Chapter 112 Strength of Unity

Avalyn

My eyes fluttered open and I looked around the darkness. Nik wasn't here but he had closed the drapes. I sat up and a wave of dizziness crashed against my head. I sat still, taking deep breaths until it passed. When I finally felt better, I stood up. I was still feeling a little light headed but I knew it was because of dehydration and because I hadn't had food.

I walked out of my bedroom only to find Eliyah standing guard besides the door. He immediately turned to look at me. His eyes searched my face for signs of distress before he met my eyes, "are you feeling okay?"

"I feel better than I did yesterday, thank you for asking." I smiled and then asked, "why are you standing here?" We didn't need guards. He knew about the powers of our palace. There was never going to be a problem of intruders.

"So that you don't keep wandering out when you should be resting. Go back inside and rest. What do you want? I'll get it," he demanded. It amused me to see him care about me so much that he was ordering me to take care of myself. "Mistress." He added after a second thought.

"I feel fine, Eli." I smiled. "I need something to eat and water."

"I'll get it. Don't get out of your bed." He opened the door for me, motioning me to get in. "Go rest."

"I'll go crazy if I rest more. But I might rest in a chair in the dining room." I said and he narrowed his eyes at me in annoyance but nodded anyways. I walked towards the dining room and he followed. I could feel his burning gaze. He was looking for any small sign which could indicate that I would collapse so he could catch me before I did. It was endearing. "What time is it?"

"Four pm." He replied. Wow. I was asleep for a long time.

Tessa was carrying the laundry when she saw me and immediately rushed to my side.

"Go get her food and water. Dining room. Now." He ordered Tessa, making her frown. I gave him a look.

"Please." He added.

Tessa ignored him and looked at me, "you look better than yesterday, Mistress. I'll ask the cooks to whip up some porridge quickly. Alpha ordered me to do so."

"I'd like something solid please. I'm famished. Something spicy and something sweet."

She looked doubtful but she nodded anyways, "right away, Mistress. Please go have a seat. I'll be there shortly." She took out a phone from her pocket and dialled a number while I kept walking forward.

When I entered the dining room, a porridge was waiting for me at the head of the table and Dimitri was in his usual seat with a full bowl in front of him as well.

Why is he here?

I took Nikolai's seat and instantly dug in. I almost gagged. It tasted horrible.

Dimitri snickered. "It's porridge. Sick people's food. Tastes like elephant shit, I tried it." Eliyah sat on my other side which was usually my seat and silently laughed with Dimitri.

"Do I have to eat it?" I whined. It was chunky.

"Yup. Doctor's orders backed up by Nikolai's. Only then you'll get your solid food." He said and I groaned but started eat and drinking it.

"Doctors orders?"

"Nikolai had the pack doctor came in the morning to check up on you. You were sleeping like a dead log but he did his thing." He said and a maid came in and placed chicken nuggets in front on him. I looked at it with hunger.

He covered his food from my gaze with a taunting smirk. "Eat your own."

"Ass." I grumbled but did as he said. How can something that tastes so bad be good for you? "I hate being sick. What did the doctor say anyways?"

"He said your wolf is weak. Basically you need eat, sleep, repeat." He said, licking his fingers clean after he ate his nuggets.

I was half way done with my porridge when the maid came in with Indian curry and rice. My mouth watered. I pushed the porridge away to make space for delicious food. I ate so fast that I was practically inhaling it. I hadn't had anything in almost one entre day and my stomach was about to eat itself up.

Dimitri and Eli waited patiently till I finished everything and was finally full. The maids came in with a choco lava cake which I also finished.

I looked up to see an amused Dimitri and Eli. I glared at them, "problem?"

Both of them quickly shook their heads. Smart.

"Anyways, I'm here with important information." Dimitri said. "The nuggets were simply an added bonus."

"And here I thought that you wanted to enjoy my unparalleled company." I joked.

