeding, the opposite fucking happens?

Why is that bitch being blessed while I remain here rotting?!

I clenched my fists tightly now as I started to heave in anger.

The Messenger walked out of the Chamber now for which I turned and paced behind him, but then I wasn’t following him. I continued down the hallway while he went away and I settled in my thoughts with rageful tears brimming in my eyes. 

My parents were already crashing out in the meeting chambers as I could hear them now. I didn’t need their raging voices adding to the voices in my head so I decided to go somewhere and think— maybe scream? But then, my attention was shaken now as I heard hurried footsteps pass behind me.

I instantly turned to see Calita race by and seeing that, my brows caved in confusion.

That was weird.

I have never seen the mute maid run that fast.

I was still distressed by the Messenger’s news but then I decided to follow after the maid to know what had her old bones moving— and thank goddess I did as when I got outside and located her, I discovered something that shocked me to my own bones.

I met the old maid talking. 

She was talking to the Messenger at a shaded spot in the garden, apparently having stopped him from leaving, and as if that wasn’t shocking enough, I paid attention to the contents of their conversation and was horrified.

“You need to promise me, Harold. I’ve known you since we were little so you have to promise me you'll do it!” The old maid said, facing the Messenger who now looked tensed

“But s-she’s—”

“Yes, she's an eclipse-born but at the same time, she’s just a child who didn’t choose her fate. Plus she doesn’t even know— I found her all alone in a cave as an abandoned Cub. Please!” The old maid begged as she gripped the Messenger’s left hand firmly. My heart was racing furiously now. 

“Promise me you’ll guide her and not let them discover her true identity— you can't even tell her about it. Just help her learn how to control her emotions as I’ve always taught her. She’s in the Palace which is the most dangerous place for a warg to be in. Please, Harold!” The maid pleaded more emotionally and motioned to kneel but then the Messenger stopped her.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I promise.”

“Y-You promise?”

“Yes, Cal. I do.” The Messenger responded. “Now, I have to go.” He added and started away hastily. 

“I’ll write you letters.” He said and left while the old maid cleaned her teary eyes and went away also, taking the other path leading to the back door. 

I was left there standing alone with a racing heart and shock dripping from my face. 

Ava is a Werewarg?

I…

This…

I was shocked and my head kept bubbling with thoughts… but then after a moment, I grew a smile. 

— a vile one, realizing this was actually good news.

I started to stroll back into the house.

The name of the book I had been reading earlier was “The Devil’s Confession”