5. An unsolicited advice

[Xavier’s POV]

“Veronica, when did you get back?” I asked, pulling her from my embrace.

“Just last night. I heard what happened, and I am so sorry. I wish I had been there, maybe I could have helped or something,” she said.

“No, it’s not an issue. Thanks for sharing your condolences though,” I said to her.

Apart from Jeffrey and Roman, the only other person I had been friends with since we were children was Veronica Emmet. Her father was the Chief Adviser and Head of all the elders, and her elder brother was the Head of all the warriors, while her uncle managed a district area in the Pack’s territory.

She was very ladylike, and had gone to spend the summer holidays with her cousins in the other side of town. She was always neat, practical, courteous and was the typical rich pampered princess, but she was really fun to hang out with.

“Won’t you offer me a seat?” she asked, taking off her gloves.

“Forgive my manners,” I said, then led her by the hand, and that was when I saw the girl I had forgotten all about sitting on the floor, with tears welled up in her eyes as she seemed furious about something.

A smirk played around my lips as I remembered what had happened. Whether I had sensed Veronica coming or not, I had planned to let go of her to have her hopes crushed, and my plan had worked.

“Who is she?” Veronica asked.

“She is from the family of the traitorous Omega Clan. I am sure you must have heard all about it,” I explained.

“Yes, I did. My father told me about everything. Again, I am so sorry. This is why Omegas need to be scrapped from the werewolf race. They bring nothing but shame and disappointment to everyone and everything around them,” she stated, giving the girl a distasteful glance.

“If they are scrapped completely, you won’t have anyone to do your laundry again or serve you in bed, or even...”

“Yes, I get it. I see why they are being kept alive now. They’re nothing more than slaves for people like you and I,” she said.

“Exactly. They’re our tools,” I agreed.

“What’s your name?” she asked, approaching the girl who was fuming with anger and looked like she could rip her apart if she had the opportunity to.

“Layla,” she responded, looking away.

It was then it occurred to me that I had never even bothered to ask about her name, and for a criminal, her name sounded particularly innocent.

“Why are you sitting on the floor? Don’t you know you’re staining it?” Veronica inquired.

I chuckled. “Oh, Veronica!” I said.

Layla stood up and leaped as she moved, while Veronica scrutinised her with her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she apologised, as she got to where we stood.

“Sorry about what exactly? Staining the floor, stinking this place up or murdering the former Alpha King?”

“I didn’t kill him,” Layla blurted out, as a drop of tear fell from her eyes, and she immediately wiped it off with the back of her hand.

“And who asked you to talk back at me? You must be out of your mind. Xavier, what is she even doing here?” Veronica inquired.

“I wanted to speak with him,” Layla responded, right before I could even say anything.

“About what?” she asked.

Layla ignored her, and stared at me, with a desperate look in her eyes. “You know me. I didn’t do anything wrong. You know this isn’t fair. We already met once before all this, and you know that I am not a bad person,” she said to me.

“I don’t know anything about you, and I think you’re mistaking me for someone else. I have never met you before now. All I know is that you are related to traitors, and if this is what you wanted to speak to me about, you may leave now,” I said to her, fixating my gaze on her so she could see that I was serious.

“You don’t know me? Fine, then. What can I do to make you forgive me?” she asked.

“I can never forgive you. However, I may be willing to provide you with better food and water with a better prison if you tell me the whereabouts of your family. No one can seem to find them. It is as if they have vanished from the face of this earth,” I responded.

“I have said it a million times. I have no idea where they are. Please, just believe me,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Don’t make me regret letting you live. Now, leave this place right this minute and return to the prison with the guards who are at the door and never you show your ugly face to me again,” I stated.

She wanted to say something, but Veronica was quick to speak.

“You are not deaf, are you? Get lost,” she said to her.

Layla heaved a deep sigh, then casting one final look upon me, she began to walk out of the throne room.

With that behind us, I led Veronica to sit on one of the chairs in the room, while I sat on the throne.

“I can’t believe you’re now the Alpha King,” she stated, smiling at me.

“Well, you better get used to it, and don’t call me Xavier anymore without attaching my honorific,” I said to her.

She chuckled lightly. “Yes, Alpha Xavier,” she said.

“That’s much more preferable. Everyone believes I am lucky, you know? However, I just feel really unprepared and I am tired of all the work I have to do, and there is this particular issue that has been bothering me,” I explained.

“Why should you feel unprepared and tired? You are Xavier... sorry, Alpha Xavier. As long as you’re an Alpha, nothing can bother you,” she said.

I sighed. “Perhaps. However, listen carefully to me. A man, a werecoyote, who is a part of our Pack, stole some yams from a farm and now, the elders are insisting that his hands be cut off according to our laws so that he can never steal again. However, he is arguing that he was out of work and needed to feed his family, and that’s why he stole. What am I supposed to do in this case?” I inquired.

She shrugged. “It’s quite simple if you ask me. Just go ahead with it and cut off his hands. He stole and he should be punished irrespective of his excuses. If you don’t go according to the law, you will be presumed and seen as weak,” Veronica said.

“And who cares if you are seen as weak?” I heard Layla ask, and I looked up to still see her standing in the throne room much to my surprise.

“What are you still doing here?” Veronica asked, taking the words right out of my mouth.

“I know the man you’re talking about. His name is Simon, and his case has been the topic of discussion for weeks now. He used to work at a bakery, but unfortunately for him, the bakery got closed down because it went bankrupt and he hasn’t been able to get another job to do because of his age and he also leaps when walking, which is the same reason he also can’t hunt for animals to feed his family...”

“I don’t understand. Who invited you into this conversation?” Veronica asked.

I, however, wanted to know where she was going with what she was saying and I didn’t oppose her, but didn’t support her either.

“I know I wasn’t told to speak. However, I must speak in the face of injustice. Simon is nothing but a poor werecoyote, and although what he did was wrong, he had no choice other than to steal to feed his three little sons and his only daughter, as well as his bedridden wife. Besides, it was a one-time thing. He has never had a criminal record and he made a mistake, which he even admitted to and apologised for. If the Pack had provided a job for him, he wouldn’t have needed to steal, and taking away his hands which are the only tools he can use to work and pay back for the yams he stole is sheer cruelty and wickedness.

“Punish him, yes, but don’t take away the only tools he can use to make a living. Children dread being hungry and by the time their father can no longer provide for their needs, they would also curse your authority and steal to survive. If you keep on doing the same thing, you would only spark more anger and hatred in the hearts of your people, and you would breed even more criminals in the community. Get him a job and make him pay back for what he stole, but don’t cut off his hands so that you’ll be seen as strong to the members of your cabinet. You owe the people your service, and not the elders,” Layla concluded.

“For a slave, I must say you have got a lot of audacity. How dare you! Guards!” Veronica screamed.

“I’m sorry for speaking out of turn. I’d leave now,” Layla said, and just as the guards came in, she turned her back and left with them without hesitating.

Veronica was still going on and on about something, but I wasn’t paying her attention anymore. Layla’s intelligence had struck me and I pondered over what she had said, and the overpowering desire to know her more disturbed me greatly.

I shook my head quickly, gaining total control of myself. I needed to remind her of her place, and not reason with her.

She was related to my father’s death, and I just couldn’t forget about it all in a hurry.