Azazel's Secrets

Ch-107

In the dimly lit chamber, tension hung thick in the air as Serene's question echoed, breaking the heavy silence. The faces of the assembled group turned towards Ophelia. Serene's voice cut through the quiet, seeking answers from the woman who held the key to the mysteries that unfolded before them.

"What experiment?" Serene asked.

Everyone looked at Ophelia and waited for her to answer their question. Ophelia's gaze met the eyes of those around her.

"Azazel tried to wake up the ancients for years. But he failed many times. Last time, when Victoria was offered, he tried a different ritual. The blood of Victoria, offered in sacrifice, stirred the slumbering power but fell short of rousing the ancient from its deep sleep.

"Her blood agitated the ancient but couldn't wake him up. All the while, they kept feeding some vampires and their blood. But one day, suddenly, a werewolf was offered to that ancient. There was a movement. From then on, few werewolves and vampires were being offered."

Silence settled like a heavy shroud as Ophelia recounted the desperate attempts to find a vessel for the awakened ancient. From that moment on, the ritual demanded both werewolves and vampires as offerings, a macabre dance to sate the ancient's hunger for power. Everyone in the room was shocked. They recounted the missing cases in their kingdoms from time to time. Now, they knew why they had such cases. This man, Azazel, was simply downright evil.

"The ancient was awake. But he needed a vessel. After so many experiments and research, he came to know the descendant of a white wolf or a vampire nurtured by an original would be a perfect vessel for the ancients."

"Unfortunately, the ritual was disturbed by Victoria. Andrea was the one who ruined the ritual and saved Lenora." Ophelia said.

"But how could Adira be the white wolf? Maximus is a black wolf," Lenora stated.

"Maximus is the son of the previous King's true mate. After the death of his first mate, he mated with another wolf. She was a white wolf. He married her on a prophecy. Later, she gave birth to Adira. Unfortunately, she passed away too for some sickness. For the sake of the kingdom, I married the king. We didn't mate. Later on, he never cared about the kingdom. Slowly, he passed away." Serene said with a sigh. Serene clarified, unveiling a hidden layer of the Werewolf Kingdom's intricate history.

As Serene spoke of the kingdom's past, her voice carried a mixture of regret and longing. She reflected on a marriage of duty rather than love, a union that sought to secure the kingdom's future. The absence of a mother's love weighed heavily on Adira and Maximus, but fate had brought them together with Serene at the right time, forging bonds that transcended the constraints of familial titles.

These kids lacked their mother's love so much. And she lacked children to give her mother's love. They both met the right people at the right time. They found a mother and a present parent for two children. Adira and Maximus never treated her like an evil stepmother. Instead of treating her like an evil stepmother, they treated her with respect. Serene didn't show any bias either. She was a good queen and a good mother. But it's just that Adira and Maximus are too naughty and get punished by her too frequently.

Serene never thought she would have to reveal secrets like this to her daughter-in-law, Lenora, in this way.

Lenora doesn't know these things about the Werewolf Kingdom. It's not like these would change something. But she wished to know these from Maximus's mouth.

But again, they faced one thing after another and didn't have time to discuss all these things. Right now, she didn't have to think about all these things. Saving Adira was more important.

Everyone understands the role of Adira now. She was the most important chess piece in the game.

But twenty years ago, why did he marry a woman of prophecy? "The prophecy? Who read that prophecy?"

"The witch was sent to the late Werewolf King by Azazel," Ophelia said in a slow voice. her words hanging in the air like a foreboding mist.

"In that case, there is no chance for him to leave Adira even if Lenora went there," Maximus said.

"I doubt that too," Serene said in a defeated tone.

"That doesn't explain why he wants Lenora. And I still don't understand why he claims my sister as his daughter," Zaros said.

He was getting tensed with every passing second. He was worried that Adira might die from the torture given by Azazel. But he also has to protect everyone around him. He was in a fix now.

"The second wife of the werewolf king was arranged by Azazel. He wanted someone on the throne in both kingdoms of his people. So that when the need aroused, he could use them both.

"But Adira's mother started rebelling after seeing King Maximus loving her daughter so much. So, she was killed by Azazel. Later, Maximus didn't let anyone take advantage of the throne," Ophelia interjected again.

She would betray Azazel till the end if needed. That man left her to die. If she wants to live, she has to kill him. She can't do it. But the people in this room can. So, why not use this chance to reveal his misdeeds and torture him to death?

"Then why didn't he try later?" Maximus asked. He felt his first was weird too. His first wife died the same way his two mothers were killed. He felt that the witches claimed that the Queen of the country was cursed.

"He did. Your first wife. The mate connection you felt for her was due to the black magic he used on her for you. You both thought it was real and got married. That woman also refused after she became pregnant. Since she was a useless chess piece. He killed her too," Ophelia said.

"He killed my mother too," he asked her again. More than a question, it sounded like a statement. Ophelia nodded slowly. Maximus clenched his fist tightly when he heard that.