"That too," he winked. "Nikolai is boring. He doesn't joke and nor does he flirt back."

"I can't promise if I'll flirt back either, Dimitri." I laughed lightly. He is such a man child.

"But that's fine, I'll know I'm the only man in your heart." He winked and then grinned, "also, congratulations."

"Why?" Did something happen? What had I done?

"You are bestowed with the honour of having me as your Beta. I'm officially the Hand of the Queen." He said cheekily.

My eyes widened and I grinned. "Really?"

He placed his hand over his heart, "I swear on Nikolai's life. Let him die if I'm lying."

"Don't joke about that!" I smacked his arm and he chuckled. "Sorry. But honest to goddess, Avalyn. The kingdom has grown a lot and so have the responsibilities. So it was decided to have two betas. Nat is Nikolai's."

I smiled. I knew she was secretly training for this since a long time and I was extremely proud of her. She finally accomplished her goal.

"Wait, when did this happen?" Where was I?

"So yesterday evening we had a meeting. The council men are chosen."

Realisation struck. "Wait. Meeting. A meeting with the Alphas is about to happen right now!" I just remembered and he nodded, "Nikolai said that it's okay if you don't attend. You're sick and that you can be officially excused."

"But I want to attend." I stood up. I had talked to them on the phone multiple times and I wanted to put a face to the name too.

His eyes glazed over for half a minute before he looked at me and nodded. "The Alphas are freshening up in their bedrooms and the meeting starts in thirty minutes."

"I need to get dressed. We will talk after the meeting and then you can tell me whatever that you were about to." I said, already moving towards the door. I needed to shower and get dressed and apply make up in thirty minutes. I didn't have time.

"Sure. Nikolai says don't be late."

"I won't!"

I took a shower in a record time of ten minutes while Tessa rushed to pick a dress for me and ready all the jewellery and makeup along with it. I had told her to keep it simple but stylish. I didn't want to look sick or like a slob but I also didn't want to look like I was flaunting our wealth or being extra.

I ended up wearing a pale blue dress that was fitted from the top and then flowed freely from below my waist. The soft material brushed against my calfs. Tessa put on a pair of pearl earrings and necklace and a set of matching heels. She did a natural makeup and since there wasn't much time for doing my hair so she left my long, straight strands as it is and just put in multiple small pearl pins that kept my hair half up and half down.

After she was done, I rushed to the Council Room—where the meeting was being held.

The guards smiled and quickly opened the doors for me. I realised that I was late. Nik was sitting on his throne. An older Alpha couple was seated on one side and a younger wolf— in his early thirties was seated on a seat besides theirs. He was their son. And then on the other side of Nik, a young couple—around our age sat with a young boy—around thirteen at the most sitting the seat next to their's with a girl around the age of five or six.

I had talked to all of them multiple times with Papa but I hadn't actually seen them.

Nik stood up for me, his face instantly lighting up. Everyone else stood up too. I smiled at him and then the rest, "thank you for waiting for me."

"You're just in time, Moya Lyubov," Nik pecked my lips and helped me sit besides him.

"Let me introduce everyone to you. This is Alpha Ralph and his mate Luna Iris of Red Moon Pack." Nik motioned towards the older couple and then the son who was around our age. "And this is their son Logan." As Nik said their names, they nodded in acknowledgment and they sat after I smiled back.

He shifted to the other side of the room, "this is Alpha Zayn and his mate, Luna Belle," he motioned towards the younger couple. They nodded with warm smiles and I smiled back in greeting. "And that is Zion, his brother, and Zoe, his sister."

I had thought they were their children. But then where were their parents? Did something bad happen to them? I hope not.

I gave the kids a smile and they sat down again.

"I have called for this meeting because we have a crisis at our hands." Nik started. "Alpha Adrik has been a menace for all of us. One by one he has taken over pack after pack. He has been doing this since the last century and now holds fifty percent of land of our supernatural island. He is the Alpha of about thirty eight percent of totally werewolves of Jivan. About fourteen percent don't even live on our island. And the rest of the wolves are ours, including Verdura Pack. But Alpha Alphonso is friends with Alpha Adrik. Which means he is safe."

