Chapter 5

Seraya went back to her room, crying her heart out. It was the first time that she felt so broken inside. The pack soldiers all saw her torn clothes when she ran back to the room as per the king's order. Although she managed to hide her assets, as a proud Alpha, Seraya suffered the biggest humiliation of her life. She mumbled dropping on the floor, accusing repeatedly until she was out of breath,

" I hate you, King Rafe. I hate you so much. Even if my father proves himself innocent, I will never forgive you."

Rafe followed her into the room, only to find that her room was locked from inside. Frowning, he asked for a guard passing nearby,

" Is she gone inside?"

The guard bowed his head respectively, replying to what he heard from others,

" Yes, my king. She went inside crying."

Rafe paused for a second because it was his first time, knowing that she shed tears even though she was imprisoned there. His lips curved upwards victoriously as he scoffed inside, turning to leave,

" She deserves it! Her stubborn ass won't be tolerated here!"

___________

The following day, a formal gathering was arranged on behalf of their Alpha King. Alphas from different territories were invited to join the meeting. It had been a long time ever since Red Darkling held any party. The loss of King's mate had left a long time impact on pack members. For a long period, the castle was drowned in sorrow.

Seraya lelearnedbout the gathering the next morning when she saw the preparations, going around Red Darkling. Although it wasn't her business, she couldn't hold her curiosity down and asked one of the servants who appeared good in her eyes,

" What is the meeting about? Do you know?"

The servant just brought a few garlands to be placed on the walls when she heard Seraya. She replied casually, not wanting to spend much time with this prisoner in fear of falling into Rafe's bad side,

" I heard that the king wants all packs to stop offering any help to Moon Eyed Pack. I guess, that's why he called them all together."

Seraya froze momentarily, her wolf growling and infuriating inside. Her wolf felt the need to protect her pack to avoid any more damage. Seraya offered voluntarily, seeing that the servant was assigned to do work in tonight's gathering,

" Can I join you? That.. don't I have to work for the gathering today?"

The servant sent her a suspicious glare. The king didn't want Seraya to get involved in this gathering to avoid rumors. The servant shook her head refusing and replied, wanting to skip the topic,

" No, you are assigned to other work today. This is my work. So let it be!"

She spoke reaching for the doorway to walk out. Panic crept through Seraya's mind as she wished to know what King Rafe had his sleeves for her pack. It was important for her to attend the gathering today. Leaving with no choice, Seraya's brain invited a wicked plan. With a long stride toward the servant, she hit her head from the back, using her Alpha force. The servant was knocked down instantly and Seraya muttered lowly, reaching out for the servant's clothes,

" I am sorry.."

_________

Soon, evening hit Red Darkling with the noises of Alphas entering the castle. Seraya took the place of the servant whom she just knocked off inside their room. The other servants didn't have any issue with the replacement and Seraya did everything to enter into the gathering.

She needed to know what Rafe was thinking to destroy her pack! Maybe she could seek help from any Alpha!

As the event started, Angelina appeared beside Rafe, wagging her sheepish tail like a puppy and sometimes imposing her aura like a queen. Everyone had already predicted that Rafe would claim her as a mate one day since she was his favorite. Naturally, Alphas treated her a bit differently than others.

Rafe was having a chat with Alpha Dimitri from the northern pack at a center table. Dimitri was the first person to speak about the ongoing issue,

" My king, May I know why we all are gathered here all of a sudden? Is it because of the Moon-Eyed Pack?"

Rafe's wolf growled inside impatiently. Even that one name was enough to raise all his anger. Alpha Artemis and his people killed his mate mercilessly. The hatred was beyond another level and he barely covered his hatred for the pack. 

Rafe's voice came out icily with a devilish smirk, forming on his lips,

" I want you to do something, Dimitri. Your territory has the best deer so far which you share with them. I want you to break the collaboration for a while."

Dimitri was hesitating a bit since it was their peaceful collaboration to avoid any feud amidst the pack. But who could deny the king's order? 

