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Alpha Herveaux POV

The leader of the Lycan Prowler Pack.

I stood on the terrace in my mansion, thinking about everything that had happened so far.

I saw someone very familiar that night; she looked so much like Ashina. 

My wolf was also consoled, he wasn’t as furious as he used to be when I met with other women.

“You should heal faster, Tristan.”

Tristan is my wolf. He loved Ashina more than I did. I noticed it only after she was mated to me.

The day before Ashina was murdered he was restless. If only I gave into his feelings, I could have saved her.

Tristan gave out a loud growling cry.

 “I’m here, Alpha. You called for me”

“Sit Fernando!” Fernando is my beta and right-hand man. He had been with my father before he died. He entrusted me to his care. Though Fernando was older than me, he served me as a beta, should serve his alpha.

“Do you think the last attack was truly by the earth-dwellers and not the Lone wolves?” I asked Fernando.

There have been frequent attacks on our neighboring territories, if I don’t get to the end of it. The small threats might escalate into something big; my greatest fear might come to existence.

“No Alpha Herveaux. It was a mere coincidence" "The humans were after a woman. They got into the ongoing fight between the warriors from our pack and the Lone Wolves.”

I do not buy into coincidences, I have a great feeling it was all planned. I could have headed out to war myself, but I would be considered a weak alpha, "One whose warriors can't conquer mere lone wolves...."

This weight could be light, if only they understood my ways of doing things. “The meeting is in a few hours, do you think I should attend?”

“Yes, Alpha, it shows you are not scared or afraid of the council leader and other Alpha's, that would be present.”

“Why do I always need to prove myself? Because my father made me the Alpha, without having to fight anyone for it?”

I spent most of my reign as the leader of the Lycans prowler pack, proving my worth, fighting and sacrificing my desires.

“I’m sorry, Alpha".  "You have no choice. You just have to be there, we should be on our way.”

Fernando was principled, but he was too rigid, even though everyone thinks I am just like him. That's a lie, I am different. I am a dynamic man, I don’t believe in just one way of doing things.

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“What is the outcome of the meeting, Alpha?” Fernando asked. He was waiting for me at the back of the building.

"They always find a way to get on my nerves. I made my point clear to them though" "I’m coming, I have to meet someone" I replied Fernando, my Beta.

“You should stop seeing her Alpha, they might misinterpret, If they see you with her”, Fernando tried stopping me.

I needed to see Rudina. Only her, can help me find out the truth about Ashina’s death.

Rudina was also waiting for me, “How did your findings go?. Did you get anything vital?” I asked her.

Rudina’s face said it all. She wore a melancholic expression.

“No Alpha Herveaux. I summoned her wolf but it was raging" "I’m confused, her soul was peaceful but her wolf was vengeful”.

I could feel my wolf shake vigorously within me, “Stay calm Tristan, not here”. I cautioned him.

I felt the same way, it was a slap on my face. If I couldn’t protect my own mate, no one would respect me.

“There will be a prophecy soon. I hope it will be about Ashina. She was a good one when she was with us."

"Even after she left, when she was mated with you, she never turned her back on her home”.

Rudina said it all. Ashina was an angel, the perfect Luna for an Alpha like me. “I failed her!”.

“One more thing, did the earth dweller have anything to do with her death?” I asked Rudina. That was paramount to me.

She was severely wounded before she came back to our world. She finally died right under my nose, but it was ruled as a suicide. "Ashina would never commit suicide".

“Ashina was strong, Alpha Herveaux. There is no way an ordinary human would hurt her that much. The poison had it's effect but she had bruises and cuts all over her body.”

Rudina had tried all means she could for me. Ashina was her niece. I believed, she could feel the pain I felt.

“Whoever planned this, has a greater plan. I urge you to beware Alpha Herveaux!” Rudina bade me farewell and left.

“Greater plan? What else could the person want?”

I was deep in thoughts all through my journey back home. The thought of seeing my children again, brought me relief.

Although, Ashina had left, she left me with treasures, I could only love and remember her for.

The meetings always took place at midnight, it was almost morning. My children would be ready to head to school, ever since their mother died, and I moved out of the mansion. I took on the role of a mother. I wanted my children to feel loved and secure.

“Father, you are back!” Dante, my son, and the eldest, rushed to greet me. He is just ten years old. His mother’s death hit him hard, but he’s just like me, pretending to be fine.

“Yes son, how is your sister?” Tala is my daughter. She’s the youngest. Tala used to be very strong and fast willed, at times, I feared she would be the one to take over my place. At that young age, she competed with her brother for everything, facing off anyone that crossed her.

Ever since her mother’s death she withdrew from everyone. I have changed a thousand maids and nannies just to please her.

“She has locked herself up in her room, she doesn’t want to go to school” Dante said. He is very truthful and straight forward, just like his mother. He was Ashina’s favorite. I knew he would have tried calling her out but she refused.

“Tala, It's daddy open up”. I beckoned to her. It took her a while but she finally opened the door.

“Why aren’t you dressed up, you will be late for school?” Tala was so unkempt and dirty, blaming the maids would be needless. I knew what she was capable of.

“You’re so dirty. I tickled her on her ribs and stomach. She had my beautiful yellow eyes but her mother’s black hair with streaks of silver lining. She gave out a smile. "I would kill to get to see that smile forever"

“Here is what I would do. I will follow you to school and wait until you return. Is that okay with you?” with her hands hugging my big body, unable to fold around me, she nodded her head.

“Call the head maid for me”, I ordered whoever was listening. “She left, since yesterday night but hasn’t returned since then” said one of the maids.

"That’s unusual".  Veruska is one of the oldest maids here, she worked for my parents and now me, and she is also one of my trusted servants.

That’s a big problem. Apart from her, Tala wouldn’t let anyone else take care of her. I have to go back there. 

I had to appease her, so she could allow another maid to take care of her. It was a tug of war, with begging and pleas.

“Don’t you think you’re spoiling Tala, she might turn out irresponsible” only Fernando would dare question how I trained my children.

“I understand Fernando, Tala would change. She just needs time to heal from her mother’s death. Let’s head to their school”.

Fernando looked at me. “Why? I can take them there myself. If you feel the need, you don’t have to do that all by yourself Alpha. Leaving the mansion, after Ashina's death, is enough topic for the people”.

I understood Fernando’s fears. He was worried about what people would think. But I cared less.

“I want to go myself, take care of things till I return!” Fernando insisted on following me. “I will drive you there, Alpha, let me accompany you?” he requested.

"I wanted a personal family time with my children. It’s the least I could do. Ashina did everything while I was focused on being the perfect Alpha for my pack."

We arrived at their school. Tala was reluctant to go in, I had to carry her playfully inside. “I want to see their teacher, I asked the school’s principal.”

“She called in sick today, we have a sub to take her role for her. I would call her, if you want to speak to her, Alpha Herveaux.”

The school’s principal wasn’t a Lycan, she was a hybrid. The elders of our clan were against me taking my children to this school, just because the principal is a hybrid. The hybrids and Lycans rarely mix.

Ashina chose this school. I don’t know why she chose this school, but it stands!

“I would like to speak to her, it’s about Tala!” I said to the woman.

“Give me a minute sir” she asked, and she hurried out to get her.

While I was waiting for the principals' return, Fernando rang me on the phone, “Hello Beta speak!”

“I found the head maid. She was murdered!"