Everyone listened to him attentively as Nikolai just went on listing the stats. Trepidation grew in everyone's eyes but no one showed it openly. All of us had been aware thar Adrik is taking over more and more land but no one had listed down every fact and looked at it as a whole. Which was why it seemed more daunting as Nik went on.

"....he isn't just increasing the size of his pack. He is creating an army." Nik went ahead to tell them about the Zombie witches.

I could feel the dread rolling off of them in waves.

"Do you really think I will believe your bullshit?" Alpha Ralph crossed his arms.

"No. But you best believe your eyes." He said and at the snap of his fingers, four slaves pushed in a large screen on wheels. It turned on and then a video started playing—a video I hadn't seen before.

A man was standing next to an old woman in a black cloak. "That's Adrik and a witch—an extremely strong one."

In front of them kneeled three people, their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were thrashing, trying to get away but it was impossible. "They are witches—few of many who have been getting kidnapped from all around the world."

The old witch started chanting something and then she threw red dust on them. There was no audio but I could see from the movement of her lips that her speed was increasing. And then suddenly Adrik stepped forward with a dagger in his hand and one by one, he sliced their throated and then fell down, dead.

My heart slammed in my chest. Poor witches.

"We believe that the dagger is enchanted. When looked upon closely, it has inscriptions on it," Nik said and then the old witch's chanting speed increased further.

And then suddenly, the three dead witches' eyes snapped open and they started standing up, as if they were in a trance. I heard a couple of gasps around the room, one of which was mine. This is why Nik was calling them zombie witches. Crap.

And then Adrik's lips moved and the three witches bowed down deeply. And then he smirked. "We believe that they will do anything Adrik tells them to do—since he killed them with that enchanted dagger." They were struggling earlier, trying to defy him but now they bowed deeply, willingly.

And then the video changed into a different one. It was dark and night vision was used to record it. The scene was of inside a cave. I could see endless rows and rows of people. Standing straight, silent and immobile. "These are a few of the zombie witches." The angle of the video moved in circles on top of their heads. Nobody moved, they didn't even tilt their heads. It was...unnatural.

And then the video changed again. This time, the camera was moving from between what looked like rocky hills. And then a filter appeared. Only the outline of the hills could be seen and then red spots were visible. "This is the infrared view of the insides of the hills. Each red spot is one witch."

"Oh Goddess!" Luna Belle gasped. My jaw dropped. Everyone was in shock. I mean I knew all of this but actually seeing it... it terrified me.

That is why Nik had come in my office that day, needing me like he did. He was scared. He needed reassurance that I was here, next to him. And it would stay that way. Always. I needed that reassurance now. I needed to feel him. His hand suddenly encased mine, squeezing, ensuring me that he was here.

And then the video turned black before the slaves took the screen away.

Nik turned to look at Alpha Ralph who gulped.

"Ten years ago, there were a total of seventeen packs on our island. After five years, only nine remained. And now, there are only five, including Verdura Pack and Mystic Lupus. We are the only ones standing because of our geographical advantage of being away from the original boundaries of Mystic Lupus. But that's not the case anymore. He owns half of the island. He doesn't want just my pack our your pack or a couple of Kingdoms. He wants the world. And he will stop at nothing to achieve it." Nikolai said, breaking the silence with his sharp as a whip words. "We need to unite to stop him before he can do further damage."

"Alpha Adrik..." Alpha Ralph's voice shook before he cleared his throat. "I have a deal with him. My pack is safe."

"Really? What's the deal?" Nikolai asked, his voice dry.

"When he had recently attacked and acquired South Claw Pack which used to be my neighbouring pack, I knew our time was close. So I approached him and we cracked a deal. I gave him the southern belt of my pack along with a little percentage of the taxes of my pack and he promised to leave me alone. He has even sent a group of his warriors to my pack for our protection. From... rogues. From you." Alpha Ralph said.