Dimitri gave his words by nodding his head and sighing heavily. No one exactly knew what happened that night when the former queen went to meet the Moon-Eyed Pack members. But all the evidence was against Alpha Artemis whose entire pack was going to suffer for everything that he might have done.

On the other side, Seraya heard it all and clutched the base of the tray tightly. Her chest was heaving up to down in rage but nothing she could do.

How could Rafe do this to her pack? Her father had already asked for time yet he was pushing them to a dead end. Besides, breaking the collaboration of territory had only one consequence starvation.

Seraya didn't know for how long she stared at them in a daze until Cohen's voice pulled her back to reality,

" Alpha Seraya, who told you to come in here?"

Seraya jerked off, snapping back to reality, and raised her head to find Cohen scrutinizing her. She cleared her throat before responding,

" That girl who was in charge of serving here has fallen sick. She asked me to come here instead."

Cohen stared at her face a bit suspiciously and sighed heavily before pointing at Rafe's table,

" Got it. Go and serve the drinks to them."

Seraya nodded her head obediently and tiptoed on their way nervously. Her wolf stirred inside, completely against her action since it was not an Alpha's work to serve others. She deserved to be seated in one of those tables but luck had played a cruel game with her. She became a servant of Alphas.

Seraya appeared in front of Rafe and Dimitri with her eyes always hanging down. Both Dimitri and Rafe were shocked for two different reasons. Rafe had instructed the servant quarter to keep Seraya away from the event. On the other hand, Dimitri recognized Seraya at a single glance since they met each other a few times.

Dimitri sutured in Seraya,

" Isn't she..."

" New Servant!," Angelina blurted, dropping her hand on Rafe's forearms. She added further with a smile,

" She is the new Servant of Red Darkling, Alpha Dimitri."

Seraya's wolf let out a loud growl inside, almost coming out to grip Angelina's throat. So she quickly took her leave after bowing slightly at Dimitri,

" Enjoy your drink, Alpha."

Rafe's face darkened as soon as Seraya left paying respect to Alpha Dimitri. Even in the presence of other Alphas, she dared to treat him invisibly and left without any words.

What was she doing here exactly?

__________

Hours passed as the meeting went on among Alphas. So far, Rafe cleared the fact that whoever was going to help the moon-eyed pack, will be treated as his enemy. So it was clear that Alpha Artemis was going to face a tough time. The king wanted to avenge his mate's death, so who could stop him?

Outside, Seraya waited in the corridor, hoping to speak with any Alpha to convince him until a voice broke her attention from the distant stars in the sky,

" Alpha Seraya?"

Seraya jumped freezing for a second and turned to face Dimitri, standing behind her. Noticing no one around them, Seraya didn't try to hide her identity, bowing back respectfully,

" Alpha Dimitri, you recognized me."

Dimitri nodded with a tight frown and got on the point straight,

" How come you are here as the king's servant? Did he abduct you here? Does your pack know?"

Dimitri was a respectable man from the beginning. He held secret admiration for Seraya who was a brave, warrior in his eyes. He was genuinely concerned and wanted to know how the hell she was doing chores like gammas, the lowest rank of a pack.

Seraya didn't waste this opportunity by telling her own pathetic stories. She took a glance at their surroundings and pleaded eagerly,

" Let's not waste our time over it but please help me this time. I promise that I will return your favor as soon as I get out of this prison. Please don't break the territory collaboration with our pack. King Rafe just wants to push my father to a dead end. I believe that you can convince him somehow. Our pack will be starving to death if we can't hunt in our territory."

Dimitri mentally concluded the situation that was happening revolving around her and the moon-eyed pack. The king had gone to this extent by abducting an Alpha to avenge his mate's death.

How cruel of him!

Dimitri replied after giving it a thought,

" Please don't beg like that Alpha Seraya. It doesn't suit you. You are a respectable Alpha. I will surely find a way to convince the king."

Right after he gave his words, a sudden voice traveled from the dark corridor from their back, freezing both of them in their places,

" Is this why you came to serve in this gathering today?"