Alpha, Save me

Kendrick's POV

 It had been two weeks since the emergency werecouncil meeting in which I was informed of the calamity that had befallen the Blood Moon pack. 

 In this two weeks, the total number of cases had doubled and the epidemic had reached the upper part of town where the palace was located. Some of the palace workers had even fallen to the disease and two of the werecouncil members too.

 Jake and I had been trying different ways to make the wolves switch back to their human form but there was no success. We had even come to realize that the werewolves didn't retain their sense of reasoning in that form so they couldn't be left untamed as they were dangerous.

 Many sacrifices had even been made to the Moon goddess by the priests who seemed to be suffering the disease even more than everyone else but there was no success. None of the men were having visions either so we were truly helpless at the moment.

 The priests had also tried different spells on the wolves to make them change back to their human form even if it would be at the expense of their wolf for the rest of their lives but it was all to no avail.

 I walked to my throne in the throne room and plonked to the chair with a sigh. Today was the day in the week in which I usually presided as a judge over any issues in the pack and despite the ongoing challenge in the pack, routines were routines.

 At this point in time, that was the only thing that was keeping me and even the pack going; routines. They helped to distract everyone, me especially from the huge problem we were currently facing.

 "Greetings, Alpha. The first case for today is between Miss Alcatraz and Mrs Jordan about a plot of land which Mrs Jordan is presently farming"

 "Call them in", I commented in response and soon enough, the two females were inside the throne room.

 "Miss Alcatraz, present your case. Mrs Jordan, you will go next"

 The two ladies made their complaints and after questioning them further, I made my decision. The next case was then ushered in while the two ladies were left waiting for the royal clerks to give them written copies of how the case had progressed and the final judgment.

 The cycle went on continuously and I was attending to the third case when a young woman who had a child strapped to her back suddenly rushed in with guards trying to restrain her.

 "Alpha!", she yelled as the guards dragged her out before she could get far inside the throne room.

 "Let her be", I breathed out knowing that she had to be severely distressed to have attempted coming in without being invited.

 "Alpha", she cried and fell to her knees at the foot of the throne. "Alpha, save me!"

 "What is the issue?"

 "Alpha...", she muttered as she bowed her head to the ground and burst into tears.

 "Woman, state your issues immediately else you will be ushered out", I warned and she slowly raised her head.

 "Alpha, my husband and child, they were turned yesterday! My child is only five years old", she wept and suddenly, it felt like cold water had been poured on each person in the room.

 A five year-old... 

 We had initially assumed that the disease only manifested itself after people shifted into their wolf. However, that theory had been proved wrong when someone suddenly transformed into his wolf form without initiating the shift and couldn't change back. Since then, people had been sleeping then waking up as wolves and that had slowly become the major way people succumbed to the disease.

 We had also concluded that the disease only affected people who had shifted before or at least began feeling their wolves. This woman's announcement however proved that wrong.

 The people would not be able to take it anymore if children suddenly began turning to wolves too. What could I do? This was bad.

 Everywhere was silent with the only sound in the room being the woman's weeping for minutes until I finally cleared my throat.

 "I'm very sorry but there's nothing that can be done", I slowly admitted and the volume of the woman's cries suddenly spiked. "But we are in the process of finding a solution to this epidemic", I assured her even though I felt just as hopeless as she did.

 "Alpha, save me from this misery", she sobbed.

 "Please Guards, usher her out now and hand over some supplies to her", I ordered.

 Within a short time, she was out of the throne room and I bowed my head then sighed heavily before raising my head to look at the people that I had been judging their case. Everyone was still frozen from the news of a child having caught the epidemic.

 "Shall we conclude this issue?", I questioned and the people involved in the case immediately gathered themselves.

 "Yes, Alpha", they chorused.

 We soon concluded the case and once they were done, I declared the tribunal closed for the day. I didn't have the heart to continue judging cases anymore.

 "You look tense", Jenni muttered as I walked into our chambers and immediately stood up from the rocking chair she had been sitting on to walk towards me. "Are you alright?"

 "I'm fine", I exhaled.

 "The tribunal meeting closed quite early today", she pointed out.

 "Someone reported that a child fell to the epidemic", I revealed.

 "How? The child was shifting for the first time?"

 "No, the child was only five, the child doesn't have a wolf but yet fell to the disease", I vented frustratedly and Jenni's hands clasped mine. "When are we going to find a solution to this?", I complained just as we heard a knock.

 "Speak", Jenni ordered while I let go of her hands and walked further inside to collapse onto our bed tiredly.

 "I just wanted to tell the Alpha that the general council of werewolves which we requested to meet with last week just sent a message that we should come to see them by sundown today", Jake's voice declared and I exhaled.

 Let's hope they would have something useful to say.

 "We leave in an hour's time", I replied.

 "Yes, Alpha", Jake acknowledged.

 "I just hope they would have something favourable to say about the future of our pack", Jenni sighed.

 In less than an hour's time, I was already prepared for the journey and Jake and I were having breakfast like Jenni insisted we did. Once we were done eating, we began the long ride to the imperial city which housed the rulers of all werewolf Alphas.

 We arrived there about an hour before sundown and were ushered in warmly on getting there. We waited in a large room where everyone wishing to see the council of werewolves sat, though there were not many people since the day was already over. I was quite surprised that they were meeting up with other people after us.

 We waited for a long time and even several minutes after sundown met us still waiting but eventually, we were ushered into a smaller room where three men sat on regal stools and directed to seat on the floor.

 "Great council members, we greet you", I hailed once we had sat down.

 "Greetings", Jake bowed.

 "What brings you both here to see the great council?"

 "I am Alpha Kendrick of the Blood Moon pack and I'm here because there is a major issue in my pack"

 "What is that issue?"

 "People in the pack have been changing to their wolves and unable to switch back to their human form. Some of them do not even initiate this change before it happens and even children without wolves are being affected also", I summarized and the men frowned.

 "It sounds like a curse", one of them muttered and they all nodded.

 "A curse? My pack is cursed?", I exclaimed.

 "It could be just someone in the pack, or the entire pack, or even you the Alpha but a curse has to be involved in this"

 "So how can the curse be reversed?"

 "Some curses reverse by themselves with time and others require sacrifices or other things"

 "We have made countless sacrifices to the Moon goddess and pleaded for mercy", I informed them.

 "You'll have to know what you're sacrificing for if it will fulfill its purpose"

 "The solution to the problem of your pack however can only be provided after the exact curse is figured out"

 "How can it be figured out?", I immediately asked.

 "Patience, son"

 "It is hard, my Lords. A large portion of my pack have already been changed to mere wolves, they don't even retain their reasoning", I exhaled.

 "We will begin a ritual to find out the problem of your pack now"

 A servant suddenly appeared from nowhere and brought out a large bowl then placed it on a chair. The chair was carried to the front of the three men and they began making incantations.

 "What is the name of your pack?", one of them asked after they incanted for a while and I quickly answered.

 The bowl soon began glowing and slowly became filled with blinding light that made Jake and I shield our eyes.

 "Indeed, your pack is cursed"