"So you gave him the only escape route from your pack, all the docks of your pack from where he could do any business he likes and rendered yourself landlocked?" He turned to look at Alpha Zayn, "he now has access to your pack too." And then he turned back to look at Alpha Ralph. "The Rogue Pack didn't even touch your borders, nor would we have ever gotten the permission to pass through either Montana Pack or Wintercrown Pack to reach your pack. And even if we did, we didn't have nearly enough numbers to attack your pack and win." Nikolai said and I slowly saw realisation hit Alpha Ralph. "And rest assured, Alpha Ralph, we have absolutely no interest in your lands. I have more than I need already."

"Not only do you give him free money, but he also has his men in your pack to do all his spy work for him and report back each and every thing to him, all the while mingling happily with your pack members and pretending to be their friends."

"A-Adrik isn't going to harm us. We are safe." He stupidly repeated. He was so arrogant and stuck in his ways, so sure of himself that he couldn't see that he had messed up. And if he didn't do anything right now, he was going to be in deep shit.

"Don't be so stupid, Alpha Ralph." Nikolai hissed, visibly offending the old Alpha. "He is going to attack you first. And then Wintercrown is going to be next."

"How are you so sure he won't attack you? Oh right, his son's pack is his pack, right?" Alpha Ralph taunted.

"Oh he will attack me. But I'll be last," Nik's voice turned lower yet turned hard, "and it is because I'm his son. Because he wants not only to kill me but to crush me with the mammoth sized army he will gain control over once he kills you all."

"I've had small cases of loots and a few light border breaches. Is that his work?" Alpha Zayn pressed.

"Most definitely." Nik nodded. "He will keep doing it until it becomes the new normal. And people don't pay attention to small crimes. Then he will start spending spies who will infiltrate houses or work places of high rankers and try to extract information about you and your pack."

"I'll handle it." Alpha Zayn nodded and Nik nodded back.

"We've had multiple cases of small crimes too." Logan said, ignoring his father's glare.

"That is nothing!" Alpha Ralph stood up in anger. "I have a deal with Alpha Adrik and I want absolutely no part in your schemes. Thank you for calling us but it is time we leave." He grabbed his mate's hand and then glared at his son who paid him no attention. A growl escaped his lips and then the older couple stalked out of the Council Room.

Nik sighed.

"We stand with you, Alpha Nikolai." Alpha Zayn stood up and so did his family. "We need to work together to face a mutual enemy and nobody knows him better than you."

"Thank you," Nik nodded and both of us stood up. "You are welcome to stay the night. It will be our pleasure if you have dinner with us. I already have a meeting scheduled with my councilmen to discuss war strategy after that, you are welcome for that as well."

"It will be our pleasure." Alpha Zayn agreed with a smile.

"If you don't mind, I would like to stay as well." Logan said. "My father is old-fashioned and has difficulty accepting his mistakes. He knows he fucked up. I'll talk to him. I will stand by your side when the times comes and if things so well, so will my father and our pack."

"It would be our pleasure." Nik nodded.

It was almost dinner time anyways so we directly moved on to the Royal Dining Hall. I felt a small tug on my dress and I looked behind me to see no one. With one more tug, my eyes shifted down to see Zoe looking up at me with big beautiful hazel eyes. "Your hair turned silver and then brown and then silver and then brown again. Why?"

I smiled. "I don't know either. But it happens when he touches it." I pointed towards Nikolai who was walking in front of us, engaged in a conversation with Logan and Alpha Zayn.

"Alpha Nikolai!" She called loudly, making everyone look at her. Alpha Zayn looked worried as he looked at her sister. "Can you touch her hair please? It's pretty when it's silver. She doesn't look like a grandma. She looks pretty." My jaw dropped. I didn't know if I should be offended or take it as a compliment.

Alpha Zayn's eyes widened and Nikolai laughed at that. Laughed.

"Yes, she's very pretty. Will you be my girlfriend?" Zion tried to wink, key word— tried. Both of his eyes closed and his face scrunched up comically.

This time, I was the one who laughed. Nikolai looked amused.

Alpha Zayn whacked his little brother behind his head, "apologise!"

"Oops. Sorry." He said and then Alpha Zayn gave me an apologetic smile, "please forgive him. He lacks filter and sometimes a working brain," he glared at his brother who looked down in shame.

The men continued his their talks again and Zion looked up at me relentlessly, "so what do you think? I know I'm young now but give me a couple of years, I'll grow taller and stronger than him too," he whispered, pointing at Nikolai. So the shame he showed earlier was feigned. "We ca—ngwt" Luna Belle came up from other side of him and put her hand over his mouth, "sorry." She chuckled.

"It's fine, really." I smiled. "I love kids."

"Ew." Luna Belle took her hand from over his mouth and rubbed it over his shirt—he had licked her palm. Zion showed her his tongue before he ran away. Pink coated her cheeks when she looked at me.

"If kids don't behave mischievously then who will?" I chuckled, hoping to make her more comfortable.

She smiled gratefully, "you're going to be a great mother one day."

A dagger pierced my heart but I smiled through it, "thank you. So will you. You handle them wonderfully." I looked down at Zoe who was still subconsciously holding on to the skirt of my dress, her eyes moving around the palace.

"It's not as easy as it looks, trust me. But the kids are wonderful. I wouldn't have it any other way." She said.

We entered the Dining Hall.

"Your Palace is beautiful, Luna Avalyn." Belle whispered in awe as she looked around at the grandiosity. "I mean I've heard stories...but this...."

"Thank you." I smiled. Our family entered from the other entrance. The place was a little chaotic because of so many people but I made sure to introduce Luna Belle and Zoe to everyone. Zoe, Adrian, Zion and Vanessa became fast friends, despite the difference in their ages. They were playing chase in the dining room, running from between two people conversing and laughing and squealing loudly as they did so. I was happy that they made Adrian play with them too. He needed to be a kid more often.

I also came to know that Alpha Ralph and Luna Iris had departed and Logan had decided to stay the night despite it.

When things started calming down, we began taking our seats. There was obviously a change in the seating arrangements. Nik sat at the head of the table with me on his right, Luna Belle besides me and then Dimitri, Andrei, a man I didn't recognise and then a woman with a scar on the side of her face—another person I didn't recognise. They must be the new councilmen Dimitri was trying to tell me about earlier. And then on Nikolai's left sat Alpha Zayn, Logan, Nat, Max, Mikhail. The kids sat at the end of the table with April and a couple of more slaves to make sure the kids ate properly.

More slaves came in, bringing in entrees after entrees. From the looks of it, we were going to be fed a twelve course meal. I didn't mind. I was getting hungry again. I could sense Luna Belle getting overwhelmed by everything—so much incoming food, many family members and... fanciness. She clearly wasn't used to this. Nor were Alpha Zayn and Logan but no body voiced it. I decided to take matters into my own hand.

"I would like to raise a toast." I said, picking up my champagne glass. Nik looked at me with a smile and picked up his glass. The rest followed.

"I have talked to all of you on the phone along with my father Javier." I smiled, "and this isn't how I had imagined our first meeting would go. We have been doing business for a couple of months and now it has turned into a partnership— and hopefully a new friendship," I smiled towards Luna Belle who grinned back. "We are going to stand untied in the face of adversity. It's not going to be easy but I hope that we will be able to survive all the obstacles thrown our way." I raised my glass, "to new unions."

"To new unions." Everyone cheered and clinked their glasses together before downing their drinks.

Nikolai took a spoonful of the entree and fed me first, after which I fed him, marking the start of our hearty dinner.